Tokyo Overload

TOYOTA FCV

MITSUBISHI MiEV Concept

DESPITE being just a 4-hour flight away from the Philippines, Japan has been one of those difficult countries to visit in the past. Visa requirements were tough, the cost of flying to Japan being almost at par with flying to Europe and America, and whenever on Japanese soil, getting around is difficult because not everyone speaks English—most of them who do, well,  have very thick accents which makes understanding difficult. Oh, it’s also tough to find a meal for less than $10 per person. And the taxi fare is out of this world!

There’s also a sense of xenophobia among the Japanese which we have to deal with. Is this borne, perhaps, out of fear of being unable to speak in English? Or do they think that we gaijin are dirty, uncouth, unrefined, uncivilized and uneducated people who only want to take advantage of them?

LEXUS RC 300h

But for the brave who persevere and take the plunge, Japan is most rewarding. It is a country very rich in tradition, culture, history and legacy. The same can be said about different countries worldwide, but the Japanese greatly treasure their past,  meld it seamlessly into their present and geared it towards the future. Japanese products, which have become part of our everyday  living, are heavily influenced by Japanese philosophy. In turn, this has affected our own lives here in the Philippines.

Take cars for example. Japanese do cars very well. They are different from  German cars as the Germans simply make the very best products, with no expenses spared. The Germans will get the best materials, the best suppliers, the best testing grounds and facilities. On the other hand, the Japanese  make do with very limited resources, having stricter financial restraints and thus are stymied when creating an all-new car. For example, Porsche’s 918 Spyder, which holds the current record at the Nurburgring, takes 6:57 minutes to lap it. Nissan’s 2014 model R35 GTR NISMO laps it in 7:08 minutes. That’s an 11-second difference. But the Nissan car’s cost is around a sixth of that of the Porsche’s. It has a decent trunk space and doesn’t require you to be an AAA-list customer of Porsche to have the opportunity to buy one.

More with less

SUBARU Levorg

Achieving such a level of performance with a lower price, lower long-term maintenance and running cost, with far less resources, and with a far higher level of practicality and everyday useability is something the Japanese take pride in. On the other end of the scale is the B-segment hatchback. The Honda Jazz remains  the best in its class, with its amazing driving dynamics, roomy interior and good looks. It’s a fun track car and is also a favorite of small families due to the interior cargo space. I can’t think of any European or American car that can match the Jazz’s space, pace and futuristic looks.

The Japanese are  a very polite people, and  the most helpful. Every time I would enter a store, a Japanese attendant would give his/her full attention to me as I peruse various goods on sale. If I wanted to see a particular size of shoes or to look for my beloved Toyota Supra models, the attendants would literally go through their stockrooms and come back  in a hurry. It’s almost shameful on my part that I didn’t get to buy anything.

Japan  probably has the highest food, health and hygiene standards. Local produce in Japan, particularly meat, and beef especially, can be 50 percent more expensive than the comparable imported goods. I’ve never eaten so much marbled beef in my life. Had my family seen the vast quantities I consumed, they’d get a heart attack well before I did. Interestingly though, I bought fruits a couple of times in many of Japan’s convenience stores which literally dot every corner (Take your pick: 7-Eleven, Daily Yamazaki, Family Mart, AM/PM and a host of other chains). According to our Japanese hosts from Honda, most, if not all, of the fruits I bought were  imported from the Philippines. Hence, if you really want to sample the very  fresh of Filipino produce, Japan is the best destination.

Technology-driven

PORSCHE Maccan

Japan is  about technology. It is a market heavily vested on the future of robotics, gadgets and full automation. Honda’s all-new Yorii factory in Saitama utilizes new robotic arms to achieve work, which were  previously unthinkable by current robotics standards and which are  far more flexible, being able to do a variety of work rather than a single one. And the typical toilet bowl is amazing. It’s too graphic to explain but to those who’ve tried a Japanese toilet bowl, you would know what I mean.

The Tokyo Motor Show itself has matured of late. Gone are the frenzied days wherein the Tokyo Motor Show felt like a circus/carnival/festival, with numerous activities going on simultaneously, loud music blaring on the PA, scantily clad models giggling like schoolgirls while braving the cold and displays that took too much attention away from the actual cars themselves. It has lost some of its unique flavor from when I first visited it in 2005, as well as the size. But in doing so, it  has made things more orderly, more organized, and put the focus squarely on  what it’s all about: the cars.

In the coming weeks and months, my colleagues will be giving you a rundown of what’s new, what’s hot and what we should expect, but I’d like to give a simple rundown on the highlights of the show.

Toyota unveiled its FCV hydrogen-powered car which it plans to mass-produce by 2015. Lexus unveiled its gorgeous RC 300h luxury coupe. Honda unveiled its NSX and showed off a functional interior; and beside it, the S660 roadster aimed at the Toyota 86/Subaru BR-Z. Honda  announced the future lineup of turbo VTEC engines in 1-, 1.5- and 2-liter displacements. Nissan also unveiled its IDX Freeflow Concept, reminiscent of the Datsun 510, that  will be its entry-level sports coupe model.

On the other hand, Mitsubishi unveiled a concept hybrid full-size SUV which will be the next-generation Pajero. Subaru showed off  its Levorg which looks to be the next-generation Legacy. Porsche took the wraps off its Audi Q5-based Maccan SUV, 20 minutes after it was unveiled in Los Angeles’ World Premiere event. Isuzu unveiled it MU-X Concept which rumors say will be the next Alterra. Lastly, Sony and Polyphony unveiled the Gran Turismo 6 video game, Sony’s No. 1 selling gaming franchise for the PlayStation. The graphics were just mind-boggling.

Watch this space for more on the Tokyo Motor Show in the coming weeks.