ENG TOKYO MOTOR SHOW BLOG

Hello, I am Yoshizawa from the Tokyo Motor Show office.

It's the middle of August, the hottest time in Japan. It's hot and humid every day.
I hope you are not suffering from the summer heat.

I avoid suffering from the heat by eating as much delicious and nutritious food as I can.
I also dance flamenco, which is my hobby, to relieve daily stress.

Speaking of hobbies, many people enjoy collecting official goods from shows and events.
In this entry, I would like to introduce official goods of the 40th Tokyo Motor Show 2007, which you cannot buy anywhere else!

At the Tokyo Motor Show, we have been selling official goods since the 30th show in 1993.

Our official goods are very popular among visitors.
At the 39th show, many goods were sold including mugs and Zippo lighters with the Tokyo Motor
Show logo.
Most of them sold out before the end of the show.

Would you like to know what kinds of goods will be sold at the 40th Tokyo Motor Show 2007 ?

We, the Tokyo Motor Show office, hold a competition to decide which company to commission with the planning, designing, and selling of official goods, so that customers are truly satisfied with the goods.

This year, Mainichi Advertising Inc. won the fierce competition, presenting fresh and unconventional ideas.
We interviewed the Mainichi Advertising staff in charge of this year's Tokyo Motor Show official goods.

Hello, I am　staff of Mainichi Advertising Inc.
We were selected, for the first time, to create the Tokyo Motor Show's official goods.
When preparing for the competition, we all did our best to create the best official goods ever in the history of the Tokyo Motor Show.
We turned many unconventional ideas into reality, and we are sure that these goods are fresh, even surprising, to you.
We hope you like them.

The first thing we would like to point out is the vast variety. We worked together with DIPS Co., a successful creator of automobile-related goods, to develop fifty kinds of official goods.
This is more than twice as many as the 39th show.

Of course, just increasing the number is pointless.
We selected quality goods that will satisfy the elderly, children, and visitors from abroad, as well as
repeat visitors who came to the previous shows and already bought past official goods.
We don't want the Tokyo Motor Show official goods to be ordinary goods that you can buy anywhere.

（Straps for cellular phones are basic goods）

Pin badges, T-shirts, and cellular phone straps are very basic goods.
Paying sufficient attention to these basic products, we also created some new and surprisingly
fresh products that are exclusive for the 40th Tokyo Motor Show.

This official model figure is one such product!

（See the whole model figure at the show site!）

We created this figure, since many people abroad think of model figures as symbolizing
contemporary Japanese culture. （First we had to summon up the nerve to show this figure to
Yoshizawa though.）

We cannot show you the entire figure here, but the figure is exclusively for the Tokyo Motor Show.
The hairpin the figure wears is shaped like the Tokyo Motor Show logo.
Please see it at the show site!

Other official goods you shouldn't miss are goods with the ukiyoe of Katsushika Hokusai.

（These are Hokusai goods.）

We wanted to borrow the strong impression of ukiyoe, excellent art of Japan, to promote the
Tokyo Motor Show to the world.
We succeeded in obtaining permission to use the image, and we are very proud of these goods.

There are a wide variety of ukiyoe goods including Japanese teacups, towels, and T-shirts.
They are very Japanese, and we hope visitors from abroad love them.

Since this year's Tokyo Motor Show is the 40th, we created a wide variety of special goods celebrating the 40th show.
They are slightly more expensive than the usual official products, but are good values considering
the high quality and good design.

(Zippo lighter celebrating the 40th show)

These official goods for the Tokyo Motor Show 2007 are all available in limited quantities. So,
make sure to buy them before they sell out!

In addition to creating a wide variety of goods, we also strive hard to create a good shopping environment, where visitors can buy the products easily and comfortably.

There will be three shops selling official products at Gate North 1, Gate West 1, and Yasuragi Mall.
We are working to create impressive facades and interesting shop layouts, where customers can
enjoy shopping. (The details are secret!)

Working together with DIPS Co., who are experts in hospitality services as well, we aim to offer
excellent service with professional shop attendants.

We are also selling yo-yos as an official product.
One of our sales staff is the world yo-yo champion.
He may demonstrate for us what you can do with a yo-yo!
It is exciting that there may be an opportunity to see a high-level live performance by the world
yo-yo champion, isn't it?

There is another exciting thing!
A surprisingly exciting shop will be in the Event Hall.
The shop is called Exhibitors' Premium Merchandise Shop.

At the shop, you can buy premium products of the Tokyo Motor Show exhibitors.
This is the first time the Tokyo Motor Show has such as shop.
The shop will sell all kinds of premium products, including miniature model cars elaborately made by automobile manufacturers.
Such model cars are usually sold only at stores directly managed by the manufacturers.
Some products are collector's items, costing several hundred dollars.
Although the exhibitors also will offer their products are limited to the manufacturers of
passenger cars commercial vehicles, and motorcycles, this is a very exciting opportunity to get premium products of your favorite automobile manufacturers.

As we said above, Official Goods Shops and the Exhibitors' Premium Merchandise Shop aim to be
entertaining stores, where all visitors, including families, the elderly, little children, and those from abroad, as well as automobile fans, can enjoy shopping.

All these shops accept credit cards.
So, you can buy as much as you like without worrying, even though what you want may be slightly
out of your budget.

We are looking forward to seeing you at our shops.

Thank you very much!
He is so enthusiastic.

Buying goods like these as mementoes or collections is one attraction for visiting events like the Tokyo Motor Show.
We recommend you start saving up for the Tokyo Motor Show.

Hello, I am Yoshizawa from the Tokyo Motor Show office.

At last, advance ticket sale for the 40th Tokyo Motor Show 2007 has started!

As keen readers of the Tokyo Motor Show blog are already aware, the E-tix online ticket service, which we introduced in our June 21 entry, started operations on August 1.

Some of you may have already bought tickets using the E-tix service.

You can easily buy tickets online at money-saving advance ticket prices of 1,100 yen for adults and 500 yen for junior high and high school students (tax included).
Queuing up for a long time to buy tickets at the entrances can now be a thing of the past.

(You don't have to queue at the ticket counter anymore.)

Buying tickets online is a much smarter way of enjoying the Tokyo Motor Show.

I would like to give you two tips for coming to the Tokyo Motor Show.

1.Take comfortable public transportation, i.e. buses and trains, to come to the site, avoiding traffic jams!

2.Buy tickets in advance on the Internet to avoid the hassle of waiting in line to buy tickets!

These are this year's smart ways for coming to the Tokyo Motor Show.

We need to be careful about barcodes though.
If the barcode on online tickets printed out is stained or folded, reading errors may occur when trying to enter the site.
With an Internet connection, you can buy Tokyo Motor Show tickets online from anywhere around the world. Credit cards are accepted.
It's easy and there are not any service or other extra fees.
Please use our online ticket service!

Buy your tickets early to take advantage of the current prices.
After the Tokyo Motor Show opens to the public on October 27, prices will return to the normal prices of 1,300 yen for adults and 600 yen for junior high and high school students (tax included).
Be sure to buy your tickets before October 27.

In addition to the online ticket service available now, you can buy advance tickets at public transportation agencies, travel agencies, convenience stores, theater ticket agencies, and other ticket agencies from September 21.
With the newly introduced online ticket service, in addition to conventional ticket agencies, you can buy Tokyo Motor Show tickets more easily and conveniently.
We hope more people will come to the Tokyo Motor Show.

The Tokyo Motor Show always attracts many visitors.
Starting with the 39th show in 2005, the show period was extended four days, thus including three weekends.
It smoothed out the number of visitors and relieving congestion, making it easier for visitors to look at exhibits.

Visitors in wheelchairs may still have difficulty looking at exhibits due to their lower viewing levels. Other people may stand in front of them, blocking their view.

The Tokyo Motor Show has designated the afternoon of the second press day, when there are only press people, as Special Viewing Day for People in Wheelchairs.
Such special viewing day has been held twice already.
We hope people in wheelchairs can enjoy the Tokyo Motor Show comfortably without crowding.

(Counseling is offered concerning barrier-free vehicles)

Many people enjoy the special viewing.
At the 2005 Tokyo Motor Show, 327 people in wheelchairs and 399 attendants participated.
Participants increased by almost 30 percent compared to the 37th Tokyo Motor Show in 2003.
More and more people are learning about the Special Viewing Day for People in Wheelchairs.

If you would like to attend the Special Viewing Day for People in Wheelchairs at the 40th Tokyo Motor Show 2007, you can download the application form from the website from August 6.
Please fill in the form and email or fax it to the Makuhari Messe office of the Tokyo Motor Show.

The Special Viewing Day for People in Wheelchairs will be held in the afternoon from 1:00 to 6:00 p.m. on the second press day, Thursday, October 25.
The square shaped pedestrian deck on the way from JR Kaihim Makuhari Station to Makuhari Messe now has more elevators.
The pedestrian deck is just in front of Gate North 2 at the Makuhari Messe site.
Coming from the station to the site is now easier.
In addition, elevators were newly installed in the East Hall (Hall 7) and North Hall (on the north side) at the Makuhari Messe site.
The 40th Tokyo Motor Show 2007 is even more barrier-free than previous shows.

On August 6, visit the Tokyo Motor Show Website!

We sincerely hope many people will apply for the special viewing.

It's August already.
The Tokyo Motor Show blog will continue to provide information for you including exclusive inside information that you cannot find anywhere else.
You will be glad to read it.