The Japanese Car has a rich history in America. Do you remember the Accords, Preludes, 300ZXs, RX7s, Celicas, and Supra GTs in the MIHS parking lot back in the day? Mark Harrington of BMW Seattle tells me that the cool thing about cars is that every car has a story. Welcome to the story of JDM Cars in the Shinka Evolution Revolution exhibit at the LeMay – America’s Car Museum in Tacoma. The first time that the museum has had a full showcase gallery. (Japanese Domestic Market (JDM) cars are made in a way that complies with the rules and regulations of the Japanese Market.) Museum Collection Coordinator Amy Walsh explained, “We really tried to make it more immersive than we’ve done in the past. We tried to really showcase more artwork and more cultural aspects of Japanese cars and culture. To really inspire people and show them there’s more to the car than just RPMs and horsepower.” Storytelling was artfully embedded into the exhibit and the vision of Executive Director Gary Yamamoto and the genius that executed his vision, Glenn Mitsui of Mitsui Creative.
Gary’s background at the Wing Luke and Nordstrom gave him the perfect background to imagine the ultimate immersive experience. Gary says, “Details make the experience!” He beamed when speaking of the music, the scents, and the visuals that are the ambiance of this amazing exhibition. When you enter, you are walking into Tokyo! Cars positioned in pods creating Japanese themes. Glenn rallied the community. Dean MIyauchi’s Daruma with two moving eyes to represent a completed goal. The wheels turning are Toyo tires with Watanabe 8 spoke rims, the iconic wheel of JDM mods because of its light weight, making it perfect for racing. Wire Bonsai trees carefully crafted by Kyfu Bonsai because real bonsais would die during the yearlong exhibit. Glenn’s cousin, Kiyoshi Ina crafted a Taiko Drum and drove it up from San Francisco. (He will be coming up with the second one before this issue drops.) A Samurai helmet and “yoroi” (complete armor) were contributed by the Japanese Consulate. KING-TV newscaster, Lori Matsukawa contributed her Wedding Kimono. Samurai culture is mainstream TV today.
You may recall that another aspect of Japanese culture frequently portrayed on the silver screen is the Yakuza. Near the entrance, you will notice a 1971 Nissan Skyline GTX. This JDM car is extremely rare because the Yakuza revered this model and “strongly suggested” it not be exported out of Japan. The signature pod is the Zen garden with cherry blossom tree. A picturesque scene hosting the 1967 Toyota 2000 GT with the backdrop of Fujiyama, Mount Fuji. An eight-screen mural featuring famed stunt performer (and drifter) Travis Pastrana gives you the feel of motion complete with his 2006 Blue Subaru WRX STI on display. It took 8 screens 16,000 pixels by 9,000 pixels and a 110 gigabyte video. There are so many stories, like the 1989 Nissan R32 GT-R nicknamed Godzilla, the 1983 Toyota AE86 Trueno GT-APEX made famous in anime as Takumi Fujiwara's father’s car that doubled as a race and tofu delivery car. Immersive storytelling is the new standard. Shinka has truly set the bar for more upcoming exhibitions. Shinka has set attendance records time after time. Gary, Marketing Manager Jake Welk, Amy, and the rest of the LeMay and its army of volunteers are ready to prove to the world why “America’s Car Museum “is the LeMay in Tacoma, Washington.