805 Nagatani Mansion 3-42-13 Nishiogikita Suginami-ku, Tokyo-to,
167 Japan
My Pen Pal Rihard Hamp, of San Jose, California, thought you
readers would be interested in a color feature on our Pumpkin Rally
here in Japan.
Many readers will remember the early days of our hobby, when gas
engine collectors were few and far between, and a gas engine
display was only one small part of an agricultural event. This is
currently the situation in Japan, where there is a network of about
thirty enthusiasts nationwide, and chances to exhibit our prized
possessions are rare.
One such event is the pumpkin competition which is held near
Matsuyama City on the island of Shikoku in September every year,
and at which gas engines have been a feature for the past six
years.
The photographs were taken at a recent gathering, and show some
of the twenty or so engines on display. The winner of the 1992
National Pumpkin Contest in Japan, Shinichi Suenaga of Hokkaido,
went forward to the world championships in San Francisco with his
586 pounder. Does anyone know how he fared?
