28th Yokohama Custom Hot Rod Show Report
In 2019, I attended the 28th Yokohama Custom Hot Rod Show. The venue was Pacifico Yokohama. Amazing vehicles, great people, good music, and big beards filled the exhibit halls. Polished chrome was everywhere. A horde of car photographers covered it. Petrolheads were in seventh heaven.
Simply speaking, the cars were works of art. The amount of time that went into creating these classics must be astounding. You could see the love and care that went into them. They might be called objects of obsession.
Many of the vehicles were old. Spare parts must be rare. I bet their builders spent much time scrounging for them. The vehicles were labors of love.
People had come from far and wide to attend it. I’m not only talking about Japanese people. Many had come from overseas. Quite a few had even come to display cars. Everyone had two things in common. One was that they had big beards and/or huge sideburns! The other was that they were very friendly.
The best car from this Hot Rod Show
That is a tricky question to answer. I saw a lot I liked. You couldn’t even ignore the motorbikes. Many of them looked like they were straight out of Akira. Even the caravans pulled people. One had a barbershop set up inside.
But if you twisted my arm, I’d have to pick the Ford Fairlane from the Greasy Kids Factory. It’s candy-apple red and cream-white paint gleamed under the spotlights like a freshly polished jewel. With sweeping tail fins, whitewall tires, and a gleaming chrome dashboard, it looked brand new. The car wasn’t just retro—it was a time machine on four wheels.
Conclusion
The Pacifico halls were so vast, I couldn’t see everything. It didn’t matter. The show wasn’t just about the vehicles; it was about the shared passion that filled the air. It’s an event that runs on creativity, horsepower, and goodwill—and I’m already counting the days until the next one.
Lastly, I’d like to thank the people who allowed me to take their pictures on the day. I appreciated them very much! By the way, I went to the preparation day as well, so check out those photos!
Photo gear for this event
- Camera body: Fujifilm X-T2
- Lens: Fujifilm XF 16-55mm F2.8 R LM WR
Rohan Gillett
Rohan has lived in Tokyo for 30+ years. He loves photography and plans to capture the entire city.
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External related articles
- FULL MOON RISING – 28th YOKOHAMA HOT ROD AND CUSTOM SHOW, 2019 (on Cruzin Magazine)