A real Transformer. Like, as in a robot that turns into a car you can drive. Thank you, Japan!

When I got an invitation from Yasu-san, a member of the Supercar Club of Japan, to check out “an afternoon of about 100 supercars on Fuji Speedway,” I thought about it. For about one second. How could I refuse an offer like that?

The two-class GT car series in Japan is back for a new season of incredible nose-to-tail racing, and thanks to Nissan’s efforts on YouTube, you can watch the whole race for free. The grid is packed with international talent, and the cars are incredibly prepared. With GT500 efforts from nearly every Japanese…

Since 2012, Tokyo-based Run’a Entertainment has had an official Evangelion motorsport team. This was a very good idea.

What do we have to look forward to in our far-flung future year of 2018, besides the sweet release of death? Nothing. To find happiness again I will take you back—back to a time of unbridled optimism, of cheerfully bizarre niche vehicles, of turbocharged world-conquering performance, of gull-winged kei cars. Let us…

Yesterday, in a speech given to donors in Missouri, President Trump had something to say about cars. And Japan. And bowling balls. Specifically, he suggested that, in Japan, they like to drop bowling balls on cars. I wish I was making this up, because it’s comedy gold. But it’s real, and the President really suggested…

In these dark times, I find it is helpful to submerge myself in a bath of liquid car-nostalgia. I forget my pain and my troubles by going back to an era when people wanted nothing more than two doors, a silky smooth inline-six engine, plush leather seats, and extremely questionable business models. Friend, let’s go…

When McLaren Japan offered me a 570S Spider to drive for a few days, I knew I had to take it somewhere special. This wasn’t some boring kei car—this was a car that needed to be taken on some proper roads. It would almost be blasphemy to only drive in a congested city.

In the wake of the Evangelion bullet train, Japan is getting a new special high-speed train featuring the country’s favorite feline friend.

I keep telling people that traveling to Japan is way more affordable than they think, especially if you book the right accommodations. We’re talking as little as $20 to $50 a night if you know where to look! These obviously aren’t five-star resorts, but they’re worth it for the money you’ll save.

This isn’t an Initial D drawing. It’s not a page from the manga. You are looking at model cars painted like manga or anime art.

Traveler, let me give you my most useful tip for visiting Japan: the “konbini” is life. It’s a one-stop shop for literally anything a wide-eyed tourist such as yourself may need while you explore the brightly lit corridors of Tokyo, or get swallowed by the serene silence of temples and shrines in Kyoto.

You probably haven’t heard of the the Nostalgic2days show before. It’s not a big international motor show like the Tokyo Motor Show, and it’s not as crazy as the automotive circus that is the Tokyo Auto Salon. Despite flying under the radar for some time, the Nostalgic2days show celebrated its 10th anniversary this…

New Zealand’s auto industry is short approximately 18,000 cars this month after shipments of Japanese imports had to be put on hold because the boats were full of dangerous stink bugs.

In Japan there is a man who sells roasted sweet potato treats from the back of his NC-generation Mazda MX-5 and advertises on Twitter, because of course there is. The Yokohama native, who goes by Eroko-san, is incredibly proud of his city, and uses his nights promoting young folks to come out and enjoy the city’s…

Shuichi Shigeno’s Japan-based street-racing series Initial D began in the mid-’90s and took nearly two decades to complete. The original manga soon took anime form, and was even adapted into video games and live-action film. The franchise is a significant contributor to Japanese car culture, yet works especially well…

Drifting started in Japan, but it went international a long, long time ago. That said, there is still an obsession with the style of driving first made popular there, and it doesn’t take long to see why.

I’ve been driving in Japan for over 15 years now. One of the things that always resonates is how polite people are on the road, especially the way drivers say thanks with their hazard lights.

If you want to drift the crap out of your sad little wrong-wheel drive hatchback, the ticket is apparently PVC piping. Just watch Alexi from YouTube channel Noriyaro learn how to turn kei cars with PVC wrapped-tires into tail-happy drift machines.

“Where can I see some cool cars without having to go to Daikoku PA or Tatsumi PA”? That’s the question I get most frequently from people wanting to get a glimpse of the best cars Tokyo has to offer. Rather than answering the same question several times, hopefully this guide will help everyone wanting to do a bit of…