While living in Japan, I had the chance to visit Hiroshima. This was almost a decade ago, however the memory stayed with me, and was part of the motivation behind my buying my first rotary last week.
The Mazda HQ is a large campus on the outskirts of the city, complete with its own high-speed banked test track (in the shape of a rotor, naturally). You can\'t wander round on your own, but if you ring up and arrange some days in advance, then you can join a free guided tour.
There\'s a small exhibition of significant Mazdas:
(https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-A5_QucLpYSc/UJ_pITmnbGI/AAAAAAAACcc/r2JOnNqcNfs/s829/KIF_1320.JPG)
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-nmX2n0VzX_M/UJ_pPOVCrSI/AAAAAAAACdE/5RBpKmW327g/s612/KIF_1325.JPG)
I didn\'t (possibly couldn\'t) take photos, but we also got to see the production line. At that time, in 2004, they were assembling RX-8s on the same assembly line as Mazda 3\'s, which I found astonishing given how utterly different they are. I also noted a selection of competitor cars, including an E46 M3, lined up for evaluation at the test track.
I was running a Nissan Silvia (PS13) at that time, but some other guys turned up in an FD, and were enquiring of the guide when the next RX-7 would come out. Despite my limited Japanese, I got the strong impression that the Mazda guys were as keen as we are to see a new RX-7, let\'s hope they once more manage to overcome the hurdles and make it possible.
Other pics of Hiroshima:
A festival
(https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-y4g5NTw5fm8/UJ_nzyWh2PI/AAAAAAAACUE/IcQKeJGBxFQ/s800/KIF_1243.JPG)
Megane-bashi, named not after a french family hatchback, but the Japanese word for glasses
(https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-RboZDLSX6cY/UJ_n-3waycI/AAAAAAAACVU/gy5tuBWpBRQ/s800/KIF_1255.JPG)
On the river estuary there is an island, Itsukushima, with a famous temple that is built on the beach. Due to typhoons, it has to be rebuilt every few years or so.
(https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-WS-kNhz35r0/UJ_pArO-uXI/AAAAAAAACbs/Lu5iervD3sE/s800/KIF_1310.JPG)
(https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-w3M8mnSX6io/UJ_o-altCPI/AAAAAAAACbc/OCzXRiHrCJI/s800/KIF_1306.JPG)
(https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-Q75dufhf8GU/UJ_pHNdOxII/AAAAAAAACcU/6Irl2Cl_ibw/s800/KIF_1319.JPG)
(https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/--REk_A-bu58/UJ_o_X3_zzI/AAAAAAAACbk/ie9gl9xI4ag/s800/KIF_1308.JPG)
(https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-rjo0l1VcR2w/UJ_pY5eX6ZI/AAAAAAAACeA/65U-GEgLS3c/s600/Kif_1304.jpg)
If you get the chance, I can recommend a trip to Hiroshima, it\'s a spacious, elegant city in a really nice setting, and there is the chance to visit the birthplace of our cars.
Looks amazing. Lucky you.
Incidentally, if anyone here has graduated uni in the last year or five and is interested, the JET programme application deadline is the end of November http://www.jet-uk.org/
(No Japanese language skills required, just a UK degree and English as a first language).
Basically the Japanese government pays you to go and teach in a school in Japan for a year. I did this in 2003, and it was pretty much as awesome as it sounds.
Many thanks for sharing, now you own a Rotary these pictures and memorys have obviously taken on a whole new meaning :D, have fun out there with your new toy :D
Lovely pics and and an amazing place to visit I imagine :)
I did a similar thing (including the Mazda factory tour and floating Tori) about a couple of years later than you. After finishing a 5 week stint in Tokyo, I jumped on the bullet train and visited Hiroshima and Kyoto.
Hiroshima was a breathe of fresh air after staying in Tokyo.
Great pictures :)