So I went to Japan

Intel

TCG Elite Member
Oct 28, 2009
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And all they let me do was ride in this slow car called a GTR

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GK2xLWa9Df8

Working on sorting through about 1300 pictures I took from 10 days of being in Japan. Was able to go with a group of Z crazy people to visit and do a lot of fun car related things.

Z festa at Nissan Grand Drive (No public pictures :( as it is their testing facility that is closed to the public )
Tokyo Tour (Regular touristy stuff)
Toyota Auto Museum by Bullet train
Nissan's Zama Facility (Think warehouse of everything Nissan)
Tour of Nismo (RB26/Skyline heaven, buddy has some pictures)
Tour of Autech (They make 370z Nismo editions, no pictures for security reasons)
Yokohama D-Parq where we got to ride on the track in a Bentley and Mercedes.
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Japanese spa, hot water baths
Nissan Tochigi Plant where 370z/GTR is made.
Temples of Nikko (Crazy roads up and down)

Met a ton of Z crazy people who let us into their homes and lives for 10 days and helped us out in any way they could. It is awesome to know that a love for all things automotive can open so many doors and create so many friendships.
 

Intel

TCG Elite Member
Oct 28, 2009
5,889
3,357
Palatine

Japan2012-1796 by kram_neslo, on Flickr

Just for Mook ;)

Yeah pretty much this guy Mad Mike takes a group of Z car enthusiasts every year to Japan to meet a lot of very cool people who also love Z cars. This time around we had 7 Z32 TT people with one guy who sold his and has a 240z that he is swapping an RB26 into. Somebody dropped out and I was called by a friend to come join and pretty much blew my car budget out of the water doing this. Still was a once in a lifetime thing and can't wait to see some of these people in 2 years in San Diego Zcon if they can make it over.
 

Intel

TCG Elite Member
Oct 28, 2009
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5.22.12

It is 2:30am and I am finishing up my last email from work. I sorted through my luggage and started the trek to O'hare on the wonderous blue line. I was joining quite the mix of people with black wednesday stragglers, TSA agents, travelers and homeless people. Soon we are playing tetris with bags and people as it fills up as much as my normal 6pm train home.

I arrive at O'hare and manage to sneak in right before the holiday rush. I think the only person excited for travel are the two kids in front of me who have more energy than everyone else in the security line. I pass though the scanners with little of my dignity left and make my way to the terminal where I would be meeting Eric for our trip to LAX and then Narita Japan. I grab breakfast and we board the LAX flight which was rather uneventful. Eric and I get ready to board our flight to Narita. Little did I know I would be in for quite a turn of events. I remember that I picked a window seat and was next to a couple, and would soon regret this decision. I am happy to find out a large amount of movies but I would soon succumb to sleep after 20+ hours of work. I wake up to the guy next to me laying there and his wife asking me to help as he is unresponsive. She rushes through and decides he has no pulse and isn't breathing while the attendant calls for a doctor. To my surprise after about 3 minutes of being completely confused the man next to me finally does wake up not really knowing why 7 people are staring at him trying to get him to wake up. I believe he was having a diabetic episode. All I know is that I was very happy to get out of my seat. I was shaken to say the least and they moved me to another seat. To my dismay I would be put right in front of the bathroom for a 14 hour flight. While not horrible by itself I would soon realize this flight was filled with little old ladies in puffy jackets who had to pee every 30 minutes. I would spend the next 7 hours trying to sleep while people stumbled over my legs and the bathroom light shone in my face every time the door opens.

Soon the 14 hours of not being able to sleep is over and we land, we soon head through immigration where I already experienced the language gap when it comes to how they take fingerprints. After navigating this language barrier I soon realize what I was in for the next 10 days. Eric and I make our way to the baggage claim where I find my luggage has failed to make the trek here. It seems some of the people I shared a train with found the need to keep my bag in Chicago for no reason. In a strange turn of events the people at the airport already knew of this and were ready with forms for me to fill out for where I was staying for them to ship/courier it there. Fifteen minutes of forms and we meet Ahmed to wait for our bus. We are met by Jeff and Mad Mike from Texas as we board the bus. Mad Mike would brief us on our trip and related a couple of stories about customs and past trips. We soon arrive in Yokohama and I manage to pass out while they go out to dinner. We would have a big day ahead of us and I was wiped.

TLDR I went to Japan on no sleep because of work, guy tried to die on my flight next to me, and they lost my luggage. Ended up in Yokohama.


Japan2012-0779 by kram_neslo, on Flickr


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Japan2012-0788 by kram_neslo, on Flickr

Should have 2-3 more up tonight as I finished editing the photos.
 

Intel

TCG Elite Member
Oct 28, 2009
5,889
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Palatine
11.24.12
Zdays

I jumped on the bus early to head to the Z festival. We show up to Z's lined up outside the gate of the Grand Drive. Nissan's Grand Drive is their private test track that they very rarely open up to the public. We were not really allowed to take pictures inside and one club that did got banned from going there again. If you ever see me at a meet or whatever and want to see some cool cars let me know I have them for private viewing. We saw as Z car groups rolled in from all over Japan and organized out to different rows of cars. There were 240zs, 260zs 280z and zx, 300zx, 200zr (300zx with an RB20 in it that didn't make it to the US), 350z and 370z's. Nissan was nice enough to provide us with a White 370z convertible for us to take on the track and through the gymkhana/autox course.

3 test drivers would also be available in 370's to take us at closer to full speed around the course. As I jumped in the car with my cute white half helmet with Nissan on it, I buckled in and we rocketed through the first curve with a bit of throttle oversteer throughout most of the turns. My driver was hamming it up a bit and we were having a blast. I think we hit about 200kph and I was glued to the seat through the turns. I was surprised how much I liked the 370z as I have only test driven them at low speeds. As I head back one of the stewards talks to some of the cars leaving to go on the track and grabs me in a ride in a 1988 LHD 300zx. As I get in we express hellos in broken english/japanese and talk a bit about the car as best as we can. We make our way around the course at a more normal pace behind a Nissan pace car but it was still a lot of fun.

As we mulled around the cars we managed to introduce ourselves and pantomime our way through conversations about peoples cars and their modification. I notice a lot of the older cars and their attention to detail is just astounding. I have never seen so many clean 280 and 80's 300zx in my life. Some had very clean RB26 swaps and others were versions like the 240z 432 that never made it to the United States. What made this car rare was it has the Skyline S20 motor in it which makes a bit more power. One owner took a couple of us for a ride and revved it for us. The sound of it was just amazing. I think the biggest thing I noticed across the board was that the attention to detail was just steps above what I have seen elsewhere. Swaps looked stock and not hacked in like what I have seen elsewhere. There is a midnight racing 280zx which I have seen online in red and other cars I have only seen online or in magazines.

We soon have lunch where Mr.K the father of the Z car (and the 510) is there at 103 years old to talk to us about the Z car. We get together after a group photo and then the rest of the day goes on. As we finish we are given a gift of a very nice plaque made of wood to all of us Z crazies on the trip. Speeches seem to dominate everything we go to so far as it seems everyone gets time to speak.

After cleaning up and grabbing a quick nap we managed to make our way to China town for the Z festa banquet. Our cabbie managed to snake his way through many tight streets with lots of people without ever really hitting his horn. We would split up into two tables at the Chinese restaurant with people who could translate at each table. Yet again the love for speeches is confirmed as I think each and every Z car club comes up and introduces themselves and their group. Soon we are called up and are put on the spot.

The food was surprisingly good array of sticky rice, egg rolls, wontons noodle soup, fried pork and a spicy curry dish with all sorts of stuff in it. As the night wore on and the chinese rice wine and beer flowed things got louder and louder until it was over. A lot of people would head out to continue the night. I would head home to catch up on sleep and see if my luggage was at the hotel. Lucky for me it was and it was also all in one piece. Tomorrow would be our tour of Tokyo which would be a rather long day.


TLDR Zfesta at Nissan Grand drive, Lots of clean Z's, crazy people, and then a fun Banquet of chinese food.


Most of these photos are froms friends/cellphone etc as I wasn't allowed to have my DSLR out.

Some cars before they left for the convention from Tetsu's shop. The 280zx had wheels that were stepped out and I believe an RB swap.

Japan2012-11 by kram_neslo, on Flickr


Japan2012-11-2 by kram_neslo, on Flickr


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Mr. K pretty spry at 103 years old.

Japan2012-9582 by kram_neslo, on Flickr


Japan2012-9584 by kram_neslo, on Flickr

sweet 510 in the parking lot.

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Japan2012-0031 by kram_neslo, on Flickr

Our chariot for the day.

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Japan2012-9599 by kram_neslo, on Flickr

Z banquet

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Our second family that helped take care of us throughout the week.

Japan2012-11-11 by kram_neslo, on Flickr

Guy sitting next to me had a Sick Z and flew 777's for his day job.

Japan2012-11-13 by kram_neslo, on Flickr

Group rock paper scissors for tires I believe.

Japan2012-11-14 by kram_neslo, on Flickr

For some reason they had a boat/pirate ship built outside of our place.

Japan2012-9616 by kram_neslo, on Flickr
 

Intel

TCG Elite Member
Oct 28, 2009
5,889
3,357
Palatine
11.25.12

We moved to Royal Park Shiodome Tower Hotel in Tokyo

A bus comes to pick us up for a tour of Tokyo. Just a normal touristy thing. I will let the pictures speak for how it was.
Tokyo Tower
Happo-en Tea Ceremony
Lunch at a bbq place
Imperial Palace/ Nijubishi Bridge

Sumida River Sightseeing boat tour

Senso-Ji Temple and Nakamise Street


View from Tokyo Tower.

Japan2012-0808 by kram_neslo, on Flickr


Japan2012-0810 by kram_neslo, on Flickr


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Garden and Tea Ceremony. These trees are like 100-500 years old.

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I think we saw like 5 weddings at the various places we went to.

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Two of my favorite shots. Only been shooting for about a year.

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Chains for gutter downspouts. Why didn't I think of that.

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Gorgeous Park

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After the boat ride

Japan2012-0914 by kram_neslo, on Flickr

Senso-Ji Temple and Nakamise Street. Basically a ton of shops and cool temples. So many people. It was the end of day so I was running out of light.

Japan2012-0915 by kram_neslo, on Flickr


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I don't know the name of this but you make a small donation. Pick out a stick out of a container and it gives you a symbol to a box to pick out and get your fortune.

Japan2012-0919 by kram_neslo, on Flickr


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As I walked to get on the bus there was a huge gravel lot. 2 skylines were just chilling there. A little rough but still these are pretty rare to just see around.


Japan2012-0925 by kram_neslo, on Flickr


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My ugly mug

Japan2012-0935 by kram_neslo, on Flickr

Next 2 days is my trip to Autobacs, a random car museum, Toyota auto museum and other misadventures. Sorting through and editing them now.
 
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