Mark your calendars: Tokyo Motor Show 2009: Oct 24 to Nov 4

cwerdna · 10-21-2009, 12:51 AM

(Dang, I forgot to post this here much earlier. I posted it about it elsewhere weeks ago.)
If anyone here likes cars

and is planning a trip to Japan soon, I highly recommend spending at least 2 days at Tokyo Motor Show, maybe even 3 or 4. In the past, it's only been passenger cars and motorcycles once every 2 years and then they'd have commercial vehicles in between. I believe it's consolidated into one show now and only once every 2 years.

I've been to it in 2003 and 2005 and will say it's the best auto show I've been to. (Been to Detroit's briefly in 2009 and ones in LA, SF and Seattle before.)

See http://www.tokyo-motorshow.com/en/index.html for more info.

I will be at the show for 2.5 to 3 days but going to Korea first. My ticket was $903.50 which was SEA > ICN > NRT > SEA.

Check around on sites like kayak.com for a rough idea how much a flight will be.

Contrary to what many people think (at least when I went in 2001, 2003, and 2005 when the dollar was stronger ~110-119 yen == $1 US then vs. 88-91 yen == $1 now), Japan isn't INSANELY expensive to visit. Just don't take cabs and use public transit (which admittedly, isn't that cheap either). Food and hotels were also surprisingly reasonable vs. the US. Bottled and canned drinks aren't so cheap though. Was 120 yen typically for a can of soda at vending machines and many convenience stores.

I just reserved a room at http://www.tokyustay.co.jp/e/hotel/MON/ and it's going to be $61/night (USD) for part of the stay $84/night for the other part.