JCD BLOG

The Honda ACTY that we used on my father-in-law’s farm went in for its Shaken inspection and the courtesy car that came from the garage was an old Subaru Sambar mini truck, a 1994 KS4 with 4WD and the N/A EN07 engine.

As a fan of old, used Japanese mini trucks and mini vehicles, I never […]

My friend had been boasting to me for a while about his 2000 model 4WD Suzuki Carry

He knows that when it comes to light 4WD and off-road vehicles, I’m into Suzuki Jimnys (I’ve had three) and Mitsubishi Pajero Minis (I’m on my first one now and am so pleased with it that I never want […]

For some car aficionados, a Mercedes-Benz isn’t enough because they know beyond a shadow of a doubt that there’s something even better. Mercedes-AMG.
The passion to own a Mercedes-AMG only intensifies when headlines proclaim the launch of a new model like the Mercedes-AMG GLE 53 4MATIC+. But the price tag keeps many dreaming of winning the […]

My first experience with a kei truck in Japan came about because my father-in-law here retired.

Now, you’ll ask me: “What’s the relationship between mini trucks and retiring in Japan?”

Well it goes like this: In our part of Japan, in the countryside of Shizuoka Prefecture (and, I’m willing to bet, in the rest of the Japanese […]

The first Japanese Kei Sports car that I drove came to me as a courtesy car.
You might think that it’s crazy, giving a garage customer a turbo-charged, intercooled mini rocket as a courtesy car; and, after I drove that 1993 Suzuki Alto Works i.e., I thought it was a crazy thing, too.
I guess that the […]

Used Porsche 911s are always in demand! In Japan, almost any model dating back to the 1960s can be found at lower prices than just about anywhere else in the world. They are also in better condition because Japanese treasure their JDM foreign cars like babies.
In Japan, almost any model dating back to the 1960s […]

What a great weekend of races and car watching at Fuji Speedway! And all Minis. Classic Minis, Minis, Minis everywhere. Austin minis, Rover Minis, Morris versions and Riley Elfs and Wolseley Hornets; and not a BMW Mini anywhere in sight.
It was the Classic Mini Festival celebrating 60 Years of the Mini, and Minis were everywhere. […]

People around the world are finding out how good Japanese Kei cars are, and these days we are shipping a lot of Kei vehicles overseas: Kei trucks, Kei vans, and Kei sports cars; to the USA, to the UK, to Canada, to Australia, and to countries of the European Union. Yes, these practical and fun […]

The early 1990s were an exciting time in Japanese automotive history.
Car lovers in Japan had a lot to be thrilled about 25 years ago in the early to mid 1990s. Even residents not terribly interested in automobiles were energized by the Japanese automotive scene. I was there as an enthusiast and will never forget it.
Japanese […]