I called in at the Toyota Museum on the way to Nagoya Station. Toyota is that Toyota that is one of the biggest companies in the world. You can understand the history of automobiles and the wisdom of human beings there. I saw a Ford Model T that is known as the world's first genuinely mass-produced car.
The first domestically built automobile was exhibited at the entrance. This car must be an achievement of Toyota and also the starting point of Toyota. I let my mind drift back over the early 20th century. All the Japanese were struggling not to be left behind by the developed countries in those days. Consequently present-day Japan exists now.
I sometimes feel that present-day Japan might be inferior to that of 100 years ago in many ways. Present-day Japanese, of course, including me, have been living in secure and comfortable circumstances for a long time and became blind to the incidents of the world. Japan has no religious confrontation with any other country and keeps good relationships with all countries except China and both Koreas. I think that Japan must work for world peace from now on because Japan has enough power and modesty to do so.
While I was thinking that way I found the first car that came to my house about 40 years ago. I remember my father, who was younger than me at the equivalent time, was delighted to be able to polish the car. I'm thinking that I'll take my parents there.
The signboard on the roadside
The truck that is powered by charcoal
The daily necessities in Showa era (30-50 years ago).
It's a portable gas station that supplies gasoline to automobiles, but it has already disappeared.
This picture shows a kind of car for single use. This car was demonstrated at the latest motor show in Tokyo.
(Vocabulary)
call in ～を呼ぶ; 〔助け・援助などを〕求める; 〔場所に〕立ち寄る、訪問する、寄港する
domestically built automobiles 国産車
achievement [C] 業績, 成果, 偉業
let one's mind drift back over ぼんやりと～のことに思いをはせる
present-day 現代の, 今日(こんにち)の
religious matter 宗教的な問題
religious confrontation 宗教的な対立
respect religious freedoms 宗教の自由を尊重する
equivalent 同等の, 同価値の
(KW: トヨタ自動車博物館)
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