Volkswagen? Yes or No?

The other day, we took a bike ride to Takarazuka (宝塚市), one of the cities to the north of Nishinomiya (西宮市). It’s an interesting place. It was built along the Mukogawa and is somewhat of a wealthy area with an almost countryside appeal. That’s not I’m wring to tell you about though….

On the way back, we took a back road route along an extremely narrow road lacking a shoulder of any sort− instead it was, as many roads are, lined by a cement runoff ditch that the mere idea of crashing into makes my teeth ache. I wasn’t really sure where we would end up exactly, only that our home was somewhere off in the same direction.

We ended up in front of Kabutoyama Koko (Helmet Mountain High School). The view was stupendous. A few homes dot the area as do couple restaurants. In an effort to get a better view, we rode into the parking lot of one of them. Aside from the miraculous scene of Allah’s creation laid before us, was a car that I’d never before seen. Here’s my question: is this really a Volkswagen?

I’m a sucker for the old European cars built between the 30s and 60s. I can sink an hour peering around and an old Volvo PV544 or a ’41 BMW 328. But this one… I’d never seen anything like it. From the back door to the hood ornament− it was fantastic! Japan has a lot of cars that are unavailable in the States, mostly due to
safety regulations. (On a side note, isn’t it telling that the US regulates the mobility safety of vehicles so stringently, yet the dangers of environmental safety and public health associated with the of burning fossil fuels continues to be neglected). Japan is the only place where I've seen Bentleys on the road, in addition to a new MG and various other
European autos unseen in the States due either to expense or safety standards.

So, can anyone answer my question: Is this really a Volkswagen?