I want Uber service in Japan.
There are no private taxi services in Japan, so you will need to use public taxis.
If you want to take a taxi, you can hail one on the street or book one over the phone, but it’s more convenient to use an app.
There are four main taxi apps in Japan “GO”, “Uber Taxi”, “S.RIDE”, and “DiDi”, and the recommended one is “GO”, which is available nationwide.
“GO” is currently available in all regions except Tottori and Shimane prefectures, and is gradually expanding.
*Even in supported prefectures, some areas are not supported.
“GO” allows users to register with mobile phone numbers from all over the world.
It can also be linked with transportation apps such as South Korea’s “Kakao T”, Southeast Asia’s “Grab”, and China’s “Alipay” and “Ctrip”.
Fares are paid with the credit card registered in the app, so there is no need to pay in the taxi.
Accepted credit cards are Visa, Mastercard, JCB, American Express, and Diners Club.
There are two types of fares: pre-determined fares and meter fares.
In most cases, meter fares are cheaper, but if the roads are congested, pre-determined fares are cheaper.
It is difficult to decide which one to choose.
In many areas, an additional arrangement fee of 100 JPY will be charged.
Reservations can be made up to seven days in advance, though there is a charge for this service.
“GO” often distributes coupons, so you can save money by using them.
Taxi fares in Japan are determined by distance and time and vary by region.
For example, in Tokyo, it costs 500 JPY for about 1km from where you ride, then 100 JPY for every 255 meters, or 100 JPY for every 1 minute and 35 seconds.
Oh, by the way, in Japanese taxis, the driver opens and closes the door, so passengers don’t have to do anything.
Japanese people are so used to this that when we take a taxi in a foreign country, we often wait for the door to open or forget to close the door after getting off. 😇