Created as a new class of vehicle with tax breaks that would provide families with independence and mobility, the class had been launched in 1949 with a 150cc limit. When that was increased to 360cc in 1955, things started to take off and by the early 1960s there was a raft of tiny vehicles buzzing around the streets of Japan.

The kei car class still exists but over the decades the financial incentives for kei car owners have been watered down ever further, and it may not be long before the segment disappears altogether. Here we look at how the kei car phenomenon progressed along with some of the fascinating designs which prove that sometimes the best things really do come in small packages.