Encounters with young car enthusiasts at the end of the year and a premonition of good encounters in 2026 [Jun Nishikawa’s 1-Week Automobile Diary Vol. 08]

Thanks to my car-related friends

Once again, Happy New Year! 2026 has begun, but due to the holiday break, we will be bringing you the reports from the fourth week of December and the New Year. This week, as with the week before, I was able to spend a fun time with my car buddies, each day taking turns. I am truly grateful to the friends I have met through cars. I hope to make new friends this year as well!

4th week of December 2025 – New Year 2026

Monday, December 22, 2025

"SiCX Jin" Maeda-kun @ Nakameguro — “SiCX Jin” Maeda-kun @ Nakameguro

I took the Shinkansen from Gunma to Tokyo. After lunch with Mr. A, an editor at a certain magazine, I went to Kobayashi Minoru’s solo exhibition “CHASING GRACE.” I was impressed by the “eyes” of Gilles Villeneuve as he drove the Ferrari 312 T5. In the evening, I had three consecutive year-end parties. From the shared ownership system “Rendezvous” in Roppongi, to “Le Volant” in Ebisu, and then to Maeda-kun of “SiCX Gin” in Nakameguro. Young car enthusiasts gather at Maeda-kun’s shop every night. On this day, a Hakosuka and a Bellett arrived again. I was taken to the hotel in a Bellett driven by a young man I’d just met.

Tuesday, December 23, 2025

After lunch with Mr. B, an editor at a certain magazine, I picked up an Audi A6 Sportback e-tron in Shinagawa and headed to Nara. The latest generation of BEVs made by European brands has evolved amazingly. If you take a breather at the news of the headwinds facing BEVs, you will soon be left behind. In the evening, we celebrated the Asuka-Fujiwara CRA FES with a robatayaki grill near Kashihara Shrine. I stayed overnight in Nara.

Wednesday, December 24, 2025

As usual, Christmas Eve didn’t matter. I visited Kashihara Shrine in the morning. I had a meeting at Nakamura Engineering in Yamatokoriyama. It seems that there has been an increase in the number of neo-classical cars coming into the shop recently. It was a happy surprise. After fully charging my A6 at Audi Nara, I paid my end-of-year greetings to Nara Toyota’s President Osamu Kikuchi. I made some new proposals using the Mahoroba Museum. Then I went to Kyoto.

Thursday, December 25, 2025

I started photographing the A6 early in the morning. In the afternoon, I took the Shinkansen to Nagoya. I met up with a friend I’ve known for 30 years and headed to Mie in the pre-generation Mercedes-Benz S400h that he recently acquired. He actually wanted to buy a used current Prius, but apparently the S-Class was cheaper. My friend is a real car enthusiast, saying it would be foolish to buy a current domestic model. We had a year-end party at Matsuya, my favorite butcher shop in Tsu, where the owner is also a car enthusiast.

Friday, December 26, 2025

Visited Ise Grand Shrine (Outer Shrine and Inner Shrine). Worshipped at Owari Ichinomiya. Met up with friends at the teppanyaki restaurant “Komatsu” in Ichinomiya for a year-end party. Stayed overnight in Ichinomiya.

Saturday, December 27, 2025

Snow was forecast for the morning. I changed into my old Mercedes-Benz G350d (green!) with studless tires and headed to Fukui. I went to a super cheap crab restaurant that a friend of mine had recently discovered. I’ll definitely be back next year. After dinner, I returned to Nagoya and took the Shinkansen to Kyoto.

Sunday, December 28, 2025

I only clean up my office at the end of the year. There are just too many things.

Monday, December 29, 2025

Visit to Ogami Shrine. First time climbing the mountain.

Tuesday, December 30, 2025

Washing my Fiat Panda Cross and BMW 330Ci Cabriolet and cleaning up my miniature car room.

Wednesday, December 31, 2025

Making simmered dishes.

Thursday, January 1, 2026

First visit of the year to the shrine (Kitano Tenmangu Shrine).

Friday, January 2, 2026

A complete rest day.

December 22, 2025 – January 2, 2026

Mileage: Approximately 1,200 km Number of test vehicles: 3

2025 11/1~2026 1/2 cumulative

Total mileage during the serialization period: Approximately 11,100 km Total number of test drive vehicles: 57

Jun Nishikawa’s 1 Week Automobile Diary

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