Of Japan-ings!

"sm70- why not Duesenberg?" (sm70-whynotduesenberg)
05/02/2019 at 15:47 • Filed to: None

Just found out that I got accepted into a short (few weeks) study abroad program in Japan in January. Should be fun! Sadly I’m a couple years too young to !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! , but then again, I’ve already crossed driving in a foreign country on the left side on my bucket list, and I’m willing to bet driving in Japan would be a much bigger change from driving here in the U.S. than !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! .

DISCUSSION (25)

farscythe - makin da cawfee! > sm70- why not Duesenberg?
05/02/2019 at 15:53

huh...... i thought you were an old... (duesenbergs...)

my bad

congrats, have fun, take pics :)

Snuze: Needs another Swede > sm70- why not Duesenberg?
05/02/2019 at 15:54

That’s awesome! Where in Japan will you be studying?

sm70- why not Duesenberg? > farscythe - makin da cawfee!
05/02/2019 at 15:55

Thanks!

That always cracks me up - it’s been a while since the last time but in my 5 years on Oppo I’ve had lots of people wind up surprised that I’m not, in fact, an actual grumpy old-timer.

Sampsonite24-Earth's Least Likeliest Hero > sm70- why not Duesenberg?
05/02/2019 at 15:56

maybe Flavian could loan you something lol

sm70- why not Duesenberg? > Snuze: Needs another Swede
05/02/2019 at 15:56

Kyoto City and Tokyo

sm70- why not Duesenberg? > Sampsonite24-Earth's Least Likeliest Hero
05/02/2019 at 15:58

Riiight what could go wrong

Sampsonite24-Earth's Least Likeliest Hero > sm70- why not Duesenberg?
05/02/2019 at 15:59

orrrrrrr buy something import eligible while over there, then once your study abroad program is over ship it home haha

sm70- why not Duesenberg? > Sampsonite24-Earth's Least Likeliest Hero
05/02/2019 at 16:00

If I could I would

Snuze: Needs another Swede > sm70- why not Duesenberg?
05/02/2019 at 16:06

I was a little jealous (I want to go back to Japan so bad) but now I’m really jealous!

I spent a week in Yokosuka for work in 2016. I’d always wanted to go to Japan but was also aprehensive because I feel like I can fake my way through Europe (thanks, 4 years of high school latin), but Japan just seemed so alien to me. But when the opportunity came to go on the company dime, I jumped at it. It actually ended up being a legit work trip (12-14 hour days) , no boondoggling. That means I really didn’t get to explore much outside of Yokosuka, which is basically “Americatown” in the same way cities here have “Chinatowns. ” But I loved it and I’m dying to go back and Kyoto is my #1 destination, even over Tokyo, although I want to spend time there as well.

Enjoy and take lots of pictures!

sm70- why not Duesenberg? > Snuze: Needs another Swede
05/02/2019 at 16:18

Thanks!

Cash Rewards > sm70- why not Duesenberg?
05/02/2019 at 16:34

Kyoto: the anagram lover's Tokyo

V12 Jake II- New and Improved! > sm70- why not Duesenberg?
05/02/2019 at 18:42

That’s pretty awesome to hear, I’ve been lusting after 1GZ Centuries all week so you’ll have to snap a few while you’re there!

AdverseMartyr > Sampsonite24-Earth's Least Likeliest Hero
05/02/2019 at 23:05

If it’s only for a few weeks there would not be time to get an Inkan, register the Inkan, apply for buying the car, wait for the police inspection of the parking spot, sign off on the existence of the parking spot, have the dealership do the paperwork, and then pick the car up.

And if it’s for a few weeks I imagine the visa won’t allow for purchasing something like a car or getting a phone number (which is needed for everything as well).

AdverseMartyr > sm70- why not Duesenberg?
05/02/2019 at 23:18

As long as you come with an international license, and Flavien says it’s ok, not too much. At least with personal cars. I’d assume that...oh wait, the Delta is Italian, you’d just need to ask if it blew up the last time he drove it or if he’s expecting it to happen while you’re driving it. :)

But in reality, almost everyone carries the insurance for other people driving their cars, full coverage so borrowing a car from a private individual isn’t any more of a problem than it is in the USA. It’s all up to the individual.

Before I had my residence card , and Japanese license I could borrow a truck from the furniture store, and friends loaned me their cars. It was rental agencies that were a problem as they wanted me to read and speak Japanese fluently (As in read the contract in it’s entirety with no problems). These were the cheap agencies that rent Kei cars for a month at a time for ¥30,000 so maybe Omoren would be different.

sm70- why not Duesenberg? > AdverseMartyr
05/02/2019 at 23:19

I’m sure there’s no legal/logistical issue, I’d just never ask a a complete stranger if I could borrow their car to drive in a foreign country for the first time .

AdverseMartyr > sm70- why not Duesenberg?
05/02/2019 at 23:20

If my timeline goes well, I expect to be living near Kyoto by January. I’ll probably only have an annoying Kei car by then, but if you want to try driving and I’ve moved then it is possible.

AdverseMartyr > sm70- why not Duesenberg?
05/02/2019 at 23:38

Well, it’s Japan so you might want to prepare yourself for some legal/logisitical issues if you are doing anything for yourself. You frequently have to fit every checkbox with no deviations for there to not be problems. And it’s not that there is anything wrong with not quite fitting, but people frequently don’t know what to do when your situation is the least little bit different. It has frequently meant being asked to come back in the next day so that they are prepared.

You’re coming as part of a study program so I would imagine that the program will have taken care of everything essential for you ahead of time.

sm70- why not Duesenberg? > AdverseMartyr
05/02/2019 at 23:40

Yep, the program should have everything taken care of. I also don’t know how much free time I will have to do my own thing.

sm70- why not Duesenberg? > AdverseMartyr
05/02/2019 at 23:40

I appreciate the invitation! We shall see.

pip bip - choose Corrour > sm70- why not Duesenberg?
05/03/2019 at 08:58

congrats!

enjoy it!

LimitedTimeOnly @ opposite-lock.com > AdverseMartyr
05/03/2019 at 09:12

Enjoy living in the Kyoto area. I definitely liked it during my recent visit, and although I know there are plenty of downsides to Japan (as with any place), my wife and I can imagine enjoying living there for a few months at some point during retirement (in the sadly distant future).

From your other replies in this thread, it sounds as though renting a car in such a scenario might be difficult, though.

sm70- why not Duesenberg? > pip bip - choose Corrour
05/03/2019 at 09:47

Thank you!

Hamtractor > Snuze: Needs another Swede
05/03/2019 at 11:19

I was home ported in Yokosuka from 1993-1995, and I loved Japan. Gotta get outta Yoko though for the good stuff, Kyoto will be awesome, I’m sure. I spent a lot of time In Harajuku, Roppongi, Kamakura, and I loved it all. Climbed Mt. Fuji twice, had a Japanese girlfriend who took me for drives in her base model Skyline coupe all over the countryside. I would live in Japan forever if I had the chance...

Snuze: Needs another Swede > Hamtractor
05/03/2019 at 12:47

That’s awesome! I was always hoping Id get over there when I was on active duty but it never happened. But going there for work was good. I wanted to go on vacation last year, but everyone besides me was a bit apprehensive about it, but we ended up in Thailand instead. It was the first time my wife, sister, or brother in law had been anywhere in Asia, and it was awesome and everyone loved it. So I think Japan is in the cards for a future trip.

AdverseMartyr > LimitedTimeOnly @ opposite-lock.com
05/03/2019 at 20:57

Kyoto and the Kansai area in general are great in my opinion, so I’m figuring we will enjoy being there (fingers crossed).

Someone who rents from an agency that aims for international visitors would probably be fine; I’m guessing the price would be quite different compared to the “local” rental places.

The work around for us was to find a place that my Japanese friend checked out. They didn’t rent me a car - they rented him a car, and he listed me as a driver for it. I spent 4 months going in, renewing the rental and paying the rental fee for the car. The agency ok’ed the whole situation, k new about it, and it may have been their suggestion . They just had to have him sign all the paperwork as the renter so that it fit their boxes.