In 2018, Becky and I made our first trip to Japan as guests of the editors of Nostalgic 2 Day (Japan’s premier invitation-only car show) after they did a feature story on our collection.
Eight years have passed since that trip, and while our collection has grown, so has our desire to return to the country, see old friends (and meet new ones), and attend this incredible car show – an absolute must-see for any fan of vintage Japanese cars.
Well, with the economy in Japan a little more travel-friendly, and eager to get a break from our work and responsibilities, we made it happen again. This time, we hauled along two good friends (Joe and Arturo) who are also huge Datsun enthusiasts (both own a Bluebird Coupe, among other great historic Datsuns).
We booked a reservation at the Intercontinental Grand, a 5-star hotel overlooking Yokohama Bay, that makes even the novice traveler feel right at home. Knowing the area a little better, we decided to fill our days with sightseeing and events, and I think we crammed as much fun into six days as possible. Obviously, we took TONS of pictures, which we’ll share below.
Day One – We arrive in Japan, and of course we’re all weary from a long trip. Dinner at Hard Rock Yokohama and a quick overview of the area for the new guys, and a good night’s sleep getting ready for a BIG day!
Day Two – We went to a bookstore on our way to breakfast to buy tickets to N2D, and found that early risers are stuck with McDonald’s for breakfast (most shops don’t open until 10am). Fortunately, it’s far better than American McD’s. Our good friend and Arizona local Dan Passe (formerly of Nissan) coordinated our second visit to the Nissan Heritage Collection at Zama, and this might be my favorite place on Earth. With approximately 450 cars, spanning from the late 1930s to the mid-2000s, there’s something for every Datsun and Nissan enthusiast. We had the good fortune to spend some time with Brandon Kelley and Akiko Miura from Nissan’s communications team at global HQ in Yokohama, and they were phenomenal hosts. Needless to say, we always learn something new when we go to Zama, and we’re excited to go back whenever we’re in Japan. After a long day, dinner at Ippudo Ramen was just what we needed.
Day Three – The Nostalgic 2 Day show. Held in the Convention Center right next to our hotel, this is the “must see” show for anyone interested in classic Japanese cars. The vehicles here are among the best of the best, and you’re sure to see something you’ve never seen before. Vendors are present, selling memorabilia, parts, and all manner of vintage automobilia, and the event was more crowded than 2018. I met a gentleman named Ishikawa who was displaying his 1959 and 1963 Datsuns side-by-side. When I told him I own the same two cars in the US, we became fast friends. He’s one of the staff of All-Japan Datsun Federation, and as it turns out, we have several cars in common. We’ll definitely be staying in touch!
After the show, we wandered to the Red Brick Warehouse for dinner (more ramen, of course). Formerly the Customs Inspection House for Yokohama Bay’s shipping activities in the early 1920’s, the buildings have been converted into one of Yokohama’s most popular family or date spots, featuring many unique shops and restaurants. On returning to our hotel, a traditional wedding was being held – such a beautiful surprise!
Day Four – After a late breakfast at Merengue Hawaiian Cafe, we wandered through SOGO – a breathtakingly-massive 12-story building attached to Yokohama Station and one of Japan’s largest department stores. Later, we strolled over to Nissan Global Headquarters. The HQ building is a modern, welcoming facility that serves as a showroom, museum, and information resource for the latest models from Nissan. It’s a neat place to hang out, check out the displays, have a cup of coffee, browse the gift shop, and see Nissan’s newest technological advances.
That evening, we hit up the 7-11 near the hotel for ice cream, and sat on the sidewalk watching the cars roll out from the N2D show. Even though we’d seen them all on display just a day prior, there’s something cool about seeing them roll down the road, heading for home.
Day Five – Becky researched and coordinated an all-day tour, which included a visit to Saiko Iyashi-no-Sato Nemba, often referred to as a “healing village.” This beautiful reconstructed traditional village is located on the western shores of Lake Saiko in Yamanashi Prefecture. It is known for its picturesque, thatched-roof houses and stunning views of Mount Fuji. From there, we traveled to Lake Saiko, as well as the Chureito Pagoda (also known as the Fujiyoshida Cenotaph Monument). Our travels took us through the Aokigahara Forest, a hauntingly beautiful and notorious place. Of course, during a long drive through the Japanese countryside, there was a lot of “car-spotting,” which certainly amused our guide. Since everyone seemed to like Ippudo, we went back for another ramen dinner, and grabbed dessert at 7-11 on our way back to the hotel.
Day Six – Our friend Hisashi connected us with another new friend, Ichitaro-san, who knows the owner of Clasica Yokohama. Meeting up with Ichitaro at Nakamachidai Station, we all walked to Clasica for a visit. This facility contains several distinguished examples of rare Japanese and European cars for sale, as well as a small maintenance shop. We spent a few hours chatting with the staff, enjoying the inventory, and learning about buying and selling high-demand collector cars in Japan. There’s a stunning DR30 Skyline in the showroom that I haven’t quite ruled out importing to Arizona! Ichitaro suggested lunch at – of all places – Denny’s. Fortunately, it was impressive, and Becky was able to find her beloved corn chowder! On the way there, we rode in Ichitaro’s NISMO-Edition Nissan Serena, a handsome small van that would probably sell well in the US market.
After lunch, Arturo took some time to fly his drone out over Yokohama Bay for some great footage. Then we headed to World Porter’s, another massive multi-story mall with over 150 unique shops. A great place for souvenirs and other mementos, we did a little shopping before heading back to the Red Brick Warehouse for dinner and dessert.
Day Seven – Since this was our last day in-country, and we didn’t need to be at the airport until the afternoon, we took this opportunity to go back to World Porter’s to see the shops we missed. Entire mall-sized stores are dedicated to Snoopy, Hello Kitty, vintage video games, and different anime series. Very impressive, and not to be missed. The weather had been perfect the entire week, and a light rain accompanied us to the airport for our return flight. The following gallery is pics of interesting sights (in no particular order):
I hope you’ve enjoyed our recap of our second trip to Japan, and I hope this encourages you to plan your own trip soon!