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2018.02.24 update

Japanese Truck Culture; DEKOTORA

Are you attracted to the word “Only one in the world”? Most
of the people feel superior if they own the original one.

As for Japan, from the past decent years, Japanese, especially girls, like “Decorating” things like smartphones, nails and other things they own. It is not only small things that people decorate, some people also decorate large things, like passenger cars, and even TRUCKS.

Do you know how decorated truck “DEKOTORA” looks like? I am introducing what Decoration truck is and also current situation of those trucks in the world.

Old Japanese DEKOTORA
DEKOTORA was very popular among the truck drivers especially from 1970 to 1990. If you don’t know what decorating truck is, its looks may beyond your expectation. (At least, I felt like that when I saw it for the first time.)

Here is the DEKOTRA.

Even though it seems just for exhibition, many of them were used basically for logistics in Japan. Now, unfortunately, dekotrucks cannot be seen on the road because the traffic regulations are becoming strict, and also logistic companies don’t like its showy appearance (maybe they are trying to make their company’s image like clean, trustworthy, and other good images.)
Although you cannot find those dekotrucks on the road anymore, currently, you can see them at the big car festival in Japan, named “Osaka Auto Salon”.

World Decorated Trucks
Although no. of decorated trucks and people who are interested in them is decreasing in Japan, decotrucks are becoming very popular in the world as one of the Japanese cultures. The U.S. media like CNN introduces the subject of it, and one of media makes introducing video! (you may find that video in YouTube.) Surprisingly, very famous brand “GUCCI” adopts DEKOTORA in their commercial, luxury brand seems not to be suitable to trucks, though.

Here are some pictures of DEKOTORA in the world.

In Pakistan

In India

I heard Sweden has dressed up truck festival, so I would like to travel to see those decorated truck in the world!

If you are interested in this kind of trucks and want to decorate, why not buying a used truck for the first step to DEKOTORA? For decorating beginner, I guess small one (loading capacity is max 2,000 kg) is suitable.

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Extra Edition (1)
When I visited the Philippines, I was very surprised at one kind of vehicles. Do you know “Jeepney”? This is one of the transportation like public bus among Filipino. Some are remodeled from Japanese SUZUKI CARRY. These doesn’t look like original CARRY, though. It is said in the Philippines that there is no other Jeepney with exactly same design. When I see Jeepney, I feel the decoration is similar to the Old Japanese decorated trucks.

Extra Edition (2)
For passenger’s car, many decorating goods are sold like body seals, seat cover, and steering cover. In Japan, not only men do decorate, but also women do as well because there are plenty of goods designed for women, like cute, elegant, cool, and other themes. These goods are very useful and we can make one of a kind really easily!