Japan's vibrant subculture of “cholos” and “lowriders” is more than amazing cars and fashion, it’s about channeling strong social, family and cultural identities.

Imagine you're out with some friends from L.A. Having just finished dinner, you step out onto a busy boulevard and look up to see a long line of lowriders cruise by, their detailed and colorful paint jobs glimmering in the streetlights. Some cruise low and slow, while others use their hydraulic systems to jack their cars into configurations that make them look more like Transformers than old Chevys, Fords and Buicks.

But you're not in L.A., you're in Osaka, Japan, home to a thriving Chicano and lowrider car subculture. At first glance, the scene and the people do not appear Japanese. It could be straight out of L.A. The men wear wrap-around sunglasses, buttoned-up flannel shirts, white tube socks and crisp, over-the-calf, baggy denim and khaki shorts. The women have heavily penciled eyes, sporting sleeveless men's undershirts, baggy flannels and hair tied up in bandanas. More than a few people don Dodgers' hats and jerseys.

Other than the neon lights and the ornate signage on the buildings, your only visual clues to your actual location are the cars driving on the left side of the road, though the conspicuous left-handed steering wheels mark the lowriders as American imports. When you catch up with the group later, in their favorite parking area, a closer look reveals a distinctly Japanese character to this group of "cholos." 

Since this is Osaka, many of the cars that parade by are driven by members of the Stylish Car Club, founded by custom car shop owner Shigeru Sato, who customizes lowriders at his shop outside Osaka. Other cholo and lowrider communities exist in Tokyo and Nagoya, where Hisashi Ushida, owner of Cholos, and Junichi Shimodaira, owner of the import and custom garage Paradise Road, do custom work that would be at home in the proudest L.A. car circles. 

One of the things I love about Japan is the abundance of thriving subcultures, both indigenous and imported. For all of its cultural and historical individuality, Japan has been heavily influenced by the United States, perhaps more so than any other Asian country. The first wave of Japanese exposure to American culture came after World War II via American GIs. Things like bowling, baseball and rock music took off and remain popular in Japanese culture. 

In the decades after World War II, as cultural exchange expanded and more Japanese came to the United States to work and travel in places like L.A., they began to interact with bona fide American subcultures: bikers, surfers, Chicanos and lowriders.

Things really took off in the 1970s and ‘80s, when Japan was economically strong and business and tourists flowed into the United States. Possibly due to its close ties to L.A., and with Torrance, California, becoming an important West Coast hub of Japanese business activity after the war, Japan absorbed numerous American subcultures in a distinctive Japanese way.

Fueled by imported magazines that tracked and highlighted trends within robust American scenes, some Japanese were so moved by their exposure to these subcultures that they immersed themselves in them and then carried them back to Japan.

A few Japanese, like Sato, imported the trappings of these cultures to Japan and put a Japanese spin on them: meticulous attention to detail, high artistry and an authenticity that pays homage to Chicano and lowrider culture on more than just a visual level. It reflects a deep appreciation and love for Chicano art, people and culture. 

What about concerns over cultural appropriation? Walter Thompson-Hernandez, an L.A. native, wrote in the New York Times that, "while most instances of cultural appropriation completely disregard the original communities, the people whom I met did the exact opposite: They are in constant communication with Los Angeles lowrider communities. To me, it was more of a form of cultural exchange." 

This attitude is echoed by Sato. Since founding Stylish Car Club, Sato has encouraged members to look beyond the surface of cool cars and flashy looks, and to dig deeper into Chicano music, fashion, culture and bonds between family and friends. 

"In America, lowrider culture is not only about customizing cars, it's about fashion, music and family," Sato, who is the proud owner of a customized Cadillac and Chevrolet Impala, told CNN. 

"We feel sympathy toward [Chicanos] and connect in the way they express their opinions, love their crews, family, and work hard on the things that they love. In my opinion, this is what brings the Chicano and Japanese cultures together,” he continued.

The influence of cholo and lowrider culture on Shigeru Sato and legions of other Japanese car artists and fans is another example of how Latinx culture crosses borders and even oceans to fuel rich and respectful cross-cultural expression.