PARKING

Parking is at a premium throughout Japan. Many homes do not have any parking options available. The places that do tack on $60-$100+ extra. In many cases, there won't be any parking offered at an apartment so you have to find off-site parking at a private offering (for example, here at the condo where I'm temporarily staying, there is no parking offered, so they rent a space about 2 blocks away).

Pile 'em up - Take advantage of all space available

Stack 'em higher

Street parking meter

Space is at such a premium that even bicycles, which are a very common form of transportation, for all ages, need to conserve parking space.

Bike Parking

Even more bike parking

One thing I don't like about the abundance of bicycles here is that they usually ride on the sidewalk and very rarely do any have a bell. I've only been here a short time but already, both I and my wife, have had multiple 'close encounters' with a bike coming up behind us and quickly passing very closely without any warning. Often, at the last moment you hear something, you don't know what it is so you turn towards the sound, nearly into the path of the biker.

Silent and deadly(?)

DANGER!

They lurk around every corner

Everywhere you look you see them