I can’t believe 2012 is almost over! It has been a year of ups and downs, full of challenges, too many great nights to remember, seen so many great places and met a lot of great people in the process. I’m at a crossroads in my life now and I will decide over the next few months which road I will take. It’s been almost 3 years since I left Dublin for Japan, how the past 3 years have flown! Next week I will go to the Philippines on a much needed and well overdue holiday so I thought I would make a quick post of some of my favourite pictures from the last 12 months. There has been so many to chose from and I haven’t included any of the 2000+ that are in my iphone so was a challenge to pick just a few! Sorry for the amount of car pics but it’s my job at the end of the day… Enjoy.
As good as the 787B looks in a photo, it just can’t do a car like this justice. The sound is out of this world!
Ikebukuro at night from Sunshine city observation deck
My first drift event at Nikko circuit put on by Car Modify Wonder
Beautiful lights in Marunouchi, close to Tokyo station
Nakai-san’s stunning 930 – Stella Artois at idlers – Tsukuba
Tokyo SkyTree shortly before it’s official opening
Beautiful E46 M3 CSL at Daikoku Futo
Love how this shot of Tokyo Tower turned out!
Got goosebumps just standing beside this car.
Lamborghini owners club Japan at this years Old/Now car Festival – Tsukuba
Met my absolutely fantastic girlfriend back in April 
Second year in a row that I attended the idlers 12 hour + 9 min endurance race at Motegi with RWB, this year I worked on the cars and got to race the brown 993R too, amazing!
This is the car I would later drive, at night, with a broken gearbox and only third gear! Loved every minute of it!
Such a hot summer this year, this was one of the most humid days I can remember at the Kiyose Himawari Matsuri, Zama.
Without a doubt the best collection of cars and bikes I have ever seen! The Honda Collection Hall at Motegi is amazing!!
Years of watching racing on tv and playing playstation games had basically come to life!
Shinjuku-gyoen National Park is well worth a visit
Went to Tokyo Design Fest vol.35 at Tokyo Big Sight and had a great time, so many talented people!
RAUH-Welt traffic jam on the way to Fuji Speedway for Slammed Society. Lack of air-con in our Porsche was terrible..
Took a break at a combini while the others caught up.
Went to Tokyo Disneyland for the first time, had such a good time. Forgot how much of a child I am
Shot of Tokyo SkyTree taken from Tokyo Tower
Climbing Mt.Takao for the second time back in August
There were well over 150 Honda NSX’s at this years NSX Fiesta at Motegi.
Went to my first few Firework festivals this year, the amount of fireworks they use is incredible! This one was taken at Tokyo Bay
And this is one from the Tamagawa firework festival.
Here is our International RWB family celebrating after completing the idlers 12 hour + 9 minute endurance race at Motegi back in July. We had staff, customers and great friends from Japan/Thailand/USA taking part and was such an incredible day with incredible people!
It was a year of firsts, I got my first chance to drive a Hakosuka that we had bought in work for a customer abroad. These cars are very special! Was sad to see it go to be honest, stunning
On our way to Fuji Speedway for Slammed Society we met this bunch in traffic, thought my day couldn’t have possibly got any better and then this happened…
My all time favourite car, hands down, happened to drive in to the same parking area! I couldn’t believe my eyes. I chased it through the carpark and managed to get some pics of it before we had to leave. Amazing.
My girlfriend and I climbed Mt. Fuji back in August for her birthday. Here is the sunset from our starting point. A tough 7-8 hours of climbing later and we were greeted by the most amazing sunrise I think I will ever see!
The view and the colours were unreal! It was so cold up top but we sat there for a bit while the sun rose and the sky changed colour. If you’re ever in Japan you have to climb, trust me, its worth it!
Another event I had missed in previous years but promised myself I would make this year was the JCCA classic car festival at Tsukuba. If you love museum condition, classic Japanese cars being thrashed around a racetrack, this is your heaven!
I’ll finish the post with a picture I took last month at Rikugien garden, such a cold night but a really beautiful park located 2 minutes walk from Komagome JR station. A must-see if you’re in Tokyo around Christmas!
Well that’s basically it, I want to wish everyone a very Happy New Year and wish you all the best for 2013!
-Gary
December 30th, 2012 at 4:46 pm
By far the hardest decision of the year was weather to climb Mt. Fuji with my co-workers or try to make it alone to Motegi for the 12 hour. I’m more than happy with my decision as I got to meet some very interesting people. I hope you know how important it was for me to meet some English speakers at Motegi having never known about Idlers a couple months before my trip to Japan. Wherever you go in the future, I wish you the best of luck, you’re a cool dude G!
December 31st, 2012 at 12:48 am
Thanks a lot Kelly, really appreciate it and was nice meeting you! You probably made the right decision
Motegi was awesome and thanks for making the long trip out. Always good meeting new people at the races! Let me know when you’re coming back to Japan!
-Gary
December 30th, 2012 at 7:30 pm
nice cars i like these amazing cars.
buy 16, 24 26 inch rims
January 14th, 2013 at 12:34 pm
I’m glad you like them