What Driving in Japan is Like
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- Опубліковано 20 вер 2024
- If you're like most visitors, you'll probably enjoy Japan's trains. They're awesome! But there's something special about traveling Japan by car, which I'll attempt to show you in this video.
The first 500 people to click my link will get two months of Skillshare Premium for FREE! skl.sh/lifewhe...
In case you watch and think I ripped off some ideas from Only in Japan • Highway through a Buil... and Micaela • Kyushu Photospot | 九州の... , you wouldn't be wrong. Thanks for the inspiration!
Special thanks to Bobby from Q2 Japan for helping me film this one / @q2japan
What's driving like where you're from?
Extra info:
- International Driving Permit - en.wikipedia.o...
- Tokyo Bay Aqua-Line - en.wikipedia.o...
- Umihotaru (Sea Firefly) Service Area - www.umihotaru....
- International Driving Permit - パブリック・ドメイン, commons.wikime...
- Countries that Recognize International Driving Permit - By Joe DeRose - I created this work using a Wikipedia blank map., Public Domain, commons.wikime...
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Here in Jakarta you'll need good brakes, good horn, and good luck
And unlimited amount of patience
Same here in philippines oh you need a metal bullbar bumper tons of people just cut you from all sides. Motorbikes (sweet potato rider, who dont know right of way). "Suicide Sloth pedestrian" who just cross the road, walk outside pedestrian pathway and slowly walk like they own the road/heavy load person.
l96ai - LOL, I used to visit India a lot and always joked that the way to prevent a car from being driven would be to cut the wire to the horn.
Wkwkwk
Reflex, dont forget about that. Bikes, speed bumps, crossing pedestrians, hole, and random objects are everywhere
Hi, thanks for taking the time to talk to me, I really appreciated it! Pleasure to meet you, and keep up the interesting videos ! ;)
PS: hope you found some good coffee and that the drive back wasn't too long !
Hey, it's Tobias everyone! Sorry I couldn't talk longer. I really was in a rush to get back before it was too late. I had been on the road since 8am and didn't get to the hotel until 10pm. Thanks for saying hi! Yeah, I found some decent coffee quite quickly.
@@LifeWhereImFrom That was wonderful to witness. Glad to see people recognise you - it's much deserved. You make beautiful content, keep at it!
18:45 Casual unacknowledged Lamborghini in the background lol
Tobi! enjoy Japan! gambate!
Toby is best part of this video ! 😆
Here in India, driving is like going through a warzone
Traffic in India is terrifying. I've never seen anything like it. I only walked or was a passenger - I can't imagine actually having to drive through it.
@@kouhaisempai4800 some times following the rules leads to disaster, here.
@@kouhaisempai4800 if you are able to cross the road amid the traffic, congrats. You are qualified to live in India. 😂
Just joking
@Abrilla 2 M thank you but don't use foul language. Criticize us but don't stereotype us. Not all drivers are such sick.
Abrilla 2 M when people can drive in India I‘m sure they can drive anywhere else in the world and it won’t apply the other way around. And be nice I‘m sure u r not the smartest person in the world
"never seen rest stops in North america"
Man I don't know about you but they are everywhere in the U.S.
Yeah drive along the PA or NJ turnpike lol
Yeah
Illinois as well, although a few toll plazas have been permanently closed.
There are some states I've driven through in the US that didn't have many, or any, rest stops. However, I've not seen one in Canada the few times I've been up there, and thats where he is from.
I mean he's Canadian, which isn't as car dependent as US
Honestly not all that different from driving in the UK, just Japan has better quality roads.
too bad they drive on the left........so stupid, right way is right :P
Yes, no pot holes
@@cosd3799 Actually it's been proven driving on the left is statistically safer.
@@jonathanppanda there is no realiton at all
I'll see your UK and raise u a driving in Rome...
Japan is on a class of its own. Country side is beautiful and so well maintained and super clean places. Man can't wait to go visit.
@Gray Au Yes you are right I have read and seen UA-cam about what Japan has been going through. Hope things work out for the best.👍👍👍
The L.A. Asian Guy If you’re American in all fairness the countryside is also beautiful in your own country too. Don’t take your national parks for granted!
@@noahparsons649 Yes I agree I am a Texas native we have some great parks and lake areas. I have traveled around the world and each one has its own beauty.
@Gray Au Not slave. But they are very culturally bound, it is true. They have a saying "The nail that sticks up gets hammered." Very much worried about what others think. I believe Japan has the least cultural diversity of any country in the world. But despite that, they are a very friendly and welcoming people.
Europe is where country side exists.
Japan is such a pristine country. Lovely to watch. Imagine if the whole world was like that.
Maybe if the whole world had more money.
Indeed
Pristine?! Hahahahahaha. You've *never* been there, have you?
@@iatsd Yup! I have! Stayed some time on Odawara, Isehara, Honastsugi, the south Tokyo region and the country region in between. Even the country region there is flawless, its amazing. You see, I'm from Brazil, so my spectrum that ranges from shitty to pristine may be wider than someone that always lived in USA, Canada or Europe.
Yeah well, seems like the rest of the world doesn't have the highest average IQ. Western world actually support really dumb and actually mental ill people nowadays, maybe i will move to Japan...
Great video, both for information and production quality. As a U.S. driver in Tokyo for over 30 years, let me add a couple of points:
- rental cars
When you rent a car, they will give you a speech or make you sign some Japanese that says "If there's an accident of any kind, you need to get a police report.". The tricky thing that 'accident' is any kind of damage at all, even if you are alone and say scrape the bumper a bit in a tight parking space. No kidding, you need to go and get a police report. It sounds ridiculous, but it happened to me a long time ago. I brought back with a small scratch and they asked for the police report. Would not take the car back until I went back to the scene and got the police in. Contrary to police in the U.S. who have more heinous business to tend to, Japanese police will take it seriously as part of their job and not laugh at you. They almost never speak English, so hopefully find someone to help. Maybe they have telephone translation now, though from the police box (koban).
Also, even if you have the report and all is in order to be covered by insurance, you will likely still have to pay between 20,000-50,000 yen "non-use fee". This is also part of the speech.
If there is even the sightest possibility that you bumped someone on a narrow road, stop and make sure because if you continue on thinking "it was just nicking mirrors", you could be reported as a hit & run. This is from another real experience, thankfully not me, but a visitor.
- parking
The ticket machine you nicely showed also exists in Tokyo but they require that you input your license number before issuing the ticket.
You will see many cars parked in places along the street that are not parking spots. If there's not a white square on the ground, it's not a legal parking place. Strongly advise not trying to do like others because it's easy to get a ticket quickly and they cost 15,000 yen (~USD150). There used to be warning of chalk marks, but no more. There are teams of 2 people in green outfits who are private parking enforcement. It takes them a few minutes and if you can move before they attach the ticket, you are good, but they've speeded up their process recently.
Obviously, if you get such ticke on rental car, they will eventually put it on your credit card, probably with additional handling fee.
-navigation
As you mentioned, both in-built and Google are not reliable and can throw you off severely. Though Google seems to be getting better all the time.
Have the rental agency put the navigation into English mode and also ask them to program in the return point.
In general, allow an extra 30-50% time if there's a deadline of some sort. Getting lost is easy. In the city, due to so many streets with no grid and many one-ways. In the countryside on expressways, if you miss your exit, can be a ways to the next one.
Speaking of expressways, if planning a long trip, the tolls can be signficant, so research ahead if that's a factor.
Hope this helps.
Well written
I would not be able to drive in Japan on my own, I’d be too distracted by all the scenery that I’d probably drive straight into something 😂
Yeah same
Nothing wrong with pulling over to the side of the road every 15 minutes to take in the sights
I got my drivers license like...only a month and a half before going to japan. I got an international permit just days before I got on the plane.
I never thought i'd need it since I lived in tokyo.
Flash forward to 8 months later. My host family is going on a big trip out of the city to the countryside for golden week.
My host parents got into their friends' cars. My host siblings get into the back seats. My host grandma takes the shotgun and...
They give me the keys to their car. And said "navigation is on, just follow us and have the kids or grandma call if you have any trouble"
We lived 5 minutes from skytree.
Talk about a trial by fire.
We made it to Takasaki, Gunma alive. And I gotta tell you the onsen never felt better
Driving in japan gives me so much anxiety cuz of the size of the road lol
Living that weaboo dream
Fake news
"Gunma alive."
That's a brand new sentence if I had to tell ya lol
@@xLeidenFrost road=50% width of most vehicles
This channel is ridiculously good. Great job on the video; this has given me the final push to rent a car next time I visit the country.
What if you're blind? Yes, totally blind?
Being a daily youtube user from 2006 and having a vast amount of channels I've subbed, searched and viewed through I have to tell you - you are easily one of UA-cams best channels. Nothing but happiness to you and your family.
They definitely deserve more recognition! We love their channel, it's so educational.
If any of you viewers are considering driving in Japan, you don't have to be nervous about it.
Japanese drivers generally tend to be well mannered and considerate,
Giving way to each other is considered something we should all do. I guess it's a part of our Japanese custom to value mutual concessions.
You will often see drivers saying "thanks" to each other by turning on their hazard lights for a few seconds.
The downside of driving here is probably traffic congestion in cities which can be quite frustrating.
.. and no road rage
@Honeysuckle Blossom
I've seen what you described in some other parts of the world, so I know what you mean. 😖💦They're never the case in Japan. Ppl rarely beep the horn unless it's really necessary.
@Honeysuckle Blossom
Ahh, you're in the UK!
Been there many times (just London) and miss it.
Fortunately, I never had any annoying automobile experiences in the UK. 😉
Hi, what about owning and driving a motorcycle in Japan ?
Well in Jakarta and the rest of the country, traffic is really a huge problem. Millions of motorcycles and cars pass the street everyday, congestion everywhere, and people actually ride their bike in the sidewalk just to pass some meters of congestion (which almost nobody walks on). Horns everywhere, people ignoring traffic signs, even a lot of people going the wrong direction to save time (they don't really need to mostly they're just lazy) public transportation is lacking and the governor made a decision of selling very low cost cars so everyone can have one (as if there hasn't been too many already). And people just park at the sidewalk as they like, making pedestrians having to avoid them and walk on the actual street (and don't start making me talk about sideways, it's full of illegal food stalls).
my gosh japan is so beautiful and authentic, unbelievable
This video is fake.Everybody in Japan drives like Takumi Fujiwara and they listen eurobeat while driving
Deja-Vu!
@@koustav24das I think I've been in this place before...
@@97mizuno H I G H E R O N T H E S T R E E T
#dejavu!
@Photo Shop280 r/wooosh
Your videos are very well made; informative and entertaining and never annoying/snarky/or remotely otaku like so many other Japan vloggers.
Thank you for your efforts.
I live in Shizuoka-ken, and while I do own a car most of my transportation is by bicycle. I became a daily cyclist only after moving to Japan 10 years ago, and so much so that I now have 4 bikes for different types of riding. In my experience, the best way to see and interact with Japan is by bike. In the city you will discover places via bike that you would never know of if you were driving. Outside of the city you can explore small farming or coastal communities where you’ll meet some great people and find amazing local eateries. It’s also quite easy to throw your bike into a Rinko bag and hop on any train to explore another city or town. Another fun thing to do is tour Japan by bike - staying at minshuku is a great way to meet local people and experience a new place. There are 3 things that I can recommend that you experience by bike: pick one of your local rivers and ride along the bike path...you’ll be amazed at what you’re bound to see. Also, you should plan a 3-day ride around Biwa-ko with your kids and stay at the various minshuku that dot the lake. One really popular ride is the Shimanami Kaido...it’s spectacular.
Japan is one of the bike-friendliest places in the world, and riding a bike in Japan is the best way to experience this awesome place.
I'm a bike commuter in the Midwest US. What is cycling culture like where you originally come from? I did some reading on Japan and cycling and was surprised to learn that Tokyo has something like less than 50km of dedicated cycling infastructure. My little (in comparison to the largest city on Earth), sprawling midwestern city has more than that. But then again, Tokyo has a lot of small streets where pedestrians rule. So I would imagine cycling culture is pretty good and casual.
@@notthegoatseguy and then you have the Dutch version with 35.000 kilometres of dedicated bike roads.
Here the bicycle has become part of the culture more or less.
notthegoatseguy I believe that a statistic stating that Tokyo has only 50k of dedicated bike infrastructure is misleading, and could portray the city as not being bike-friendly when in fact that is far from the truth. Most paved riding surfaces that exclude motor vehicles are dual use; for pedestrians and cyclists, and are not dedicated cycling pathways. So the actual number of kilos for cycling is much greater. That being said riding on roads with cars is very safe and not really an issue here in Japan the way it can be in the U.S. I tend to ride on these paths or by way of smaller roads, avoiding the main arteries because it’s more scenic and more fun to do so. Also, I’ve found Japanese motorists to be quite conscientious about sharing the road with cyclists. If you’d like to watch some video on cycling in Japan I recommend that you visit two different UA-cam channels: search for “Cycle Around Japan” a series produced by NHK (it’s in English), or search for “Cycle Touring Japan” by this English dude named Waddo.
Wow, I really like this video. I am not going to be driving in Japan anytime soon but I love the editing and the overall production of this video. Everything from the cutting of scenes to how the information is presented ( such as the introduction of each topics and the music cues) is really well done. Of course you put your personality in it, making the video fun to watch. I had a great time watching and learning about driving in Japan :)
For me, filming is a type of art. One thing that kept me watching to the end were these amazing footage.
Greg does a great job with pacing! I also like the format where he drives a dialogue with Shin & Aiko, because it provides more vocal variety.
Everything in Japan speaks back to you.
When in Rome, do as the Romans do.
When in Tokyo, do Tokyo drift.
😂😂😂
When in Harlem...
Do the Harlem shake.
in the middle of Tokyo traffic? driving a K-car?
When in Russia, *dance in communism*
@@soliwaru6738 LOL AHHAHAAH
Uswatun Khasana I’m reporting as you’re spamming everywhere with the same comment. Sorry.
3:40 The white car just gave a "Thanks" horn.
I'm in India & driving here is stressful. Even if there are rules, nobody follows them. About the cleanliness, Just opposite of Japan.
@pervy sage Only that its not a race but nationality.
Braking rules in India is the most fav thing to do for everyone including you..😂
@@DHC04 That's why I talk about stressful driving.
@Kingshuk Monsur Abee gadhe..
Sirf Pakistan Or Bangladesh se hi compare kar India ko.. 😂
Ye nahi ki kisi achi country se compare kare..
@pervy sage race? Are u iliterate?
Hey, if you spot some place you think you know and want me to confirm, reply in a separate comment and for the next couple days I'll try and confirm. And also, what's driving like where you're from (or if you've been to Japan, in Japan!)
@@toy4tao he does youtube 😅
I live in San Diego and driving can be a nightmare with morning and afternoon rush hours. I went to Japan in April and didn't want to drive when I got back, the efficient trains spoiled me.
@@toy4tao He's a professional cameraman, and video editor. He is presently using his amazing talent to entertain us on YT.
Hello is the car you are driving is the best seller in India ...it's maruti Suzuki - swift
I live in Seattle but I visit my family in Hiroshima a lot. It’s such a contrast whenever I go to japan a drive there
maan, those roads pure silk, amazing quality
6:46 had me in tears. 😂 "Oh it's just a small tow- *drone pans up* ... Oh god..."
When I go, I intend of making use of my riding skills and renting a motorcycle.
I totally had the same reaction...XD
GPS... Japan don't use GPS much anymore. Now we have started using QZSS (Quasi-Zenith Satellite System)..
The names of those satellites are called "Michibiki. "Lead" means. If there are four satellites in the (quasi-Zenith), the error will be the accuracy of the 1cm class. It's a secret. If wife finds out, we'll be monitored.
QZSS is an augmentation system for the GPS system, it doesn't have enough satellites to operate on its own. It provides two primary benefits, the enhanced accuracy that you mentioned, but primary benefits comes from fact that the orbits are positioned so that at least one will be directly overhead at all times, so can reliably receive a signal within urban and mountainous environments where buildings and terrain may block signals.
The US has a similar system called the WAAS which the Japanese already have their own version of that called the MSAS but those are geostationary so they don't provide the orbital advantages that the QZSS has for the canyons. There are a number other GPS Augmentation systems covering other geographical areas and in some cases like specific users (John Deere has their augmentation system). Also modern GPS devices have the ability to combine navigation sources, like the GLONASS and Galileo.
Team Peg Leg
QZSS will be able to measure autonomously without GPS satellites, with seven machines in FY 2021. The basic 4-QZSS satellite system is operating from November 1, 2018. QZSS have useing GPS as an aid to the contrary
Positioning in GPS is basically compared to the plane coordinates, the error is large in the calculation accuracy of the altitude. In the route where the radio wave reaches from a GPS satellite to a GPS receiver, a delay of some wave propagation speed may occur due to the change of the radio wave characteristics in the ionosphere and troposphere. As a result, the reliability of one point in the space which should have been determined by the calculation is impaired. In some cases, GIS information needs to be used as an auxiliary tool.
It doesn't make sense to use GPS in this kind of thing.
You should try to run on the road Japan by car navigation system without using the auxiliary means such as GIS information by GPS
You can't help laughing
@@両角淳-x2l You do realize that GPS and QZSS operate on the same frequencies and are 100% interoperable? The only difference between the QZSS birds and the Flight IIF GPS birds is the addition of the 3cm signal as designed by the Europeans for the Galileo system. The US GPS constellation will be almost all Flight IIF or better birds within a decade.
Personally I am of the camp that says the more positioning satellites the better. The more birds in the air means the more signals my receiver can get, which means faster more accurate positioning.
Team Peg Leg
Galileo is quite excellent, but Galileo is useless in Japan, Southeast Asia, and Oceania
GPS is global, but with a small number, the distance between satellites is far. That is, the error is large
What would you do？
We have the technology to fire rockets on mobile devices. Before launch, there is also a rocket to check myself. Even with liquid fuel or solid fuel.
We have satellites by function.
QZSS Michibiki
The role of this satellite is the following three ((1) completion, (2) reinforcement, (3) message);
The list of services by QZSS Michibiki
①Satellite positioning Service
②Sub-meter class positioning reinforcement service
③Centimeter Class positioning Reinforcement Service
④Positioning Technology Demonstration Service
⑤Disaster and crisis management reporting service
⑥Satellite Safety Confirmation Service "Q-ANPI"
⑦Public-only Service
⑧SBAS Delivery Service ⑨Data provision Services
@@両角淳-x2l I'm not sure you understand how the new satellites and augmentation systems work. The orbital distance, nor the distance between satellites is not really the problem, it is the ionosphere and the signal propagation not always being the same across the world. With just the standard GPS signal there is no ability to correct for that, so they developed ground based augmentation systems that compare the civilian signal to the military signal and send correction signals, that is how WAAS, MSAS, and most other ground based augmentation systems work. Instead the GPS Flight IIF, QZSS, and Galileo birds allow for these corrections at the individual receiver level by transmitting a signals on other frequencies and comparing the two you can produce much more accurate picture.
As far as being useless in the Asia and Oceania, Galileo is a worldwide system. Yes it isn't optimized for Japan's terrain, but it is no more useless than GPS that the QZSS supplements. And Japan had GPS before QZSS, it just wasn't the best.
I love how neat Japanese cities are and how they blend with the sorrounding nature. The video make us feel that driving around is not only boring time spent to reach where you really want to go, but it's an amazing experience in itself. Great job Greg!
Greg, you've done it again. The beautiful weather enabled you to get those stunning aerial shots of a Japan. And, your down to earth personality and narrative style reveal a part of the country I have never seen or experienced.
some say it's mandatory by law to play 90's eurobeat when driving through japanese touge #dejavu
DÉJA VU
I'VE JUST BEEN IN THIS PLACE BEFORE
(HIGHER ON THE STREET!)
AND I KNOW IT'S MY TIME TO COME HOME
I don't always eat tofu, but when I do, I prefer Fujiwara
You know that Japanese invented synthpop and "90's" Eurobeat in the 80's right? Even the word Techno comes from YMO technodelic album, and the electronic music and beats influence was either seminal or direct (collaboration).
Was going to look at the comments for a Initial D reference, and it took me half a second. Lol
Me to Lol
No ones going to mention the blue Aventador just casually chilling at 18:26 ??
That was mildy infuriating
Just saw a gold one today and a mclaren lmao. its almost an every day thing here on the lively cities
If you're lucky you even get to see F50 and other assorted rares.
+GamingTV Where are you?
Not everyone is into flashy super cars. I'd rather have some 90's to mid 2000's Japanese cars over those Lambos and Ferraris.
I don't know about anyone else but it's so great to just see other parts of Japan in this format. Quite relaxing and you really get to see Japan in all its beauty. Great video.
I don't know if we stole it from Japan, but the US East coast definitely has those mirrored stations (we just call them all rest stops). In MD, PA, OH, IN, IL along the major tolled turnpikes they have very similar stations. In IL, actually they don't have mirrored rest stops, the rest stop is one glass bridge across the highway, accessible from each side.
Palmer Horst I was gonna say that we also have the here in FL
Lol please don't confuse Chicago with all of Illinois. Illinois is full of rest stops lol.
Also I don't know about your language but the mirrored service stations are along all the interstates not just the toll ways. Really ought to visit some of the rest of Illinois some day.
@@naseerahvj I've been all around IL, but the Oasis stops are one of the really unique aspects of IL rest stops. Of course there are other mirrored rest stops in IL and all around the US--the comment was just to say that "oh, cool., we have those here too."
TX had some amazing rest stops too. I remember being really surprised by the free coffee and wifi, along with other amenities when we crossed the border from NM on our way through to FL.
Guys if you plan to drive in Japan, make sure you apply for an international driving permit first, without one you won't be able to drive in Japan, well at least this is the case if you're from the UK.
Good advice! Also, there actually are a few countries where you're allowed to simply translate your own countries license into Japanese www.jaf.or.jp/e/translation/with.htm. It's only a few countries though, namely: Switzerland, Germany, France, Belgium, Monaco, Estonia and Taiwan.
@@LifeWhereImFrom It's also important to issue an international driving permit based on the Geneva Convention (1949).
I lived in Japan for 3 years and I had to drive for work. I got an International Driving Permit from AAA Travel Agency (don't remember how much it cost) in my hometown in the US before I went to Japan, and it was good for one year. Before it expired I had to take and pass the driving test in Japan. The thing that took me the longest to get use do was that the turn signal and the windshield wiper controls were opposite. -_-
How difficult/dangerous is it if you don’t know how to read Japanese?
@@kristiadamski I don't know if it's the same anywhere else, but here in Malaysia the cars don't have standard sides for the windshield wipers and turn signals. Changing a car can screw up your muscle memory D:
Thanks again Greg ;) Shout out to Toby! XD
Thanks for help Bobby!
@@LifeWhereImFrom twas good timez
Any footage of Japan is not boring man, keep those clips coming. You take great footage.
Reminds me of my driving in Taiwan. Take a wrong turn and you're screwed for 30 minutes, insane bridges, confusing interchanges, intersections with 10 different traffic signals, awesome rest stops (some with aquariums), thousands of scooters around you, playing chicken with tour buses in perfectly paved narrow mountain passes or with cars on narrow rice patty field roads. Thanks for the video.
I appreciate the conversion for the inferior imperial units.
It's 2018, not the 1700's.
I am metric
I'm in the US and paid attention in school, therefore I know both systems, it's not that difficult.
honestly he shouldve left it in km. He shouldnt spoonfeed us, we should be forced to either learn them or convert on our own. Were the odd ones out.
I appreciated the sarcastic comment in the upper left corner. :) The metric system is over 200 years old. I think it's time you guys took a look already and joined the rest of the world.
Some of the roads are like video games I've played. Stylised & futuristic
Props to whoever owns that blue Lamborghini Aventador in the background at 18:25...That car is so wide I'd imagine it'd be extremely nerve racking driving/parking it around the city.
He didn’t even notice lmao
I have been watching your videos since the day my aunt agreed for me to study and live with them in Tokyo. Your videos are really informative and helpful especially to people who are planning to move there. More power!
North America definital has Service Areas. They are at regular intervals along US Interstates
But they are never that fancy with restaurants and super clean restrooms lol
@@hardcyd3r Many have restaurants, and the restrooms within the restaurants are generally reasonably clean. It's just the standalone bathrooms at a gas station in the US that are hit or miss. They CAN be clean...or not. Although, if the toilets in Japan happen to be squat toilets, there is generally pee in places other than where it should be, too, so maybe not that different in the final analysis. Good thing about the squat toilet is that it doesn't matter as much where the pee is because at least you won't have to sit in it, no matter what happens.
@@hardcyd3r Definitely depends on the location. Living in CT for example, a service area on Rt.15 might only be a gas station/convenience store with a Dunkin or Subway inside. But on I-95 there are at least two sets of pretty amazing service areas. By amazing I mean clean and with at least 5+ places to eat, and plenty of seating.
Might be a dead comment now, but as someone who has done regular long road trips in america, I have experienced quite a few rest areas that are quite clean. On turnpike toll roads, it's common you'll find an oasis. While it doesn't have super fancy restaurants, the areas are maintained to a high quality and the toilets (in my experience) are quite clean.
With that being said, I've also been to a rest area in Maine which was literally just a porta potty and some parking.
@@hardcyd3r You should drive the Ohio/Indiana/Illinois turnpike if you get a chance. It's a toll road with an 80mph speed limit and service plazas a lot like the ones shown. I'm sure they exist on other express toll highways too! 😊
As an American that literally hates driving, you actually made driving look kind of fun. I’ll probably still stick to trains for my first visit, but maybe I’ll give driving a try on my second!
"This is tokyo drift"
" NO, This is "Osaka" drift" 🤣🤣Dead🤣🤣
20:02
@@TahitianBlissMeeBee yup khoooolll!!!
I wonder if you know... How to live in tokyo....
THAT'S how you make jokes!
ua-cam.com/video/qzh742Y22fE/v-deo.html
Tokyo drift is the worst movie ever and thats a fact
At 6:49 I instantly started screaming. City driving? I made that mistake once going into NYC. Never again!
Eeeek!
My skin crawls thinking of driving in Sydney.
I could never drive in New York.
Matando Do you mean driving in Manhattan? Staten Island is within NYC limits and driving here is like driving in the suburbs. 🤪
driving in nyc is not that bad. yall make it seem horrible lol
@@ace54084 Hehe.... I made the mistake of going to Rockefeller center in mid/late December. You can imagine how that went.
Thank the Gods you didn't do Houston or Dallas. Texas drivers will kill you, and wonder what the crumpling metal sound was.
Those are some of the cleanest, coolest looking tunnels I've ever seen.
beautiful, the most cleanest and organised country ive evr seen. thank you for this valuable information about driving in JAPAN
The United States has rest areas, which have vending machines, picnic areas, restrooms and sometimes walking trails. On roads like Florida's Turnpike you'll find the oasis/service plaza, which is a rest area with rest rooms, convenience stores, gas stations, restaurants and, oftentimes, a state trooper station.
Oh, neat! I don't think I've ever come across such a place in Canada, although I've only driven the Western half. I've only driven a few times in the U.S., but not on any toll highways that I can recall.
I'm from Vancouver and when I was younger we would drive to Hope to see family. There were a couple rest areas along the way. But it's just a small parking lot, picnic benches, and a dirty washroom.
We have those on the 401 in Ontario, Canada too. Absolute life saver on long trips.
Life Where I'm From we have them in Ontario along the 401!!
Lots of rest areas everywhere in Texas along the long stretches of highways, but the service area equivalent here would be the big gas stations with fast food, convenience stores, rest areas with showers, and usually a hotel or something across the street if you really want somewhere to sleep. That island though in the video is amazing though, nothing like that here!
What driving in Japan is like.
*DEJA VU!!*
I've just been in this place before
Higher on the street
And I know it's my time to *GO!*
I owned a car when I lived in Japan and Japanese drivers are generally courteous and the speeds a lot slower, even on the expressways. (I like the roadside stops in Japan a lot, btw). I came back to America and driving was scary! It's like a free-for-all where people ignore the rules, drive too fast, cut you off, and get aggressively angry.
Haha you haven't seen India.. there are no rules on the road, mere suggestions
You were lucky then. I came across some crazy drivers in Japan. I was always amazed at how late they turned on the turn signals, too. I lived in Shimane prefecture. :)
you are probly either from chicago or new york. :)
@@meghm2483 It happens all over, I've been to most states and most people are jerks on the highways...
@@thiruvalluvar3880 Don't do it bro. There are thousands of good things in India which you've to explore and suggest to people around the world.
In Italy we too have highways named AUTOSTRADA the limits here are around 130 km/ h Some go even faster !! And the electronic card is called telepass 😁.
Good and fun video as always ❤️❤️
Fun fact the highways in Poland are called autostrada as well, and the limit is 140 km/h. The electronic toll system is called e-toll and it's based on a phone app.
In the US, our highways are called Interstates. Fastest speed limit is 85mph or 135km/h in Texas.
In Michigan, the limit is 70-75mph (110-120km/h). However, most people go 80-95mph (130-150km/h) with some exceeding 100mph (160+) on emptier or city roads. The roads are underfunded (potholes are common), no speed cameras and there are very few manned speed checks.
The quality of this video is just *standing ovation*👏
Sick editing, dude. Love it. BTW there's a typo at 6:25 (NaviAgation). Keep up the good work, man!
Dang, there's always at least a typo. Thanks!
America has rest stops, same thing, some are more elaborate than others.. I've seen some very stocked rest stops with stations like this with all kinds of different food and vending and gifts to buy. So yeah, America has these PA/SA things (called rest stops), it's just that they are very mixed depending on where you are. But at the very basic, it's a place to park, rest, go to the bathroom, read some material about where you are and go to a vending machine.
I'd like to add, there are rest stops that are welcoming centers near the border of a state. Those are usually going to be the nicest ones, with tourist information and gift shops.
@@TriegaDN I saw a nice one in Ohio once, near Cleveland I think. The rest stops here in Ontario are also surprisingly nice.
In the Chicago area along the tollways we have large rest stops that are called Oases. They have gas stations, restaurants, coffee shops, gift shops, restrooms, etc.
JusticePlays Japan have some really interesting rest stops, I remember eating the seasonal special - venison curry in one of the SA alone Hokkaido’s hwy, the curry was quite delicious.
JusticePlays in Ontario we have ONroute , and they’re amazing, new and clean with lots to do
We have similar rest areas and service areas along some of the toll roads in the US. The Pennsylvania Turnpike, which runs across the southern part of the state from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh has many similar stops along the way. Though, the Japanese PAs and SAs look like they are much nicer.
We have rest stops in America. They usually have, at the very least, some grassy areas, bathrooms and a place to park if you need a break. Larger ones have restaurants, gift shops and maybe liquor stores (depending where you live they may position liquor stores along the state border so that out-of-staters can grab some booze before they leave, usually to avoid paying taxes in their home state)
In Soviet Russia car drives you
Oh God
Yea
In mother Russia*
Awesome video! I'm glad you kept the fan meet in there, made me smile.
Also, love your videos (all the ones I've binge watched). The quality is wonderful. The interaction engaging and informative. Overall, the show is well produced.
You are getting REALLY good at your videos!! So enjoyable and love the touch of humour! Greetings from Canada eh!
Come to India, Human beings, animals, vehicles, basically everything rule the road
This video makes me feel that driving in India is the shittiest one.. wish India wud become like this atleast in the next century.
Brahmadath Smampazhassery not the shittiest one but it is fun and unique experience too. looks like you haven't seen national highways and state highways in your lifetime in India
@@VamsiKrishnavamsshy :D
u r right.. as a person who travels between Bangalore and Cochin by road, yes I haven't seen NH or SH (rofl)
So you meant don't come to India 🤣🤣
India is nice I like it wish I lived there
The Japanese in car GPS systems are a lifesaver when navigating highways, they show you in advance which lane you need to be in when coming up to complex interchanges.
10:52 *Laughs in German 130 KM/H Richtgeschwindigkeit (Recommended Speed)*
*nigerians laugh in merkel*
Well it depends. Driving on the Autobahn leading through cities (as the case in the video) you usually have a speed limit of 80kmh too.
@Michael Baumgard well you don't have bullet trains do ya
Some cars like GTR unlocked the speed limiter on race track
@the silent killer No they dont. They have S-bahn in Munich that being late is considered normal and in winter it's even worse. Not fun at all.
13:44 you mentioned that you never seen a “PA” or “SA” concept in North America, but they are pretty much everywhere. Well from my experience in Mexico there are some nice ones and some horrible ones. similar to some Rest Areas like in USA.
But I have noticed that in USA there are more modern Rest Area for drivers. And the Truck Stops for the Truckers are nice since they are usually gas stations where they can park their truck and go take a shower, wash their dirty laundry, eat at a fast food restaurant (usually a Subway, McDonald’s, or Burger King that is near by the gas station) or take a nap when they park.
That tiny "Seriously, just go metric people" at 16:47 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
You had stated that you didn't see service stations or parking stations in North America. I just finished a two week trip traveling from California to Pennsylvania and back and took two different routes to see more of the United States. I used major highways and toll roads which both had opportunities for Parking Areas and Service Stations about every 50 to 100 miles or there about in every state I traveled through. The Parking areas usually only have restrooms and information about the area or state you are in and possibly some drink or snack machines. The Service Stations are about the same but most have gas stations, gift shops, fast food restaurants, snacks, restrooms, limited parking (as in length of time allowed to sit in a parking spot), and possibly information. As long as you stay on some of the larger major highways or more frequently traveled roads while traveling across the states, you will encounter the previously mentioned. Speeds have been mostly 70mph, unless road work, 55mph or slower. The speed did get up to 80mph while in Utah, but service stations were a lot less frequent the further you are from the major population centers. The scenery does change a lot more often than I think in Japan since the US does have more diversity in climates which does make your trip a lot more interesting, in my opinion. I am not going to touch driving in cities, since all Americans and/or tourists will state that it is likely the worst thing you can experience while in America.
Yeah, I should have said Canada instead of North America :-)
@@LifeWhereImFrom Ah, I wasn't sure if you meant Canada or the continent. My experience of Canada is Niagara Falls. However, I feel I was able to answer your question at the end of the video as well.
Life Where I'm From - Here in Ontario, we have this thing called ONRoute, which is basically a service station available every 30 or so kilometres.
That camera swoop "City driving"... just... *chef's kiss*
This is the longest skillshare commercial I ever watched. Great editing and good video shots, you are skilled at making youtube videos !
That's so cool, Greg! There's so much here to do in Japan. 😃👍
I grew up in Ohio, USA. the quick clip of pulling into Lawson brought back fond memories.. we no longer have Lawson stores here in the states. I believe they are only in Japan, Now.
Circle K convenience stores have the Lawson dips. I haven't tried them due to allergies but I have heard they are similar to the old style found at the Lawson stores.
Thank you very much for the small things you did just to show us, like spending money on unnecessary parking and washings :p Anyway, I appreciate your work a lot, thanks for sharing what like's like where you're from. By the way, I also follow (and enjoy) Micaela videos. :)
Don't know why whenever I see Japan vlogs whether it's food or house or whatever .. it just gives me the anime vibe and jus nostalgic.. beautiful country.. hoping to visit one day..👍👍👍
6:45 that is an amazing drone shot! 😍
ETC Card = E-ZPass.
Ours is called Smart Tag. The difference is that our Smart Tag have to be mounted on the inside under the front windscreen so the scanner have direct line of view when you pass under it. The ETC device seemed to be mounted under the dash board.
And I Pass
Ours is called EZ Tag
Multipass!
= Télépéage in France
18:29 that lambo tho 👀😂 great video as always 🙏
Canada Ontario has service areas on highways called On Route that includes a gas station, washrooms, small convenience store, decent selection of fast food restaurants, and free public WiFi. Usually have two service sandwiching the highway, sometimes are a couple of Km apart.
He really didn't show what the service are is like in Japan, so you may think it is similar to On Route. But it is nothing like it. Japanese service areas are more like a small shopping malls and they have way more different things compare to On Route.
The Unacknowledged Lamborghini cried itself to sleep at night.
I find it enlightening that I recognized every inch of the freeway you were on from racing games and anime. Between Wangan Midnight and Assetto Corsa, I could basically navigate that complex system like my hometown. That view when you just got into Osaka is the same as the first shot of the episode in Wangan Midnight when they go to Osaka.
Im not even old enough to drive a car, yet this was still very interesting and pleasing to watch!
"I only use my car to stock up on cheese and bacon"
We have something similar to PA's in the US. All of the ones I've been to usually have a large parking lot, restrooms, and lots of grass that you can walk around on. I live in the south so I'm not sure if they have it in other parts of the States. (14:00)
We do. All around the US there are rest stops; bathrooms and vending machines. There are a tooon of them. They came in handy when I was an over the road trucker :-)
@@78625amginE-- Also common in the NE. Having them in pairs on both sides of the highway seems the normal arrangement. It's probably cheaper than building an underpass.
I've seen rest stops that have restaurants and such in the US
This has to be one of the best videos I've ever seen. I had been to Japan last year and this thing brought back a lot of fascinating memories. Heartfelt thanks for the video!
elegant soundtrack! love it! :) And the screen texts effects you have been doin', especially with the ETC card disappearing under the shed. Hope we can visit Japan again soon.
11:59 "Six different roads."
*laughs in Houston, Texas freeway system*
Me: *laughs in Dublin, Ireland motorways*
Where i am from we have the AUTOBAHN!!!!!!!
No Twisties No fun
Aye Germany eh?
You don't have to get so exited about it
You're cool bro
Wow. Great.
driving in Japan is like having a touge battle every day with either an 86 or an rx7
Something cool when driving in Japan that took me a while to understand is this. Say you're driving along a road & someone wants to turn into the road you're on. They will often flash their hazard lights once to say thank you. Easy to miss. Also if you let someone merge in front of you. Doesn't happen in Oz, we usually give a wave.
Rain ❤️ was the only thing missing in the country side .
Rainfall +long drives + best friends+ free roads + good green landscape==❤️❤️🔥
I was expecting drifting and Eurobeat in full volume
Great video !! I hope to take a huge road trip in rural japan some time in the future !! Hi to Toby, I hope he enjoys his stay in Japan !
Rest stops are very common in America and Canada. Although, they aren't as good as Japanese ones.
Never seen a service plaza in North America? Florida's Turnpike has these every 30-50 miles. Restaurants, bathrooms, gift shops, gas stations, some repair services, and state trooper/highway patrol stations.
Poor Carlos G , he's already missing Japan . Seriously , gr8 vid man .Drone shots good . Tokyo is bewildering for a foreigner generally ; driving would be a nightmare even with the help of Google . But I agree with you , road travel beats everything else .
I'd love to rent a Toyota AE86 and drive on the Mt Haruna Tōge.
At Toyota car rental you can rent a gt86 (Subaru BRZ). They put up speed bumps along the road to the lake though. Lots of the roads used in Initial D are within a few hours drive from there. In fact, you can do Haruna, Akagi, Irohazaka, and Happogahara in about 5ish hours in one go. Happogahara looks like one of the most amazing roads Ive ever seen(from my limited google maps experience, lol). And from what I hear, it is always almost empty.
Here is the gps for the starting line, go north from here: 36.921877, 139.824520
There's a rental car service that lets you rent these types of cars in Japan.
Example: www.omoren.com/products/detail/25
Head south to Izu via Mazda sky road (Google search dikanyama sky lounge) and Izu Sunline it's an amazing drive
Be sure to carry a lot of tofu and a small cup of water filled to the brim!!!
We do have service areas in the US but not everywhere, you see them mostly on the highways people take when taking very long drives and not ones with closer spaced exits that everyone commutes on
I'm from Germany, but my goal is to move to Japan (once I made enough money for the rest of my life) ... so I decided to try and get used to driving at 100km/h (AFAIK the highest speed allowed in JP) and it's REALLY weird, since that's usually what I drive on countryside roads rather than our Autobahn.
Also, as the Lambo in Osaka reminded me of my taste in terms of cars (not as expensive, but comparable in terms of shape and practicality): How exactly would driving around JP work in such a car? I doubt something would get past on the narrow countryside road and it didn't look like something like that would fit in the carwash or the parking thing.
Well, I know that big and wide cars aren't the most practical. You have to choose your routes carefully. But on the right roads, I'm sure they'd be a pleasure to drive. Maybe there's some map network for trucks. Anything that trucks go one would probably be suitable.
People who can afford those can afford their own garages or renting space in suitable garages for sure. And plenty of roads can fit them. Guys in Gumball 3000 just drove around Japan in those cars recently.
probly try hummer. it would fit practically in those streets than lambo. :)
Hey Mike schonmal viel Erfolg bei deinem Ziel :D. Ich wollte aber fragen ob du schon einen längeren Aufenthalt in Japan hattest und daraufhin dir das zum Ziel gesetzt hast. Wenn nicht empfehle ich dir vllt vorher einen längeren Urlaub (am Besten homestay oder hostel die sind realitätsnäher als hotels was das alltagsleben angeht) zu machen. Leider ist es nämlich oft der Fall das es einem am ende doch nicht passt. Das bezieht sich natürlich nicht nur auf Japan.
Ich selbst habe 9 Monate Work and travel in Japan gemacht und fande es super habe aber auch leute kennengelernt denen das Leben in Japan nicht so gepasst hat. Daher die warnung.
Um geld zu sparen für so einen längeren urlaub kann ich WWOOF in Japan empfehlen da kann man für kost und Logis auf einer Farm arbeiten (natürlich auch so damit man noch zeit hat Japan für sich zu entdecken).
Oder Khaosan hostels wo man auch für nur wenige stunden in der Woche kostenlos Logis bekommt.
Yeah, I'm from Italy, here the speed limit is 130 but everybody goes at least 140 in the left (here left is fast) lane... And 80 is really what I drive to and from work on a country side road, when there's traffic...
Oh man, thank you for the laugh. Your timing of the epic music was perfect for the city driving section.
love the clear camera shots. nice quality! breathtaking!!
EDIT: also i appreciate you putting your camera gear in the description as well
Japanese rest stops are the best. Edit: I see a lot of comments about how the US have rest stops too. Yes they do. Some even have bathrooms with soap and a couple of vending machines. They don't hold a candle to Japanese rest stops. I don't think people understand the scale of these things. They are really large. Bathrooms can sometimes have 40 stalls for each sex. I went to a couple of rest stops that have a more elite bathroom on the second deck that had chandeliers and automatically lid raising toilets. The more basic rest stops have a small gift shop and food court with 2-4 shops. The bigger ones are basically malls with multiple sit down restaurants. Not to mention some have scenic view points and some have onsen foot baths. I feel incredibly guilty every time I go to one and think of the poor Japanese tourists visiting the US and stopping at one of our rest stops that don't even have bathroom stalls without great big gaping gap in the doors.
Japanese rest stops are awesome. North American rest stops are usually just some town the highway is passing through, if lucky. Otherwise it might be a vending machine or gas station convenience store, some picnic tables, and a disgusting bathroom.
They have no idea. The rest stops in Japan are way better than US rest stops.
I have to say being from the United States and being an exchange student to Japan, people making the comments about rest stops in North America have never visited Japan, the Japanese people takes it to the next level they put a special Japanese twist to that thing they do to make it EXTRA.
Asiacheetah i like the toilets, theyre weird at first but its hard nowadays to go without a warm furry toilet seat, the flushing noise if you feel anxious and the bidet.
You may have not been to the good ones in the US, but they are virtually identical to Japanese ones in parts of the mid-west like Pennsylvania and Ohio. You're probably thinking of rest stops as opposed to service areas. We have both in the US and they are very different. Multiple restaurants in a food court style setting, usually a starbucks or other coffee shop, cinnabon, bathrooms, vending machines, gas stations, some even have book stores and the like.
Definitely will rent Toyota AE86, cruising mt Haruna with full speed with eurobeat song as a background.
Hey man! just want to say keep making videos! I'm loving it!
How is it possible everything looks so clean and beautiful. Crazy. Great video
There was a time when I was travelling in Japan, I had a road trip with my family. We started out from Kyoto and visited multiple places including Gero, Takayama, Shirakawa, Kanazawa, Nagoya and Kobe before returning back to Kyoto. Driving thorough places where trains do not got to was really amazing and beautiful. It was an exciting new experience and would definitely do it again!