Mr Jozuka, founder (and father) of Garage Vintage passed away suddenly about 12 years ago.

I always wanted to pay respect and visit his last resting place, what was a promise to myself finally came through last week…

Together with the Jozuka family we visited the cemetery…  a very typical Japanese cemetery with a lot of respect and honour for the beloved ones… in a traditional way everything is hyper clean!

Mr Jozuka’s stone is not your typical, but teh back of a splitwindowbeetle, carved in one piece stone Mrs Michiko Jozuka did a great job as she refused twice!! Normally it had been way bigger, but the stone carvers had to start twice over again…

Respect!!

How You like the detail? Pretty cool uh?

the numbers on the license plate read more difficult as your worse Sudoku??? All the family birthdays, the birth dates and the founding dates of garage Vintage been all written in, now try to figure that one out!

Beautiful flowers give a nice touch to the black marble!

the cemetery is pretty large, but only one stone is very different from all others… and my old friend Mr Jozuka deserve that!

Can’t finish this blog no better as with the words on the back of the stone…

My trip in Japan comes slowly  to an end, I have to run for the airport now… but I have one more stop over, hopefully i can report You tomorrow about that one…  so stay tuned!!

Some very interesting new products this week to share with all of you!!

We offer now complete trailing arms for later 1303 “Super” beetles… in very good quality at unbeatable prices!

1334-060 Trailing arm front Left complete – 1303 08/73-

1334-070 Trailing arm front Right complete 1303 08/73-

Replace your broken or worn out speedo with this very nice reproduction, fuel gauge is not included, but we do offer separately…

2691-100 speedometer KM/H – all beetle 08/67-

When your split window bus has safari windows the choice of antenna’s is very limited, we now offer the antenna in exact the same model like Volkswagen did back in the day, this is as it should be… time to play that radio Franky!

0432-800 Antenna Safari – Bus -07/67 Chrome

The BBT FPU team wish You a wonderful weekend!

Garage Vintage in Osaka has one of the highest reputation of VW shops and classic VW sales in entire Japan, I would say that their reputation is spotless, Being 15 years since I was here last time it was about time to visit again…

Garage Vintage run a cool little shop, with lot of knowledge and experience!

And they sell very cool and high-end cars… crewcab was to die for!

I was well received by Garage Vintage mom Michiko Jozuka her son Daichi Jozuka and daughter Risa Jozuka (not in the picture because behind the camera) and off course the trusty employee Tsugimasa Fujiwara. Without any saying all of them are extremely nice people!

If You ever go to Osaka, You have to pay them a visit!

My friend Side Yokotani Yokatani from LowLife fame came especially from his town to see me!  we pose at the special Toyota 4 Runner from Garage Vintage… a car never sold new in Japan…

Publicity and billboards in Japan are sometimes incredible!

Osaka is a very big city, over 2,7 million population!

Infrastructure is mind-blowing as almost everywhere in Japan!

Lunchtime!!

I was invited for some tradional Soba… so let’s enter the restaurant…

This little text means “Menu”, is written in traditional Japanese and You read from top to bottom… I had it upside down at first, wat was very funny to the Japanese hosts!

hmmmm what shall i order….:) even the numbers are in Japanese… everything to read top to bottom…

In Soba restaurant you eat Soba off course!

Soba is wheat noodle you’re supposed to dimple in your soup and then suck into your mouth… really, nothing else!

The whole Garage Vintage Team, “Low Life” Side Yokotani  and long time friend and photographer Shin Watanabe joined for lunch… thanks God so I didn’t have to order by myself!…:)

Thanks so much to garage Vintage for this special invitation!

And this exactly how You eat it!!!

Time for dessert!!

Feel free to zoom in and read… some Japanese “Soba” wisdom!

Low Life Side san offered me a T-shirt from Red Box, his crazy low bus, all he has is crazy low, hence his nick name “Low Life”… Side san lives in the town that used to be the Ninja town under the Shogun, a little Japanese history, my next visit to Japan I will pay him a visit! And learn about the Ninja’s!

Thanks for the T-shirt Side san! i will wear with pride!

and yes… I simply have to share with you one of my favorites of todays Japanese culture, the mini trucks, so little they seem to fit in your pocket! I should buy one of those, look funny to drive around town!

oh, and this is my name in traditional Japanese writing, it says… “Bob”!

Thanks for translation Shin-san! !

Tomorrow is friday so sorry we have to publish the Friday product update , but Saturday I will share a very special moment with all of You, a very special and emotional visit…

So stay tuned!!!