Another year of the Tokyo Auto Salon means another round of digging into the depths of Makuhari Messe’s parking lots – TAS’s unofficial motoring meet.
TAS is the premier event in Japanese automotive culture, attracting more than 200,000 visitors to the Chiba Convention Center each year. With this kind of foot traffic, it’s no surprise that the parking lots hide some real gems. So, let’s take a look at what I found during my Friday visit to the 2025 Tokyo Motor Show.
Right near the entrance, I was greeted by this idea: guerrilla marketing at its finest. And it worked. Someone has taken it upon themselves to “fix” the G87 M2, tackling the overly adventurous front grille design with a more traditional BMW look. If I had to guess who was behind this, it would be ADRO, a Korea-based body kit company that has been making waves in the BMW aftermarket world. They had a large kiosk inside TAS, so dropping another car in the parking lot made sense. I’m interested to know if I’m right, and if so, I hope the rear bumper gets redesigned as well.
A short distance away, Dino and I parked our cars, near an FL5 Honda Civic Type R.
Elsewhere along the road, another blue FL5 sat next to what you might consider its European rival, an Audi RS 3 in a similar shade.
As is the case with the show, there was no shortage of parking in the parking lots, with everything from pickup trucks to GT-Rs parked on the curb.
It’s also worth noting that the situation here in Japan isn’t just about a set of wheels and bags. Owners always go the extra mile to build a complete car. Check out the massive Brembo brakes on this Lexus, for example.
It was hard to miss Mitsuoka Orochi’s car, which took up two parking spaces. Orochi is one of those quirky Japanese creations of the early 2000s that is often overlooked. Powered by Toyota’s 3.3-liter V6 engine, you could call it an alternative to the Honda NSX formula.
Next to it, occupying just one space, was a Nissan Sil80 (a Silvia-faced 180SX), sitting on SSR mesh wheels and fitted with the classic B-Wave spoiler – an authentic nod to 1990s Japanese street drifting culture.
Mazda RX-7s seem to dominate the parking lot, with FCs and FDs almost everywhere you look. Here are just a few of the ones I spotted.
There were plenty of Porsches spread around too, including a beautiful blue 993.
AE86s came in all shapes and forms. It was great to see FK’s Trueno plant hatch in the wild. FK is known for its unique builds and shapes, and this is no exception.
Nissan’s presence was almost stronger in the parking lots than at its stand inside Makuhari Messe. GT-Rs and Silvias from every generation filled the spaces, with no shortage of variety.
Front and center – and likely one of the first cars to make it to TAS – was a beautiful Datsun 510 1600 SSS on Hayashi Racing wheels.
There have been a few Honda NSXs that have retained the factory aesthetics – for the most part.
RE Amemiya made its presence felt inside the show and outside in the parking lots with the Mazda RX-8.
It was good to see the 180SX Type-X rolled out perfectly on RAYS Gram Lights wheels.
Keeping with the Nissan theme, the C10 Skyline GT-X was attracting a lot of attention as the crowds passed by.
Then there were the JZ-powered Toyota duo. Seeing the Toyota Chaser and Supra side-by-side highlighted how similar their sizes and dimensions are – the “four-door Supra” moniker sounds great.
Many readers will recognize John’s Toyota Corona GT. After a year of drifting, he treated his AT141 to some new bodywork and paint, and it looks really right.
John was joined by a NA2 Honda NSX-R – a rare sight in the wild. This is not surprising given their high prices these days.
One attendee was so eager to start modifying the parts he picked up inside the show that he couldn’t even wait until he got home to start assembling them!
Here’s a polarizing lineup for you: a track-focused FD Mazda RX-7 paired with a beautifully crafted Honda StepWagon. I’ve seen this truck before, and it’s bold because it comes with scissor doors and a huge sound system.
Liberty Walk has left its mark on parking, too. A fully-equipped Lamborghini Aventador, along with a Huracan and a Lexus LC, all wearing Liberty Walk branding, turned heads and stopped traffic.
I wasn’t the only one impressed by the parking treasures. Any veteran TAS attendee knows that the show actually starts before you even enter the gates.
Like any other Japanese car event, the parking lots provide a real look into Japanese car culture. While TAS showcases the glamor and glamor of Japanese automobile life, you can’t have one without the other. For this reason, if you visit the Tokyo Auto Salon, I highly recommend dedicating at least half of your day to wandering around the different parking lots. You never know what you’ll find.
Alec Binder
Instagram: com. noplansco