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Speed sutras and taxi-riding geisha preserve Kyoto’s traditions through scorching hot weather

Elliot Hale
Oct 6, 2025
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Even weeks of record heat won’t keep Kyoto from carrying on its cherished rituals.

Japan
(COK • cool • cultural traditions • culture • geisha • Gion • Hassaku • Kamo River • Kyoto • maiko • Nishi Honganji temple • Noryo Yuka • summer • summer heat • sutra • taxi • tradition)

Hey, Japanese taxi driver! Take us to the best sakura site in Yamanashi Prefecture!

Oona McGee
Apr 18, 2025

Local tip-off takes us to a hanami cherry blossom viewing site that’s yet to be discovered by overseas tourists.

Japan
(cherry blossoms • COK • flower viewing • hanami • Hey Japanese taxi driver • hidden gems • off the beaten path • off the beaten track • peach blossoms • sakura • SNJO • spring • taxi • taxis • tourist sites • travel • Yamanashi • Yamanashi Prefecture)

Tokyo’s new historical taxi service is an experience fit for a noble

Elliot Hale
Feb 15, 2025

Taxi company makes the dream of being chauffeured around by a Heian-era aristocrat a reality.

Japan
(crazy • hachioji • Japanese taxis • kuge • kuge taxi • Sanwa Kotsu • Sanwa Koutsu • taxi • Tokyo • transportation • weird)

“Hey, Japanese taxi driver! Take us to the best restaurant in Sendai!”

Oona McGee
Jan 19, 2024

Spur-of-the-moment adventure leads to a surprising meal and a driver that becomes a new friend.

Japan
(beef • COK • food • gyutan • Hey Japanese taxi driver • Ikuna Kamezawa • Japanese food • restaurants • Sendai • SNJO • taxi • travel)

Now you can request a Tesla when you Uber in Japan with their new Premium EV option

Dale Roll
Dec 3, 2023

Travel in luxury in the Tokyo area with this new Uber feature!

Japan
(eco-friendly • taxi • Tesla • Tokyo • travel • Uber)

Hey, Japanese taxi driver! Take us to a good non-Hiroshima-y restaurant in Hiroshima

Casey Baseel
Nov 15, 2023

Skipping Hiroshima’s most famous food brought us to a place that both is and isn’t representative of the city.

Japan
(COK • food • Hey Japanese taxi driver • Hiroshima • musubi • Noodles • okonomiyaki • onigiri • P.K. Sanjun • restaurants • rice balls • SNJO • taxi • travel • udon)

City in Nagano offers super cheap taxi fares to seniors who give up licenses and disabled people

Master Blaster
May 8, 2023

Ina City makes senior drivers an offer they can’t refuse.

Japan
(accessibility • Driver's Graduation Certificate • driver's license • driving • Ina • Nagano • public transportation • taxi)

Not in the mood for small talk? Japanese taxis add Silent Mode service, activated with finger tap

Casey Baseel
Feb 9, 2023

Sanwa Kotsu recognizes that not everyone who wants a ride wants a conversation too.

Japan
(clever • COK • cool • Sanwa Kotsu • Sanwa Koutsu • taxi • travel • Turtle Taxi)

Japanese college student admits he robbed taxi driver, denies in court that he was rude about it

Casey Baseel
Jan 16, 2023

Suspect speaks up at trial to correct misquote that made him sound like a jerk while he was taking cabbie’s money.

Japan
(COK • crazy • crime • etiquette • manners • robber • taxi • weird)

Late night? Get a free ride home in a taxi designed for napping

Dale Roll
Sep 1, 2021

Aromatherapy…a free eye mask…soothing music…a relaxing drink. This could be the best way to get home!

Japan
(Chill Out • free • late night • nap • nap taxi • relaxation • sleep • taxi • Tokyo)

Japanese taxi company offers service to visit family graves for those who can’t travel themselves

Katy Kelly
Aug 18, 2020

Send a taxi driver to your family’s resting place, but it costs extra to leave flowers.

Japan
(Aichi Prefecture • business • family • graves • Obon • religion • spirituality • taxi • taxi company)

Cruise Tokyo in comfort for free with Suumo’s cozy taxis, hang out with their fluffy mascot

Katy Kelly
Feb 20, 2020

There are only three of these adorable verdant vehicles out on the streets — flag one down if you get the chance!

Japan
(cute • Green • kotatsu • marimo • Suumo • taxi • taxi service • Tokyo • travel)

Single “haunted taxi” cruising the streets of Osaka until the end of August

Master Blaster
Aug 28, 2019

It’s like a haunted house on wheels, except you can’t choose when to ride the ESP Taxi. It chooses you.

Japan
(crazy • ESP Taxi • ghosts • haunted • Milight Taxi • Osaka • scary • summer • taxi • taxis • weird)

Nissin collaborates with taxi app to introduce “Donbei Cabs”, offers users free rides this month

Koh Ruide
Dec 10, 2018

Reserve these cute cabs to pick you up from select areas for a free ride to any of the 23 wards of Tokyo.

Japan
(cab • campaign • Donbei • free • instant noodles • Nissin • promotion • taxi)

Luxurious Sleeping Beauty Taxi service awaits all princesses in Tokyo

Krista Rogers
May 24, 2018

When you get that urge to pamper yourself like a princess while traversing the big city.

Japan
(Nescafe • Nihon Kotsu • Sleeping Beauty • taxi • Tokyo)

Lone Tokyo cab driver offering passengers his personal thesis on latest Godzilla movie

Master Blaster
Nov 1, 2017

And in doing so becomes a legend.

Japan
(Godzilla • Godzilla Resurgence • movie review • Shin Godzilla • taxi • Tokyo)

Hyogo man robs taxi driver, driver buys man dinner, man turns self in to police

Master Blaster
Mar 22, 2017

When threatened to hand over his cash, this driver gave some advice instead.

Japan
(crime • Himeji • Hyogo • robbery • taxi)

Tokyo taxi company to release smartphone app with battling princesses

Master Blaster
Dec 24, 2016

Gojyo Taxi is hoping that the ability to evolve pig-tailed magic girls in their cars will boost usage, and “hope” is a wonderful thing.

Japan
(Gojo World • Gojyo Taxi • moe • smartphone • taxi • Tokyo • video games)

Tokyo making big changes to taxi service and fares, looking for a few “testy” drivers

Master Blaster
Aug 8, 2016

With the Olympic Games looming, the government and Tokyo taxi companies are looking at ways to overhaul how they charge and to become a little more English-friendly.

Japan
(2020 Olympic Games • fare • taxi • Tokyo • travel)

Japanese Twitter user reveals why taxi drivers flock to Big Sight during Comiket

Preston Phro
Aug 19, 2015

Comiket 88 is over now, sadly enough, but the Internet is still awash in the afterglow of dojinshi and cosplay. Of course, everyone is already looking forward to the next event this winter, from cosplayers to artists to taxi drivers.

Yes, you read that right, it seems that fans and artists aren’t the only ones who love Comiket! Apparently the massive event draws taxi drivers from all over Tokyo because it’s the best place to make money, according to one tweet that captured a ton of attention in Japan last weekend.