(first posted 4/23/2016) Show a picture of the above bus to anyone from Japan in their sixties or older and you’ll get an immediate reaction: a smile and a recollection of a less frenetic “Nippon”; more tranquil, peaceful and serene…
While almost every bus (and truck) in Japan today utilizes a cab-over-engine layout to maximize space and maneuverability on Japan’s tight roadways, it wasn’t always that way. In the post-war era, up until the early 1970s, Japan’s transportation companies, both public and private, used the ubiquitous “bonnet bus.”
Why bonnet? The Japanese use “bonnet” in the same sense that our good friends in the UK do – to designate the hood or engine cover of a vehicle. These conventional layout buses used an existing truck chassis that exposed their engine “bonnet”, in comparison to a forward control or a rear/mid-engine bus that concealed the motor within its bodywork.
And ubiquitous they were as Japan’s economic miracle was just beginning and car ownership was still mostly for the wealthy. Buses and trains were the main mode of transportation and these coaches were an everyday sight on Japan’s streets.
Let’s look at some representative examples from Japan’s major manufacturers:
In comparison to today where Hino has the largest share of the Japanese bus market, Izusu was by far the largest producer of buses and trucks in the post-war period through the 1970s. This is a 1948 BX 91 model, one of the first buses produced after the war.
This was followed by the BX 141 in the mid-1950s – here in 21 pax form.
Next came Isuzu’s most popular coach, the BXD 30 – the “GM Old Look” of Japan – it was made from 1963 to 1970.
Toyota also made bonnet buses.
As did Mitsubishi-Fuso – this one a 4WD version used in Northern Japan.
Nissan also.
Bonnet buses were noted for their colorful livery.
Most used an inline 6 cylinder diesel engine in the 4.0 Litre range. Interiors used both forward facing and side seating.
But as they say, time marches forward. The space efficiency of under-floor or rear engine buses made them much more profitable for operators…here a Mitsubishi-Fuso. By the early 1970s, most bonnet buses had been retired.
However, as they evoke such pleasant memories for most Japanese, many have been refurbished and are being used as shuttles near tourist areas and for excursions. This 1968 4WD model Isuzu runs between a train station and a hot springs resort in Iwate Prefecture.
And this BXD 30 takes tourists around scenic areas in Shikoku.
As mentioned before, the sight of one is guaranteed to bring a smile.
Awesome story! I knew that Japan had buses, almost every country has a bus system, but because I’m not from Japan, I’ve never seen a Japanese bus. Among my favourite Japanese buses shown here are the green, white, and red Isuzu BXD 30. With the green, white, and red colours, that bus would almost look at home in Mexico, or Italy.
So pretty .
-Nate
Great looking machines. Thanks for posting them.
Japan’s Bonnet Buses were identical in design with the North American School Buses so it would not be surprising if either countries and continents adopted this design.
Needless to say, these hooded buses look a lot like the European buses of the past. Some of them look very similar to the Steyr 380 bus, which I have written up here a few times.
… and as used to be the case in Israel until the late 50s, although in our case they were mostly American made as the GMC 750 below (pic from the Harvard Uni Israel archives). Modern, underfloor buses came to Israel already in the 30s but the market was not ready for them and operators viewed the more sophisticated offerings from GMC and Flxible as too fragile for Israeli conditions (not true for the Flxible, as its use in Australia attested). It took sometime but in the late 60s the transformation was complete.
Seems then these Hino, Toyota and Nissan bonnets was also offered in parts of Latin America for Blue Bird like this model. I saw a photo of a Blue Bird Toyota from the late website “School Bus Explorer” located on the Internet Archive. https://web.archive.org/web/20021117191058/http://busexplorer.com/SchoolBus/Archives/BlueBird/xBluebirdToyotaNicaragua.html
These aren’t cab-over-engine designs, obviously, but to my eye it looks like the front axle is set very far back in most of them. (Compared to a modern American school bus, which is the nearest equivalent I usually see.) So maybe they had some extra maneuverability, even if they weren’t as space-efficient as a COE.
Yes, it was common to set back front axles in Europe and Japan for better maneuverability in the dense cities.
What Paul says.
Even all COE trucks, like the 1980 Scania below, have a set back front axle in Europe. This type of Scania was also available in Australia, but over there it had the front wheels directly behind the bumper, just like the heavy-duty US trucks of yore (like the Peterbilt 362, for example).
This Nissan makes me think Dodge for some reason.
Funny sean, I thought the same thing 🙂
I remember riding the Isuzu BXD30 buses used as municipal city buses in Taipei, Taiwan, 1970, as a young kid.
They remind me of the DINA buses I saw in Acapulco years ago – overgrown school buses.
The BXD30 nose reminds me of a ’58-’60 Ford F100.
Nice article….as always
Re the bus in the third to the last photo identified as a 1968 Isuzu 4WD. From the windshield forward, it looks like reminiscent of the military-style Dodge Power Wagon, although the hood and radiator is a little taller.
A Japanese friend, who is now in his late 80s, tells me Isuzu has a long history of making buses, dating back to pre-World War II.
when we lived in Okinawa during the late 1960s, I remember seeing and riding in Hino buses.
Another great article and photos Jim, thank you. Tomica sold a good quality die cast Izuzu bonnet bus in the late 70s. I recall being impressed by its heavy casting, and solid construction as a kid. They likely branded it as a police bus, to improve its marketability.
Wasn’t aware of that Daniel – thanks for the info.
Did any of these end up in the Philippines ? There were similar looking buses plying the streets of Manila in the late 80’s. I remember the tickets they used which seemed to be on newsprint, and run off on a memiograph.
I’m sure some of these found a second-life in Southwest Asia, the Middle East, and even South America Jonathan. In fact, some could have been built under license in some of these countries.
Hearing “Partridge Family” tunes in my mind!!
“Come on get happy..”
As a former Chevy LUV owner, seeing any Isuzu truck brings a smile to my face!
Some of those like the lead picture are real beauties, tip of my hat to them.
I see a lot of resemblance to US buses and trucks, never a truck enthusiast, I see Dodge in some, Chevy in some, International in some, though nothing in many. I don’t know if they were Japanese versions or if trucks, which form the nose were mostly the same back then, but I see a lot of influence.
That blue Toyota bus front sheetmetal is almost a copy of a Thames Trader from the mid 60s, there are few trucks here wearing similar bonnet fronts long out of service relics but they get seen now and then.
I see a lot of postwar Ford Bonus Built trucks in the blue Toyota, and some of the next two generations of Ford trucks in the quad headlight Isuzus. Probably some International or something in some others.
Whatever the blue and white third one down is, it has a very nicely done Deco style prow, including the winged badge and hood ornament.
Oh!
It’s got to be said, Brophy-san, that there appears to have been no race for face in old Nippon, by which I mean, if this collection was a beauty contest, it, well, wouldn’t be. There’s no charmers of some considerable style headed from, say, Stumpy Head to Knotting-on-The-Damp, as in the Old (bonneted) Country, if you get my drift.
Still, thank you for the display. Even six years late, I have learned new things today.
Some might say that they are vaguely unpleasant things, but they are nonetheless new.