Lowriders Making Leaps and Bounds in Tokyo

From Southern California to Tokyo, lowriders are making leaps and bounds here in the East.

These American classics have been customized to look gorgeous inside-and-out, but what really sets them apart from other custom cars is what they do: hop.

Fitted with hydraulics and more batteries than a Toyota Prius, these ponies hop, jump and sometimes crash while rising several feet into the air.

The key is timing and a reliable car that’ll bounce when the switch is hit.

[Takeshi Kurakawa, Hopping Judge]:
“When the car hops, we look at the front tires on a scale and measure the height of the jump.”

Contestants face off for battle while judges look for maximum height without the car breaking down. There’s no grace and elegance here, only bumper-pounding hops.

In the U.S., lowrider enthusiasts have formed a culture with music, fashion, community, and lingo, but it’s not much more than a hobby in Japan.

[Yoshiaki Kakishita, Continental Kings]:
“For me, because I have a shop, I can make a living doing this and continue doing it, but for regular people out here, the lowrider culture doesn’t go that far.”

Lowriders that aren’t athletic make up their lack of physical prowess with eye-catching looks.

Kazuya Saito first saw lowriders while studying abroad in the U.S., and developed a passion for them ever since.

[Kazu Saito, Toy House Creative Kustoms]:
“I’ve had an interest in lowriders since I was about 18. When I studied abroad in L.A., I saw lowriders there and I was inspired. I’ve always liked flashy cars and I wanted to get involved, so I studied and came to do it myself.”

Takeshi Kurakawa is very proud of his '62 Chevy Impala with hydraulics from an airplane that he modified himself. He’s been customizing hydraulics for over 15 years.

[Takeshi Kurakawa, Kurakawa Hydraulics]:
“One of these pumps cost about $1,500 and that’s when it’s really dirty, and you don’t even know if it works. I take it, clean it, chrome it, and polish it myself; I really work hard on these systems.”

For others, owning a lowrider is about the friends.

[Kenta Otsuka, Deep Bonds Car Club]:
“My crew loves cars and we just get together to have fun. This is our car club, and we are celebrating our tenth anniversary, so we all got together and entered the show.”

Whether you enjoy hanging out with friends, stunning show cars, or bouncing hydraulics, the lowrider community in Japan welcomes you.

[Takeshi Kurakawa, Kurakawa Hydraulics]:
“I hope more people get involved in the lowrider culture. If you develop an interest, look into hydraulics and Impalas, touch and see these cars for yourself, and get a feel for them.”

Liliana Yap, NTD, Tokyo, Japan.