Japan's decorated trucks face 'extinction' but fans and truckies are trying to bring them back

ABC NEWS (Australia)

During Japan’s turbo-charged 1980s, vibrant, neon-clad trucks were a common sight. But in the decades since, the so-called dekotora trucks are a shrinking phenomenon. Now there's a fight to put the trucks back in the spotlight.

Transcript

00:00It's a Saturday afternoon and final preparations are underway before these visual feasts are

00:12put on show.

00:17These are Dekitora, or decorated trucks.

00:21Their elaborate designs are a thing of great dedication.

00:24There's a lot of electrical stuff on it.

00:29The truck could catch fire, it gets so hot, you really have to think deeply about these

00:33things.

00:34It's not just sticking things on willy-nilly.

00:37It's an obsession that requires deep pockets, with each fit-out costing tens, if not hundreds

00:43of thousands of dollars.

00:46You can't just make one of these Dekitora overnight.

00:49It takes about ten years to finish one.

00:53But the effort is worth it.

00:59Dekitora were a big deal in the 1980s.

01:03It was an era where everything was a competition.

01:09Our decorations were a form of fighting.

01:11Like if his bumper was 50 centimeters, you'd put yours out a meter.

01:16Or if his lights were 50 watts, you'd fit 800 watt ones.

01:20But trends have changed.

01:23Regulations have tightened.

01:25Meaning fewer and fewer young enthusiasts are joining the ranks.

01:32Back in my day, everyone looked down on us.

01:34But for Kazuya Akiyama, it was love at first sight.

01:39The real thrill of Dekitora lies in the night, driving along the road with lights on, all

01:48together.

01:49It's brilliant fun.

01:50And fun for those lucky to see the convoy.

01:55It's amazing, isn't it?

01:57To expend that much energy is quite something.

02:00And since it doesn't bother anyone, it's a great hobby.

02:03But it's not all fun and games.

02:10Here on the Notto Peninsula, the truckies are raising money for a community still reeling

02:15from a deadly earthquake in January last year.

02:19It's a chance for them to break taboos and win some new friends.

02:24Seeing such a splendid turnout and such a lively atmosphere, we feel deeply moved, thinking

02:31we might have delivered a little bit of joy to those in the disaster-affected areas.

02:35It's my first time seeing them.

02:46I'm truly delighted that it's being held right here in our local area.

02:50These Dekitora are a rarer sight on the roads today than they were in the 80s, but the hope

02:57with community events like this is the spotlight may again be put on these spectacular trucks.

03:04And maybe, just maybe, there might be a young motorist here who wants to join the community.

03:12Of course I'm worried.

03:14That's why I do this sort of thing, hoping it might spark even a little interest in the

03:18kids to become truckers.

03:20I've come to realise that Dekitora has this power to benefit society, help people and ultimately

03:27make everyone smile.

03:29I truly feel it's my turn to pass this to the next generation and keep the stories alive.

03:36A drive to keep the lights on.

03:37A drive to keep the lights on.

03:38A drive to keep the lights on.

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