How KUROGANE picks, checks and gets paid

We never sell or broker real cars — die-cast and books only

KUROGANE does not sell vehicles, take commissions on vehicle transactions, or introduce buyers to importers, exporters or dealers. The only things on this site with buy links are die-cast models, books and goods.

That line is structural, not cosmetic: a site that profits from your car purchase cannot referee the information around it. Our vehicle content — eligibility, chassis canon, auction literacy — carries no transaction behind it.

Neutral on importers and dealers, by design

We do not endorse, rank or vouch for any importer, exporter, dealer or auction agent, and no company can pay to be called safe or recommended on KUROGANE. Where services are mentioned, it is for information and comparison only.

Instead of a 'trusted importer' list, we teach the structure of a legitimate purchase — the documents to expect, the questions to ask, the answers that should be in writing — so you can judge any company yourself.

What earns a page

We cover Japanese car culture where Japanese-language sources are the primary sources: model histories, chassis codes, auction-sheet conventions, kei rules, and the die-cast releases that orbit them. A page exists because the subject matters to JDM fans and importers — never because someone paid for placement.

The rules a number has to clear

We don't print a price or a release date without a primary source for it, and we don't print a price without the date we checked it ("as of"). If we can't date it, we don't print a number — we link to the official page and let it speak for itself.

Import-eligibility months on our tools are pure date arithmetic (manufacture month + 25 years US / + 15 years Canada). Eligibility is based on the vehicle's actual manufacture month — verify per-chassis before buying — and US federal import and state registration are separate hurdles. We never state that a vehicle is legal in your specific state or country.

Affiliate links

Some store links for die-cast models, books and goods are affiliate links: if you buy through them, KUROGANE may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. That is the site's business model and it is disclosed right above every buy box.

Affiliates never decide coverage or ranking. Where a product is sold in more than one place we can source, we list them — we don't reduce a page to the one link that pays. There are no affiliate relationships of any kind on vehicle-related content.

No investment language, no hype

We never frame cars or collectibles as investments — no "buy before it goes up", no value predictions. When we discuss the market at all, we explain structure: supply, auction grades, demand cycles.

The same restraint applies to culture: touge and highway lore are covered as history, never as encouragement to drive illegally.

Corrections

Dates, prices and rules change. When something moves, we update the page and its as-of dates. If you spot an error, tell us — a wrong month costs readers real money and real waiting, so corrections ship first.