There are a handful of wheels in the Honda world that need no introduction, and the SPOON SW388 is one of them. It disappeared from production a quarter-century ago, and for most of that time the only way to own one was to find a used set and hope the rims hadn’t cracked. Since 2017, that’s no longer true — Spoon Sports brought the SW388 back into production, built by a different manufacturer, to the original design.
This is what’s actually documented about the wheel, the reissue, and the specific set — 15×6.5J +35, 5H114.3, for the Civic EK9 — that JP-Time.Club had in stock.
Why “388”
According to Spoon Sports’ own account of the wheel’s history, the SW388 was developed in 1994 as a joint project with Dismond Corporation, with one explicit goal: to build the world’s lightest aluminum wheel. Two years of development produced a wheel weighing 3.88kg — hence the name — and sales began in 1996.
Production didn’t end because the design failed. It ended in 1999, when the Russian press factory manufacturing the wheels closed. From that point, existing SW388 wheels became a fixed, shrinking supply — and Spoon Sports says demand for a comeback never stopped arriving from Honda fans worldwide.
The 2017 reissue
Spoon Sports announced the SW388’s return on its official site on December 22, 2017. The new wheel is manufactured by Tan-ei-sya, a forged-wheel maker based in Toyama Prefecture, Japan — a different manufacturer from the original 1990s production, using a forging-and-cutting (鍛造切削) process, entirely made in Japan. The design itself was not changed: same shape, same signature matte black alumite (anodized) finish in place of paint, which Spoon Sports describes as lighter and more durable than a painted surface.
The first size released was an 18×8.5J +45 5H114.3 fitment built for the then-new Civic (FK7), weighing 7.3kg — heavier than the original 3.88kg, which is expected: it’s a larger-diameter, wider wheel on a modern chassis, not a direct remake of the 1990s casting. Spoon Sports stated further sizes, from 15 to 20 inches, would follow. The 15×6.5J +35 5H114.3 covered here — sized for the EK9-era Civic — is one of those later additions.
The hub design Spoon Sports explains this way
Both Spoon Sports’ own materials and the seller’s description of this specific wheel highlight the same design detail: the hub mounting face isn’t flat. Instead, it’s cut with an arch-shaped internal groove — the stated inspiration is the arch of a human foot — creating a space that doesn’t make full contact with the hub. Spoon Sports’ explanation is that this shifts load naturally toward the outer edge of the contact area, which is presented as improving the strength of the hub-to-wheel joint, absorbing impact from the road surface, reducing the load transmitted to the hub and knuckle, improving centering accuracy once the wheel is installed, and helping prevent the hub bolts from loosening over time.
We’re presenting this as the manufacturer’s own stated design rationale — it’s the reasoning Spoon Sports and the wheel’s documentation give for the shape, not an independent engineering test we ran ourselves.
Specs — 15×6.5J +35 5H114.3 (Civic EK9)
| Spec | Value |
|---|---|
| Size | 15 inch, 6.5J |
| Offset | +35mm |
| Bolt pattern | 5H114.3 |
| Hub bore | Φ64.1mm |
| Weight | 5.0kg (per retailer spec sheet) |
| Finish | Matte black alumite (anodized), not painted |
| Manufacturer | Tan-ei-sya, Toyama Prefecture, Japan |
| Construction | Forged + cut (“鍛造切削”), Made in Japan |
| Certification | JWL / VIA |
Every line in that table is confirmed two ways on the actual set JP-Time.Club had: the printed spec label on the wheel itself (“SW388 / SIZE 15×6.5J / COLOR アルマイトブラック / INSET 35 / P.C.D. 114.3 / NUM. LUG HOLE 5 / C/B Φ64.1 / VIA JWL”), and the cast lettering machined directly into the barrel (“15X6 1/2J 35 VIA … TAN-EI-SYA Made in Japan”). The weight figure comes from a retailer spec sheet rather than our own scale, so we’re noting that distinction rather than presenting it as independently weighed.
Fitment note: Civic EK9
The EK9 Civic Type R’s own factory wheel — independently measured and documented elsewhere — is 15×6J ET50, 5H114.3. This SW388 fitment shares the same bolt pattern and inch size, at a wider 6.5J width and a lower +35 offset, which is the direction you’d expect for more tire under the fender and clearance for upgraded calipers; the retailer listing for this exact part number specifies compatibility with both EK9 pre-facelift and post-facelift cars running the B16B engine, with twin-block caliper clearance called out specifically. As always, confirm clearance against your own car’s actual brake setup before ordering — published compatibility notes are a starting point, not a guarantee for every modified example.
What was in JP-Time.Club’s stock
The set photographed here — part number 42703-1565-355 — is the exact configuration above, fresh from Tan-ei-sya with the original Spoon Sports shipping box, manufacturer spec labels, and JWL/VIA quality certification still attached. It sold on eBay and shipped the same day these photos were taken. Because the vintage 1990s originals are now genuinely hard to find in usable condition, this reissue is, for most buyers today, the only realistic way to run the real SW388 shape on a Civic.
We bring in JDM wheels like this regularly — if you’re after a specific SPOON, Tan-ei-sya, or other Honda-fitment wheel, tell us what you’re looking for and we’ll let you know when something matching comes through.
Sources: Spoon Sports official product announcement (spoonsports.jp, Dec 22, 2017); Spoon Sports SW388 development history (spoonsports.jp); retailer spec listing for part number 42703-1565-355; independently measured EK9 factory wheel data (lightweightwheels.jp); manufacturer spec label and cast markings on the physical wheel (JP-Time.Club’s own stock photography).