Import Approved!

I received a phone call today from DOTARS and the application for JiJi to be imported to Australia has finally been approved! What a relief!

On a different note; I've started collecting parts for my stereo. I've got a Nakamichi 10" subwoofer to go in, along with an MTX Blue Thunder Pro1502 amp. The Nakamichi was purchased at UpGarage for 3,000yen and really does look in as new condition. The amp was donated by my mate.

Penis Worship

Only in a land of small penises could such a large penis be worshipped so much. Anyone would think this festival started when the Americans brought Japan to its knees after the second World War but the truth is this obsession is centuries old. Every year thousands of men and women flock from afar to have a feel of the mighty member. So much so that a police escort was provided.

Drift Girl

Drifting is a male dominated sport but occasionally one stumbles across the female variety and things always seem so much cooler when that happens. The overall-wearing cutie is Ayu and she's responsible for most of the work done on her Toyota chariot. The fuse cover says it all about the engine's internals and the pink highlights are part of Ayu's personal touch.

When it comes to choosing a car for drift duties one of the last makers on the list would be Daihatsu. But last year, while I was visiting 'drift heaven' (Ebisu Spring Drift Festival), I found a very rare and very beat up Daihatsu drifter. The car was a Charmant. Never heard of it? Neither have many other people. Based on the Toyota Corolla platform, the original 1500cc engine had been replaced with a Toyota 1600cc 20 valve 4AGE. There was more unusualness in the cabin with a Recaro baby seat.

JiJi Kuruma Modifications

The list of modifications is getting longer for my little van. First of all was the 15 inch wheels (up from 13 inches). They're as big as will fit. Then came the conversion from 4WD to RWD. The LSD rear diff has a crazy 6.6:1 final drive ratio! I'm searching for a taller diff ratio and have a few options. Then came the new exhaust; this is made from a mix of Jaguar V12 and Yamaha R1 carbon fibre mufflers and piping. The latest installment is a boost gauge.
Coming soon are some base adjustable coilovers, some flared rear guards and some new paint.
More pics (and videos) to come.

JiJi Modifications

Crazy Japan

The amount of craziness in Japan is hard to explain sometimes. It can be a bit overwhelming at times. And no matter how long you've lived here there always seems to be something that still blows your mind. Just when you think you've seen it all someone gives you some curry flavoured lemonade to try! Then there's the endless supply or retarded English printed around the place. Here are just a few examples of what I've seen. I'll keep updating these photos as I manage to capture more Japanese oddities.

Here's a sample of some of my 'people shots'.

Old School 2

Maybe I'm getting older. Maybe new cars are less interesting. Whatever the case, in recent years my affection for old school cars has increased. It's not that I didn't like classic cars when I was younger, quite the opposite, but now old school cruising just seems so much more appealing. Here's a selection of some very cool old school ricers.

Cool Old School 1 - Toyota Crowns

The Toyota Crown has traditionally been seen as the old man's car, a Japanese Volvo if you like. But there's no denying their potential to be cool, as demonstrated by the countless examples of slammed VIP Crowns cruising the streets. Here is a collection of classic Crowns to stimulate the imagination of old school pimpin'.

Crazy Japanese Cars

The curious mind may sometimes wonder, 'Is it true what they say about Japan?' The answer is, only the really weird stuff. When it comes to car shows there's plenty of weird stuff to see and my advice is for the best experience save your money on the entry fee and spend it on a few beers. Cruise around the carpark, getting drunk, while you view the real show that goes on.
For the last three or four years the car show scene has really lost its volume and quality but the carpark crowds show up without fail. There are certainly more weird cars, more weirdly dressed owners and more skanky girls in the carparks.

Suzuka Circuit

YZ Circuit Crash

During my time covering motorsport I've seen a lot of crashes on the circuits of Japan but there's one that always stands out. It was just another day at YZ Circuit, a place that never fails to punish drivers who step over the line, when this happened...

The Colours of Autumn in Japan

Autumn in Japan displays some beautiful colours and is a great time for rich, warm photos. These photos were taken at a lovely little town called Gero, in Gifu prefecture. Gero is famous for its natural hot springs and traditional inns. Depending on the time of year Gero town is either rich in yellows, oranges and reds, a plush green, a lovely milky pink or white with snow. It's a great place to relax in an outdoor hot spring or get some nice snaps with your camera.

The Personal Import Process

Going through the process of personally importing a vehicle from Japan to Australia should be a fairly straightforward and painless affair however, 'straightforward' and 'painless' aren't words usually associated with dealing with the Australian government. A few headaches have popped up already regarding the paperwork and today I just resubmitted my paperwork, this time translated into English. At the moment, my main concern is not having an official parking permit. Micro class cars don't require a parking permit where I live so the paperwork doesn't exist. I've explained this to the government three times now but they just keep asking for a parking permit. I've had my landlord write one up which I had translated and sent today. Hopefully that will be enough for approval.

'JiJi' Micro Van

During my time in Japan I've owned a lot of cars but there's one car that's so unique, so useful and so sloooooooooow! He's my 'JiJi Kuruma', or 'old bastard car'.
The car is a Mitsubishi Bravo Super Aero Roof GT Turbo. The name is as long as the car. It's a micro class car, meaning it's restricted in length, width, engine capacity and power output. However, this only adds to its appeal. So much so that I've decided to bring it back to Australia with me this year.