Phoenix Travel Agency:: Wild racers step up to the plate – the Tokyo Auto Salon is coming!

[Written by Wu Yongcheng; Image source / 2010Tokyo Auto Salon]

The biennial Taipei Auto Show is making its return once again. It’s Taiwan’s largest car exhibition, bringing together nearly all major automakers, and the level of excitement is undoubtedly beyond question. However, for tuning enthusiasts who love cool, flashy, and eye-catching rides, while these factory-fresh cars are certainly impressive, they may not be entirely satisfying. Perhaps as they gaze upon the new models, their minds are already racing with ideas on how they’d modify such a vehicle if it were theirs!

If you’re that kind of car fan, no worries—just clear your schedule in mid-January, because it’s once again time for the annual Tokyo Auto Salon. The exhibits are guaranteed to thrill any car enthusiast, and even if you don’t tune your own vehicle, as long as you have an interest in cars, taking a side trip to experience the event during your visit to Tokyo will definitely be worth your while.

The full name of the Tokyo Auto Salon is “Tokyo Auto Salon with NAPAC,” and it is currently the largest tuning car exhibition in Japan. The event first took place in 1983 under the name “Tokyo Exciting Car Show.” After 1987, it was renamed the Tokyo Auto Salon (hereafter referred to as Tokyo Auto Salon), and it has now been around for nearly 30 years. The 2010 edition marked its 28th occurrence.
 

Japan already has a highly developed automotive industry, which has naturally led to a vast market for aftermarket parts. In addition to OEM tuning kits, there are also numerous large and small tuning shops and parts manufacturers, all of whom naturally need opportunities to engage directly with consumers. Over the years, the Tokyo Auto Salon has grown into Japan’s largest tuning car exhibition (in the early 2000s, there was another tuning car show called the Tokyo Auto Gallery held in summer, but it was much smaller in scale and was discontinued after a few years). It has also evolved into something of a festival for tuning cars, where tuning shops come to show off their creations and fans flock here as a pilgrimage. Its fame has even spread overseas, attracting many foreign fans who travel across the seas to attend the event. The scale is truly imaginable. For example, at the previous Tokyo Auto Salon, 334 companies, schools, and organizations participated, displaying as many as 560 vehicles, and over the three-day exhibition period, a total of 229,201 visitors attended—truly a grand spectacle.

At the Tokyo Auto Salon exhibition venue, the content on display can generally be divided into three categories: OEM manufacturers, major auto parts companies, and specialized tuning shops. Most Japanese carmakers have their own tuning part brands, offering tuning kits tailored to their respective vehicle lineups, such as Honda’s Mugen and Nissan’s Nismo, among others. These companies often invest significant resources in participating in the show, showcasing numerous brand-new vehicles, and the display standards are almost on par with those of the Tokyo Motor Show. Even if they don’t quite match, the gap isn’t large. Aside from the cars on display, just looking at the dynamic booth designs and performance shows is a feast for the eyes.

It’s just a shame that due to the impact of the economic downturn, domestic new car sales in Japan have dropped significantly. To weather the storm, automakers have reduced spending and tightened their marketing budgets, resulting in the absence of brands like Subaru, Mazda, and Suzuki from the 2010 Tokyo Auto Salon—a somewhat regrettable aspect.
 

But as mentioned earlier, general auto parts manufacturers such as those for tires, wheels, seats, audio systems, GPS, and others mostly participate as usual, promoting newly launched products. There are also numerous tuning businesses that won’t miss this opportunity to gain exposure, so the overall excitement level of the show remains quite high. Beyond performance enhancements, the world of car tuning is actually quite diverse. For example, many tuning shops showcase vehicles with upgraded audio-visual features—pop the trunk of a wagon or hatchback, and it might be entirely filled with amplifiers, speakers, or even LCD TVs, allowing you to enjoy high-quality sound and visuals even in the remotest wilderness. In addition, there are exhibits like racetracks, used car trading websites, miniature model cars, and car body paintings. The variety of displays is incredibly rich, and even if you’re not modifying your car, you’re sure to have a great time here.

Speaking of which, did you notice something missing? That’s right—the car show models (known in Japan as コンパニオン and in Taiwan often called Showgirls)! How could there be a car show without models? Beautiful cars deserve beautiful people, right? Just like at car shows in Taiwan, exhibitors often bring in numerous models to add flair to their booths, keeping the areas lively and vibrant. Of course, this also attracts many attendees or photography enthusiasts to hold mini photo sessions on-site. Either way, Japan’s showgirls are extremely professional, always wearing smiles for the cameras, and their outfits are specially designed—making them stunning focal points of the event.

The 2010 Tokyo Auto Salon will take place over three days from January 15 to January 17, 2010, at the Makuhari Messe International Convention Complex in Maihama, Chiba Prefecture. It’s less than an hour away from Tokyo by JR Keiyo Line train. On the first day, January 15, the morning session is reserved for industry professionals and media, opening to the general public at 1:00 PM until 6:00 PM, with tickets priced at 3,000 yen. The second and third days are open to the public from 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM (the third day until 5:00 PM), with tickets priced at 2,000 yen.

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