Quick post about our quest for spare parts in Japan.  On Monday we took the train about an hour out of central Tokyo to one of the largest Subaru dealerships in the country.  We needed some spare parts for the Forester and were afraid we wouldn't be able to find them in Vladivostok.  On the list were spark plugs, accessory belts, an oil filter, and Forester specific mounts for a roof rack.  

We walked past a 2011 STi on our way to the parts department.  Not very interesting for most people but I'm nerdy and hadn't seen one yet so I snapped a picture on our way past.  

We walked into the showroom and over to the parts department.  Ezra said something in Japanese and after a few people came past the desk to see what the white people were up to we sat down with Taro who spoke a few words of English.  He wore a world rally blue mechanics shirt and looked like what you might expect the Japanese equivalent of a Subaru mechanic in the U.S. would look like.  

We showed Taro pictures of the parts that we needed on my iPhone and he showed us the corresponding pictures on the digital parts catalog.  It took good half an hour but we eventually got the accessory belts and the oil filter. Taro ordered us the spark plugs to pick up on Thursday (which Ezra did).  He was nice and extremely helpful.  Taro printed walking directions to a shop where we could find the roof rack mounts (which Subaru didn't stock).  

On our way out of the dealership we went to the separate STi showroom where Subaru displayed the special RA-R model STi.

 We (read: I) walked around the STi showroom for fifteen minutes or so oogling at the go-fast parts they had on display.

And then it was off to Autobacs (Japanese equivalent of Autozone).  It was pretty easy to find the roof rack mounts and some other odds and ends we needed.  Everyone at Autobacs and Subaru were extraordinarily helpful and kind to three foreigners who walked in to buy parts for a seemingly non-existent car.

- Jack