Known now primarily as a maker of pickups, trucks and rugged four-wheel drives, Isuzu has a rich history in car making, but what does its name mean?
Isuzu is named after the Isuzu River that flows through the Mie prefecture and empties to the sea in the city of Ise. The Isuzu River is relatively short, but it does flow past a number of important Shinto shrines, the most of important of which is the Ise Grand Shrine that houses the Sacred Mirror. The Ise Grand Shrine isn’t open to the public, unfortunately.
The Isuzu River in Japanese (五十鈴川) is literally the River of 50 Bells, which is why Isuzu named a number of its earlier models after bells, including the Bellel and Bellett. The company’s previous logo also featured a highly stylised bell.
