京都市 – r32taka

One of many days in the city of Kyoto

Any day will make your day in a country like Japan. To go out with your camera in hand and simply take hundreds of photographs wherever you go or stay. The premise is simple, for us, westerners everything can surprise us at any time.

From classical to modern architecture, traffic signs, people and their customs and especially for car lovers, any vehicle to be circulating on the streets or parked in houses garages or parking lots.

Nissan UD Quon Mixer

In this kind of situation where all these situations are mixed, sometimes there are also the japanese trucks. They are amazing, big, bright, decorated and always spotless clean in every corner no matter even if the truck is as these two example construction trucks.

2010 Nissan UD Quon

No less surprising is the number of American vehicles that can be found in the Japanese country as we saw in a previous post here on the blog. Here

Clearly the need to be different is of course the same as in most countries, but unlike many of us, they already have the JDM and then they seek to go beyond highlighting. American and European cars have a fairly important notoriety in the country.

Another peculiar vehicle is the Mitsubishi Delica 4×4, often Delica owners choose to lift up, and ride them with big mud tires turning them into a kind of Japanese monster trucks. In addition I have to say it is not unusual to spot one of these modified Delica´s elsewhere.

The rest of it? Well just the daily menu, here wander around and find cars in perfect condition is much more easier than we’re used to seeing in Europe, here it is not common to see damaged bumpers or doors. Perhaps because of the complicated system of parking, or perhaps because the big respect for others cars and objects. This issue to be honest I have not yet solved it.

The last thing I want to pay attention in this post is this dark green Nissan Silvia Qs. Simple and simply modified at the time it represents as few the true old spirit of Nissan and its golden age.

June 15, 2016June 15, 2016 by José M. López

Abandoned cars in Kyoto no nishi

Surely it was not the first time walking around the city of Kyoto that I found places like this. To be honest on the outskirts of the ancient Japanese capital we can find some strange places.

But I say strange places ,because looking at the pictures you will realize that it is the typical japanese housing, the kind that has apartments of about 25 square meters and have a parking space for a neighbor.

So for all you to understand properly, these apartments are usually filled by single or unmarried people, working people, sometimes with a family behind, students who pay the rent with the arubaito (アルバイト) (part-time job) and sometimes foreigners. This last option is usually not very common, since many property developers are not willing to rent their reduced apartaments if you have no one to back you up in case you can pay the rent.

When I was in the car park entrance I noticed the Porsche 911 which was near the end. The floor bumper was lying in the ground, windows were down, but the most impressive thing was that the Porsche was rocking RUF alloy wheels… AI took a few pictures of the car quickly, since in many cases the neighbors don’t like too much people walking around their belongings. Is even worst when the typical elder man came to you yelling what are you doing here.

Often people talked about how nice japanese people is, the truth is that there are places where people are not used to seeing foreign people and see them prowling around them is very alarming situation.

Most of the time when you say something, and answering in Japanese, they usually calm down enough and if you are able to explain what are you doing in japanese then suddenly their mood change suddenly and become very friendly.

Just in front of the 911, was this S500 Mercedes also abandoned in the parking, telling the truth I didn’t pay much attention to it, I do remember now that I didn’t spend more than 2 minutes in that parking lot.

Opposite to the S500 was this Honda Odyssey customized and lowered. No one of this cars were in use, as they had no plates on, I really wonder why the owner keep all these cars parked insted than sell them.

Well is time to say goodbye, I wish you enjoyed the post. I will keep your curiosity for Japan in the next posts so please keep in touch with r32taka for more Japanese content, wheather is weird or not.

June 1, 2016 by José M. López

Inside T.R.A Kyoto aka Rocket Bunny

When for first time I found myself looking for TRA Kyoto I was already excited. Just the pleasure of finding the workshop in the streets of UJI was amazing. TRA Kyoto is that kind of place you think that don’t really exist. Is just on the internet and is not the real life.

After searching internet at yahoo and some other japanese place I did get the address, then was just google how to go.

I know that this is not the kind of post you expect about TRA Kyoto. You expected rocket bunnies all around, but this post is something more spiritual. Here in rthirtytwotaka we love the classic images and classic stickers and signs, so I decided that the first post will be about showing something more about TRA Kyoto.

Like almost half of Japan, the mess is like the rule number one. Here we have an scale model of the most recent Miura-san Scion FRS. Yes Scion, as the car was imported from the US, more specifically straight from Santa Monica.

The well known Rocket Bunny PS13 also in scale model version.

As I am spanish born, this really surprised me. Old school Rallies from Mexico all them wrote in Spanish. Really amazing stuff inside the office.

Do you have a letter to Miura San? Post box can’t confused you, If you find this, you are already visiting TRA Kyoto, and if you are here you are really excited.

More classic images and signs, Miura San has a great taste and he is a great american culture lover as we can see.

Here as a result of many many bumper cuts everything is plenty of white dust. But for I don’t now the reason is like the only way it can be. If weren’t like that then this would be another shop but not TRA Kyoto.

The collection of T-shirt and Jackets is awesome, some were never used yet, maybe waiting the next Kanjo Battle in Osaka. The skate was just as cool as the rest of the stuff inside the office. There is an strange feeling when you sit down together to Miura San. Like you and the Master teaching you and showing you all the stuff around. Such a great feeling.

I promise you next post will have many Rocket Bunny cars and some other cool things that Miura San showed to rthirtytwotaka. Now I just wait to find one of our sticker in the next project, which of course I have seen but is really confidential. See you soon.

Garages and advertising logos across Japan (r32taka.com)
Visiting Assist Car Care, Kyoto. (r32taka.com)

October 2, 2013May 26, 2016 by José M. López

Ａｎｙ　ｄｒｉｎｋｓ ?

One of the things that you may remember when thinking in Japan are probably the vending machines.

Vending machines are everywhere. They’re in subway stations, parking lots, buildings, civic centers, and especially on the streets. There are hundreds of them selling all kind of stuff. Hot or cold drinks, water, coke, tea, beers …

The variety of drinks you can taste is unimaginable, but I decided to take some pictures of some drinks you can find walking cities. Also noticeable is the possibility to buy tobacco in the streets if you have special card to ID yourself.

Here is just an small sample of drinks.

September 5, 2013October 6, 2013 by José M. López

Seen in Kyoto Part II

As we saw in Part I of Kyoto-shi or if your still haven’t visited here is the link, Kyoto was a big surprise for me, and I’m not talking about cars you can find in the streets, in general I think Kyoto was the city that most caught my attention. Tokyo is a mention apart.

Continue reading “Seen in Kyoto Part II”

July 4, 2013May 26, 2016 by José M. López

Seen in Kyoto Part I

One of the cities that has impacted me more was Kyoto. Kyoto is located in the southern part of the island about 500 km from Tokyo. Is big enough to spend 5 or 6 days visiting both temples and the city itself.

Continue reading “Seen in Kyoto Part I”

June 23, 2013June 27, 2013 by José M. López

Seen in Tokyo

Many of you do not know that I had a pleasant trip to Japan last month. I spent 2 weeks visiting Japan. Cities as Tokyo, Nara, Kyoto, Osaka and to a little lovely town named Hamakanaya located in Chiba prefecture.

Continue reading “Seen in Tokyo”

May 6, 2013June 28, 2013 by José M. López

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