Pop Japan

Garbage trucks are the newest addition to Japan's "deko tora" culture, which means decorated truck. One aspect of offbeat Japanese culture is 'deko tora' where truck drivers give their trucks a makeover to make them flashier and more impressive to look at. The newest installment to the 'deko tora' is the friendly neighborhood garbage truck. The colorful trucks are part of a public relations campaign to make garbage collection more popular with children. Instead of a Las Vegas-style make-over, these garbage trucks were given the kawaii style with pastel colors and cartoons. If you feel a little bit happier during your day because you came across one of these fun-looking trucks, then mission accomplished!

Photo by Mace Ojala. Licensed under Creative Commons (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/).

Tags: Japan, Japanese culture, deko tora, decorated truck, Japanese garbage truck