Big love to that notification squad!! And thanks so much to the kind folks who let me wander around their factory for a day 😂 Any car lovers? chime in in the comments below either way!! And make sure to check out the new Tokyo Lens Explore channel for Long-form content and livestreams!!

What you felt in regards to acceleration is, in fact, totally real - Lighter wheels have an effect on what's called "unsprung weight" - which is significant and decreases rolling resistance greatly. This is why you felt a much more linear acceleration. Not to mention those wheels are probably balanced to perfection.

Japan manufacturing... putting the "perfect" in perfection. Good to see.

Company - "W'd like to work with you. It involves car w---" Norm - "Yes". Honestly, watching that slab of iron being pressed into shape really is satisfying. Thanks for another amazing video ^_^

This was fascinating! The average person never thinks about how the wheels on their car come into being. I love the fact that people that work in a factory will talk about how much they love the process and the beauty of the final product. 5:10 Norm is skeptical about whether or not he'll notice the difference in wheels, but he's "willing to give it a try"...in a BRAND NEW MINI CROSSOVER! Gee, what a hardship! ;-) Murikami-san has a point. Unsprung weight is a huge deal with handling. When cars switched over from heavy spoke wheels to lighter solid wheels in the 30's there was an immediate improvement in performance and handling. Yes, spoke wheels WERE heavier! I really enjoyed this video, but it was too short! When you're doing the videos, I want hours, not minutes. :-)

Really want those BBS LMs one of my dream wheels right there.

Super cool to see you getting behind the scenes with BBS! I deal with a lot of aftermarket manufacturing and car stuff and so I'm always fascinated seeing a new factory, especially one as important as BBS has been. The difference in feel: Weight loss and momentum. The engine doesn't have to spend as much energy getting the wheels spinning, so more of that energy goes into moving the car forward (improved acceleration). Meanwhile, less weight means less momentum, so it's easier for the wheels to change direction, which is directly tied to improved steering as they're such an integral part of it.

This was a great way to show the process of such a highly respected wheel brand. This must have been a dream to film! Thanks for sharing this with us TL, this was awesome! From one Film/Car guy to another.

This is slightly off topic, but I love Norm's all black ninja outfit.

Not being biased, I think they put a lot of thought and care into the production of their products. Thanks Norm for the insight.

Japanese factory worker: “we all try to put our pride and priority in marking a quality item”. Rest of the world: “eee, it’s fine, no one will notice anyway”. 🤣

I love japan factory tours, the detail employees put is so cool.

I'm not a car person at all, but those rims were beautiful!!! Thank you for taking us around, I'm glad you had a great time and a memorable experience. I'm serious, your channels make me want to live a fuller, better, more adventurous life!!! ^_^ Thank you Norm!!

I know absolutely nothing about cars. But this was fascinating to watch! The craftsmanship is incredible.

I have almost no interest in cars or car parts, but the way you capture the people, the company and your own admiration and enjoyment is nothing short of amazing.

Honestly, this isn't a topic I would have actively sought out myself, but I thought this video was intetesting! I almost got mad at you when you started driving with no seat belt so was happy for the pause for "safety". :)

Not deeply involved/interested in all things car, but love seeing how things are made and enjoy quality performance when driving. I can hear my '02 WRX begging for a set. Thanks for this dive into the factory and Japanese craftsmanship.

i enjoyed seeing the process of the rims being made and how confident the workers are in their work.

When I was in college I worked at a wheel factory. I still remember the smell and the chemicals they used. Still fascinating!

I know how he feels about making things like that! I’ve been at the factory for a while. Not big parts like wheels though. It was really fun making things which you might buy and use and it becomes a part of your life. . Some of you might use it somewhere right now… That was really fun to watch😊Thanks🙌

I'd love to see more factory tours like this in Japan. I know China does a ton of manufacturing for them just like they do for America, so it brings me a lot of joy seeing industries still continue even in a country that is more focused on culture due to their lack of natural resources and it is always a joy to see their attention to details.

Notification squad at the ready! Mind if I go make a cup of coffee before sitting down and watching this?

Great video and I love the way that the Japanese are always so proud of what they make!🇯🇵💯✔👍

I can visualize that call: "we want you to tour our car fac-" and you going "I'm in!" (I'm not a car girl - I don't even know how to drive - but I sent this video to my father (very much a car father, he owned a car shop back in the day) and he absolutely loved it.)

Such a cool video about something I truly knew next to nothing about. Average people like me never really think much about how things are made, especially things so ubiquitous as wheels, but a whole lot of effort actually goes into making them that we had no idea about.

not just any factory...it's bloody bbs holy crap

This was very intriguing in a good way. Seeing how the wheels and rims are made and how they use a process to where there’s less chance of defects and such, that’s pretty cool. Also, to see how everyone from factory floor to office gets together in the morning for the exercises was interesting

I work for a Japan (Over seas however) based company and was able to tour some factories when in Japan (Pre COVID) and the factories are refreshing to visit. The overall workforce mentality, and cleanliness of the factories is great. So your observations are spot on. Also, your videos are great to watch. Thanks.

This exercise morning routine should be everywhere! It's such a genius idea! Also, who thought, that something like just a rim production process may be that interesting 😯

in japan, everyone seems to have a good reason to love their job, how wonderful

Man I've wanted to ship and slap BBS wheels on my Rav4 for a few years now. What an awesome experience to be able to be in that space. Japanese products are definitely built different!

I'm not a car person but I enjoy watching how things are made. It's nice to see people who love and enjoy their work.

I always love your videos on these behind the scenes/Craftsman topics

I am gonna write my college assignment on japanese work style and business model.This will help a lot!!!

Did not expect this but am certainly glad you got the chance to share your experience of this. I have friends who worked in the automotive industry here but not this area of it so was quite interesting to see.

I remember, like 20 years ago, my mom bought a new used car, that had BBS wheels. The previous owner mentioned this fact repeatedly. I had never heard of this company before. And I don't think my mom noticed any difference in driving quality, because the whole car was new to her. But learning now, that these wheels were from Japan, manufactured with such effort and dedication, it means a lot to me in hindsight. Thanks for the video! 🙏🏼

Really nice video! It’s beautiful to see how much love and attention they put in their work.

Norm, you are the Veritasium of Japanese KZfaq Content. And I mean this as a compliment, please take it as such. I view Veritasium as one of the best science content creators, and I view your work as some of the very best Japanese content on KZfaq.

Bro this is a dream for so many people to walk through factory

This is amazing Norm! I always love how much Japanese craftsmen have so much care in their work. It's generally why I edge towards Japanese brands when I change cars and tech etc.

Thank you for sharing the experience with us.

as a car lover, I really appreciated this video. Cheers m8!!!

Nice video, always good to see how things are made and the pride that people have in their work which allows them to pay attention to detail which keeps the quality up. I remember on one of my visits to Japan visiting a Mazda factory near Hiroshima where we could see how cars were being made via the production line. That was very interesting.

I really appreciate how honest you are about your judges and opinions about things you do, visit or try 👍👍👍👍

I always try to buy made-in-Japan products because of their dedication and perfection. Unfortunately, so many imitations from China and Korea, which are cheap but low quality.

Well working industrial complex is always pleasure to watch

YASS! As car enthusiast and big fan of yours this video got me excited. Would love to see you do more things with Albo again.

I absolutely love seeing all the work that goes into making products! Its so easy to be overlooked when products are just available for purchase online or in a store. Not a car person at all but still really fascinating all the work that goes into these.

Despite not knowing much about cars, I really enjoyed this! And now at least I know a little bit more. :) Documentary style 'how things are made' tv shows are always pretty interesting and this episode didn't disappoint! 🌸

Lovely job on both the camera work and the info - thanks

Two different kinds of craftsmen, each equally passionate, coming together to make me care about wheels? Unexpected but I'm here for it. Well done as always!

I’m usually not interested in car stuff...but I really enjoyed watching this documentary😆🔥🚙❤️

The BBS rims are slick~ I was also surprised to see you had forgotten your seatbelt the first time round. That's interesting to know rims have such a huge impact on acceleration.

I never thought I'd find a video about making wheels, but here we are.

You probably don't see this, but I love your way of storytelling and the passion you show for your content. Every video really makes my day!

I’ve been in a lot of Japanese factories. Always impressive.

I worked in a Japanese company here in Michigan and we did those exercises 2x a day once in the morning and once after lunch time

Great Video!! More japanese Factories!

Tokyo Lens + Car's = O.O Yes please.

DUDE! YOU GOT TO GO TO THE BBS FACTORY! THAT'S AWESOME! 🤯

As an engineer I find this kind of videos really interesting :) Great video

That's AWESOME... thanks for sharing your story

Awesome! You always find the most interesting places!

It's the experience I think that makes the difference, You can kind of just tell when someone has put love into a product instead of it being mass produced and cheap. It personalizes it for you which is what a good craftsman does. Wonderful video as always :)

Japanese worker very hardworking, disicpline and clever

Hi Notification Squad! 🙋‍♀️

Woah didn't know BBS had a factory in Japan lol. Work Wheels next maybe? That would be sick! Anyway great vid Norm! Wasn't expecting to see you upload about BBS but really thanks again now we finally know how this legendary wheel brand makes their wheels in Japan.

This was really interesting, I loved it seriously gives me a chance to understand different factors of life in japan.

i always describe teh quality of "made in japan" as fastidious. Cool video! good to see u back in car stuff!

Yeheyyy!!! Another exciting content UwU

Norm that was wheely good! Now to get some BBS wheels..

I like the little morning workout. Like a team building exercise for each squad. what a great idea. the forge is cool. I never ever thought about how those rims we made.

basically to me...changing rims changes pick-up- if the we are using lighter wheels, even a 0.5kg per rim makes a very huge difference. Road feel, which transmits to handling,if the width ,stiffness and size of rim changed. The rest are type of tires...

Been looking forward to this one

I'm so happy to have found your channel! Maybe one day I'll be able to make a trip to Japan but for now I can't, so thank you sincerely!

That was a very enjoyable video to watch. Seeing those rims literally pressed into existence was so incredibly cool! 😬 Having worked in Japan the work ethos wasn’t always easy but I definitely appreciated the thriving to deliver the best possible product 💪🏻 That and the whole community pulling together was a great experience 😊

An interesting look at something, like you noted, we don't really think about a lot, even if we think about cars all the time. The shot of the press rising over the wheel and the flames at 3:38 was very cool. Thanks as always for providing us with an insight we might not get otherwise.

Unsprung rotating weight on a car or motorcycle makes a HUGE difference. Great video! Cheers Stu

Great video once again - thank you Norm!

Fantastic video Norm!

Love BBS wheel, always use them on my JDM car

I'm so glad you filmed this video as I used to work in such an environment many years in Japan. Due to confidential production recipe, it's not easy to get permission for filming inside factory but you beautifully filmed the typical Japanese mid-small factory. Personally one of the beauties in Japanese manufacturing is cleanliness. As you can see at 3:21, there is no rubbish on the floor, tidied up around machines and beautifully put wheels on the pallet. I love this organizing! By the way, I'm wondering what motivates them to keep this level of cleanliness. I don't think they are just asked to do by their boss.

I had no idea BBS was Japanese. Thanks for the tour.

Thank you for this great vid! :-) I ran a set of Rays Engineering Volk Racing ce28n on my Euro Civic Type R for 5 years, and while I dont have the car anymore I still have the wheels. Shaved of 32 KG of unsprung weight, and felt epic :-)

Ahh, more working vids. Love them!

I worked in a Japanese factory in Hungary once, for about a year and a half, a different part of the automotive industry. Seeing a Japanese factory in Japan, the similarities due to the same culture are very interesting. I do remember the Japanese doing a minute or two exercise at the start, even if we didn't do them. And then you got into a Mini, for which I built the backrest of the front seats for another year and a half in the UK. 😂 We called the one you were sitting in "UKL punch black", UKL is the car's current platform, it's a black sport seat, with small holes ("punch") on the top part for ventilation and style. I'll be damned.

I'm glad you felt the difference! I felt the pressure here, gosh I don't know what I'd do! It's great you had an awesome experience! I really like these kind of 'inside out' videos. Thanks for the content! :D

Japan workmanship never ceases to amaze me 🤩 Getting ready to sleep but got a notification on Tokyo Lens new video, had to watch it before going to sleep, priority set first 😂🤣 Keep sharing these kinds of content with us Norm 👍🏻✌🏼

You should check out the MKS pedals factory. They got old guys and grandmas still making bike pedals

I really thought you wouldn't be able to tell the difference, too, but I'm glad you could. I like that they all looked happy in the factory. Broken ribs whilst doing some housework, though? I think he's been fighting over who makes the best wheels!!!

Seems so cool to see the factory in person. It already looks so satisfying ok video, and I bet even more in-person. And as always, it is the people that make the video the best.

Looking forward to more. Tokyo Lens is now gonna have it's documentary series. Hahaha. Awesome

Oh my goodness what a lovely guy! Broke his ribs... still at work and smiling about it! This was such a cool video to watch! Really interesting to see inside the factory and a perfect distraction for my journey home! 💖💖💖

German engineering mixed with Japanese perfection! Can’t be better than that! Great video Norm!

You know I love your channel your doing a great job 👏

That was a cool and kind of random experience. I remember when "Made in Japan" was a common mark of quality on products sold here in Canada, now it's become much less common. I've always heard that Minis are problem prone cars but that was a pretty sweet looking ride.

It's good you were able to feel the difference even with mild granny driving (from what you showed). From the way Murakami-san was speaking, it really seemed like he was expecting you to really test the limits and drive like a bat out of hell. Especially considering it's a mini cooper they put you in, which is fairly well known for good balance and even their drifting capabilities. Light weight rims can make a huge difference in performance due to Newton's first law. So reducing the weight not only reduces the overall weight of the vehicle, but also reduces the rotational mass of the wheel, making it easier to rotate or slow down/stop. The forging process doesn't play a role in this nearly as much as the difference between steel and aluminum materials, but the forging process allows for greater strength, which in turn allows for further reduction of material (and thus weight) while keeping the same strength as a more bulkier and heavier cast part. Cast parts have an advantage of being simpler and easier to get more complex shapes, but if going for efficiency and performance: Cast is typically the way to go. There is one caveat to the swap in materials though in that rally racing typically needs the higher durability of steel or other stronger material rims due to the intense terrain and abuse they're put through that typical road driving/racing rarely experiences. A while back I replaced the drive shaft in my '83 Toyota Celica. The stock setup is a two piece drive shaft with non-replacable u-joints and a center bearing that has the tendency to wear out after 30 or so years. Replacing it with a single piece shaft not only reduced the weight/rotational mass even despite it still being steel rather than aluminum or carbon fiber, but it also increased the efficiency from removing the center bearing and two additional sets of u-joints. Plus the u-joints are now serviceable/replaceable. It had a big effect on how the vehicle performed probably similar to what you experienced with the wheels. Plus it reduced driving vibrations. The granny driving comment is only meant as a mild tease. Not actually serious because safe driving is important, too. :P

ngl, this video caught me by surprise lol. You usually document the nature side of Japan, so seeing you document JDM car stuff got me exited 😂 who knows, maybe "Work Wheels" next? I mean, they in japan 😂

Always love these kind of tours and visits. Some things you know from what you seen or experienced here wever people live (for me Sweden) and then seeing the same thing but in a typical Japanese way is so much fun. Idea that popped up in my tiny brain, since you Norm used to be a big drifting nerd (probably still are) wouldn't it be awesome to see the whole transformation from a normal car in to a kick ass drifter monster. Get some well known or expert place to give you the whole tour and also to follow a specific ride. I know it would take a longer while to shoot like this but it could make for some fun stuff.

Interesting the press machine was pretty cool