Japan 2024: D4

June 28, 2024 57 Min Read

Wow, this is going to be excruciatingly content heavy. Once again, I’m probably going to post this at 2am again, so many things will be rushed, and I hope that I can cover as much as I can

Quick recap:

Day 1 was settling in to Japan, checking in, etc.

Day 2 was our first venture out to around the area, going to a tourist hotspot fish market nearby Ginza, going to Ginza and then Shibuya.

Day 3 was visiting Akihabara and then an Up Garage in the more rural/residential parts of Tokyo.

Day 4, today, will be planned via a tour; more or less, to visit local attractions and do sightseeing.

What’s to come.

Once again, fair warning, this is going to be much more content heavy than all of the other entries so far. This was at least one hour of sitting like a traffic camera scoping cars out.

Anyways, back to the tour. The first location we would be brought to is Mount Fuji. We were picked up at Shinjuku and off we went, far and distant away from the city center

A good looking Mercedes CLK-Class. Definitely more based on the other models like the E-Class of its time, as compared to its more youthful, smaller and different SLK-Class.

Yet another new Suzuki Swift.

Indeed, the first mental checkpoint of this place was still the city area; to get to the rural and mountainous regions, we must first exit the city. Here comes the first batch of photos that stems from what I consider to still be the city area; denoted by the lack of overgrown foliage covering the center divider of the expressway.

It also is the only easy location for any photography. You’ll see later just how bad the foliage is.

The only luxury car that has come around more often is the G-Class
and Crown’s.

What is it? Well, its a Renault Twingo. Ooh, finally, a Twingo. Not the
correct generation? Its fine, this here is a Gordini RS variant. I’m not
sure how rare these are but they no doubt seem and appear special.

The black bits on the front did not make it obvious, but this is a Toyota bB.
Specifically, it is a Opendeck.

Nicely modified new Subaru BRZ, a turnaround from the standard
GR’s and BRZ’s I’ve only seen so far.

The best generation of Impreza hands down? Here’s one with a white
bonnet. These look fantastic, just one word to describe them.
More? Perfect drivetrain, perfect everything.

Nissan’s non-commercial variant of the AD, the Wingroad (For this
generation minimally)

Rather fresh McLaren Artura.

ANOTHER Century.

Its NOT a Century. I still don’t like the
7-Series grille.

What I feel is an underrated piece of design, similar in that to the Hyundai
Coupe. I feel like both are similar in the design that they have. This looks
to be a RC F Performance Package. I’m surprised all of that black and
carbon bits weren’t aftermarket parts.

I still have a soft spot for this generation of Impreza (GH, GR), being the
only Impreza thus far designed initially only as a hatchback and the STi
models effectively turning into hot hatchbacks as a rally car. Not many cars you
can say is a hatchback with rally pedigree with a turbocharged and all-wheel drive
drivetrain. Especially that drivetrain, otherwise it wouldn’t be that special,
would it?

Oh my god, have I finally seen one. I thank any divine intervention or god
that opted to let me see one of these; a Toyota Crown Estate Athlete.
Name me one Crown model to take home; if the Comfort GT-Z was already
reserved, I’m bringing one of these.

Apparently not a Primera? This is a Nissan Sunny B15.

I think from this point onward did I make it a point (Oops, two points in one sentence) to just record rather than taking photos of each vehicle. With both sides travelling at highway speeds and me having at best a 45 degree view, I don’t have much time to recognize what is approaching, and then photograph it, as by then that automobile’s long gone.

I did make it a point to screenshot some of the cars though, have a look:

I’ll be sure to include the actual videos whenever time can allow for it, just like the other entries.

These are where the “second” or the rest of the way is; bollards, the green markers and foliage.

I don’t have any current photos to back it up, but the highways have some really nice architecture. Of course there is a stark difference between it and Singapore, or Malaysia. The expressways in Japan don’t feel like they tear down what nature built, instead “building over it”, so to speak. It feels more integrated than forced, and ultimately there is lots of open air, unless its a tunnel. Each side of the road has its individual tunnel that no doubt took a huge while to drill through the mountains and build, and doing it for several roads, most of which are diverted father away or generally farther away either vertically or horizontally, I just find it beautiful and a more unique dynamic compared to what I’m more familiar with back at home.

The only way to go up to the nearest possible location to Mt. Fuji is via the Subaru Line. It is a mountainous road, and effectively a touge. Hairpins, sharp corners, the general layout as a whole is, again, a touge, mountainous road.

Holy hell, it is COLD up here. I’ve never experienced winter before, or altitudes this high. I wasn’t expecting the temperature change to be THIS drastic.

The little Shiba’s don’t seem to have a problem
though.

Just my luck. Huge fog up here at the Lounge means absolutely no way to see the mountain.

But honestly, I think it just helps to make the backgrounds of my photos look better.

It sometimes got this bad to the point it just looked like something out of Silent Hill.

Still, with the main idea thrown out of the window, this is the only respite I have left that isn’t finding someone to play a deck of UNO with.

As the current generation in 2024 would say:

“The fog is not making seeing the mountain hard. The fog is making my photos go hard.”

Provided an hour to look around and then come back to the bus to the next venue.

I don’t remember where the next location was at all. I know I did sleep throughout the duration of the journey there.

Instead of writing anything, I will just place the images here because I genuinely had no idea what significance the location has.

Well, I’ll quickly move on to the next and last area…

What looks to be a base model Impreza.

The holy grail of combination? A Blobeye Subaru Impreza WRX STi, a Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution 8 and a Subaru R1 all together.

Definite didn’t quite get this one right.

Alongside the hatchback variants, I do also like these for its rarity, more so than the look. They do
look good frankly, but I think I’m drawn in more because they’re not a common generation of the
WRX & STi altogether.

A S150 Toyota Crown.

A Jaguar X-Type.

I still keep on loving this design. A Toyota Celsior, or as what Singapore received, alongside other
countries, the Lexus LS430.

A Subaru dealership. Note the neglected little Subaru Vivio (RX-R?)

Peek the Subaru Legacy wagon behind.

Keep seeing these but never really photographed them. A Mazda Demio.

3 door vehicles are rare in general. This is a 3DR Suzuki Alto.

My first proper itasha spot! Google Images suggest that this car is frequently featured in itasha meets.
If you’re the owner, hello!

I spy a Nissan Skyline R34 coupe.

A cheeky Suzuki Swift Sport and Alpine A110S on the right.

Sad that I did not manage to take the photo at the correct timing. Judging by the wheels, this looks
like a genuine Volvo 850R.

My first Mazda Roadster that isn’t a ND generation. NB generation MX-5’s just aren’t common.

Well, the third location is an Outlet Mall, more specifically, Gotemba Premium Outlets. That’s all I have about it. Of course, outlet malls mean your typical big brand apparel and others, most of which don’t fit in line with what this blog comprises of.

I must say though that people bring their pets here. You’ll see alot of dogs around.

Yes, I am making it as short as possible so that I can churn out this entry. After about 2 hours, we would now be heading back and conclude the tour.

See, here’s the thing. The trip back is around 2 hours, so that only means one thing.

An absolute bucketload of images. Do strap yourself in for what’s to come.

Another Toyota wagon to add to the list. A
Toyota Mark II Blit.

Japan’s road layouts do not disappoint.

Slammed Toyota Crown Athlete? Truly the definition of living the life.

A more up-market alternative to a convertible. I think these are
a Jaguar XKX? Or is it a XK8?

This Alfa Romeo 4C came barreling past. That sweet exhaust note.
What it did also do was wake up a good portion of the folks in the bus.

I find this more peculiar than it should be on the surface. Its a
Volkswagen Golf R on GTi wheels. A combo I don’t think I will
ever see again.

I think this is a E100 Toyota Corolla Touring Van, but apparently
it isn’t. Its just another Nissan AD van, but a much older model.

A Nissan GT-R with a LBWK bodykit. If I remember, this was
shortly after a Shelby Cobra flew by, which I couldn’t get in time.

Out here living the life. A Volvo 245.

Yet another Z32 Nissan 300ZX. This time using the OEM 5-spokes
and in a light yellow color.

If I remember, this was a Alfa Romeo Brera Convertible.

Yet another Subaru Legacy wagon, probably a GT trim judging
by the modifications it has.

Another Mitsubishi I!

Nearly a back-to-face situation. I believe this is a 2.2 if this
happens to be the same car.

Another Nissan Skyline R34 to add to my non-existent list.
Its not a GT-R too.

Wagon galore.

But this?? ITS PERFECT! If the car is the same as this, then it is
a E320 rather than an E36 AMG going by the plate.

Third one on this stretch so far! Alfa Romeo GT

Looks like I was right to photograph this truck. What is is
towing is a Ford Expedition. Its pretty interesting how much
American vehicles are in Japan.

Another Lancer Evolution. This time being a 10.

Well well well. First a custom E320 S124, to a S204 C63.

Another Century, again.

Alright, well. From a MK4 Supra, to a R34 GT-R, to a FD3S Mazda RX7
now. Seems like I’m super lucky.

Did not expect to see a Chevrolet Corvette C8 at all. I’ve yet to see
the Singaporean units, let alone one at all.

And of course, I wanted a photo of the Toyota 86. Look what photobombed.

This is the first Alpina of the trip.

It just keeps getting better. Seriously, of all R32 GT-R’s possible, I’ve come
across my dream spec. Wine Red is a super rare OEM color for one of these,
and the first BNR32 I get to see here is that. Stunning.

Crazy common (For now) in Singapore, rare here in Japan.

That’s another Alfa Romeo Giulia.

Pleased to see another JZX110 Toyota Mark II.

Alright, now that I’m back in Shinjuku…

Guess they can’t stop impressing me. I don’t know Citroen’s lineage, what they excel at, what quirks they do, but good god this C6 is really something.