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Taking a break from work, we took Friday off and planned a three-day run into Shizuoka-ken, and down the Izu Hanto.
Fuji-san from the Tomei (old) Friday morning.
One of the famed touge in the area around Fuji-san, and although there had been some melt across some of the access passes, the Izu Skyline was clean, dry, and near empty. With the air temp at 7.5C, we were able to get some heat into the Michelin, and really enjoy getting into its many corner.
The new Carnewal GT mufflers really adding to the experience - they were completely quiet and OEM-like on the Tomei on the way down, but really opened up with some great burbles, pops, and screams at the higher rpm.
Really pleased with the result.
Empty roads, but overcast day.
Meeting the coast road, we took it further South for lunch and some omiyage purchases.
Izu Peninsula coast, looking North.
Shimoda port, and although there's a replica of Commodore Matthew Perry's ship sloshing about with its fake paddle wheel, we avoided the kitsch and preferred the dredges and working boats.
Coast Guard base.
Stopping for the night, we had booked a private ofuro room, and sat on the balcony with a can of lemon chuhai, and watched the sun set over the harbor.
More to follow...
Glad you're enjoying the new exhaust. As always, love your posts and the artistic merit of the shots, especially as you delve deeper into the countryside and further from civilisation.
Glad you're enjoying the new exhaust. As always, love your posts and the artistic merit of the shots, especially as you delve deeper into the countryside and further from civilisation.
Thanks!
The Carnewal GT is really good.
Not loud by any means, but certainly more melodious.
After a relaxing night, and huge ryokan breakfast, we tanked up, and went off exploring the coast roads.
Shimoda fishing port.
Showa-era optimism.
Local bar in the affluent trader design - namako.
Namako is a tiled and lime render finish, designed to improve weather resilience of clay and straw walls.
It was originally on our kura too, but due to the expense rarely used these days.
Shimoda town though, with its past history of wealthy traders, is full of namako kura, houses, and general buildings.
First time I've seen nose art on a fishing boat in Japan.
Namako details.
Giorgetto Giugiaro styled the Mazda Familia Coupe, while he was at Bertone in the mid-1960s.
They really are very nice, and combine a great set of Japanese and Italian aesthetics.
These namako kura are someone's garage and storehouse.
Any marine biologists here?
How long was this boat underwater?
Sleeping little fishing village.
Cliff-side shrine at the most Southern point of Izu Hanto.
Post, looking like some new paint needed.
More namako.
Large shop house, being used for cooking classes we think.
Another ofuro with a view for overnight rest.
Even bigger ryokan meals.
I used to drive a Honda S, and a friend has a Prince Skyline, so it was curious to see the two together here.
The Honda body was obviously prepped for a restoration, and the Skyline looked like it was only in for some brake works - so no idea why the two were sitting out in the weather.
Despite being Sunday, and close to Tokyo, some of the best roads were nearly deserted, and we could really enjoy the Cayman.
This road snakes around those hills in the distance, then over the bridge to the right.
This is a bakery and coffee shop.
There's a traditional ryokan style accommodation and restaurants, but nestled in the hills you can buy a coffee and a cake, and sit with your feet in the foot spa.
Towels and appropriate seats provided of course.
Some of the traditional accommodation.
This kura, like ours, has been converted from a store house into a small accommodation.
This conversion and gardens though, significantly more luxurious than our humble kura and surrounds.
Friend's Prince Skyline above, and surprised to see another friend-mobile as a Model A too.
A good friend needed a 4-up capable machine for a run South into the mountains this coming three-day weekend, so took off in our CR-V.
Unfortunately, leaving behind a rather tasty 1M as a swap.
Possibly the only BMW I would consider owning after the E9 3.0 CSi...
With an Akrapovič exhaust, that twin turbo straight six sounds almost as good as the Cayman S.
Hopefully, we'll find some time to do some decent driving and enjoy that nicely balanced chassis...
It was a three-day weekend, and due to work timing, we took off at lunchtime on Thursday for a weekend tour, some quiet lunches, and helping a good friend move into their newly purchased Taisho-era villa.
The Boso Hanto coast is outlined by the train line, so crossing it takes you into the quiet mountains over-looking the seaside.
Entrance to the villa is set with a private bridge, natural waterfall, and a huge garden.
Built in Tokyo in the Taisho-era, it was relocated South to Boso Hanto in the late Showa-era with no expense spared.
Driveway, waterfall and private ofuro made from rocks.
The Taisho details throughout the villa are just amazing.
It requires a lot of attention, but is basically in tremendous condition.
The resident's C4, seen a few times here before.
1M out doing some serious touge hunting.
Like the Cayman, the 1M is an appropriately sized car for touring many of Japan's country roads.
Though it has a back seat and a trunk, neither are as easily accessible as the Cayman's trunk and hatch.
With a small opening, getting into the cavernous 1M trunk requires some maneuvering of medium-sized objects.
Get it onto the twisty bits though, and rowing up and down between second and third with a gloriously weighted manual shift you do not care about luggage space.
Even when the spouse is hanging on, reminding you - multiple times - it isn't your car.
Certainly not a pretty car.
Washing it too, you're struck by the multiple and conflicting curves, indents, and stylistic shapes imparted on the body.
But, the 1M isn't about looks, like many of its predecessors its about the engine and the chassis.
Fitted with a titanium Akrapovič exhaust, this one sang like nothing else as the revs increased.
A glorious wail at high rpm, with no intrusive drone or noise at cruise - a perfect combination.
The roads we explored really suited the nimble chassis, though the turn-in didn't seem as willing as the Cayman and it felt like it would oversteer on throttle lift off if pushed.
We never got anywhere near that though.
Riding on 19s and Yokohama Advan, the ride was surprisingly compliant and nowhere near as harsh as the Cayman was on 19s too.
Bump / thump was minimal, and although we tried to avoid many indentations, the little monster rode over the ones we missed well.
Getting home for afternoon coffee, we fed the local hawks and enjoyed the warm spring air.
2020 Tokyo Olympics number plate now a unique collectors' item?
We were sad to see the loaner returned, as though I enjoy the PDK there's something neat about being able to blip the throttle on downshift into second for a moderately fast corner.
See ya!
Not much going on here, 250mL of oil added to a friend's C4 before quick solo run for essentials.
But, that's it for the last couple of weeks, staying inside as we all should be - at least for a while!
Kuro Neko, what film camera and film are you using in your pictures?
With the sheer amount of pictures you're taking, you must spend a lot of time developing them in the shop!
I also dabble in film photography (complete beginner), and when I visited Tokyo, I was pleasantly surprised to see the film rolls relatively cheap. I had no idea where to develop film in Tokyo though.
Kuro Neko, what film camera and film are you using in your pictures?
With the sheer amount of pictures you're taking, you must spend a lot of time developing them in the shop!
I also dabble in film photography (complete beginner), and when I visited Tokyo, I was pleasantly surprised to see the film rolls relatively cheap. I had no idea where to develop film in Tokyo though.
Details of the camera(s) I use are here.
But, in summary I use a modern (Cosina-made) Voigtlander Bessa R3a, mostly with a Nokton f1.4 SC 45mm (love the real DoF!).
Sometimes though, a vintage Bronica S2A.
I've also got a 21mm for the Bessa, but that wide kinda looks naff on cars, though OK on landscape stuff.
Film is preferably Kodak Portra 400, though I often used FujiPro 400 or 800 as it is sometimes easier to get.
As to development, I use Japan's DPE (Development, Printing, Enlargement) shops.
Typically branded as DPE 45 or DPE 55 or Fuji Palette Plaza.
I prefer Fuji Palette as they generally have a very consistent development and scanning process - the same film looks the same roll after roll, whereas some of the others vary.
Being full service, they scan straight to CD in the processing machine in 45 min (or 55 depending on shop).
Film is very much still more than viable recently in Japan, not only with conventional camera and users, but also part-time users with disposable cameras which sell more than ever recently.
It was the hipsters that kept stuff alive ten years ago, but now its very much mainstream Japan.
Here's a part-time acquaintance's blog on just that.
Post your stuff, and feel free to ask questions...
See ya!
Neko
Not much touring going on here these days, but we are allowed out for food and fuel - in this case toyu (Jet-A I think in the West) for our living room heater.
The Cayman easy stacks 60L in the trunk, even if it does create concern with the attendant who some I am sure think that's where the engine lives...
03-04-2020, 08:14 AM
Izu Hanto
