Japan has many fascinating and curious traditions like the annual penis festival, the crying baby matsuri, or the most recent addition to their annual events, Kei truck garden contest. A Kei truck is a tiny but practical Japanese mini pickup truck, or better known as a “light truck”. The Japan Federation of Landscaping Contractors has started the annual event displaying Kei trucks that have been converted into a miniature garden. The contestants build intricate and well landscaped scenes in the bed of these for a truly unique form of landscaping.
Being known for their world-class gardens, the landscaping displays in these truck beds do not disappoint.
There are few limitations when designing a truck. Everything from aquariums to seating areas are permitted.
The set up only takes a few hours for each company to construct on site.
Judges score the entries based on planning, expression, design, execution, and environment.
Here is the 2019 first place winner: “Green Secret Base” by Takahashi Landscaping and Civil Engineering.
Second place winner looks like a cozy place to relax with a cup of hot matcha. “Autumn Leak Nishiki” by Kansai Ueki.
Many of these tiny trucks would make for an excellent food truck or mobile bar.
This one even has fish in the pond!
I am beginning to think that the idea is not so silly after all. It’s really quiet calming.
The idea is actually pretty brilliant from a marketing standpoint. This is excellent advertising for the landscaping company.
Their ability to turn such a silly looking mini truck into a dedicated botanical garden is quite impressive.
Unfortunately the trucks can not drive on open roads with the landscaping set up so you will not see one passing you anytime soon.
Japan certainly has some strange and questionable traditions but they really nailed it with this one. Nothing screams Japan more than a Kei truck with a botanical garden in the back. I would love to see mobility incorporated into the design, it would be interesting if everything was more secure and somehow made road legal. Then again, it might cause a few accidents from distracted drivers so maybe that isn’t a good idea.