The important thing when choosing a car is its use and purpose.
Glass artist Taira Katsuhisa's studio, STUDIO PREPA, is located in Kamiina County, Nagano Prefecture. It takes just over three hours from Tokyo on the Chuo Expressway. The studio is surrounded by the Alps and enjoys fresh, clean air.
"The raw materials for glass that we import from overseas are landed at Nagoya Port. It's about 150km from here to Nagoya. I searched for a place where I could relax and have good access to Osaka and Tokyo, and I found this place."
The husband and wife team create blown glass pieces that gather a lot of light and emit it softly. They have also collaborated with domestic and international artists and brands, including Heath Ceramics, a pottery manufacturer in the Bay Area of California. 
Just like cars, there are many tools that are essential for making glass. 
View of beloved cars from the workshop.
The spacious grounds are home to Taira's home and glass workshop studio. Four cars are positioned perfectly against the landscape. The first thing that catches your eye is a white Hilux, a car that is rarely seen these days.
"I think the fundamental purpose of a car is to transport people and cargo. To me, a car is a tool. I really love cars, but I'm not the typical car lover who just loves the body of the car. I own four cars, each of which I use for a different purpose. I bought this Hilux new the year I started my business. It was made in 1999. The extra-cab Hilux with a small rear seat is a rare model that was only sold in Japan for four years at the time."
This Hilux will be 25 years old in 2024. It will have traveled over 400,000 km! For glass artist Taira, the loading compartment is an important feature.
The Toyota Hilux was purchased new in 1999 when STUDIO PREPA was launched. Taira's personal belongings, such as suitcases and shoes, were neatly placed on the rear seat. The driver's personality is also reflected in the cargo. The car currently has over 400,000 km on the clock!
"In order to transport glass materials, you need a bed with plenty of loading capacity. We also transport plywood and long pieces of lumber, so a pickup with a bed to carry those materials is a must. The Hilux we bought for that purpose is an elder member of our family. Now it's our "foot vehicle" when we travel around the neighborhood. We drive it like a farmer's light truck. It's small in size, so we can easily drive on narrow roads like farm roads. Even now, this truck feels the most comfortable to me."
The Hilux's suspension had weakened after being driven for a long time, and now it has been replaced by the re-imported Toyota Tundra, equipped with a 5.7-liter V8 engine.
"I needed a car that could carry more luggage than the Hilux. The trucks sold in Japan were 2-ton trucks. I didn't like that very much, so I chose the imported Tundra. It looks normal, but the suspension has been reinforced so that it can carry heavy luggage."
As trucks of this size are not sold in Japan, a one-year-old used vehicle was imported from the US. The suspension has been further customized to withstand the load weight. Despite its large 5.7-liter engine, Taira says, "When empty, it gets over 10km per liter."
Next to it is a much more sophisticated Golf 7 sports grade GTI than the other two. Looking closely, you can see that it is equipped with Michelin Pilot Sport 5 tires.
"I strive for sporty driving, so I always choose good tires. I like engines, so when I buy a car, I often choose it based on the engine. This Golf is equipped with Volkswagen's classic engine, the EA888. It's a high-powered, fast model, but I also like the fact that it looks like a plain, ordinary hatchback."
Taira says he chooses cars based on their engines. His car is a GTI, equipped with Volkswagen's famous EA888 engine. "It looks unassuming, but it's fast. I'm also happy that it has active cruise control. I've already driven it 160,000 km."
What is the "last one" chosen by engine enthusiasts?
And the last one. I was just saying that I choose cars based on their engine, but the last one is an EV without an engine, the Tesla Model 3!
Taira, who used to think that "cars are all about the engine," recently purchased an EV, which has no engine. He says he can't imagine buying any other car than an EV from now on. "Buying a gasoline-powered car is like buying a flip phone," he says firmly.
"That's right (laughs). My job emits a lot of carbon dioxide. Making glass burns nearly one ton of gas a month. That's why I'm trying to incorporate carbon trading as much as possible, so I've planted trees on the property and installed solar panels on the roof. I hope that in the future I'll be able to secure all the energy needed to power my Tesla from my own home.
What's more, its power performance is incomparable to that of gasoline-powered vehicles. I feel that it has easily surpassed what had not been achieved in the long history of gasoline engines until now. As a form of car, trucks suit my lifestyle, so when a truck-type EV comes out, I'll want one as soon as possible."
