July 04, 2006

デコトラ (decotora) Trucks as an art form. (Note about the link - site is in Japanese - just scroll down until you hit the tacky "Next" button to go to the next picture gallery. Beware of the main home page - horrible sound file embedded.)

Decotora (decoration + truck) become a big trend in the 70s, but still there are many devotees. A couple of years ago after a fatal accident in which the decotora driver had modded his truck so much he made extra blind spots, the government put stricter laws in place as to what degree you could mod the trucks. Many are still work vehicles, but the truckers comment that many companies don't want to use them and many decotora enthusiasts keep their trucks for the weekend and events. (There was a good article in English but it died just before I posted this - grrrrr asahi.net and your pathetic archiving). And yes it is an expensive hobby. These mobile works of art have also spread to several films, appearances in terebi dorama (TV drama shows), games (Shin Bakusou Decotora Densetsu), plastic models (Japanese site) and manga (デコトラの夜 - Japanese site). For more information if you are Japanese language inclined check the J-wikipedia entry. *toots horn*

posted by gomichild 17 years ago
  • Oh crap 403 error. Bastards! Here is the link: http://dekotorakaidou.nce.buttobi.net/gallery_komucchama.htm
  • Great post, gomi.
  • Jeepney Man - the Phillippines.
  • My next post may be about the level of crappy that is most Japanese web sites. *sigh*
  • The fantabulous fuyugare is now translating the Japanese wikipedia entry into English.
  • Um, sorry, some of the Jeepney site is NSFW, btw.
  • Some of the Jeepney site is NSFW, btw.
  • Good lord, those are some disturbing trucks. I'm glad that hasn't caught on here.
  • Would you believe that I didn't make this post while drunk? I buggered up the Japanese Wikipedia link: http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/デコトラ
  • It boggles my mind that folks would do something expensive like that just for a hobby. But the trucks are pretty darn neat. Reminds me of those Pakistani trucks I've seen pics of.
  • My mom saw those kind of decorated trucks on a recent visit to Pakistan, and convinced her tour group to make a special trip to a decorating factory . She's the one wearing the scarf. Apparently, it's considered to be good luck to have so much bright, shiny stuff on your truck that you can hardly see or corner.