The Power of Dreams: The Honda Collection Hall in Motegi, Japan is what dreams are made of
“The Power of Dreams,” that is one of the most iconic taglines in the motoring industry, used by none other than Honda. According to the Japanese automaker, it symbolizes their drive for innovation and mission to provide mobility.
It also symbolizes the company’s history which was built through the dreams of its founder Soichiro Honda, where he dedicated his life to achieving them and making them a reality. Today, the beautiful country of Japan is a great example of the power that comes from dreams.
When it comes to mobility, Japan immediately comes to mind for most people, especially those who have visited before, with its vast public transportation and highway system, clean and organized environment, on top of its amazing historical sights and different destinations which are all worth visiting. For us car enthusiasts, it is home to many of the world’s most-loved and iconic automotive brands and models.
Early this year, I went on a 19-day trip to Japan with family and friends, mostly for vacation, but with a little bit of work at the annual Tokyo Auto Salon. And to make things a bit more interesting, me and my friends planned a quick day drive to visit the Honda Collection Hall in Motegi, Tochigi Prefecture as we wanted to see what it had on offer, and learn more about Honda’s history.
And yes, drive. The most convenient way to get there is by private vehicle with a travel time of about two hours (including stops) if you’re coming from Tokyo. It may not sound as appealing, but who would say no to a drive on Japan’s very well-kept highways, through beautiful scenery, and to the tune of Japanese City Pop music? No one.
Not only that, the Honda Collection Hall is part of the Mobility Resort Motegi which on its own already has several activities and attractions to enjoy for children and adults such as mini motorcycle racing and go kart racing. For today though, we’ll be focusing on the Honda Collection Hall.
The Honda Collection Hall was recently renovated, reopening in early 2024. It is by no means a large facility like the Nissan Heritage Collection in Zama south of Tokyo, but it has every bit of Honda history you’ll need and want to see. Each floor and wing is divided into different chapters in Honda’s history and you’ll want to see every single part of it.
The first-floor atrium of the three-storey building has on display a mix of past and future of anything with wheels. What caught our attention is the HondaJet Elite II which welcomes visitors and gives a glance of what to expect.
Enter the first main exhibit to the right, dubbed as ‘Honda: The Locus of Dreams and Challenges’ and you’re walked right through the company’s early days as a motorcycle manufacturer, mainly with bicycles that were modified to have engines. Even their first-ever car was on display here.
Going up to the next level transports you to the 70s and 80s where Honda started to gain some footing in the motoring world.
In the first section you’ll find early Honda products such as the T360, S500, N360, Vamos, and the Z (yes, Honda Z not Nissan Z), along with various motorcycle prototypes and models.
The second section of this level had some more familiar models such as the early versions of the Civic and Accord which as we all know eventually rose to become the brands’ most popular and well-known models, allowing it to reach global levels of fame.
It’s not all cars though as some everyday appliances such as lawnmowers and power generators were also showcased. These were not just for show as these were actually developed and built to improve the lives of people in Japan especially after World War II.
Move up to the top floor and we get into more familiar times. While I wasn’t born in the latter part of the 80s, this section also includes the late 90s. This is where the brand was able to establish itself not only with small everyday vehicles like the first City, but also models such as the luxurious Legend, iconic NSX and S2000, the CR-V, Stepwgn, and Odyssey. Also here were models from the company’s high-performance and red H-badged Type R line finished of course in the iconic Championship White.
For Honda motorsport fans, racing legends from the All Japan Grand Touring Car Championship, 24 Hours of Le Mans, and Formula 1 were to be found here as well.
As we moved up to the top-floor, we saw various touring motorcycles such as the Honda Gold Wing.
Also here were other iconic nameplates such as the Civic Del Sol, and even the recent S660 kei sports car which we got to try out ourselves on public roads after a few days.
Also here were some of Honda’s efforts from the late 90s and early 2000s such as their hybrid and fuel cell vehicles—the Insight and Freed FCEV. Asimo, the brand’s robot, also had its different versions there, along with their future in aviation and other goals.
Now it may seem like we just gave you a virtual tour of the Honda Collection Hall but it’s more than just that.
We saw how the company started, we saw how it grew, and we saw how it’s planning the future. It shows us what started simply as a dream that evolved into reality for Soichiro Honda. Like him, we all have our dreams and our goal should be to make them a reality. Dreams are indeed powerful and “The Power of Dreams” is something to keep in our mindset. This collection may seem like your usual display of any company’s past, present, and future. No, it shows us that we should and we can push ourselves for the better, for the future.
Honda Collection Hall Information
- Address: Mobility Resort Motegi, 120-1 Hiyama, Motegi-machi, Haga-gun, Tochigi, Japan
- Entrance Fee (Mobility Resort Motegi): JPY 1,900 (Php 720~) for adult visitors or JPY 900 (Php 340~) for children and infants
- Entrance Fee (Honda Collection Hall): Free
- Map Pin for Navigation: https://maps.app.goo.gl/pt9BwBURJfmBRwtU8?g_st=com.google.maps.preview.copy
Photos by Julian Panlilio
