Japanese "Salary Men" Cross in Front of the Motor Show's Statue/Logo
Makuhari Messe, Japan
The sort-of "Socialist"-appearing work-of-art behind the gentlemen reads, "Since 1954", and the Tokyo Motor Show was celebrating its 40th anniversary in 2007 ... Which works out somehow mathematically because the show is held only once every two years. The two guys in the foreground could not work for Toyota, as they are not wearing that company's standard-issue black suit; they actually look a bit "far-out" by Japan business standards. But there is a huge amount of media coverage of the show gets in its home country. This is the only big auto show in Japan ... People come from all over the nation to see it; there are extra trains put on the tracks and special bus lines open only during the show's running. You have to be there to understand and feel the excitement. Don't believe those websites which say this year's show was "dull" and "all the cars had been seen before"; those people just don't like cars, we guess.