Every 20 years the Grand Shrine at Ise in southeast Japan is torn down and rebuilt in identical design and materials. The reason is not to replace tradition, but to preserve and renew it - the ultimate illustration of the Japanese belief in transience.
It's a good trait to take into the motor industry these days. The ability to appease both traditional motoring tastes while adapting to modern technology will be key to success for future car firms. The Japanese brands are already well on the way. They have rapidly closed in on last century's motoring behemoths from the US.
With this success comes responsibility for leading the industry into a new era where oil will have to be replaced as the primary fuel source.
The initial efforts are promising. It was the Japanese marques of Honda and Toyota which led the way in hybrid technology; at the time dismissed as nothing more than a distraction by European and US brands.
Since then, both brands have increased the hybrid offering from small, rather quirky models to the mainstream. Now the Europeans are all promising hybrid versions within the next few years.
Innovation doesn't stop there. Mazda announced at the Tokyo Motor Show last week that it will be donating several hydrogen versions of its RX-8 sports car to a new scheme underway in Norway. Known as Hynor, this is part of a plan to open several hydrogen filling stations along the 580km route between Stavanger and Oslo, thereby allowing the commercial and private use of hydrogen-powered cars in everyday conditions.
Over at Toyota, they have eight hydrogen-powered vehicles on loan to the Japanese government already, while Honda is testing its FCX hydrogen vehicle both in Japan and the US.
Meanwhile, Mitsubishi announced plans to put a plug-in electric version of its I city car on the market by 2009.
The current petrol version is already on sale in Japan, and 300 models were sent to Britain only recently to test the market. The new all-electric plug-in version will have a range of 160km and a top speed of 130km. Charging time ranges from 25 minutes to 12 hours.
The electric car is on show in Tokyo and plans are to have it available in European markets within the next three years.
WHAT WAS ON SHOW:
Despite the power of Japanese brands on the world car market, it was the Europeans who seemed to make the biggest impact at the Tokyo show.
Two years ago Audi introduced the "Shooting Brake" concept car at the Tokyo Motor Show. Word was that it was their radical take on a future TT or A4. If it had been given the warm response the Germans were hoping for, perhaps it would have been a derivative of one or other of these.
As it was, the concept bombed. As the blinds went up to reveal the car, quizzical journalists looked on in silence. The only question on everyone's lips was: "They're not really going to build that, are they?"
This time the introduction of the concept version of Audi A1 received a much warmer welcome. The car shown is a small hatchback that's similar in size and shape to the Citroën C3 or Mini, if a little larger than the latter.
The concept model featured a 1.4-litre version of its TFSI turbocharged petrol engine range. Offering 150bhp through the front wheels, it is combined with an electric motor powering the rear wheels.
This can be called up by the driver for more "dynamic" driving and creating what Audi claims is a form of four-wheel-drive. The 41bhp electric motor is recharged through braking. Audi estimates a fuel consumption of 4.9 L/100km and a CO2 emissions level of 112g/km.
Other features include a keyless entry system that will work either through a keyfob or your mobile phone. The idea is that you can download software to your phone that will make it recognisable to your car. This phone will offer GPS, MP3 and act as a car key.
As yet a deal between Audi and a software partner has not been signed, with most of the work being done in-house. However, VW is also using similar interactive technology on its concept models, so a single partner for all the VW family of brands is likely.
Perhaps the biggest draw in terms of audience interest - particularly from the Japanese media - was over at VW stand, with the Space Up!, a five-door version of Volkswagen's small concept car first shown at Frankfurt. It keeps the revolutionary transverse three-cylinder engine powering the rear wheels shown at the German show and will be followed up by an all-electric version that will be shown at the next big motor show, in Los Angeles, next month.
Nissan's long-awaited GT-R finally made an appearance at the Tokyo show, powered by a 480bhp V6 engine and four-wheel drive. Created as a potential Porsche beater, the GT-R is currently claiming a 0-100km/h time of just 3.6 seconds. The car goes on sale next year.
Subaru's WRX STI actually looks the complete package, suggesting that this was perhaps the first car designed and the regular version was taken from this, rather than the other way round.
Subaru also showed the final version of its new 150bhp 2-litre boxer turbo-diesel engine, which will go into new Legacy next year, before making it into the Outlander.
Toyota's line-up concentrated on updates of what we've already seen at other shows, starting with the 1/X people carrying hybrid concept car, that weighs in at less than 500kgs and needs only a 500cc engine to get it going.
Over at the firm's premium brand, the Lexus LF-A sports model remains in concept format and despite years of testing, it still seems no nearer production. Closer to reality is the LF-Xh, which strongly points to a replacement for the current RX SUV range.
Of the rest, Suzuki continues to indicate an interest in entering the family saloon market, though whether there will be enough confidence at head office to build anything like the Kizashi 2 concept car, remains to be seen.
Finally, Honda showed its CR-Z hybrid coupé concept, a car that may well enter production in the next few years.
