Images: Speedhunters

When we think of car shows and cruise nights here in the ‘States we think of American muscle cars, ’55 Chevys, ’32 Fords, and some Caddys for good measure. And if someone mentions an automotive event in Japan, the more jaded of us would think, “Oh boy, a bunch of useless rice burners like Nissans and Hondas slammed with loud mufflers and video screens inside.” Well, SpeedHunters is willing to tell you that we’d be wrong, as they covered the 11th annual Razzle Dazzle Car Show in Yokohama’s Honmoku area Japan. Its a very cool event held in the parking area of Honmoku Sancho Park just a stone throw from the Mooneye’s shop, an area recently damaged by the earthquake and tsunami.

Although it is open to foreign vehicles up to 1969 (in addition to American vehicles dating up to 1979), it did present itself with a more than desirable display of early American classics, muscle cars, and old school rides. It was like you never left the United States when you walked around at all the rides.

There was a ’55 Cadillac amid a whole bunch of  50’s classics, a few ’32 Fords as you’d expect, along with some Chevelles, Impalas and just about every American made muscle car that you would find here inside the US borders.

The Razzle Dazzle has been growing in size every year and some of the participants travel a couple hundred miles and the equivalent of $250.00 in tolls to attend this event. We should be fortunate to appreciate the car hobby we have in the US and also that the love of American cars goes much further than we could imagine leaving us wondering what other four-wheeled treasures lie in other countries. One thing is for sure the guys in Japan do it just as well as we do in the US with pride and they as well have fun doing it.