Buying a new car in Japan is a bit different from what you might be used to. First of all, rather than buying from a third-party dealer, you nearly always go to an official car dealership operated by Toyota, Nissan, Mazda etc. (The direct-from-manufacturer sales model was emulated by GM’s now-defunct Saturn brand.) You never drive off with a car that day, but instead choose which model, color and options you want then wait three weeks while they make it in the factory. While having to wait for your new car can be a bummer, I’ve come to appreciate the slow taste of anticipation quite a lot, looking forward to the day your new car will finally show up. I’m a Star Wars collector, and I was able to enjoy this feeling of anticipation as I searched for a rare poster from a Star Wars movie exhibition in Kyoto, which I was finally able to find after several years. It’s a feeling I’m experiencing right now as I wait for my new iPad to arrive from San Diego (I have to get them from the U.S. as iPads sold in Japan are all carrier locked, making them useless for international travel), and also one Sailor Moon fans are likely feeling as they await the new series that’s set to air in January 2014.
A poster that took me 4+ years to finally find, and searching for it was a joy.
