Todds latest personal project looks at the dekotora culture within Japan.
Dekotora, an abbreviation for “decoration truck”, is a type of extravagantly decorated truck in Japan. It’s roots go back to 1975, when film company Toei released the first in a series of Torakku Yaro (Truck Guys), featuring a trucker who drove his garishly decorated truck all over Japan, getting into escapades and chasing women. This movie was a hit and the dekotora fad swept the country.
Each truck is highly personalised, and owners often spend millions of yen (10’s of thousands of dollars) embellishing them exactly to their liking. “You can express your way of life, your hometown, your family, all through the decorations,” explains Junichi Tajima, the leader and chairman of Utamaro Kai, a national association of dekotora drivers.