Driving In Japan
Most of our contracts state
that we can own and operate a vehicle for anything, including
commuting to and from our base schools and offices, other than
work related activities, and then we may do so only with our
supervisors permission. So, with that settled, if you're thinking
of getting a car, here's some points to keep in mind.
There are basically two types
of cars in Japan-- joyousha and kie. Joyousha are
larger cars, 4WD's, trucks, etc. (what most of us call automobiles
at home), and have white license plates. Kei (meaning 'light'
[weight]) cars, trucks and vans have smaller engines, smaller
bodies, and yellow license plates. In my experience, unless someone
is giving you a joyousha for free, kei is the way to go. Why?
- Shaken (registration): For larger cars registration
can be double or triple what it is for a kei (usually around
120,000 yen for two years). (Car dealer will take care of this
for you.)
- Zeikin (tax): An automobile tax has to be
paid to the local government every year, and the rate is set
by the make and model of your car. Most joyoushas run about 40,000
yen a year. My kei cost me 4,300 yen this year. (You'll get the
bill from the gov't)
- Shakoshomei (Proof of a Parking Space): While
most prefectures in Japan require proof of a parking place for
all automobiles, regardless of size, Nara still only requires
proof for joyousha.
- Hokken (Insurance): Kei's, being cheaper
to begin with are a lot cheaper to insure. (Ask a Japanese friend
of colleague with a car to introduce you to their insurance person.)
Kei cars, trucks and vans are
smaller... but so are the roads. They get very good gas mileage,
and usually you can pick something up for relatively cheap. Shop
around. Better yet, ask around, and see what you can come up
with. Also, talk to any JETs in your area who have a car, and
see what they recommend.
Also, if you're not thinking
of buying a car, but think you might want to use one to get out
into the mountains for some hiking, to visit a friend that lives
in the boonies, to take a weekend road-trip, or just to get out
and drive, why not rent a car? All you need is an international
driver's license and some other form of identification. Cars
are rented on a daily basis starting at about 6,000 yen for a
kei-car. You have to cover gas yourself, but if there are a few
people splitting the cost, it could be cheaper than taking the
train!
A Caveat
Finally, a word on owning and
driving a car in Japan. As a teacher and a driver, you will be
able to witness the true Orwellian world that is being a Japanese
car owner. About twice a year, your community will have "traffic
safety" week which will mean random speed checks in your
town and random speeches at your school. This will probably be
a chance for folks at your school to again express their concerns
over your driving. They will wonder again if you can truly handle
to nuances of driving on the "other side" of the road
(even if you are from the U.K., Ireland, Australia, or New Zealand),
if you really have the spirit of being a safety driver in your
heart, and if you truly can drive safely a week after a centimeter
of snow has fallen. This will often cause the knee-jerk reaction
in the you to spurt out at the concerned party "Hey, weren't
you the jerk that passed me at 120 KPH in that one-lane curved
tunnel with their lights off yesterday!!??!!??" Luckily,
when you say this, the person speaking with you will lose all
ability to process Japanese or English and will not understand
a thing you are saying.
The fact is this -- while driving
you will see some simply mind-boggling stupid driving maneuvers.
You will wonder at people's ability to literally park right in
the middle of the road and not seem to care. You will probably
witness some of this foolishness being performed by people you
work with who seemingly aren't being warned daily by their principal
to drive carefully. What is important is to stay cool behind
the wheel and drive defensively. In this country, defensive driving
can save your life 'cause despite all the "Kotsuanzen"
in the world the Japanese drive offensively if anything. Carry
a small Japanese-English/English-Japanese dictionary in your
glove compartment in case of emergencies. And also important,
develop a good relationship with the police in your town to help
head off the "it was the gaijin's fault" accident scenario...
I obtained
this article from a lady's website but I have forgotten the URL
or who wrote it. If this is your article, please email
me! |
