Quote:
Originally Posted by 180sx
how would i go about getting my drivers licence in japan?
also, whats the deal on owning and operating an older car, like years 1992-2000? isnt there like a special tax you have to pay on an older car?
this is a big factor for me because my main interest in japan is the motorsports scene! lets get excite/hype!
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First, you have to be 20 years old or older to get a Japan drivers license. If you don't have a valid license from another country which you have had for a period of time, and which was valid when you obtained your passport/visa, then you'll need to go to a Japanese driving school.
Driving schools in Japan suck. They are difficult and expensive, and it takes around 3 months of classes and training. The cost is about 300,000 yen ($3000).
The driving test is difficult. You'll be tested on things like inspecting the car before you get into it, locking your door, setting your mirrors, and using the mirrors before opening the door. You'll have to navigate a tight driving course, and deal with Japanese driving officers who often love to fail foreigners just because they are foreign.
I'm not sure what the road tax is on older cars, but the Japanese government offers a 250,000 yen incentive to trade your old car in for a new one if it is more than 13 years old.
I've thought of bringing my 06 GTO to Japan, but with it's 6 liter engine, the road tax alone is more than $100 a month.
Japanese high schools are a different world from high schools in America. Between classes and club activities (everyone is a member of one club or another), you may find yourself going to school 7 days a week. On many days you may not get home from school until after 7pm. The students clean the school at the end of the day, not the janitors. As a teacher, I have to supervise a club activity, and I often don't get home until 9pm.
Other than the uniforms and language, I know of nothing in Japanese schools which genuinely resemble anime/manga.