Motorcar Museum of Japan

The museum was built on November 2, 1978, when Shozo Maeda (1930-2005), CEO of Ishikuro Sangyo, a cement sales business based in Oyabe, Toyama, opened a museum using the company's former headquarter to showcase his personal collection of automobiles. The museum relocated to its current location in Ishikawa Prefecture after the original building was demolished to make room for widening Route 8. alongside Shinroku Momose and Tatsuo Hasegawa. The current main hall is three stories tall and made in brick, with the total floor area spanning 11,550m2. The hall is divided by makes and types of the vehicles being displayed, and also has a museum restaurant and shop. There is also a section displaying toilets from across the world. and it features usable toilets from a total of 15 countries from around the world on each floors, with the number of toilets totalling 56 as of 2018. == Collection ==

About 500 vehicles ranging from 1901 to the early Heisei-era are currently on display, as well as about 200 vehicles stored in the backyard. Most of these vehicles are in running condition. Below are some of the displayed vehicles at the museum: • Toyota 2000GT • Rolls-Royce Silver Spur - Originally owned by the British Embassy and was used to chauffeur Princess Diana on her visit to Japan • 1938 Toyota ABR Phaeton • Type 94 Truck - Last surviving example; converted from a 6-wheel to a 4-wheel in the Post-War era • Kurogane Type 95 - The first mass-produced Four-wheel drive vehicle in Japan. • 1930 JAC New Era - The predecessor to the Kurogane three-wheeled trucks • Austin A135 - The displayed specimen was the official car of the Korean Ambassador to Japan • Jiotto Caspita • Toyopet Super RHK • Autech Zagato Stelvio - A custom made car designed by Zagato based on the Nissan Leopard. Displayed alongside the Zagato Gabia. • Prince Skyline Sports • Soraemon-go • Mercedes-Benz 300 SL • Flying Feather • Fuji Cabin The museum also hosts Maeda's former private cars such as the Rover P5 and the Renault Safrane, which became Maeda's last car. == Citations ==