Tokyo Auto Salon 2021 Takes Place Virtually
The Tokyo Auto Salon, possibly the most anticipated event among tuner-car enthusiasts, was canceled for 2021. In its place, a virtual event was held this past weekend.
Normally at this time of year, Narita International Airport in Tokyo would be filled with automotive enthusiasts, on their way home from the Tokyo Auto Salon. However, with concerns over COVID-19, the organizers of the event canceled the 2021 event, which was scheduled to take place January 15-17. In its place, they held a virtual auto show, a drive-through event that had some interesting entries.
This was no doubt a disappointment for the Japanese automotive aftermarket manufacturers, as it was the tuners and builders throughout the country. Much like the SEMA Show in Las Vegas, the Tokyo Auto Salon is an opportunity to showcase new and classic vehicles, the shops that build them, and the parts and accessories that they use. What is different about the Tokyo Auto Salon is that it is a three-day affair held at Makuhari Messe that’s open to the public, unlike SEMA, which is a trade-only event.
In its place, the Auto Salon held an outdoor event with a smattering of vehicles you’d see at the show, which they filmed for a live broadcast on Auto Salon TV. On the broadcast, the features of each car were discussed with the builder or owner, along with the regrets many were having in not being able to display them to a live audience. As it would be with events here, builders enjoy hearing the reaction of spectators to their creations, an aspect that for many has been lost to the pandemic.
Auto Salon TV introduced 40 exhibitors, filmed over two days, some of which are shown here. If you are bi-lingual and understand Japanese, you can fully comprehend the hosts and their guests, as the video has been archived, and can be seen in its entirety on Auto Salon TV on the salon’s official site.
Due to the circumstances, this year’s Tokyo Auto Salon was only held online, but next year, the promoters have already announced they will return to Makuhari Messe on January 14-16 for the 2022 Tokyo Auto Salon. With any luck, we may be there too.
[Images: Tokyo Auto Salon]
With a father who owned a dealership, I literally grew up in the business. After college, I worked for GM, Nissan and Mazda, writing articles for automotive enthusiast magazines as a side gig. I discovered you could make a living selling ad space at Four Wheeler magazine, before I moved on to selling TV for the National Hot Rod Association. After that, I started Roadhouse, a marketing, advertising and PR firm dedicated to the automotive, outdoor/apparel, and entertainment industries. Through the years, I continued writing, shooting, and editing. It keep things interesting.
More by Jason R. Sakurai
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