Cuba is known for its classic American cars from the 1950s. The country’s streets also carry Soviet vehicles from the 1960s to the 1980s along with modern Chinese auto-mobiles. However, old Japanese cars are a rarity.

The Havana man driving his old right-hand drive Toyota

On Rocío and my second full day in Havana we saw this ancient Toyota sedan. The sighting piqued Rocío’s interest as a previous long-term resident of Japan.

Rocío with the old Toyota in Havana’s street

The car’s proud owner told us he got his Toyota while visiting Japan with the Cuban military in 1985.

The Toyota owner proudly standing next to his car; note his right arm tattoo sleeve

In typical Cuban fashion, the car is still running decades after manufacture. It is also right-hand-drive, another point of difference to other Cuban vehicles. The owner wore a tattoo sleeve on his right arm, probably for sun protection as opposed to fashion.