Kei-tora ‘Mini Truck’ Gardening Contest

Since 2016, a uniquely Japanese event has been held in Osaka each year: the Kei-tora Gardening Contest. The kei-tora, formally known as the Kei Truck, is a tiny but practical vehicle common in Japan, particularly on smaller construction or agricultural work sites.

In these days, most of homes in Japan don’t have gardens. Hence, the Japan Federation of Landscape Contractors came up with the idea of the Kei-tora Gardening Contest. During the contest, competitors don’t design pocket gardens or garden landscapes on small plots of land. In stead, they’re tasked to do so using the trunk or bed of kei-tora (a.k.a. a mini pickup). Besides the goal of showcasing competitors’ creativity, the contest also aimed to bring nature closer to city dwellers who, more often than not, are deprived of access to big, sprawling green spaces.

Landscape design and gardening companies from all around participate. There aren’t too many rules when come to designs. Aside from having to work with the empty, unused back of a kei-tora truck, they’re free to add any and all elements they wish. Elements like wells, fountains, ponds, leveling, hanging plants, frames and platforms, moss beds, bonsai are mixed into the scenes. Moreover, greenery like flowering shrubs, purple-leafed trees, vines, potted greens, aged trunks or common garden decoration pottery and stones are applied in the setting as well.

Image belongs to Kei’s Co., Ltd.　