I'm going vacation to Japan soon, and was wondering if stook stuff is much easier to come by there (probably Tokyo). I'm looking at picking up some goodies, like clear corners, interior & exterior mods, and general stuff that not many people in the US have. Anyway, my real questions are...

1) Are stooks and aftermarket stook goodies much more common in Japan than in the US?
2) Are the prices for mods significanty higher or lower than the US?
3) Are there a lot more options for s2k tuned springs, x-braces, sway bars, etc. in Japan?
4) What kind of S/Cs or T/Cs are people putting in their stooks over there? Are they ordering Comptech stuff from us?

Here's some stuff I've seen while 'net surfing...

 

The aftermarket market in Japan for the S2000 is huge, so you might be able to score some major parts, particularly those for performance mods. A Hyperev catalog is a must. Most of the stuff is very expensive, some of it a downright ripoff, but there are also some good values to be had.

Given the size of the performance market in Japan, I doubt very much that they're ordering performance parts from the US. But I can tell you firsthand that they are buying many of Rick's Accessories .

 

Just a FYI but I have found that stuff is extremely expensive in Japan. Sometimes it's cheaper to buy stuff in other asian countries than it is in Japan, even though it is made there. Of course you are then buying at your own risk because it could be a knockoff item.

 

Now here's a local giving you a tip, first of all you need to know how to read Japanese at least so you know where you're going. Most modification shops and big companies aren't located in the heart of the city like Tokyo instead they're more like out in the country, not that you can't get there by the convenient train but you sure need to know where and how to get there by walking as well. Driving will be not an option if you cannot read and speak Japanese because that is the law.

Next, to get discounts you obviously need a local once again to do the talking. When you speak of how far you've come to visit them, they will give you quite a nice discount depending how it is and what it looks like. If you happen to land in Japan next week which is the end of the Summer Holidays then it should be a good time to pick up some good buys because they're all mostly back as work.

While lastly, you should have quite a huge sum of money and I mean cash to do the shopping. Credit cards aren't very welcome as they limit to one swipe per day in Japan mostly which means that you either swipe everything you need at one store if you have an unlimited credit base or come back the next day to do the rest which isn't quite smart as well.

Last of all, you will contemplate at times whether to go home because it is simply one of the best countries to live and work in. Though I don't like working there myself but most people do enjoy so. Hope you do have a nice trip and make sure you have all the addresses and phone numbers of the places that you intend to visit especially the modification shops and stuff.

 

Also figure customs & duty taxes when your parts arrive in the states. You will need to identify if they are for "final consumption" (your own personal use) or for "resale". You will then be taxed on the purchase price conversion of yen to dollars. You just don't see these costs itemized with sponsors as they have shipping, customs and duty built in to the retail pricing.

 

The variety may be bigger, but the costs are not necessarily less and then you have add'l tax headaches, transportations hassles/costs. It just wasn't worth it to me to buy much, if any, performance goodies when we were over there. Of course, you have it shipped, but quite frankly, the prices weren't any better, from what I remember. Get yourself a HyperRev and check out what's available...to be sure, you can find it there, but Tokyo, being such a HUGE city, you will need have local contacts and people who know the area, the shops, the way around, etc. And if that is what you want to try to track down while in one of the most fascinating cities in the world, have at it!

But we found that it was better to enjoy the city and visit the places our hosts set up for us. Doing it randomly is just a very ineffective way to get much done. I'm not saying that you are taking that approach, but a trip of this nature requires a great deal of planning...

In any case, enjoy Tokyo, it's truly an amazing city...can't wait to go back in January...!

 

shrooms are legal in japan

 

What is a shroom?

 

A Shroom is an older Miata before the "Zoom Zoom"..it was "Shroom Shroom" /lol
-- Aaron

 

Shroom = psychadelic mushroom = illegal drug