SHIGE SUGANUMA

The Man Behind The Mooneyes

What started as a small side business in Yokohama, Japan, in 1983 sure has come a long way.

Shige Suganuma was working for Disney in Japan at the time. After meeting and befriending Dean Moon of Moon Speed Equipment in Santa Fe Springs, California, Shige began to ponder the reality of opening his own customizing and speed shop in Yokohama. And so he did—first with a small location jammed to the rafters with parts just off the shores of Yokohama Bay. Then, after a few years, Shige moved his labor of love to a larger location in the Honmoku neighborhood of Yokohama.

The building known as Mooneyes Japan HQ Area-1 is complete with a garage and cafe. This location is and always has been one of the mainstays of the Japanese custom car and motorcycle scene for the past 22 years. Every day and night you can find visitors from Asia, America, and Europe all converging on the location like moths to a flame. There are also other Mooneyes locations popping up all over the globe. That’s what we call taking it to the people!

Over on this side of the Pacific Ocean, Moon Speed Equipment stalled after Dean died in 1987, then halted altogether after Dean’s wife died. In the early 1990s, Shige purchased and relaunched the company as Mooneyes USA. Shige virtually saved the Moon brand from an early grave and then made it more successful than it ever was. Shige is also responsible for creating the Mooneyes Hot Rod and Custom show (HCS) in Yokohama, which is widely regarded as being one of the best motorcycle shows on the planet. The Mooneyes HCS is now in its 26th year of production. It’s a one-day show that sees more than 15,000 car and bike nuts through its gates in the eight hours the show is open.

Mooneyes USA also has a very legendary Christmas party in Southern California that outgrew every event site it had ever been hosted at until it found a welcome home at the Irwindale Speedway a few years back.

When you first meet Shige, his unassuming, calm demeanor is what shines through. But as the conversation lengthens and the stories unfold, you are enamored with the man he is and see the fire that resides inside of him. Only after knowing what Shige has done (in a pretty much behind-thescenes manner) a person can’t help but respect the foresight and accomplishments he has made so far in his career.

Shige Suganuma is a one-of-a-kind human being, and the custom-vehicle world is very grateful to have him as one of ours. HB