Coming to Japan? Look here.

[Miata_mx5]

Go to the Mazda Museum in Hiroshima, and the Transportation Museum out there as well. They are free, but you need to setup a schedule for the tour well beforehand. The Mazda museum tour takes you through the factory (no pictures allowed).

The Toyota Automobile Museum in Nagoya is worth a visit too. Toyotas, but all japanese makes, and plenty of awesome condition US and European cars on display too (2 stories tall).

Those are 2 good historic places.

Tokyo Auto Salon is worth checking out in early January, and most of the "tuning shops" are in Yokohama, Tokyo, or Chiba. (I.E: R-Magic, Scoot Sports, RE-Amemiya, Knightsports)

I was going to go in January as well, but looks like change of plans of friends in Japan, lack of being able to find work, might put it on lockdown for good.

[PortedRotorTuner]

Originally Posted by Miata_mx5

Go to the Mazda Museum in Hiroshima, and the Transportation Museum out there as well. They are free, but you need to setup a schedule for the tour well beforehand. The Mazda museum tour takes you through the factory (no pictures allowed).

The Toyota Automobile Museum in Nagoya is worth a visit too. Toyotas, but all japanese makes, and plenty of awesome condition US and European cars on display too (2 stories tall).

Those are 2 good historic places.

Tokyo Auto Salon is worth checking out in early January, and most of the "tuning shops" are in Yokohama, Tokyo, or Chiba. (I.E: R-Magic, Scoot Sports, RE-Amemiya, Knightsports)

I was going to go in January as well, but looks like change of plans of friends in Japan, lack of being able to find work, might put it on lockdown for good.

Ok, thanks for the info. I will have to look to see if I will be able to get
near any of those area's. I'll be in Osaka. But she will be working some
of the days that I'll be there. So I'll have some time to kill. Thanks again,
Luke

[Miata_mx5]

Nagoya is about 1 hour give or take by Bullet Train before Osaka.

Hiroshima is about 2-3 hours by Bullet train from Osaka going south.

Depends if you take Nozomi or Hikari (This is covered under JR Pass).

[PortedRotorTuner]

Originally Posted by Miata_mx5

Nagoya is about 1 hour give or take by Bullet Train before Osaka.

Hiroshima is about 2-3 hours by Bullet train from Osaka going south.

Depends if you take Nozomi or Hikari (This is covered under JR Pass).

What is JR pass?
And is Nozomi and Hikari two different bullet trains ?

Thanks.

[Miata_mx5]

Originally Posted by PortedRotorTuner

What is JR pass?
And is Nozomi and Hikari two different bullet trains ?

Thanks.

JR Pass is something you buy outside of Japan that gives you access to all of the Japan Railways Train lines (80 percent of japan) local city trains and Kodama and Hikari Bullet Trains. When you purchase a JR pass you can pick 1, 2 or 3 week passes and pick if you want a "GREEN car pass" (First class compartments access).

Basically what you get is a booklet (pass) when you redeem the JR Rail Ticket at Narita Airport or a large Train Terminal. Then you don't need to buy tickets for trains, just show the attend your pass, and you are ok.

There are 3 Series of Bullet trains in the Sanyo/Tokaido Bullet Train line (covers most major cities near tokyo and around).

Kodama, Hikari/Hikari Rail Star and Nozomi are all "speed classes" of the Bullet Trains.

-Kodama: Slowest, stops at almost all stations. Covered by JR Rail Pass
-Hikari: Makes fewer stops than Kodama and is still covered by JR Rail Pass.
-Nozomi: Fastest ones (do 290-300 km/h avg speed), make the fewest stops and are not covered by JR Rail Pass.

[PortedRotorTuner]

Ok, Thanks for the information Miata_mx5. You have been a huge help

[Miata_mx5]

Originally Posted by PortedRotorTuner

Ok, Thanks for the information Miata_mx5. You have been a huge help

Sure NP

One way trip for a Bullet train ride is about 100 dollars. The Rail pass is anywhere from 250-500 ~ depending on if it's a 1 - 3 week pass. So if you want to cruise from multiple cities back and forth like i did, you will easily make the money back. That does not even include the numerous times you will take the Local trains to get around (as it's the easiest).