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How to turn a Japanese kei car into a yankee party vehicle with accessories from Don Quijote

Oona McGee Aug 24, 2025
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Pimp your ride like a hooligan for under 70 bucks.

Japan is a treasure trove for car enthusiasts, with loads of great stores stocking a huge variety of products to customise your vehicle to your liking. One store that tends to gets overlooked, however, is retail chain Don Quijote, which is better known for its bargain bentos, beauty products and masturbatory goods.

So how does its range of car products fare? In order to find out, our reporter Masanuki Sunakoma stopped by an extra-large “Mega” branch of the chain to see if it had everything he needed to turn his sensible kei car into a yankee party vehicle.

Kei cars, like Masanuki’s pictured above, are a unique category of small, compact vehicles in Japan that are no longer than 3.4 metres, (3.3 feet) no wider than 1.48 metres, no taller than 2 metres, and have engines no larger than 660cc.”Yankee” cars aren’t bound by specific measurements — instead, they’re marked by their flashy appearance, as they’re driven by “yankees” (“delinquents” or “hooligans”), who like to dress up their vehicles with lights and decorative elements to reflect their out-there personalities.

Most of these yankee cars are driven by youths in their 20s and although Masanuki might be past that age bracket physically, he’s still there mentally, dressing as a yankee on more than one occasion.

▼ Where some people like to cosplay, Masanuki likes to yankee-play.

With some sense of how to dress his body in the style of a yankee, Masanuki felt confident he could dress his vehicle up in the same way. So after browsing the aisles of Don Quijote with 10,000 yen (US$67.63) to spend, this is what he came home with.

▼ “Enjoy the Black” Steering Wheel Cover (1,100 yen)

The first thing any self-respecting yankee should do to their vehicle is cover the steering wheel with something that shouts “luxury!” The glossy, fur-like wave pattern on this product quickly awakens the delinquent spirit.

▼ White Fur Dashboard Mat (1,650 yen)

Dashboard mats that look like polar bear fur are classic yankee car items, and they’re not only popular with delinquents but surfer types wanting to add a plush look to their ride.

▼ Hemp Leaf Air Freshener (110 yen)

This item is such a must-have car accessory that you won’t be able to call yourself a yankee without it. No matter how flashy the interior is, if it doesn’t have a hemp leaf filling the air with the scent of vanilla or some other sweet aroma like white musk, which is what Masanuki purchased, then it just isn’t a Yankee car.

▼ LED Strips 3 × 7.5m (2,200 yen)

Indirect lighting to create a beautiful interior vibe is another absolute necessity. Installing it on the dashboard or instrument panel creates an easy escape from an otherwise dull interior and makes every night drive a magical one.

▼ Rainbow Moody Light Coaster (660 yen)

With a brightly lit interior, you’ll want an equally exciting coaster to light up your drink holder, and this one fits the bill perfectly.

▼ Tyre-shaped Speaker (3,299 yen)

Finally, a Yankee car simply must resonate with bass. This cool speaker will help you achieve that, with the added bonus of having LED lights that light up in five patterns according to the type of music being played.

▼ Extremely happy with his haul, Masanuki was even happier with the price he paid for it all, as these six items cost him 9,019 yen.

▼ Now all he had to do was evolve his ordinary kei car into an extraordinary yankee vehicle.

Starting with the steering wheel, he slid the new cover on and it immediately gave it an elevated look.

▼ Nice grip and all.

▼ Then, he spread the white fur mat over the dashboard…

▼ … and proudly hung the hemp leaf air freshener from the rear-view mirror.

Feeling excited with the transformation that was already taking place, Masanuki took things to the next level by placing the strip lighting into the appropriate crevices.

▼ A little light up here…

▼… and a little light down there.

▼ Then all that was left to do was pop the tyre-shaped speaker on the dashboard…

▼ … and set the coaster in the drink holder.

▼ Mission complete!

After just a few minutes, Masanuki’s car interior had changed dramatically. It felt like a crazy party car, even without any music blaring, and Masanuki knew right then that he could never go back to driving an ordinary, unbedecked kei vehicle ever again.

Then, when he started up the engine and turned on the speakers, the car really took on a life of its own, creating a party space that took Masanuki right back to his youth.

Sliding into the driver’s seat, Masanuki was overcome with a sense of awesomeness. Breathing in the sweet smell of white musk, with the lights flashing and the bass pounding in his ears, he felt like a badass in a nightclub.

The customisation lifted his mood, giving him a much-needed boost of energy on a hot summer’s day, and it was all thanks to Mega Don Quijote. He never knew the retail chain could help bring his vision for a yankee car to life so perfectly, and after seeing just how many more tempting items they have in store, he’ll definitely be heading back to add extra bling to his cool new interior yet again.

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