One of the disappointing things about visiting Japan, from the point of view of an automotive enthusiast, is that you won’t see many kei trucks older than about 10-15 years of age. That made this 40-or-so-year-old Mitsubishi Minicab at the Ryozen Kannon Temple in Kyoto especially interesting.
This Buddhist temple was established in 1955 as a memorial to all those who lost their lives in the Pacific Theater during World War II. I photographed the giant Buddha statue with a 1916 Kodak Premo Cartidge No. 00 camera, as one does.
This sacred place has plenty of landscaping and beautiful gardens, which means maintenance trucks are needed. This is a fourth-generation Mitsubishi Minicab Truck, built at some point between 1984 and 1991. Mitsubishi still sells Minicab trucks today, but they’ve been rebadged Suzuki Carrys since 2014.
The Japanese-market TV commercials for this generation of Minicab are well worth watching.
It’s obvious this truck hasn’t moved under its own power for many years. The shaken registration sticker shows a date of the 16th year of Emperor Akihito’s reign, which is 2004 according to the Gregorian calendar we use in the West.
Mitsubishi still sells the Minicab Truck, although it has been a rebadged Suzuki Every since 2014.
This Minicab worked hard maintaining the grounds at the Ryozen Kannon Temple in Kyoto, Japan.
The Mitsubishi Motors Corporation badge has acquired some moss.
The 霊山観音 characters painted on the tailgate show that it’s owned by the temple.
These wipers haven’t budged for many years.
