The Tokyo Auto Salon showcases the pinnacle of car customization. But if you’re Daihatsu, and you don’t have much in terms of high-performance cars in your lineup, how do you make a splash among the drift missiles, VIP sleds, and supercars? That’s where the Daihatsu Hijet dekotora came in.
The base Hijet is a pretty standard kei truck, cheap and a common sight on Japanese streets. It’s about the most basic thing on four wheels you can buy in Japan. But decoration trucks are another animal. Heavily customized and driven by long-haul truckers who spend their lives on the road, they are the ultimate form of self-expression.
The base car is a Hijet with a power take-off dump bed. Like the larger Hino and Fuso dekotora it was inspired by, it features a large side mirrors, an oversized windshield visor flanked by horns, and an illuminated andon, the illuminated Daihatsu logo on the front. Naturally, chrome and flashing lights abound, including on the front deck (the thing above the cab), which has a Daihatsu “D” logo lit up like a Vegas casino.
Inside, custom upholstery depicts the faces of many generations of Hijets in a floral theme. The obligatory chandelier and suichuka, the “flower-in-water” shift knob make one feel at home.
The hydraulic dump bed showcases the history of Daihatsu, starting with a Showa-style mural of the original Midget on the torii (the protective panel behind the cab). On the bed floor, however, are illustrations of every Hijet from generations one through nine, arranged in a three-by-three grid to form a ring toss game. Hilariously, the pegs used for the game are bubble shift knobs.
Daihatsu partnered with leading names in dekotora parts to create this incredible homage, including Truck Art Utamaro, Press Creation, LED makers Junac, accessory maker Okada Seisakusho, and interior specialists Daishou Interior and Seiren. You may notice that the Daihatsumei (“great inventions”) slogan introduced at the Japan Mobility Show is proudly displayed on the truck.
The whole thing is insane, completely atypical of what a proper Japanese carmaker would create. OEMs are usually expected to conduct themselves with a certain sense of decorum, but it’s great to see Daihatsu let loose and have some fun at the Auto Salon.
