Monster Trucks in Japan

Yesturday, as I walked my new roommate around town, she exclaimed, "that's unusual!" After a year in Japan I felt that I could expect to recognize what a new arrival would find surprising. However, as I turned around, I was equally stunned. What barrelled down the road was a typical box-sized tiny, little Japanese truck that had been converted into a monster truck! This shocking vision also captured the attention of everyone it passed on the street.

And speaking of strange vehicles, Himeji has a famous electric blue van with wings and stripes that's supposedly driven by the Yakuza - the Japanese mafia. I've seen it driving the streets of Himeji a few times, and I must say that even if it does harbor gun-wielding gangsters - it doesn't look particularly threatening. It resembles more closely an affluent garage band's ride.

There is also in Himeji a gang of high school motorcyclists. They ride their incredibly noisy motorcycles around the city late at night much to the irritation of the citizens of Himeji. However, from what I've heard, the worst thing they do is eat dinner late night near the castle and on occasion do wheelies in front of the train station during the yukata festival.