Driving in Japan (show your car)

[SgtBeavis]

Here is one of the good reasons to live in Japan. THE CARS! Forget waiting until 2009 for the Nissan Skyline to get to the US. Skylines are as common as Mustangs in Japan. And the Crown Majesta, art on wheels.

So if you live or lived in Japan, tell everyone your stories about driving in Japan and show us your car.

For me, I was 20 when I first set foot on Japan soil. I am originally from Louisiana and came from a poor family so I never had a car. Within a week of arriving in Japan I became the owner of a 1979 Toyota Celica hatchback. You see, the Army has a rule that you must prove that you have properly disposed of your car before you can leave Japan for another assignment. So one of the guys in the baracks GAVE ME HIS CAR so he could go back to the US.

That Celica was the ugliest turd on four wheels and someone put the steering wheel on the wrong side of the car. I took the Army drivers ed course and got my drivers license the next day. I then promptly went off base and ran off the road into a patch of farmland because I was driving on the right side of the road.

I managed to get my car out of the mud and SLOWLY drive back on base. It took a few weeks, but I finally got the hang of driving on the left side of the road and started taking regular trips to Yakota AFB (they had the ONLY POPEYES Chicken in Japan) and Sagami Depot. Driving to Sagami Depot was a hoot. The fastest way to get there was a road that was mostly unpaved. There was little traffic so I usually drove rather fast down that strip. It was like off road racing.

Yea, I beat the crap out of that car and then sold it to a junk yard for 500 bucks. Back then, junk yards actually gave you money for your cars. Now they CHARGE YOU for the chance to dispose of your car.

My next car was a 1980 something Ford Laser. Hey, I got a Ford. However, it looks suspiciously like a Mazda 323, which look like it was separated from birth from a Mercury Tracer. Either way, it was a far superior car to the Celica. I have a picture of it below. I actually paid 800 bucks for it. When I left Japan, I got 800 bucks for it. Not a bad deal ehh?

One of my longest trips was to Tokyo Disneyland. I and my future wife got to Disneyland with very few problems. However, getting home was a totally different story. It took us about 6 hours to drive the 40 some miles to Camp Zama. However the lady and I got to know each other A LOT better that day.

Back here in Dallas, I hear people complain about the traffic. Every once in a while someone will ride with me an comment on how patient I am in DFW traffic. I just tell them that they have absolutely NO IDEA what traffic is.

So if you're looking to move to Japan, here are a few things you should note:

Unless you are US Military, you have to take a 40 hour driving school to get your license. I believe that school now cost 7000 bucks. It was $4000 back in the early 1990s.

To buy a car in Japan, you must PROVE that you have a place to park it. The exception to that rule is the Kei Car. You can read more about Kei Cars here: Kei car - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

If you have an auto accident in Japan, there is no black or white fault assigned. Blame is assigned on a percentage basis. There are, however, some exceptions. For one, if you hit a pedestrian, or someone in a smaller vehicle, YOU are at fault. If you are in a car, a smaller vehicle is a motorcycle, bicycle, or the pedestrian. You are at fault, even if they broke a traffic rule.

Oh, here is my ugly Ford

[samokan]

i dont have one, don't plan to have one. With the cost of maintenance as well as parking? Id rather rent than own one .

[ShibaInu]

great info and tips sgt. beavis! i don't think ur ford is ugly...i remember my older cousin owning that kind of car too...

btw, are japanese cars generally have rear-wheel drive like the ones in movies like "Initial D" and "Fast & the Furious: Tokyo Drift"?

[Nyororin]

My car is a Toyota WiLL Cypha.
It`s not at all ugly.

I don`t have an actual picture of my car to show, but here is a picture of the model.

[jasonbvr]

Originally Posted by ShibaInu

great info and tips sgt. beavis! i don't think ur ford is ugly...i remember my older cousin owning that kind of car too...

btw, are japanese cars generally have rear-wheel drive like the ones in movies like "Initial D" and "Fast & the Furious: Tokyo Drift"?

The majority of cars are front wheel. Some sports cars are either rear or all wheel drive. The Sylvia, RX-7 and 8, some Skylines, the 300Z and Toyota MR-2 I think are the rear wheel category. Evo's, WR-X's and some Skylines make up the all wheel category along with some Kei cars and station wagons. Then you have the Ferraris which are rear, but they aren't Japanese now are they.

[ShibaInu]

i see..thanks for the info, jasonbvr-san!

[Nyororin]

I reread through the original post - there is *one* case where a pedestrian is considered at fault. If they run into the street within so many meters of a crosswalk. In driving school they made a big deal out of that (and even went so far as to say if you`re hit doing something like that, try to roll into the crosswalk)

The thinking is that the car will see you looking to cross and slow down to stop at the crosswalk stop line - but if you suddenly leap out into the street a little bit in front of it, the car will hit you even though it`s slowing down to stop.

I personally really like the percentage system. The other car is almost never totally at fault so everyone is a bit more careful. Obviously no one wants to hit anyone, but you start actively avoiding being hit - whereas in the US everyone seems to say "If they hit me, they`re the ones at fault!" and just sits there to try and collect insurance.

[ShibaInu]

Originally Posted by Nyororin

My car is a Toyota WiLL Cypha.
It`s not at all ugly.

I don`t have an actual picture of my car to show, but here is a picture of the model.

indeed, it's cute!

hmm,...this brings me to another question...are cars generally small in Japan as compared with, lets say, the US? Is this due to save space or what?

[SgtBeavis]

Originally Posted by ShibaInu

indeed, it's cute!

hmm,...this brings me to another question...are cars generally small in Japan as compared with, lets say, the US? Is this due to save space or what?

MUCH smaller

The largest cars are the American cars. However there are some exceptions. For instance, Toyota recently started selling Lexus in Japan. They renamed their Wyndom division to Lexus and started selling the full Lexus lineup. However, my Father In Law says they aren't selling that well.

Kei Cars are the big sellers in Japan. The tax break and the fact you don't have to prove you have a parking space are big winners for this class of car. Also, Kei cars can be pretty fun. The Honda Beat and Suzuki Cappuccino were fun cars when they were on the market. They were roadsters that made the Mazda Miata look huge.

Take note that many of the roads in Japan are quite narrow. There are also many corners that you cannot see around. Most of those corners will have a mirror so you can see any oncoming traffic.

If you look at the car next to mine, you'll notice it has mirrors up front on the fenders. Several Japanese cars have these so pedestrians won't get hit by them. They also help see around blind corners. Many Japanese cars have mirrors that fold up with the touch of a button so you can fold them quickly when parking or going down a narrow road.

I now have a 2006 Mustang. The mirrors don't fold and it is as wide a 1 and a half Kei cars I would have a lot of trouble driving it in Japan. Fortunately I don't have the problem in Texas

[ShibaInu]

Originally Posted by SgtBeavis

MUCH smaller

Take note that many of the roads in Japan are quite narrow. There are also many corners that you cannot see around. Most of those corners will have a mirror so you can see any oncoming traffic.

Ok, then...so are the narrow roads the main reason for cars being small in Japan?

Anywayz, thanks for the very helpful info u shared!