Going to 8-6 day at Fuji 2014

[Mark]

Its interesting that the Japanese like marbled Beef more than the less fatty beef steaks you get in the rest of the world.
Love the pics from the Toyota museum. But disappointed they just had a Levin and no Trueno

[Lauren]

Its interesting that the Japanese like marbled Beef more than the less fatty beef steaks you get in the rest of the world.
Love the pics from the Toyota museum. But disappointed they just had a Levin and no Trueno

There's a reason for that, it's way, way better than less fatty steaks. The flavour is amazing. It's the same thing when you think about it when it comes to comparing fillet with ribeye. Ribeye gains it's flavour due to having more fat. I'd take ribeye over fillet everytime. The one we had was 'Hiroshima Beef' which is not Kobe beef but is the same kind of thing really. A kilo of Kobe beef can go for up to £3000!

Well, Toyota do rotate what they have on display so it will realistically be one or the other I guess.

[Lauren]

Picked up the hire car from Toyota rentacar in Yokohama this afternoon and spent 2.5 hours clearing the traffic of the city. Bit of a nightmare tbh.

It really is poverty spec. 16" wheels with 205's, no spoiler, manual aircon, no cruise, no USB (or probably bluetooth), no fog lights, has a key to start with buttons to lock and open the boot. No boot button on the boot, but has a release inside and a button on the key.

It has basic fabric seats, no leather whatsoever on the interior. Dash has no digital speedo and is black a bit like the Subaru. Has the Subaru rear view mirror.

Not even sure if it has an LSD yet, too tired to find out tonight.

Mark said the boot lid had no lining on the boot itself.

I'm going to call it a lightweight version.

Driving in Japan, well the first two and a half hours were bumper to bumper pretty much. It was only when we got on the express way and out of town that it freed up. Speed limits are low at 100km/h on the expressway for divided roads. But it's 60km/h on any single lane out of town roads. Limits in town vary from 30-50 km/h and get to a heady 60km/h on the bits inbetween. The last part of the journey saw us head up into the mountains, it was very steep and quite twisty.

Road surfaces are generally excellent, very smooth for the most part. People are polite. I had to push my way in due to a sat nav error approaching a split, so did so, which was no problem.

People middle lane on the expressway like you wouldn't believe, trucks are just as bad too.

I showed the guys at the car rental place pics of my two Hachi Roku's, they were suitably impressed!

More driving tomorrow as we are off to Subaru in the morning before heading off into the mountains in the afternoon!

Would you believe it as I type I sit in my hotel on Mount Akina (Mount Haruna)!

[Lauren]

Blog updated with various things including the Subaru factory tour at the Gunma plant:

http://laurenblighton.blogspot.jp

[Lauren]

Just did the Hakone Skyline and after a few navigational errors we made it to the Toyo Tires Turnpike.



Stability control off, pay the toll and away you go. We didn't see any other cars on the way up till we stopped at the viewpoint. It's all second gear up and down to the redline with every bend a hairpin.

The Toyo Tires Turnpike was much faster and was downhill. I admit I just ignored the 50km/h speed limit and went for it. That was until approaching some bend at around 160km/h to find I had no brakes! Err, slightly scary moment. I went around another corner, yep no brakes so pulled in just about to a small car park to see smoke rising from both sides of the front wing! Oops!

Okay after two minutes they had stopped smoking, but you get the idea:



Was amazing fun though. Even went Irish for a minute and did a few donuts in the car park (it was remote). What we noticed at any turning point there was just loads of circular lines everywhere where people just donut, I'm guessing. Also slower cars just get out of your way, reckon this road is famous for having a play. Crazy, mental fun and it felt like it was the kind of place where you can just let rip and nobody minds.

On Hakone Skyline at the viewing point.

[Lauren]

Hakone Skyline & Toyo Tires Turnpike now blogged.

It was absolutely amazing!

http://laurenblighton.blogspot.jp/2014/ ... e-and.html

[Lauren]

Updated the blog with our trip to Super Autobacs Yokohama:

http://laurenblighton.blogspot.jp/2014/ ... mirai.html

[Mark]

I want a TRD oil can!!! Very cool stuff.

[Lauren]

Atop 'Mount Akina' at the start of the downhill waiting for the Speed Stars!



In the Yokota Museum!

[Lauren]

Phew!

Megaweb, puppies for sale and the history museum blogged:

http://laurenblighton.blogspot.jp/2014/ ... oyota.html