TsukuBlog

Inspired by Shaney’s post about the Seikan tunnel, I posted a travel suggestion regarding the Seikan tunnel in a comment.
See my comment in the above link.

In response to rapidly increasing social demands to restrict smoking, East Japan Railway Company (JR East) has decided to make all Shinkansen trains and Limited Express trains operating only within JR East territory entirely no-smoking. With this change, additional smoking rooms will be provided on the platforms at major Shinkansen stations and conventional line stations where Limited Express trains stop.

Read the English press release from June 6, 2006.

In the press release, it says that this new rule is to take effect “in Spring 2007″. This Japanese press release says that the date was set for March 18, 2007.

I wonder if they will be doing anything to get the stinky smell out of the smoking cars or if they will just wait until they need to be replaced.

In response to a request from Shaney in a comment on a post about the Ken-oh-dou, I made a kmz file for Google Earth about an empirically-determined faster route from Tsukuba to Narita Airport.

My experience shows that this route has less traffic and fewer signals and it is easier to speed. It takes approximately 45-60 minutes to get to Narita on this route.

Download a kmz file for Google Earth

You can enjoy a tour of the route by clicking on “Tools” > “Play tour”.

The trick is to minimize your time on Route 408 as much as possible. The above route follows Route 408 after entering Chiba Prefecture, but I believe this part can be improved. Once I encountered a very slow, huge trailer three cars ahead of me carrying a very big part of something. It almost made me late for my flight that time.

I welcome other recommendations, impressions, and feedback. Let’s develop a faster route to Narita!

Tsukuba is having a rare snow day today. Since it doesn’t snow a lot in this area of Japan, a little bit of snow can make it difficult to get anywhere. Trains are often delayed or stopped and buses sometimes can’t run in the snow. If you are planning a trip and you want to know how the weather is going to affect your journey, please check the following pages. The pages are in Japanese, but when something is wrong, it is usually written in red (or bold or something) so you should at least be able to tell whether your chances of making it to your destination are good or bad without being able to read the page.

• Tsukuba Express
  If everything is ok, it will say 「平常通り運行しております」.
• Tokyo Metro
  If everything is okay, it will say 「現在、平常どおり運転しています」. If there is something wrong, it will be written in red. The lines are written in this order: Ginza, Marunouchi, Hibiya, Tozai, Chiyoda, Yurakucho, Hanzomon, Nanboku. 一部直通運転中止 means some trains are not running.
• JR East
  • Tohoku Area
  • Kanto Area (Tsukuba is in this area)
  • Shinetsu Area
  • Shinkansen
  • Long-Distance Buses

  If everything is okay, it will say 「現在、平常通り運転しています。」. Possible problems: 遅延 = delayed, 運転見合わせ = waiting for a decision, 一部運休 = some trains are not running, 運休 = trains are not running

The University, the City, and the Police Department will be holding bike light education events on November 5, 8, and 9 from 6pm to 7pm on the University of Tsukuba campus.

November 5: Around Area 1 (in front of the student plaza)
November 8: In front of Hirasuna dorms
November 9: In front of Ichinoya dorms

The purpose of these events is to educate people about using bicycle lights at night. People will be handing out flyers and calling out to cyclists with megaphones.

Here is a quick hint sent in by a Tsukuban who had car trouble today:

My battery died today and I needed a boost. I don’t have any jumper cables in my car, so I thought I would try going to a gas station to see if they could lend me a set. I went to the Eneos just across from Andersen and they were able to lend me the cables for a 2000 yen deposit plus some ID. When I returned the cables, I got my ID and deposit back.

So, if you are ever in the same situation, try to get yourself to the closest gas station to see if you can borrow the cables. Or, if you can’t find a gas station, call your insurance provider to find out if you have road-side assistance as part of your coverage. Finally, if you have 4000 yen to spare, consider joining the Japan Automobile Federation (JAF), so you will always have someone to call when you run into problems like this.

There used to be an official English schedule for the Tsukuba to Narita Airport bus on the Kantetsu website, but it seems to have been removed. A kind person in Tsukuba (Yuka) has translated the schedule for us.

Tsukuba to Narita Airport Bus Schedule

Tsukuba to Narita Airport Bus Schedule (after November 20, 2008)

Please keep in mind that the bus schedule is subject to change, so keep an eye on the Japanese page for the updated schedules.

Now this is the kind of sign I like to see in Tsukuba!

The sign is prominently displayed in the window of Motoshop Wildcats, a motorcycle shop in the north of Tsukuba. The shop’s owner is Osamu, an expert in all things related to motorcycles — and more than happy to serve his customers in fluent English!

The shop is located at Ozone 114-4. Take Nishi Odori north all the way to where it meets Higashi Odori (McDonald’s will be on your right). Keep going north for about a minute or two. You will see the shop on your left.

Osamu’s shop sells motorcycles and scooters. Also, one of my friends says that he is an excellent mechanic and that he can help people get their vehicles insured.

I think it is really important for the international community in Tsukuba to support businesses that welcome foreign clients. Feel free to give him a call at 029-864-7233 if you are thinking of buying a motorcycle or scooter, or if you need some advice about the one you already own.

If you are thinking about buying a new car, you might want to consider asking a dealer to attend a car auction on your behalf. Car auctions happen every day of the week except Sunday all over the country. They are only open to dealers, but local used car dealers may agree to attend the auction on your behalf if you give them specific guidelines of what you are looking for and how much you are willing to pay.

The closest car auction to Tsukuba is called “Car Auction Tsukuba” (CAT) and it is held in Tsuchiura (Nakamura Nishine 1111) on Fridays. (It’s quite common for events and sites in places around Tsukuba (but not actually in Tsukuba) to use the Tsukuba name, I guess because it is well-known and has good associations.)

Read more about car auctions.

I have never bought a car this way, so I can’t offer any advice. I wonder if any Tsukuba residents might be able to tell us about their experiences?

Some changes have been been made to the Traffic Law which will come into effect on June 1, 2008. Here is an overview of the changes (from what I understand).

1. Changes to the rules regarding bicycles driving on the sidewalk

You may ride your bicycle on the sidewalk under the following conditions.
- If there is a sign that specifically permits riding bicycles on the sidewalk.
- If you are under 13 or over 70 years of age.
- When you have to because of road or traffic conditions.

Cyclists must ride slowly on the part of the sidewalk that is designated for bicycles. However, if there are no pedestrians on the part of the sidewalk that is designated for bicycles, or if there are no pedestrians who are trying to walk on that part of the sidewalk, then cyclists can go at a safe speed using proper and safe riding techniques. Pedestrians must also make an effort to avoid the part of the sidewalk that is designated for bicycles.

2. Children must wear helmets when riding bicycles or when being carried on a bicycle that is being driven by someone else.

3. All passengers must wear seatbelts, including those in the back seat. If the driver or any of the passengers are not wearing a seatbelt in a car that is driving on the toll highways, the driver will be punished.

4. Elderly drivers (above 75 years of age) must display an “elderly driver” mark on their cars. People between the ages of 70 to 75 years of age “should” display the mark. (The elderly driver symbol is in the shape of a tear drop. It is cut down the middle and the left half is orange and the right half is yellow.)

5. People who are hard of hearing are now able to get a driver’s license if they use a special wide mirror. They must display a “hard of hearing mark” on their cars. Other drivers are forbidden from cutting off or aggressively passing cars with such marks. (The “hard of hearing” symbol is a green circle with a yellow butterfly inside.)

More Information

• Ibaraki Prefectural Police Website (Japanese)
• Topics on Traffic and Safety on the Police Website (Japanese)
• Amendments to Traffic Laws (Effective June 2008, Japanese)
• Amendments to Traffic Laws (Effective September 2007, English)
• Basic Traffic Safety Instructions (English)

The latest Tsukuba City Hall Newsletter notes that there have been some recent changes to traffic law within Japan. These laws affect drivers of cars and bicycles, and also passengers in cars, so please read through them carefully.

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Several traffic laws changed on June 20, 2007 and will come into force within a certain amount of time after that date. For example, it will soon be mandatory for people to wear seatbelts in the back seats of cars, and fines and imprisonment terms for drunk drivers and people who do not stop drunk drivers from driving will be stiffened.

1. Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol

(These laws come into effect within three months of June 20.)

a. Rules Affecting the Driver

Drunk Driving
Old Law: Penalty of less than three years imprisonment or less than 500,000 yen fine
New Law: Penalty of less than five years imprisonment or less than 1,000,000 yen fine

Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol
Old Law: Penalty of less than one year imprisonment or less than 300,000 yen fine
New Law: Penalty of less than three years imprisonment or less than 500,000 yen fine

Refusing Breathalyser Test
Old Law: Penalty of less than 300,000 yen fine
New Law: Penalty of less than three years imprisonment or less than 500,000 yen fine

b. Rules Affecting Accomplices to the Driver

Providing a Vehicle to Someone who Could be Under the Influence of Alcohol
Old Law: None
New Law: In the case of a drunk driver: Penalty of less than five years imprisonment or less than 1,000,000 yen fine
In the case of a driver under the influence of alcohol: Penalty of less than three years imprisonment or less than 500,000 yen fine

Providing Alcohol to Someone who is Likely to Drive
Old Law: None
New Law: In the case of a drunk driver: Penalty of less than three years imprisonment or less than 500,000 yen fine
In the case of a driver under the influence of alcohol: Penalty of less than two years imprisonment or less than 300,000 yen fine

Asking or Requesting Someone who is Known to be Under the Influence of Alcohol to Drive and Accompanying Him/Her in the Car
Old Law: None
New Law: In the case of a drunk driver: Penalty of less than three years imprisonment or less than 500,000 yen fine
In the case of a driver under the influence of alcohol: Penalty of less than two years imprisonment or less than 300,000 yen fine

c. Rules About Hit and Run

Old Law: Penalty of less than five years imprisonment or less than 500,000 yen fine
New Law: Penalty of less than ten years imprisonment or less than 1,000,000 yen fine

2. Laws Regarding Elderly Drivers

(These laws come into effect within one or two years of June 20.)

Drivers over 75 must take a test within six months prior to the expiry date of their license. (Comes into effect within two years.)

Drivers over 75 must display an “elderly driver” sign on their cars. Other drivers must not interfere with vehicles displaying such marks. (Comes into effect within one year.)

3. Laws Regarding Cyclists

(These laws come into effect within one year of June 20.)

In addition to sidewalks that are designated as open to bicycles, other sidewalks can be used by cyclists who are too young to use the road or who are forced to use the sidewalk because of road conditions.

Children must be told to wear helmets when riding bicycles.

4. Laws to Reduce Injuries

(These laws come into effect within one year of June 20.)

Drivers must ensure that passengers in the back seat use seat belts.

Sources: 広報つくば平成１９年８月１５日号：p4、茨城県警察：道路交通法一部改正

Q: Is gasoline really cheaper on the expressways?

A: Sometimes.

There is a maximum gas price that is set once a month and the gas stations on the expressways (like Joban Expressway) do not increase their prices at all during a particular month. The maximum price is set by the Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry (METI) at the end of the previous month. You can see the price on this site. The reason for this is that the number of gas stations on the expressways is extremely limited, so drivers do not have a choice of which station to use when they need to fill up their tanks. If the gas stations could set their own prices, it would be possible for them to set unreasonable prices and the consumers wouldn’t be able to do anything about it, since the next station might be 100km ahead. (Also, cars that run out of gas often cause accidents, so it is better not to encourage drivers to shop around for the best price.)

So, this means that if gas prices went up this month as compared to last month, you might be able to get cheaper gas on the expressway than on the regular roads. However, the opposite is also true: if gas prices went down this month, the gas on the expressway will be more expensive.

The prices for regular gas in November and December were 140 yen and 136 yen respectively.

(Note that this only applies to gas stations on the expressways. Regular gas stations do not have to follow this rule.)

Source: Japan Automobile Federation (JAF) Magazine, November 2006

I found this information in the “Plaza” magazine that gets delivered to homes in Tsukuba for free. I thought this might help people make plans for Golden Week.

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Kanto Tetsudo Bus and JR Bus Kanto (I am not sure if they intentionally made these names to confuse people) operate a joint bus route between Tsukuba and Tokyo. The tickets are usually 1150 yen, but from April 26, 2007 to March 31, 2008 you can buy 3 tickets to Tokyo for 1900 yen, which comes out to 633 yen per ticket. However, please note that these tickets can only be used for the trip to Tokyo and cannot be used on the way back from Tokyo to Tsukuba.

This tickets are on sale at the Tsukuba bus terminal, but they can also be purchased on board the bus. You cannot buy them at Tokyo Station.

The schedule is available here:
http://www.kantetsu.co.jp/bus/highway/center/center_jikoku.pdf

The first schedule is for the trip from Tsukuba to Tokyo (上り=nobori=going up).

Stops:
University of Tsukuba (筑波大学=tsukuba daigaku)
University of Tsukuba Hall (大学会館=daigaku kaikan)
University of Tsukuba Hospital (筑波大学病院=tsukuba daigaku byoin)
Tsukuba Center (つくばセンター)
Takezono 2-chome (竹園二丁目=takezono nichome)
Sengen 1-chome (千現一丁目=sengen itchome)
Namiki 1-chome (並木一丁目=namiki itchome)
Namiki 2-chome (並木二丁目=namiki nichome)
Namiki Ohashi (並木大橋=namiki ohashi)
Shimo Hirooka (下広岡)
(The above stops are all in Tsukuba)
Ueno Station (上野駅=ueno eki)
Tokyo Station (東京駅=tokyo eki)

On holidays, the bus does not stop at Ueno, so the last column in the first schedule shows what time you can expect to arrive at Tsukuba Station on holidays.

The second schedule is for the trip from Tokyo to Tsukuba (下り=kudari=going down). The bus leaves from Tokyo Station, then goes to Shimo Hirooka (which is in Tsukuba), Namiki Ohashi, Namiki 2-chome, Namiki 1-chome, Sengen 1-chome, Takezono 2-chome, Tsukuba Center, University of Tsukuba Hospital, University of Tsukuba Hall, and the final stop, University of Tsukuba. (This bus never stops at Ueno Station.)

“Nobori” and “kudari” are used to describe the direction that trains are travelling relative to Tokyo. Trains that are heading towards Tokyo are 上り and trains that are heading away from Tokyo are 下り. There are some exceptions, and there are other ways of labelling train lines (e.g. 北行=kita yuki=northbound, 南行=minami yuki=southbound), but often trains that travel on routes that end up outside of Tokyo are labelled like this.

Happy travels!

Tsukuba City will seize on its 20th anniversary and introduce “English” license plates for small-sized special motor vehicles* and mopeds starting November 30. The City hopes to boost its image as an “international city,” and hopes that the new license plates will also contribute to local revitalization and local tourism. The new license plate is not mandatory, so you can keep using the current one.
*The vehicles with engine displacement less than 125cc and special vehicles such as farm machinery.

Here’s what the new license plate will look like (screen shot of the city website):

You can apply at Tsukuba, Taiho, Sakura, Toyosato, Kukizaki and Yatabe Offices (or you can download this page here).

Download the list of things you need to bring to the city hall when applying for the new license plate here.

By the way, Narita City started issuing the E-license plates for mopeds last November, so some people criticize the Tsukuba City for “trying to be Narita and trying to just ‘look’ like an international city.” Some people, on the other hand, pointed out that “Tsukuba” on a license plate will remind them of “Tsu**ya,” a book store we all know, or “Tsubak*” a very popular shampoo name. LOL

This message was posted by Sven in TAIRA.

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The Japan Automobile Research Institute will have an open day, with two full scale car crash tests viewable by the public.

If you are interested in finding out how a car crash test is setup and performed, here are the details:

Thursday April 19, 11am.
Side impact collision
Car 1: 22km/hr, 3 occupant dummies
Car 2: 40km/hr, 4 occupant dummies.

Thursday April 19, 2pm.
Front to front offset collision
Car 1: 0km/hr, 2 occupant dummies
Car 2: 60km/hr, 2 occupant dummies.

In order to see the test, please arrive AT LEAST 30 mins beforehand.

JARI is located along Tsuchiura Gakuen road, about 2km west of Tsukuba Center. There is also an entrance from Kenkyuu Gakuen Station on the Tsukuba express line.

See also…
Map
JARI Website (in Japanese)

This information is from Sven.

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The Japan Automobile Research Institute (JARI) will have its open days this Friday and Saturday. On both days there will be two full scale car crash tests (lots of damage), two sled tests (cute baby dummies in a child seat), and two leg impactor tests (a cheap car-shaped-object hitting an expensive and squishy leg-shaped-object). There’s also a bunch of other exhibitions showcasing various car-related research done in JARI (driving simulators, electric and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, etc), including things to keep kids amused.

The child seat sled tests are at 10.15am and 1pm each day. A full schedule of the full scale car crashes are as follows:

FRIDAY:
10.30am - Car [50km/hr] vs. Rigid Wall [0km/hr] Crash Test
2.30pm - Car [30km/hr] vs. Bicycle (with dummy rider) [15km/hr] Crash Test

SATURDAY:
10.30am - Car [30km/hr] vs. Bicycle (with dummy rider) [15km/hr] Crash Test
2.30pm - Car [50km/hr] vs. Rigid Wall [0km/hr] Crash Test

In order to see the test, please arrive at the times given above, as the tests begin shortly afterwards. After the tests you can inspect the damage and view the tests in slow-motion on the high-speed video
cameras.

JARI is located along Tsuchiura Gakuen road, about 2km west of Tsukuba Center. There is also an entrance from Kenkyuu Gakuen Station on the Tsukuba express line. (map)

More instructions (in Japanese) on the JARI website.

Pasmo, a card that you can use to travel on trains and buses in Japan, debuted on March 18 of this year. I tried out the card for the first time on Saturday, and I can say that I am quite pleased with the results.

Pasmo works seamlessly with the Suica network, so you can use this one card to take the Tsukuba Express, any JR trains, the subway, and even (I assume) the bus from Tsukuba to Tokyo. (I’m not sure of the situation with intra- and inter-city buses in Tsukuba. Can any of our readers confirm whether they have been able to use Pasmo on buses in the city?)

You can buy the card with a 500 yen deposit at ticket vending machines along the Tsukuba Express line (and presumably elsewhere). You can embed your name in the card (meaning that only you can use it, and you may be able to get it back if you lose it) or just leave it blank. You can put money on the card at the same vending machines. The machine that I used had English instructions, and the procedure is fairly straightforward.

If you really want to make things easy for yourself, you can associate your Pasmo card with a credit card, so that 3000 yen will be added to the card every time it gets below 2000 yen. This means that you wouldn’t even have to wait in line to add more money to the card. Very convenient!

It is definitely worth getting one of these cards in my opinion because it decreases the amount of time that you have to fiddle with little tickets and it makes your travel go a lot more smoothly. It is especially helpful when you are trying to catch a train at the last minute and don’t have enough time to wait in the line for a ticket. You can even keep the card in your wallet and just slide your wallet across the panel, so you don’t have to go fishing about for the card.

I don’t travel to Tokyo very often, but whenever I have gone in the past, I have been jealous of the people who have Suica cards, since they don’t have to wait in any lines or look up the fares before they board the train. I am glad that that level of convenience has finally spread to Tsukuba.

With the installment of a new system recently (please see “Watch where you park!“), it has become even harder to find a place to park around Tsukuba Station. Those who didn’t want to get ticketed but still didn’t want to pay for the parking have flocked to the area businesses with parking lots during Matsuri Tsukuba last week. It wasn’t hard to see this coming, but Dayz Town, a shopping mall near the station has started charging for its parking spaces. You can still park free in their multistory parking garage, but you’ll be charged 100yen per hour or 2000yen per day if you park directly in front of the store. You’ll get a couple of hours of free parking if you make a purchase there.

Most of the parking facilities around Tsukuba Station are run by Tsukuba Urban Transportation Center or TUTC, and they are all open 24 hours. You can look at the map of their parking facilities here. The orange spot on the map is the TX Tsukuba Station, if you can’t read Japanese. Parking fee is 220 yen for the first hour and 110yen for additional 30 minutes. Fees for people who park for over 10 hours and up to 24 hours is 2200yen, so it’s quite expensive. There are a couple of parking facilities run by private companies that charge only 1000yen a day, but they are still very expensive compared to other parking lots near other Tsukuba area TX stations.

Parking facilities around Kenkyu Gakuen and Banpaku Kinen Koen Stations, for example, charge anywhere from 300yen to 600yen a day. So parking near those stations may be able to save you lots of money if you are heading to Tokyo from Tsukuba, for example.

One of the solutions to all these parking hassles would be the improvement of the other public transportation system, yes, the buses. Kanto Tetsudo doesn’t seem to be very enthusiastic about providing more local bus services, but Tsukuba City will start a new “Tsuku Bus” route from September 1. I will post the information regarding this new route as soon as I get the new route map. Please see: Gakuen Minami Junkan - a new Tsuku Bus Course.

Hi, all. I’d like to share my secret since Shaney brought up the gasoline prices on highways. You all know that the gas prices have gone down significantly in the past few months, but some places still charge a lot.

　I’ve been using General Express on R354 in Inarimae, next to a camera shop since it opened. It’s a self-service gas station and the cheapest one in the area. The last time I checked, the gas price there was 118yen per liter. I’m sure that some of the TsukuBlog readers are familiar with this, but you can pay by using the “Speedpass” when you buy gas at this gas station. It’s very convenient when you are in a hurry!

The only problem with this gas station is that since this is the cheapest place to fill up the tank, it gets crowded very often. I think its location being so close to Inarimae Intersection is making the situation worse. I’ve had quite unpleasant experiences with hot-tempered drivers at this gas station, so I always try to go there very late at night or early in the morning. It’s open until midnight though it used to be open 24-hours.

Another cheap gas station is also on R354. If you head to Tsuchiura from Tsukuba on R354, you’ll see a small gas station on your right soon after you drive past Joban Expressway Sakura Tsuchiura Exit. This gas station also has the lowest gas price in the area.

If you can read Japanese, I recommend checking out gogo.gs, a comparison-shop site. A list of gas stations in Ibaraki is here. Some of the prices listed are the member rates, but as far as I know, you don’t need to be a member to get the lowest price at the gas station in Inarimae.

As the Christmas/New Year’s break approaching, I really hope the gas prices won’t go up like they did in summer!

Here are a few fireworks festivals along the Tsukuba Express line. (Some of them are not exactly close to the stations.)

July

July 27: Adachi Fireworks Festival (15 minutes walk from Kita Senju Station)

July 28: Joso City Mitsukaido Fireworks Festival (Train and 15 minute walk from Moriya Station)

July 29: Sumidagawa Fireworks Festival (15 minutes walk from Asakusa Station)

August

August 5: Edogawaku Fireworks Festival (Two train rides from Shin Okachimachi Station)

August 5: Ichikawa City Fireworks Festival (One train ride and 15 minutes walk from Akihabara Station)

August 5: Teganuma Fireworks Festival (Train, bus, and walk from Nagareyama Otakanomori Station)

August 15: Karakasa Mando (20 minute taxi ride from Tsukuba Station)

August 19: Minami Nagareyama Fireworks Festival (20 minutes walk from Nagareyama Central Park Station)

August 19: Misato Summer Festival Fireworks (One train ride and 5 minutes walk from Minami Nagareyama Station)

August 19: Sekiyado Festival (Train, bus, and walk from Nagareyama Otakanomori Station)

August 5: Shimotsuma Sanuma Fireworks Festival (Train and 15 minute walk from Moriya Station)

August 23: Takaoka Tsunabi (Bus and 10 minute walk from Moriya Station)

August 24: Kobari Tsunabi (15 minute walk from Miraidaira Station)

September

September 10: Hakke Ryusui Mando (10 minutes taxi ride from Banpaku Kinen Koen Station)

October

October 7: Tsuchiura Fireworks Festival (Bus and 5 minute walk from Tsukuba Station)

More information (in Japanese)

Not sure how many of our readers have children who are old enough to drive, but those of you who do might find this useful. I found this information in the latest JAF Mate magazine and thought I would share it.

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Q: I have an age limit set on my optional car insurance. Only people over 35 years of age can be covered as drivers under my policy. However, my son just got his license and I want to add him to my policy. Which is more frugal: removing the age limit or adding my child as a supplemental driver?

A: It is cheaper to add your child as a supplementary driver. You can add a “special supplementary contract for one’s children” (子供特約, kodomo tokuyaku) to your policy and keep your regular age limit intact. Your insurance premiums will still increase, but you will pay marginally less with the special contract than you would with no age limit.

For example:

Current payment: 32,830 yen per year (paid in one lump sum) for your current policy with the age limit
Policy with no age limit: 82,070 yen per year (paid in one lump sum)
Policy with age limit intact and special supplementary contract for children: 73,440 yen per year (paid in one lump sum)

The child must live with you and the car cannot be used primarily by the child. Other conditions may apply, so please contact your insurance provider for more details.

(These rates were calculated with the primary driver being the father, holding a grade 12 policy and a gold license, with the car being using mainly for leisure and daily activities. They are also based on specific rates of reimbursement in case of accident, the age of the father and the son, and the year and make of the car. The figures are from Tokio Marine Nichido)

From: JAF Mate magazine June 2007 (Vol. 45, No. 5, page 53)

A brand new Tsuku Bus, the city’s community bus service started its operation on September 1. The city has abolished the “センター循環(Tsukuba Center Rotatory Route),” and introduced the “学園南循環(Gakuen Minami Junkan or Gakuen South Rotatory Route).” This new course is similar to the former Tsuku Bus Route 5, but the newly added course only goes around the south “central Tsukuba” area. Those who live in Ninomiya, Umezono and Inari-mae areas can benefit from this new bus service for sure!

Please note that changes were made to all the other preexisting bus courses, so please pick up a new schedule/ route map at a nearby city hall office or community hall. OR you can download new route maps/schedules here.
Please also visit this page to learn more about Tsuku Bus.

Here’s the list of all the bus stops in Gakuen Minami Junkan Route A:
1: つくばセンター [Tsukuba Center Bus Terminal]
2: クレオ前 [Creo]
3: さくら団地 [Sakura Danchi]
4: つくば国際会議場 [Tsukuba Kokusai Kaigi-jou (Epochal Tsukuba)]
5: 二ノ宮公園北 [Ninomiya Koen Kita (Ninomiya Park North)]
6: 二ノ宮一丁目 [Ninomiya 1-Chome]
7: 白畑児童公園 [Shirahata Jidou Koen (Shirahata Children’s Park)]
8: 洞峰公園北 [Doho Koen Kita (Doho Park North)]
9: つくば研究支援センター[Tsukuba Kenkyu Shien Center(Tsukuba Center,Inc)]
10: 筑波宇宙センター [Tsukuba Uchuu Center (JAXA)]
11: 障害者センター桜 [Shougaisha Center Sakura (Sakura Home for disabled)]
12: 梅園二丁目 [Umezono 2-Chome]
13: 梅園公園東 [Umezono Koen Higashi (Umezono Park East)]
14: 梅園公園 [Umezono Park]
15: 東二丁目[Higashi 2-Chome]
16: 鷺沼児童公園 [Saginuma Jidou Koen (Saginuma Children’s Park)]
17: 五十塚 [Gojyutsuka]
18: 気象台 [Kishou-dai (Aerological Oservatory)]
19: 稲荷前 [Inari-mae]
20: 茗渓学園 [Meikei Gakuen]
21: 洞峰公園入口 [Doho Koen Iriguchi (Doho Park Gate)]
22: 二の宮児童館 [Ninomiya Jidoukan (After-school Daycare Center)]
23: 二の宮 [Ninomiya]
7: 白畑児童公園 [Shirahata Jidou Koen (Shirahata Children’s Park)]
6: 二ノ宮一丁目 [Ninomiya 1-Chome]
5: 二ノ宮公園北 [Ninomiya Koen Kita (Ninomiya Park North)]
4: つくば国際会議場 [Tsukuba Kokusai Kaigi-jou (Epochal Tsukuba)]
3: さくら団地 [Sakura Danchi]
2: クレオ前 [Creo]
1: つくばセンター [Tsukuba Center Bus Terminal]

Fares:
200yen for adults, 100yen for kids
100yen if you get on at the Tsukuba Center Bus Terminal and get off at or before the Epochal Tsukuba (or if you get on at Epochal and get off at or before Tsukuba Center Bus Terminal).

If you do not have a driver’s license from your home country, or if you did not get your license more than three months before you came to Japan, your only option if you want to drive in Japan is to get a license the same way that Japanese people get their licenses. Unfortunately, this is no easy task. Here are some articles about how to to get a Japanese driver’s license when you DO NOT possess a valid license from your home country.

Two blog posts by a person who got her license in Fukushima Prefecture
Driving Miss Crazy Part 1: Japanese driving classes
Driving Miss Crazy Part 2: Hit the Road, Jack

Article in Alien Times
Getting A Japanese Drivers License From Scratch

The Japan Traffic Safety Association (JTSA) has started a new campaign to encourage partygoers to designate a specific person to be the (non-drinking) driver in the group. In English (or, at least, in Canada), we call such people the “designated driver” or “DD”. JTSA wants Japanese people to call them “handle keepers”. It’s a silly name (I am always unimpressed with fake English), and I don’t think the idea will have much success in Japan for two reasons.

1. There are already many different ways for people to get home after drinking: walking, trains (in Tokyo), taxis, daiko (taxi system with two drivers — one driver and you go in your car and the other driver follows you to pick up the first driver when you get to your destination). The daiko system is perfect because it is fairly cheap (about the same as a regular taxi) and it means that you don’t have to figure out a way to get your car back to your house in the morning. I think the designated driver system in Canada evolved out of the fact that we don’t have daikos. Trying to imitate the DD system is a step backwards.

2. It is not a very “Japanese” idea to single one person out of the group and to give that person the huge responsibility of ensuring the safety of all of the members of the group. This kind of burden is not accepted lightly here.

I am usually the designated driver in my group of friends because I don’t really like to drink very often. I am not opposed to the idea of designated drivers, and I am certainly in favour of anything that gets drunk drivers off the road, but I think that this “handle keeper” program is a little off the mark.

Handle keeper page on JTSA website: http://www.jtsa.or.jp/topics/T-71.html (in Japanese)

Mazda Motor Corporation today announced that it has delivered one dual-fueled RX-8 Hydrogen RE vehicle, which runs on either gasoline or hydrogen, to the Japan Automobile Research Institute.

[...]

JARI is working with the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization on the Establishment of Codes & Standards for a Hydrogen Economy Society project. The RX-8 Hydrogen RE will be used as part of its R&D activities to review the regulations regarding the safety of hydrogen vehicles, establish examination and evaluation techniques and create proposals for international standards. The hydrogen supply will mainly come from JARI’s own hydrogen station at their facility in Tsukuba city.

Read the full article.

Japanese driver’s licenses will have IC chips embedded in them as of January 2, 2007.

The IC chip will make the cards more difficult to fake and will include information such as place of birth, which means that such private information will not be visible on the card. There will also be a PIN associated with the card which should improve its security features. It is thought that the use of the card will increase due to this new feature.

The PIN will consist of two four digit numbers (####-####) that you will choose yourself, but once chosen, will not be possible to change. If you enter an incorrect code three times, you will have to return the card to the Mito licensing center or a local police station. You are strongly encouraged not to use numbers related to your birthday, address, phone number, license number, or license plate number, numbers that are too simple (1111 or 1234), numbers that are too convenient (7000), or double use of the same number (3512-3512).

People who obtain their licenses after January 4, 2007 will automatically be given the new IC-chip license. People who already have their licenses will be given the new license when they renew their current license.

The fees related to license will be increased by 450 yen due to the embedding of the IC chip.

Obtaining your first license: 2100 yen
Renewing your license: 2550 yen
Replacing your license: 3650 yen

There will be no change to current procedures for obtaining licenses as a result of the embedded IC chip.

If you have any questions, please contact the Ibaraki Prefectural Licensing Center at 029-293-8811. They are open from 8:30am to 5:15pm on weekdays. (It is unlikely that they will provide service in English.)

Source: Ibaraki Prefectural Police site

Police stations around Tsukuba have reported an increase in bicycle and motorcycle theft. To keep your bikes and motorcycles safe, you should park them in a managed area (and not on the road or sidewalk), use a lock in addition to the one that is built-in, and register them so that they can be identified as belonging to you if they are found.

Here are the statistics for vehicle theft in 2006 from the two police stations and the top five satellite offices in Tsukuba.

Tsukuba Central Police Station

Car thefts = 150 (down 26)
Motorcycle thefts = 235 (up 63)
Bicycle thefts = 693 (up 107)

Tsukuba North Police Station

Car thefts = 43 (up 7)
Motorcycle thefts = 7 (no change)
Bicycle thefts = 47 (up 3)

Tsukuba Station Koban

Car thefts = 13 (up 4)
Motorcycle thefts = 89 (up 27)
Bicycle thefts = 401 (up 75)

Matsushiro Koban

Car thefts = 30 (up 3)
Motorcycle thefts = 83 (up 8)
Bicycle thefts = 232 (up 19)

Tateno Office

Car thefts = 12 (down 15)
Motorcycle thefts = 14 (up 5)
Bicycle thefts = 40 (up 6)

Yatabe Koban

Car thefts = 28 (up 5)
Motorcycle thefts = 6 (up 2)
Bicycle thefts = 31 (up 3)

Namiki Koban

Car thefts = 9 (down 14)
Motorcycle thefts = 8 (no change)
Bicycle thefts = 42 (down 5)

Annual car tax payments are due in May. You will get a notice around the end of April from the Tsuchiura Tax Office that will detail the amount that you have to pay. The deadline for payment is May 31, 2007. The payment is based on the size of your engine and the prefecture that your car is registered in. If you want to get an idea of how much your bill is going to be, have a look at the 2006 figures on the Ibaraki Prefecture website (in Japanese).

I would estimate that most cars that are owned by new foreign residents of Tsukuba should fall within the 30,000 yen to 40,000 yen range (between 1000cc and 2000cc). (The rates may be different this year, and these rates are only applicable to cars registered in Ibaraki.)

Please note that keijidosha or “light vehicles” are taxed differently. Regular-sized vehicles are taxed by the prefecture, but light vehicles and motorcycles are taxed by the city. The tax rates for light vehicles are much lower (the most expensive category is currently 7200 yen). This is one very good reason to buy a yellow-plate car.

Here are the rates for light vehicles (in Japanese).

If you are going to be in Tsukuba for more than one year, you may want to set it up so that your car tax payments come directly out of your bank account.

The reason why I am mentioning this today rather than some time in April is that the tax is charged to the person who owned the vehicle on April 1 of any year. The person who owns the car on April 1 is defined as the person whose name is on the ownership certificate (not necessarily the person who actually possesses the car on that day). So, if you are leaving Japan and you want to sell your car, make sure the name change has been completed by April 1 so the new owner will have to pay the tax. If you are buying a car, it might be a good idea to wait until after April 1 as the current owner will then have to pay the tax.

I should also mention that if you sell the car after April 1, you will not get a pro-rated (meaning proportional) refund for the tax that you pay UNLESS you sell the car to someone in another prefecture AND that person registers the car in that new prefecture. So, if you sell the car to someone in Tsukuba (or anywhere else in Ibaraki), you may want to try to include the amount that you spent on car tax in the selling price of the car.

If you have an identity as a resident of Tsukuba and want to express it, you can change letters on your car license plate from Tsuchiura to Tsukuba from today !

For detailed information, please refer to Shaney’s post on January 3, 2007.

There are a lot of reports of people stealing things from cars in Ibaraki lately. On May 29th, between midnight and 11am, there were 23 cases of “theft of items from cars” reported in Tsuchiura and Ishioka. The cars were mainly parked at supermarkets, convenience stores, and restaurants.

Even if you are only leaving your car for a minute, please ensure that it is locked. Also, try not to leave things of value visible inside your car.

Did you know that a new expressway will be opening in Tsukuba tomorrow? The name of the expressway is Ken-oh-dou(圏央道) which is the outermost “circle” of the Sankanjou (ongoing highway project to ease the heavy traffic in Tokyo. ３環状 literally means three circularities). The other two “circles” are Gaikan(外環) and Chuo Kanjou-sen(中央環状線). Ken-ohdou will eventually be connected to Narita and all the way to Kisarazu in Chiba Prefecture, or Fujisawa in Kanagawa Prefecture. Please take a look at this map for the Ken-ohdou plan: http://www.ktr.mlit.go.jp/3kanjo/kenoudo/

The expressway that will be opened to traffic is actually the 12km-long section between Tsukuba Ushiku and Ami Higashi, but it’ll be the first stretch of Ken-ohdou to open in Ibaraki Prefecture although the Tsukuba Ushiku Exit’s been open for some time now.

The opening ceremony took place last Saturday. The participants were able to enter this highway and walk around! The various events took place such as traditional taiko performances by difference local groups, quiz-rally and the sales of food and other local specialties(click here for the ceremony details). I wish I could go, and I wish I had a time to announce this event here last week….

If you are looking for a cheaper way to get to Kyoto or Osaka, you might want to consider taking the overnight bus. The bus starts at Mito at 9:10pm, stops over in Tsuchiura at 10:24pm, and in Tsukuba at 10:53pm on its way to Kyoto (6:40am) and Osaka (8:15am) the following day.

The return bus leaves Osaka at 9:30pm, stops over in Kyoto at 11:03pm before arriving at Tsukuba (6:41am), Tsuchiura (6:59am), and Mito (8:15am) on the following day.

A one-way ticket from Tsukuba to Kyoto is 8900 yen and a return ticket is 16,020 yen. A one-way ticket from Tsukuba to Osaka is 9700 yen and a return ticket is 17,460 yen. Children under 6 can ride for free if they will not take up a seat. If they do take up a seat, they have to pay the children’s fare (approximately half of the adult fare).

By comparison, a one-way ticket from Tsukuba to Kyoto (using Tsukuba Express, Yamanote Line, and the Shinkansen from Tokyo Station) is 14,670 yen. (However, that trip will only take 3 hours and 40 minutes.)

You must reserve a seat, and you can do that by calling the reservation office (029-852-5666), buying a ticket at a convenience store (Lawson’s, Family Mart, Sankus), or using the online reservation system (http://www.j-bus.co.jp/new_module/index.html).

Of course, when you travel by bus, you have to be aware that the schedules are not set in stone, but are subject to change according to traffic conditions.

Route:
http://www.kantetsu.co.jp/bus/highway/osaka/osaka.htm

Schedule:
http://www.kantetsu.co.jp/bus/highway/osaka/osaka_jikoku.html

More information:
Kanto Tetsudo (Mito): 029-247-5111　
Kanto Tetsudo (Tsukuba): 029-852-5666

It is quite easy to take the bus to Narita airport, but some people prefer to drive, either because they don’t want to wait for the bus or because they need to get to the airport before 8am (when the earliest bus arrives) or they are likely to miss the last bus from the airport (which leaves at 8pm) on the way home.

There are lots of parking lots on the drive up to Narita, so you won’t have a problem finding a place to park. If you want to be certain to get a spot, though, you should probably make a reservation. I generally use one of the USA Parking lots as they seem to be located closest to the airport. They have a number of different options, and the price depends on how much pampering you want. Types A, B, C, and D will have you park your car at a lot and take courtesy buses to and from the airport. Type E will have you park your car at the lot on the way there, and then have the car brought to you on the way home. Type F is the most luxurious, and it will let you drop your car off at the airport and have it brought to the airport on the way home. Of course, the price increases as you add more bells and whistles. Reservations can be made through the USA Parking website.

Once you have made your reservation, you might want to have a look at Prima Cabina’s empirically determined faster route from Tsukuba to Narita.

A few weeks ago I was surprised to see that there were policemen at each corner of every intersection along Higashi-Odori (one of Tsukuba’s main thoroughfares), for as many kilometers as I would travel down it. Each of these officers had a little decoration on his shoulder, so it was clear that this was VIP related. Since I had read that Prince Charles was in Japan on that day, I assumed that he had made a surprise visit to Tsukuba.

Well , it turns out that the Prince of Wales never did come to Tsukuba. However, I was not very far off the mark. Royalty, was in fact coming, and in heavy doses.  What I had seen was merely a dress rehearsal. There would be still more rehearsals (not only for the police) after the one I had seen — because this was going to be MAJOR == the Emperor and Empress of Japan (representing the longest continuous dynasty in the world) would be visiting Tsukuba. This in itself would merit a rehearsal or two, but putting more pressure on security services and Tsukuba City officials, they would be bringing along two very special guests, also of very ancient lineage: the King and Queen of Spain. (The King is a successor to the Capetian Dynasty which is the oldest in Europe. He is a descendant of Charles V, Louis XIV and Queen Victoria, among others.)

Though we have had a Nobel Prize winner or two among us, since the Tsukuba Expo of 1985, when a whole slew of world leaders and royalty whipped in and out of town, there have been few such occasions to excite our local royal and celebrity watchers. 

I was surprised to learn (since I come from a very security conscious country) that a detailed itinerary of the visit was released in advance, and even more surprised to eventually find that it was followed, to the minute.

The plan to visit Tsukuba certainly came about due to a shared interest on the part of the Emperor and the King in science and technology. But by this I do not necessarily mean the space and robot technology that they would be shown at the Tsukuba Space Center or at Tsukuba University. It seems that the planners of this trip took into consideration both monarchs’ particular affection for a more classic technology — TRAINS! (I was glad that Juan Carlos was not taken to indulge in one of his favorite pastimes: BEAR HUNTING!)

The two couples would be setting out from Ueno Station after having boarded the Imperial Family’s new PRIVATE TRAIN, several cars long, which would let them off at Tsuchiura Station. Later, they would be going back to Tokyo by TX (with the whole train specially reserved, of course).

The day of the royal arrival was dark, drizzly and a little cold. This did not deter lovers of the Imperial Family from waiting by the road, for an hour or two, at various locations along the route of the Imperial procession, so that they would be able to watch as it passed by. They came, mostly women over 60, by the busload (many of these women also volunteer, at no small personal expense, to clean the grounds of the Imperial Palace every year — the subject of a future entry).

However, with all the blue blood seated in their specially made limousines, these women were mostly interested in catching a glimpse of a commoner. Of course, I’m talking about Empress Michiko, the first woman of non-aristocratic lineage to marry into the family of the Sun-Goddess. I have found that many Japanese, again, usually women of a certain age, are deeply moved by what they consider to be Michiko’s kindness, patience, concern for the people, and beauty.

(I have my own Michiko moment. In Tokyo, on another drizzly day near the Empress’s alma mater, Seishin, we found a street lined with policemen. I asked what was going on, and was told that Michiko would be passing by soon, on the way to a class reunion. We asked if we could wait and were told that by all means we could. A plain-clothes officer then proceeded to talk into his radio. I couldn’t overhear him, but I assumed he was reporting our presence for security. I was wrong, however. He had informed the procession that some foreigners were standing and waiting outside in the rain to greet the Empress. Anyway, I guess that is what he said, because the car Michiko was in (in the middle of a convoy, of course), came to a near halt. The window then rolled down and we were given a very elegant nod by Her Majesty. I’m almost embarrassed to say that it was a MOVING experience and that I’ve had a special feeling for the COMMONER EMPRESS ever since.)

I had no particular plan to watch the processions, but as it turned out I was able to see both couples clearly, on at two different times of day, as they slowly drove by, waving to the crowd from open windows. I was also able to snap some pictures with my cell phone camera, which by shear luck (I held the keitai high over the crowd and shot at random) captured the moment.

An important impression which remains after any imperial sighting of this sort is the sheer sense of thrill in the air – exuded not only by the older women who had come by chartered bus, or by the few 30-ish, male amateur paparazzi (though they seem to be just ardent fans of the Imperial Family) mounted on tall step ladders with very long and expensive-looking telephoto lenses who proudly show off their shots to the excited ladies after the procession has passed (to cries of “Michiko’s face really IS kind and gentle”), but also the local policemen who show genuine emotion which lingers strongly even after the royals have been long gone. They bow, to the well-wishers and give an emotional thanks to all those who came out in the bad weather - ARIGATO GOZAIMASHITA!

For me, this double royal visit was less thrilling than thought provoking. Of course ,one cannot be but baffled at what makes blue blood so captivating for the public in this day and age. I would recommend reading a little about Juan Carlos- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juan_Carlos_I_of_Spain                                                                         

and the current Emperor of Japan

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Akihito

and then tying to imagine what they spoke about sitting side by side during the train rides from Tokyo and back.

The visit also gets one to reflect on the history of Japanese-Spanish relations,which go back to the16th century.  Spain in fact  had  an immense impact on the course of Japanese history. It was distrust of the motives of the Spanish and the missionaries who came with them (fuelled of course by the opinions of the Dutch and English), which led to the banning of Christianity, and the more than 200 years of National Seclusion(sakoku) which followed http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sakoku .