Classic Cars Out for a Spin in the Autumn Air | Toyota Motor Corporation Official Global Website

It was not a day like any other. For late November in Tokyo, it was remarkably warm and pleasant; the kind of weather you might expect to see mid-spring. The Toyota Automobile Museum's Classic Car Festival was blessed with brilliant sunshine amid an atmosphere of crisp, clean air in the classy outdoors location of Meiji Jingu Gaien.

While some wandered the leaf-strewn lane with eyes and cameras pointed up at the prettily yellowing trees, others had their eyes on the road as fascinatingly old cars tottered past on their return journey from the Classic Car Festival parade. Meanwhile, out in front of the Meiji Jingu Gaien Memorial Picture Gallery, car fans cheered and snapped up shots of the vehicles as they came in to cross the finish line, proving these old motors still have it in them.

As enthusiastic parents educated excited children on the charms of various old models (or vice-versa), large speakers filled the air with the kind of music one might have heard over a car radio back in the day. As the decades rolled back, festivalgoers reclined in interactive display vehicles―including this Jaguar XK150S convertible.

Owners and their families camped out by their own vehicles to answer questions and revel in praise for the tip-top condition of their pride and joy, or else mingled with the crowd to check out other cars, chat to old friends, pick up a souvenir or two at the museum shop stand, or participate in the Road Safety Experience corner. There, children practiced crossing the road with proper safety precautions thanks to road safety instructors and a virtual onscreen crossing. The modern tech at this corner was offset by the retro food trucks making up the Food Garage. From crepes to curry, old vans lined the street.

There was a particularly long cue outside a coffee van fitted with wooden paneling, inside of which a barista labored over each slow-dripping cup. Customers watched as vehicles came in from their parade run with more and more of the parade cars now lining the asphalt. Here was the real treasure of the day: a combination of privately-owned and museum-owned gems from automakers great and small, gathered in neat lines. Some were dotted with accessories and trimmings like old lace or golfing caps, while others were offset with portraits or old photographs documenting their histories. Some owners were kind enough to let people hop in and get the feel for a car that had caught their affection.

Between rock'n'roll classics like Bill Haley and the Comets or Buddy Holly and the Crickets, the Classic Car Studio talk section kept the crowd entertained radio-style with car-life anecdotes submitted by owners and fans. One owner reminded the crowd that there was no air conditioning in these classic cars, so a summer drive resulted in a sweat-soaked experience. Another owner announced his pride at having lived his life alongside his Toyota Crown―a nameplate represented in force thanks to its cult following in Japan.

Most of the cars taking off on laps around the pond ran with a charm that had people grinning and kids waiting eagerly for the next lap, as in the case of the above Ford Mustang. The day wrapped up with both a sense of community between repeat festivalgoers and a welcoming atmosphere for new faces. Adults, children, and canine car-fans alike all looked delighted by the stories, information, and rare sights to be seen. It was certainly a fun, successful, and informative year for the Tokyo festival, with a fantastic turnout of cars―and car fans―of every description.