PLANET POTENCY VISITS JAPAN!!!

Earlier this year PLANET POTENCY took a trip to Japan for some inspiration. As well as a new way to kick off the new year. Hope you guys enjoy this as much as we did, great people and great food, badass cars what more could you want. Check it out..

LEAVING FOR JAPAN!!!!



We're off!!!! ATL---> LA ---> JAPAN!!!
Leaving LA Airport
1st night in the streets of Kawasaki

After 12hours in the air we finally land in Haneda. Upon arriving we had to jump on a train, mind you the monorail shuts down at midnight and its about 1130pm. Now we have to learn how to read a Japanese train map, purchase our tickets and make our way to Kawasaki (30 mins). Making it out of the airport was a breeze. Luckily “sumimasen” which means “xcuse me” came in handy. An attendant helped us to our train and sent us off! HOPING WE ARE GOING THE RIGHT WAAY! We arrive in Kawasaki-ku with a ~sigh of relief~.. out of the train station and off the plane after almost a whole day of flying and hitting the Japanese air was a total wake up. WE'RE HERE!!!!! Now to the hotel jet-lag kicking in, get some food and hit the sack.

FIRST WEEK: KAWASAKI-ku, JAPAN

1st day pics....Walking getting hungry.  

First sunny day in Japan. On the hunt for some cool cars and street food we took a walk around the block.

As we walked the area and snapping pictures and taking in the changes we were craving some Yakitori (BBQ chicken on a skewer) we learned about before leaving the states.
This is a Korean BBQ dish, which is served raw and you
 cook it at your table! Still craving it...lol

Hungry and excited we overheard some locals speaking ENGLISH! Excitedly we approached them and asked if they knew any good places to eat. They kindly walked us to a local FAVORITE. They got us table and some basic phrases for ordering. We were surprised at how friendly and welcoming they were. This is where we discovered YAKINIKU! The tender beef just melts into flavor when it hits your tastebuds.
4 a.m. Kawasaki Shrine New Years 2012..

Our new friends showed us around for the next few days... we spent New Years with them at the Kawasaki Shrine. In Japanese Culture New Years is spent with family and Christmas is more like a social event. They were kind enough to bring us along.
It was a pleasure to be a part of this event! more than we bargained for~. Got some cool driver safety charms, since we came for the 2012 Tokyo Auto Salon ...the people get a new one every year at the shrine for good luck... We got to try some different food. like a chicken stomach, almost ate a pigs tongue as well. no pork on my fork. I ate the chicken stomach..very distinct taste for the next hour. lol hey do as they do! We also tried some sweets and did some fortune telling, very fun experience. It was pretty cool to bring in the New Year in a new way rather than just getting wasted at a club haha.



Close up, red arrow in next pic is where this was taken
New Years shopping at OIOI..2012

After new years we hit the local mall and watched all the shoppers going crazy, almost like black Friday. They love shopping~ ! Stores like Abercrombie and Fitch, Coach, Gucci, Ralph Lauren....places to eat like California Kitchen, KFC, etc.. eating KFC is a new years tradition for some haha.. We spent the rest of our week in Kawasaki-ku walking around and shopping...haven't really traveled on the train other than going to the Shrine but once we leave Kawasaki thats a whole other story...

Some other pics from the week!!!

Serves hot and cold drinks..Try Georgia tea
ROPE St..Kawasaki-ku

KOBAN car or as we call them cop car.
clean Suzuki Motorcycle JDM..
Japanese Graffiti "No Nuclear Poo" art
Not uncommon to see a hooked up van...
Clean Triumph....
Sicckkk R34 Skyline....
Need I say more.


Japan is a very cool place with a little bit of everything for everyone. We simply took this venture to experience some car culture in the motherland of import tuning. Keep tuned as we guide you through our trip to places like TOP SECRET, KING BUYER, UPGARAGE, SUPERAUTOBACS when we head to Shinjuku, meet up with LLCOAST CAR CLUB some Japanese Lowriders hittin switches and much more. Also coverage from the 2012 Tokyo Auto Salon!!!!!

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