If, like me, you grew up in America, you’re used to one thing: Big Frickin Cars(tm), and an endless sea of hulking pickup trucks and SUVs.

The situation is quite the opposite in Japan, as pretty much everything on four wheels is considerably smaller.  Take for example this VW Minibus replica spotted in Enoshima…

Subaru Sambar VW Bus Replica

OK, so Volkswagen never made anything this damn cute.  Actually its a replica, based on the Subura Sambar van, a tiny little utility vehicle, which you’ll see plenty of, like this (Wikipedia photo)

Subaru Sambar (Wikipedia)

Then there’s the cars.  Like this Subaru.  I thought the Geo (Suzuki) I had for a while was small!

Tiny Subaru!

Continuing down the scale, there’s this thing, thanks to Tokyo Times….

Keep a spare rubber band handy!

Of course, when you come across something like this (below) in Japan, it is definitely a reminder of just how big our wheels really are.  Everyone sing with me, “one of these things is not like the other, one of these things does not belong!”

Spotted outside the east exit of Shinjuku Station.  I can’t even think about driving this around Tokyo.

Get the F out of my way!

And then you get lucky, and spot one of the gems of the Japanese auto industry.  Like this Nissan Skyline GT-R.  Got to hear it pull away among a growing crowd of admirers, like the guy in the picture…  -drool-

Nissan Skyline GT-R

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