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David Krepley has never been to Japan, doesn’t speak Japanese, and claims no Japanese heritage. However, he has felt drawn to one aspect of the country — its automobiles.
“There was always kind of a fascination there for me,” Krepley tells Pittsburgh City Paper, adding that anime and the Fast and the Furious franchise, particularly the Tokyo Drift installment, both had a role in introducing him to this niche interest.
Krepley, a Penn Hills/Churchill resident who works as an instructional designer by day, parlayed this hobby into Pittsburgh KyÅ«sha, described on its website as a local community of “right-hand-drive (RHD) Japanese Domestic Market (JDM) vehicle owners and enthusiasts.” The group, founded in 2023, hosts car cruises, meets, charity events, and other happenings around classic RHD and JDM cars, trucks, and vans, to foster “more conversations going about Japanese culture and Japanese history,” says Krepley.
On Sat., March 22, KyÅ«sha will feature a selection of JDMs as part of the Pittsburgh Japanese Film Festival, an annual event organized by Row House Cinema. In keeping with the group’s mission, the day will include demonstrations by the Japan-America Society of Pennsylvania.
KyÅ«sha represents a growing national interest in Japanese vehicles, the most visible being the kei truck, aka the Japanese mini truck or keitora. Krepley, who owns a 1994 Nissan Pulsar GTI-R and a 1990 Subaru Sambar, says the growth of local JDM collectors led to KyÅ«sha’s creation.
“The group was founded kind of out of necessity,” he explains, adding that he wanted to provide a place for members of the subculture to gather and share resources, such as recommendations on where to find parts and mechanics specializing in JDMs.
Krepley estimates that 20 to 25 members form KyÅ«sha’s core member group, with about 20 other owners attending occasional events. He also mentions working with Millie’s Homemade Ice Cream, a local business that owns and shows a Japanese van, kei truck, and retired fire truck.
Krepley says increased availability is one of the big reasons JDMs have become popular in the United States. The U.S. allows ownership of foreign vehicles manufactured at least 25 years ago under the designation “classic” or antique.
Krepley cites the Mitsubishi Pajero, Suzuki Jimny, and RHD Honda Civic as makes and models that appeal to American owners for unique qualities not seen in domestic vehicles. For example, one version of Nissan’s Skyline offered a luxury four-door sedan with the qualities of a stretch limo, including window curtains and separate air conditioning for backseat passengers.
“And it’s funny because it goes both ways,” says Krepley, adding that, in Japan, there are owners who import “[United States Domestic Market] Honda Civics.”
Beyond the novelty of JDMs, Krepley believes there are also practical reasons for owning them. The demand for kei trucks has increased as Americans have become frustrated with the lack of smaller trucks, especially for owners unable to afford or lack the space for the enormous dual-cab models being manufactured. Krepley recalls talking to one local property manager who had an F-150 truck but had “trouble parking it in the city” and wanted something smaller.
Still, JDM enthusiasts experience various hurdles in obtaining their desired vehicles. Current Pennsylvania legislation requires, among other things, enhanced inspections for JDMs. From there, Pa. law limit driving JDMs to one day a week, something Krepley believes is impossible to enforce.
JDM ownership has also received pushback from the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators, a nonprofit lobbying organization focused on, among other things, creating nationwide safety standards for drivers and pedestrians. In 2021, the website Jalopnik published a lengthy article about states, including Pennsylvania, revoking JDM registrations based on guidelines set by AAMVA, even if the vehicles were legally imported and met all state requirements. The confusion came from JDMs, including kei trucks, suddenly being categorized as off-road vehicles, meaning they were no longer cleared for driving on state roads and highways.
While Pa. law has changed enough to allow the ownership of JDMs with some caveats, owners must also consider the cost. Krepley says buyers importing JDMs from their country of origin should add $2,000 to the initial cost to compensate for all the fees related to shipping, storage, and other factors. Pa. residents buying kei trucks can expect to also add 25% to the cost since the state classifies them as “commercial vehicles.”
Krepley says that while importing JDMs may be cheaper, buying them from a U.S. dealer can eliminate some of the headaches from the purchase process, as the vehicles are usually already inspected and come with a title and registration.
Even with the hurdles, Krepley sees JDM ownership as a chance to foster community in various ways. He believes “the cars and the culture go hand in hand,” which is why KyÅ«sha works with the Japan Association of Greater Pittsburgh and the Japanese-American Society of Pennsylvania.
“Most of the Japanese expats I’ve interacted with have shown a good deal of joy at seeing a piece of nostalgia come here to the U.S.,” says Krepley. “They also seem to enjoy Americans showing such an interest and love of something that was so everyday to them.”
In addition to the Pittsburgh Japanese Film Festival, Kyūsha will appear at the Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix in July.
Looking ahead, Krepley says he intends to register Kyūsha as a nonprofit and try to collaborate with more Japanese cultural groups and event organizers.
“The biggest challenge is just connecting with them and finding new opportunities,” he says. “I’d love to support them, I just don’t know who they are. So there’s an opportunity for some sort of call to action here to encourage interest parties to reach out to us to see how we can help each other.”
Pittsburgh Japanese Film Festival and Pittsburgh Kyūsha present Movies and Motors. 2:30 p.m. Sat., March 22. Row House Cinema. 4115 Butler St., Lawrenceville. Free. pittsburghkyusha.org
This article appears in Mar 12-18, 2025.
