The Japan Federation of Landscape Contractors hosts the annual Kei Truck Garden Contest, a competition that transforms tiny trucks into mobile gardens.
The event is graced by numerous landscape contractors all over Japan, where they arrive on site with their small trucks and then spend several hours turning the cargo bed into a beautiful garden.
The Kei Truck, or kei-tora, is a small vehicle that originated in Japan. These days, it is widely used throughout Asia and the rest of the world, but in Japan, it is often used in the construction and agriculture industries. Because of its maneuverability, it has become the preferred vehicle for transporting materials to and from work sites.
But recently, the vehicle has been fulfilling another purpose – a foundation for beautiful tiny gardens.
Other than the use of the kei truck, participants are allowed to incorporate other elements into their tiny gardens such as benches, aquariums, and elements of lighting. Judges base their scores on planning, expression, design, execution, and environment.
Every year, the entries showcase the distinctive beauty of the Japanese garden. While most participants stick to the traditional elements of design, like sliding screen doors, pebble paths, and tranquil water fixtures, others have explored a modern and minimalist look for their creations.
Below are some of the marvelous designs made by different landscape artists.
1. Created by Osaka Landscaping Civil Engineering Co., Ltd.
2. Created by Kei’s
3. Created by Showa Landscaping Civil Engineering
4. Created by Matsuda Landscape Construction
5. Created by Nishikawa Landscaping
6. Created by Fukuharu Landscaping
7. Created by Kansai Ueki Co., Ltd.
8. Created by Dry Landscaping Co., Ltd.
9. Created by Takahashi Landscaping Co., Ltd.
All images courtesy of the Japan Federation of Landscape Contractors.