last update: 17 December 2001
In Japan there is a tradition of very opulent hearses. Usually based on luxurious, often imported cars, these hearses look like temples on wheels. The Lincoln Town Car below, converted by Yonezu is a wonderful example for a traditional Japanese funeral car.
These examples are based on a very basic Toyota Crown and Nissan's luxury sedan, the President.
This conversion of a Mercury Marquis shows that usually not much of a sedan's body will be altered for the conversion. And the example of a rugged Toyota Hilux is prove that the basis must not be expensive.
Two Yonezu hearses of the late 1980s, a Lincoln Town Car and Mercedes W 126 S-Class.
Two Cadillac De Villes, one from the early 1990s, the other from the late 1990s. You can see that the obviously wooden tops can differ a lot.
Especially in bigger Japanese cities hearses in American style are more common. Both hearses show above are based on Toyota Crowns.
Two Toyota Century hearses by Yonezu.
Now we know Cadillac hearses and Cadillac stretch limousines. But have you ever seen a Cadillac stretch hearse? It exists in Japan, and it is part of the Yonezu range. Very impressive!
Here 2 current Yonezu hearses, a traditional Toyota Crown and an American style Cadillac Seville SLS. Funny that American coachbuilders usually don't choose the Seville for their funeral cars.
A 2000 Cadillac De Ville converted into a traditional Japanese funeral car.
Above interiors of Japanese hearses, mostly Toyota Crown, but also, as a cheap solution, a Toyota Estima (Previa). At the right the rear of a traditional funeral car, based on a Lincoln Town Car.
Another loooong Japanese hearse: a Toyota Crown by Nittoku Jihan. Quite impressive...
Nittoku Jihan made a funeral car out of a Toyota Crown. Note the unusual grille.
And now this golden "Benz" hearse from Japan. A very strange mixture of a traditional Japanese hearse, an American station wagon ("woodie") of the late 1940s and German Mercedes Benz parts. But what is it underneath? I don't know, probably an early 1970s Toyota or Nissan pickup. Any ideas?
A tiny little Daihatsu Hijet 1000 van as a funeral car?
Yes, but this one is for animals!
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