Japan's Iconic Bosozoku-Style Bikes Shot By Federico Radaell
We've featured numerous different posts and articles surrounding Japan's iconic Bosozoku bikes.
The flashy paint jobs, the excessive parts, the loud engines... there is nothing to not love about these bikes.
The origins of Bosozoku are said to be the "Kaminarizoku", groups of bikers in the 50s who would ride their bikes around mercilessly through public streets. While the Kaminarizoku focused more on speed, Bosozoku focus more on the bikes themselves. Vibrant colors, Japanese phrases, and many Bosozoku-specific parts are seen on almost every bike.
While many people in Japan still have an image of Bosozoku bikers being menaces, the reality is that today, most are not. Most riders today are simply fans of their bikes, and don't cause any havoc. These riders are mainly called Kyushakai, former Bosozoku members. You can clearly tell how much they love their bikes too, just by looking at the photos.
Federico Radaell is a London & Tokyo-based photographer, born and raised in Milan. From a young age, Federico was surrounded by Milan's underground culture, which has had an impact on the subjects of his photographs. A self-taught photographer with a talented eye, most of Federico's projects are self-funded, and are a result of his passion.
Earlier this month, sabukaru friend & photographer Federico Radaell took a trip down to Utsunomiya of Tochigi prefecture to go and shoot the "RAN", one of the Kanto region's biggest circuit events. With a mix of young Bosozoku riders and OB Kyushakai riders, the event was a mix of multiple generations of JDM Bosozoku and Kaido racer-style cars and bike fans.
