The crazy thing about doing all this video lately is that I often forget that I am still shooting photos at events. Typically, Ryan Der will handle a bulk of the video but since he was in Brazil for Tomorrowland, I decided to handle the workload of both shooting and doing video. On top of that, I had to judge a couple of categories at Wekfest Japan too so my proverbial plate was undoubtedly full. I really like doing video. It adds a different dynamic to event coverage, you know? Obviously we are not the best at it but we get to see cool shit so why not capture it, right? Video allows for a much more in-depth perspective and an even more personal view of what is happening at these events I attend. I try to really emphasize the personal connections that we have and the relationships that we form with enthusiasts around the world and I hope that translates to you, the viewer… With that said, however, I still do really like capturing photos and presenting them here on the site. Video is a bit more fast-paced but photos you can look at as long as you want. You can study the details, get a closer look, and see the cars from the perspectives that only photos can offer…
The thing about shooting photos and video at shows outside of the country is the feeling that I am not even really there. Allow me to explain. I started noticing this a couple years ago when I first started attending Tokyo Auto Salon. When I am shooting content at these events, I just don’t feel like I am there. Physically, I am there of course but I am so concentrated on capturing good photos that I don’t really get to “live in the moment” of actually being there. That is the ultimate downside of doing what I do. I am in such a frantic pace to capture everything that I don’t even get to see what I am really shooting until I get home. And by that time, I am as far away from “the moment” as you or anyone else viewing the site content. Events here at home in the U.S. are different, especially within California. I see the same cars so often that I can afford to hang out a little bit or just not shoot as frantically because I know that I will possibly have the time to see these cars again in the future. In Japan, everything seems so fleeting because I don’t know if I will ever get a chance to go back. Money doesn’t come consistently for me being in the “career” that I have chosen so at any moment, I could be broke and not have money to return to Japan…
I think video helps in that sense of being able to live in that moment in time. Even though it is very similar to shooting photos, I find myself trying to capture more of the personal moments on video, which is what I am after. My life is just a series of moments that I am trying to capture and hold onto. I will never get those moments back so I’ve made it my life’s mission to capture them so that I can in some way relive them again some day. It all seems very glamorous on paper but it comes with its sacrifices. There are some that often want to point out that I am sensitive about my work and am quick to defend myself. Well, I hope that you care as much as I do about things that you are passionate about. We all have one life to live. Appreciate what is presented before you and try to live a life that is worthwhile. If you are able to capture the essence of it and present these fleeting moments so that people can appreciate them with you, that is the greatest gift you can give to the world. I’m trying. Constantly trying.
I have doubters, naysayers, who do nothing but wait on my every word so that they can refute it. Please continue to do so. That is your prerogative. As I mentioned long ago on some random social media outlet… “I respond to those who speak ill of me with only the sounds of every new footstep I make all over the world.”….
Today is Part 1 of the huge bulk of photos that I captured from the Wekfest Japan event. I occupied most of my trip with video but for the show, I stayed tried and true with the photos that brought you to this site in the first place. I was on auto-pilot and didn’t even realize I shot so much. There is much to come so enjoy. We will resume the Vlog series after I get through all the photos here on the site….
The photos come mostly in chronological order from the morning of the show to the close of it…
Phaze2 Japan member Hiroki Nakano’s Mercedes C-Class slammed and static on MAE Crown Jewels….
Ever the quiet one, Phaze2 Eishi Suzuki’s AP2 S2000….
A few R35 GTRs were present at the WFJP event held inside the Nagoya Port Messe venue…
Masashi Kameoka’s EF9 is looking better than ever on black 15×8 Volk Racing TE37 wheels. A much more race-oriented look over the previous 3-piece CCW wheels…
Another of Eishi’s S2000…
Rihanna-lover Mao Nakai’s GT VIP-themed Skyline 350GT sedan equipped with Wald aero kit and a Voltex GT wing…
Keisuke Morita of Phaze2 Japan’s USDM Scion FR-S featuring APR aero and an HKS GT-Supercharger kit…
Atsushi Oka’s Rocket Bunny Z33 Fairlady convertible… Oka is a custom interior specialist who also operates 9010design…
Love this DB8 Integra with USDM 98-01 Integra front end and PCI front lip/splitter combo. Also note the cage within…
Porsche 997 looking fantastic at this ride height and fitment…
USDM Toyota Sienna SE with Lexon Exclusive carbon lip and Volk TE37Ultras….
Masa’s FC3S RX-7 on BBS LMs was one of my personal favorites of the WFJP event…
Yuma Saito’s USDM S13 240SX planted on Barramundi Design Grandy wheels….
Seen this FD RX-7 a couple of times before online so it was awesome to finally see it in person. It looks every bit as good as it does in photos, trust me…
My personal choice for “Best of Show” (I didn’t get to pick) of Wekfest Japan 2015 would have to have been the Car Peace AE86 Trueno. Such an epic build. More on this car later…
Takeru Tojo showed us that dreams really do come true when he decided to sell his Honda Element S/C to buy an authentic Mugen Civic RR. So happy for this guy as he is a true Honda-lover who finally acquired his dream car….
Takanori Nagai’s Mugen complete EK4 SiR from L2P Japan….
Koji Yonekawa’s EM1 SI-inspired Civic coupe on bronze Volk CE28N with a BYS face…
Masaki Fukuda’s EG6 SiR went from a full Spoon-theme last year to a Work RSZ-R wearing Civic with a Sergeant front bumper and BackYard Special carbon lip combo…
Shunichi Hatta’s Integra sedan dumped on Volk SE37K….
Seiya Suzuki’s Phoenix Yellow Integra Type R with First Molding carbon front lip, Mugen Gen. 1 wing, and Desmond Evo Brites…
Kohei Taguchi’s Honda Integra Type R displayed on Dunlop Formula Hart wheels and a BackYard Special front bumper…
Both Suzuki and Taguchi were rocking Mugen wings, except Taguchi’s was shaved and emblem-less….
Akifumi Ikeda’s Integra Si-VTEC on TEs….
Daisuke Ito’s DC5 Integra Type R was virtually unchanged from last year’s Wekfest Japan event, other than the new black stands on his Mugen spoiler….
Junki Shiimizu’s Honda Accord Euro-R looking great on silver SSR Type-F…
Runzip Designs’ FD2 Civic Type R was one of the most talked-about Honda builds of WFJP 2015, and with good reason. The crazy amount of custom fab-work inside the car was almost overlooked because of the chassis-mounted titanium rear wing….
A look inside reveals a full custom-built roll cage with only the driver’s seat remaining. In place of the passenger seat is a NOS bottle for that added juice…
The wild-looking rear spoiler exposed through the rear bumper of the FD2 Civic Type R…
Great fabrication work all the way around. The only thing missing is a customized engine bay which is currently in the works….
Yuki Kuroda’s USDM FG2 Civic SI coupe on TE37SL. One of a few U.S. Civic coupes in attendance at Wekfest Japan this year. I can’t say they are really popular here Stateside but they seem to be quite the popular chassis to mod over in Japan…
E36 BMW M3s are also pretty popular in Japan, and this one on Barramundi Design wheels looked excellent…
Nice individual throttle body set-up on this Civic Ferio….
Meaty wheel/tire combo on this EK Civic hatchback…
Porsche 997.2 GT3 which looks much like a Japanese version of Floss’ 997 here in Cali…
The Pokal Custom Felgen booth featured this yellow Porsche 997 GT3….
Another long-time favorite of mine is this Common Snapper S30Z which featured a RB26DETT engine swap and full R33 Skyline GTR interior…
Parked directly next to it was Noriyaki Miyamoto’s personal race car, also from Common Snapper. This S30Z features a Mazda tri-Rotary engine swap…
Masafumi Eto’s FG2 Civic Si coupe is one of the more intricately-built Hondas in Japan. There is practically no area of this car that has not been touched in some way…
Custom interior with digital instrument display, K-Tuned shifter box, and floor-mounted pedals….
The engine bay is fully-customized as well and housed within is a K-series motor fully-built by Spoon Sports…. yes, you read that correctly, this coupe is powered by a Spoon motor….
Hiro No.2’s K-swapped E-AT Civic looked spectacular as always. The greatest thing about this build is that he drives completely fine and with the hood-on, you’d never even know that it was K-swapped…
Team Fatlegs EK9 Civic Type R on BMD wheels sporting a very Ryan Der-esque blue engine bay….
Daisuke Ishiyama’s EG6 Civic is one of the more spot-on “USDM-inspired” Honda builds currently in Japan. You can bring this build over here to the U.S. and it would fit right in. No one would ever doubt that the car was from the U.S. because it is that close in terms of overall execution and parts selection… We often have a “Best JDM” award at many of the popular car shows in North America. If there were to be a “Best USDM” award, it would go to this man….
You don’t see very many MR-S builds around anymore, no matter what part of the world you’re in, but this one that showed up to Wekfest was very well-done. Loved the paint and contrasting wheel color…
I’m gonna go ahead and cut off the coverage here for now with a couple shots of this DC5 Integra with a custom shaved and tucked engine bay. In regards to the level of execution of Honda engine bays in Japan, this is among the best around…. Round of applause…
That’s all for now. As said, there is still much to come so stayed tuned…
