Cars in Japan: Does Anime Have The Right Idea?

[Helgen]

Originally Posted by Nyororin

In my view, Japan is a one car per family society. The US a one car per person society. This is a generalization, of course, but it seems to fit quite well.

Super quoted for truth.

My uncle in law in the next house (and boy do I mean the next house, same driveway lol,) he has 2 cars. One for work/family outing, and other as back up/wife.

[Tsuwabuki]

Re: Parking

I rent a space from the supermarket in the same building as my apartment building. As far as I am aware, out of about fifty or so apartments, maybe 15 of us have cars. And I live in rural Kyoto. I didn't need a car last year, but I kept it anyway. Good thing, as I was transferred to another school that is thirty minutes away by car from my apartment, and has no train access.

Most people in my building work nearby, or can take the bus that stops in front of the apartment building.

This is not an option for me consistently.

[sarasi]

I live in the suburbs of western Tokyo, and neither my husband or I have a car, nor do we feel we need one. I like driving back in my home country, but I have no desire to drive here and am glad it isn't necessary- the trains, subways etc get me everywhere I want to go (trains run every 2 minutes at rush hour through my station). I don't have to worry about parking, petrol, car inspection, registration, traffic jams, repairs and many other things that I had to worry about and spend money on in my home country.

Somebody above (who I believe doesn't live in Japan) said they were glad they don't live in Tokyo because parking is at a premium here- when you live here it takes a bit of a shift in your way of thinking at first, but many people come to like the fact that they don't need a car. You get a lot more exercise too, walking to the train station is good for you!