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Our hotel was on the shores of Towada-ko, and we awoke to this scene out of the hotel window.
With a relatively short drive planned for today, we took our time over the viking breakfast, and hit the road into the central mountains of Iwate-ken and Akita-ken.
Avalanche and landslide tunnel in Akita-ken.
Quiet roads off into the mountains on the way to Mount Hachimantai.
Although we've driven these touge a few times before, there are legs we wanted to add, and others we just wanted to drive again.
One of the side trips we had time for this time was the Matsuo Sulphur Mine Ruins.
My last visit to the ruins was in June 2012, and although not equipped for serious haikyo this time, the proximity of the ruins still provides a good view.
Miners' danchi slowly decaying, here on the roadside block.
The main danchi complexes, closed in the late 1960s.
Repeat photograph (full size now though) from above, but you can now see the building it was taken in.
I hope to get back one day, and spend a full day exploring as we did eleven years ago.
Touge driving, or haikyo exploring - a difficult choice.
Coming down the mountains, we stopped to look at this bus shelter - amused that the thatch appears to need a haircut...
While we were heading south to Fukushima-ken, we wanted to see the changes to the coastal areas of Iwate-ken since our last visit.
We took the coast roads again for a bit.
Great corners again...
Down to Rikuzentakata, and the lone pine memorial, which was closed last time we visited.
A memorial to the single pine that was left standing after the 3/11 tsunami came over the wall and devastated the area, taking away the 70,000 pines that had previously lived on the coast.
It stands next to a school building that was undermined by the tsunami.
Built on the coastal sands, its foundations were washed away.
The grounds around the tsunami memorial center have also been completed, and the walk to the tsunami wall is fascinating.
After purchasing some local omiyage at the visitor center, including some rice as we did last time, we explored some of the few remaining roads.
The new navi was 100% accurate, and unlike last time did not try to route us onto roads that no longer existed.
Well and truly on the way home now to Tokyo, with just one more overnight, and some Fukushima-ken mountain roads to explore.
Some of the back road and mountain home are magnificent.
Many date, at least in part, from the pre-Meiji era and similar.
These kura casement windows have stood the test of time.
Many of the valleys and villages are all still working farms and merchants.
Modern tractor, with old kura.
More well-worn kura.
Though the lime render seems soft, even exposed to the harsh weather, it survives many years well.
It was touch and go for a while on one of the smaller mountain tracks, where we had to stop and remove debris before the soft Michelin could pass, but otherwise no issues.
This little village sat on a mountain stream, with cool clear water, a great relief on such a hot day.
The area continues to suffer numerous bear attacks, and we were of course wary.
Imagine the irony of being taken by a bear, when photographing the bear warning sign...
Ouchijuku is a former post town along the Aizu-Nishi Kaido trade route, which connected Aizu with Nikko during the Edo Period. Restrictions set by the shogunate required travelers to make their long journeys on foot and as a result, post towns developed along the routes to provide travelers with food, accommodations and rest.
Today, Ouchijuku has been restored to look as it did in the Edo Period with telephone and electricity wires buried. The unpaved main street is lined by thick thatched roof buildings, which house a variety of shops, restaurants and minshuku (small traditional Japanese inns). Soba noodles and locally caught char fish roasted on sticks are popular specialties.
In summer, the restaurants are pleasant, being open to outside.
In winter, they close up and are warm and dry inside.
Disused post box.
With many tourists these days, they've built a new minka restaurant to take some of the load.
Some minka have preserved interior.
The road down the mountain was clear of even buses.
Heading south to Tokyo
One of those restomodded Land Cruisers (mentioned above somewhere).
Unlike the last edition, where I looked at the Toyota 2000GT in detail, this time we've gone in the opposite direction; my neighbor's Daihatsu Midget and Mazda R360 Coupe.
While I expend a few words on Japan's auto-sanrin (three wheel trucks), it is the little Mazda that holds some fascination.
At least to this Porsche driver.
The rear hood vents give it away, as it is an air-cooled V-twin, with engine and gearbox in 911 configuration.
With its trailing arms and torsion bar configuration it also mimics a 911 (and not a swing axle 356).
What surprised me though - having never seen an R360 engine before - was how close it looked like a Fuhrmann four-cam.
With the fuel tank in the trunk, and other configuration similarities it was a fun gig to photograph for the magazine.
When the owner finishes fabricating a crank sensor and electronic distributor for it, I hope to drive it...
Yeah!
Mazda thought so too, this last week and included one on their Tokyo Mobility (ex-Motor) Show stand...
My local gas stand.
Entrance to Big Sight, and press day for the TMS.
Some may have already seen some of my stuff at other outlets, but Daihatsu's stand included this plug-and-play machine.
The colored blocks are interchangeable, and you were invited to play.
Honda is still trading on their City / Motocompo ideal, forty years later.
On the Mazda stand though, their Iconic SP prototype was just amazing.
The shade and application of the red paint looks like nothing I've ever seen before, and the design and configuration had me standing here for ages just staring at those lovely curves and overall feeling.
For some reason, I guess I forgot to photograph the R360 Coupe they had with their Roadster and other models, instead drooling over the Iconic.
Toyota went the other way, as did their Lexus sub-brand, with a new version of nasty angles and needless vents.
Nissan too jumped on the angles bandwagon.
It was now the hottest cliche of the moment; how needlessly ugly can we make something look in an attempt to portray a future that will never happen?
Nissan, and Subaru a little too, saved their worst for last, and I joked with another photographer, 'no wonder they had a cover on it'.
Daihastsu continued their display with some neat concepts (pics saved for another outlet, but I am sure Duck Duck Go has heaps), and a timeline display.
Leaving the grisliness behind, it was good to be back in the Cayman...
That Mazda SP prototype!!!! Whoooaaaaaaa, gorgeous.
Yeah, such a contrast to nearly all the other displays!
Though some have suggested it is derivative of a few designs, they really need to see it in the metal as it looks fresh and unique.
If anything, it is a continuation of Mazda's past designs, such as the RX-series, Roadsters, and Kodo design language.
I've seen it suggested it has pop-up headlights too, but they are really just opening eyebrows, with the main lights fixed...
This thread continues to deliver! From the older post in October, I had no idea there are bears in Japan! Learn something new every day.
Mazda Iconic SP is perhaps the best pure car design since things like the Ferrari 250GTO, it's absolutely stunning! I hate to be "that guy", but I'll say it... not a huge fan of the electric drive of it, if this thing came to market with a rotary and a manual it would be goodbye Cayman, hello Mazda!
I’ve always been a fan on the RX series. Spent time with a first gen. and thought the 3rd gen was one of the most remarkable automotive designs of all time.
After two CR-Vs, a Joker, and a S800, I was a Honda person, but their last models have all pandered to the over-styled needs of developing Asian countries.
A CX-5 replaced our last CR-V.
It had to be in the Crystal Red of the 2015 RX-Vision concept too.
Originally Posted by KrisA
This thread continues to deliver! From the older post in October, I had no idea there are bears in Japan! Learn something new every day.
Mazda Iconic SP is perhaps the best pure car design since things like the Ferrari 250GTO, it's absolutely stunning! I hate to be "that guy", but I'll say it... not a huge fan of the electric drive of it, if this thing came to market with a rotary and a manual it would be goodbye Cayman, hello Mazda!
I think we have to tolerate BEVs until synthetic fuels become more cost effective.
Until then, the Taycan and Iconic will have to do - they do after all make those spaceship noises.
Not the same as a flat six I know, but the world changes...
Originally Posted by BWJones
I’ve always been a fan on the RX series. Spent time with a first gen. and thought the 3rd gen was one of the most remarkable automotive designs of all time.
The third generation stands alone as a gloriously independent concept and design for sure.
Pity the RX-Vision, and hopefully not the Iconic, remained a concept.
I owned a third generation RX-7 for several years in the mid-90's. That car never failed to turn heads and generated more "parking lot questions" than any other car I've owned. It was docile on city streets and a screamer on the open road, but the cost of ownership caused me to have to let it go. It's still one of my favorite sports cars, though.
I owned a third generation RX-7 for several years in the mid-90's. That car never failed to turn heads and generated more "parking lot questions" than any other car I've owned. It was docile on city streets and a screamer on the open road, but the cost of ownership caused me to have to let it go. It's still one of my favorite sports cars, though.
I've never driven a rotary, but love that sound!
I believe too, there are a number of apex seal alternates that greatly improve longevity these days, and Mazda too appears to have fixed such?
Fuel economy seems to be the only remaining issue?
Incidentally, this is the NSU Spider that Mazda imported with their Wankel licensing agreement:
It is at the garage of a friend of a friend, and still runs as smooth as you would expect - zing, zing!
Leaving our gun (small village or area) for a few days in Tokyo.
Tasty late 1980s' Carrera.
Though I enjoy the Cayman, S-spec, and PDK, I miss my old 2.7S Targa, and every time I hear that distinct air-cooled thrum go all misty-eyed in reminiscing...
This one, on period plates, appears to be close to a one owner machine.
Matching Shibuya Carrera from a few years earlier, driving to my work (the building behind Bosch).
Note VICS gantry too.
In downtown Shibuya, adjacent to Shoto (used to be the most expensive residential real estate in the world, not sure now) the BMW, Benz, Lexus, and the occasional Porsche are allowed to park like a yak with no penalty.
The parking inspectors just walk past, dreaming I guess of being allowed to ticket, but their bosses who we guess are scared of frivolous law suits and other threats, prevent that.
GT4 RS get to park in bus stops accordingly...
10-13-2023, 09:44 PM
