Japantastic (56K warning)

[Jacobfox]

[quote=hansvonaxion;606007]You might recognise this building from GT4


We made a trip there. My dad is crazy about architecture.
Very cool building. It was actually just on the opposite side of the shinkansen tracks from our hotel.

[bobo_1314]

Originally Posted by hansvonaxion

Lots of strange things go on in Kabukicho. There are hostess clubs, host clubs, brothels, shabu-shabu restaurants where the waitresses dont wear panties- but do wear miniskirts, porno movie places where you can get a hand-job (or so Ive heard), "Soap Land" chains (well, they're everywhere) where you can get washed really thoroughly by a young naked nymph (who's probably been either sold into sexual slavery or coerced into it by the Yakuza) and pretty much anything else you can imagine. If you're going to see Yakuza, that's where you'll most likely see them, but just pretend you don't see them if you know what I mean.

I was at a vacant parking lot one afternoon near Tokyo (I think, actually my friend drove me there; we were there for a restroom break), and a bald middle-aged guy with a suit walked up to me and asked if I wanted to touch his head for a fee. I said no thanks, and that guy walked away. Later when my friend came back he told me that guy was a Yakuza, and was picking on me because I looked like a Gaijin (well, I AM one). Just my personal encounter with a weird gang member!

Originally Posted by Ottobon

do you see the Yakuza driving around in big badass Mercs, or is that a lame stereotype?

I was told that if you see a big badass white Merc with tinted windows, and a license plate number 893, very likely a Yakuza is behind the wheel.

[Gman333-X-ferrari]

Hey hansvonaxion, do you think you can snap some unique Japanese cars that are only made and sold in Japan? Cars the only Japan gets... (B0X C4RZ FTMFW!!!111ONE)

[hansvonaxion]

Yeah, sure, its just that I forget which ones are sold OS and which ones arent. And there are so many around that they're commonplace and don't catch my eye. I'll give it a shot though.

This is unique to Japan.





And so is this. These are the nationalists who want the Emperor reinstated as leader and whatnot. Usually they drive big 4WDs and buses painted matt black and covered in flags and metal mesh over the windows, wearing military uniforms and giving speeches on megaphones. This one looks quite friendly.

[hansvonaxion]

I saw a Mansory GT63 yesterday.

[hansvonaxion]

[hansvonaxion]

Bentley Turbo R (sorry for low quality, it was dark)




Ye Olde English

[hansvonaxion]

This Jag was sitting in a clothes shop window. It was like seeing the stuffed head of a lion in a hotel lobby.

[hansvonaxion]

I couldnt work out if these were parked outside a house, or business. I think it must have been a business, but probably both the owners. There are stacks of CLS's around, I think its become the new S class. Its like an S class with looks.





There was a bike lover in this thread earlier, so heres a bike. Actually theres a pretty good custom bike scene here so I might post up some bikes later.

[hansvonaxion]

A small exotics car lot.

[hansvonaxion]

Check out how the Roller dwarfs the Audi. One looks like a tank, the other like a toy.

[avanti]

I love the custom-bike, please post more...

[BlaRo]

Originally Posted by hansvonaxion

You might recognise this building from GT4

I had no idea it was a real building, very cool. Do you know what building it is?

Originally Posted by hansvonaxion

Heres a pro unicycle. Notice the three springs inside the wheel, its like a suspended hub. And it has a disc brake.

Bah, professionals don't need handlebars.

[hansvonaxion]

Yeah, actually I dont exactly what its used for, I would guess unicycle stuntriding. I saw it and thought it was pretty cool.

The building is the Tokyo International Forum. It has a lot of convention spaces and the like for, well forums and conventions, a few shops and resurants. It was designed by a South American Architect (Argentinian I think) and is a football-like shape because thats the shape of the land. There is also a tourist info centre there, so if you ever come to Tokyo its worth a visit.

[bobo_1314]

Awesome pics!! I can't believe there are so many rare European exotics in the Tokyo area!

hansvonaxion, do you have a bigger and higher-resolution picture of this one by any chance? I want to use it as a wallpaper!

[Final Daihatsu]

Say, is the Daihatsu Copen a common sight there?

[Jacobfox]

Originally Posted by hansvonaxion

The building is the Tokyo International Forum. It has a lot of convention spaces and the like for, well forums and conventions, a few shops and resurants. It was designed by a South American Architect (Argentinian I think) and is a football-like shape because thats the shape of the land. There is also a tourist info centre there, so if you ever come to Tokyo its worth a visit.

It's designed by an uruguayan architect and it's unusual becuase of the roof. It's shaped like that because unlike most buildings, where the structure holds the roof up, this one has only two internal pillars and uses the strength of the roof to hang the rest of the building from. This is a very unusual technique and this building basically made the architect's career.

Were the pictures of the 300SL and old roller taken in Roppongi?

[hansvonaxion]

Uruguay, well I was close.

Yeah theyre the same cars that you shot, only my pics are much lower quality . I just happened to be walking past there on the weekend and thought I might as well grab a couple.

All these were shot on my mobile phone. Bobo, that shot is portrait so its the wrong format, but do you want me to just post them in here?

I have a shitty web site with some other non-auto stuff on it.
www.paul-richardson.com

Final Daihatsu, there are probably more Copens here than anywhere else, but they arent massively popular. Theres a good chance you'll see one on a day out, I guess.

[Quiky]

Fantastic photos, thanks for posting them!