cwerdna
Well-known member
Sorry I'm late w/posting this. More info at http://www.tokyo-motorshow.com/en/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;. If you're planing a trip to Japan soon and you like cars, try to allocate at least 2 days to the show.
Pointer to my post about 2009 TMS at http://priuschat.com/forums/other-cars/70124-mark-your-calendars-tokyo-motor-show-2009-oct-24-nov-4-a.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;.
I did go in 09 (my 3rd time to the show) when it became much smaller (almost all the foreign to Japan automakers (i.e. GM, Ford, Mercedes, BMW, Citreon, etc.) pulled out. However from http://www.tokyo-motorshow.com/en/booth/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;, it looks like they're back. The venue has changed from Makuhari Messe to Tokyo Big Sight.
Every TMS I've been to has been great from both the eye candy POV as well as being able to see all sorts of components from various vendors ranging from fuel injectors to sensors to differentials to cut open transmissions to door panels to gauge clusters and more.
I HIGHLY recommend the show if you're a car enthusiast and/or if you like seeing Japanese booth babes. That said, I wouldn't go only to Japan for a few days at TMS. There's a lot of other cool stuff to see in Japan.
Side note: When I had a Z and Maxima, I did take a tour of one of the Oppama plants. I posted a bit about it at http://my350z.com/forum/2003-2009-nissan-350z/52525-wow-just-wow.html#post562428" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; and http://my350z.com/forum/2003-2009-nissan-350z/62216-pictures-of-oppama-wharf-from-november-03-a.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; I don't know if Nissan currently does any English tours of their plants. I got VERY lucky w/having an interpreter on hand w/my tour (http://my350z.com/forum/2003-2009-nissan-350z/118370-tour-of-tochigi-confirmed.html#post1390402" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false. At the time, they didn't do English tours anymore.
I've also taken tours of a Mazda plant (all the way in Hiroshima) and the (a?) Toyota Tsutsumi plant where I saw 2nd gen Priuses on the line along w/Camrys and other cars. Both of them did tours in English.
Nissan HQ got moved to Yokohama and I never got around to going to see if there's anything worthwhile to see.
Although everything in Japan is more expensive than the US and made even worse by the strong yen, hotels aren't that horribly expensive. As I posted in another thread:
On my trip in 09, I stayed at http://www.tokyustay.co.jp/e/hotel/MON/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; in Tokyo. I just checked for a room in the next few days and it's only 5400 yen or ~$70 USD. The place was ok (but small, which is not surprising for Tokyo), clean, safe and near public transit.
I've stayed at a few other hotels in Tokyo that were decent and not crazy expensive. I can dig up the info, if anyone's curious.
Pointer to my post about 2009 TMS at http://priuschat.com/forums/other-cars/70124-mark-your-calendars-tokyo-motor-show-2009-oct-24-nov-4-a.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;.
I did go in 09 (my 3rd time to the show) when it became much smaller (almost all the foreign to Japan automakers (i.e. GM, Ford, Mercedes, BMW, Citreon, etc.) pulled out. However from http://www.tokyo-motorshow.com/en/booth/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;, it looks like they're back. The venue has changed from Makuhari Messe to Tokyo Big Sight.
Every TMS I've been to has been great from both the eye candy POV as well as being able to see all sorts of components from various vendors ranging from fuel injectors to sensors to differentials to cut open transmissions to door panels to gauge clusters and more.
I HIGHLY recommend the show if you're a car enthusiast and/or if you like seeing Japanese booth babes. That said, I wouldn't go only to Japan for a few days at TMS. There's a lot of other cool stuff to see in Japan.
Side note: When I had a Z and Maxima, I did take a tour of one of the Oppama plants. I posted a bit about it at http://my350z.com/forum/2003-2009-nissan-350z/52525-wow-just-wow.html#post562428" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; and http://my350z.com/forum/2003-2009-nissan-350z/62216-pictures-of-oppama-wharf-from-november-03-a.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; I don't know if Nissan currently does any English tours of their plants. I got VERY lucky w/having an interpreter on hand w/my tour (http://my350z.com/forum/2003-2009-nissan-350z/118370-tour-of-tochigi-confirmed.html#post1390402" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false. At the time, they didn't do English tours anymore.
I've also taken tours of a Mazda plant (all the way in Hiroshima) and the (a?) Toyota Tsutsumi plant where I saw 2nd gen Priuses on the line along w/Camrys and other cars. Both of them did tours in English.
Nissan HQ got moved to Yokohama and I never got around to going to see if there's anything worthwhile to see.
Although everything in Japan is more expensive than the US and made even worse by the strong yen, hotels aren't that horribly expensive. As I posted in another thread:
On my trip in 09, I stayed at http://www.tokyustay.co.jp/e/hotel/MON/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; in Tokyo. I just checked for a room in the next few days and it's only 5400 yen or ~$70 USD. The place was ok (but small, which is not surprising for Tokyo), clean, safe and near public transit.
I've stayed at a few other hotels in Tokyo that were decent and not crazy expensive. I can dig up the info, if anyone's curious.