Yamaguchi was the furthest West I have ever been in Japan. After last October’s Leopard meeting, Junya and I started to talking about F31s. He also gave me valuable insight and even put a few things on F31club. When I told him I was going to Japan and I wanted to meet him, but it would be on a week day, initially we didn’t think it was going to happen.
I told him that I want to meet with him, even if it is a short amount of time. He agreed. When then started to figure a place to meet up. Since my place of stay would be in Hiroshima, I would eventually have to go back. He also had work the next day. I thought about Iwakuni, which was kinda between his place and Hiroshima and then he asked me to go to Yanai station. I had no problem as long as I get a chance to meet him.
I spent the day slowly going to Iwakuni. When I arrived there, I met him and his girlfriend, Saito. She spoke pretty good English and actually helped translate. We left the station and went to take pictures.
This was the first time in a Zenki leopard, so I took pictures of the dash. We stopped by a bridge, took pictures and then Junya let me drive his Leopard for a bit.
It was kinda funny because the multi function switch with wiper and turn signal switch were opposite and I didn’t realize that. I’ve driven a few RHD cars, but it has been a long time.
Finally, we headed to get something to eat and Junya was driving in a really dark place and suddenly lights were everywhere. We sat down to a traditional Japanese dinner.
He then took me back to the Shin Iwakuni station so I could jump on the Shinkansen.
It was great to meet Junya and Saito. Last year at the leopard meeting, he was there, but we did not talk to each other. It wasn’t til after the leopard meeting that many people started to communicate on facebook with me.
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- Picked up at Yanai station
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- Interior shot
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- Junya and I