Cars in Japan, as Told by Shincan

Shin-chan!

One of my favorite Japanese shows to watch on TV is Shin-chan, aka Crayon Shin-chan. Shin-chan is a kindergartner who likes cute girls and showing off his plump butt-cheeks. It may be aimed at kids, but it's not the standard kiddy content! If you've ever watched the series in English you'll know there's quite a bit of potty-language going on, but this is due to the fact that swear words don't really exist in Japanese and are bandied about even on children's shows. For some reason innuendo-infused content isn't really a concern among parents in Japan, either. Thus, without all the filtering and censoring from overprotective parents, characters and plots in Shin-chan are pretty accurate to real life and amusing as well, so I enjoy watching it weekly.

Shin-chan's family: Hiroshi (Dad), Misae (Mom), Himawari (baby sister), and Shiro (dog)

Recently I watched a three-part series about Shin-chan's family buying a new car. Actually, it was the first time I ever saw them use a car! Japanese people have them but seldom use them – what's the point?! They usually just walk or bike everywhere to save money. Japanese people are all about saving and hoarding money. But it's understandable considering how ridiculously expensive everything in Japan is, especially cars. Just to get your license in Japan costs nearly 2000 US dollars, as it includes months of mandatory driving school. Upon completion you have to pass your driving test within a year, or you'll have to repeat everything all over again and fork over that money! Oh, and did I mention you can't even get your license until the age of 18? In addition, you're not allowed to drive with even the tiniest ounce of alcohol on your breath!

Typical conundrum in Japan.

Another reason car's aren't so widely used is a simple lack of space! Japan is very compact and cramped, making parking a real pain. However this mean's it's also super connected and everything is usually within walking or biking distance. Of course America is too spacious to simply walk five miles down the hill from our house to the nearest store, so cars are indispensable, but you can do without in Japan, with a little more foot power and a little less convenience.

Anyway, here's what unfolds in the first episode.

Part 1: Misae accidentally bangs up the car trying to back into the garage, forcing the family to choose to either repair it, scrap it, or buy a new one.

Misae's blunder is understandable if you realize just how bad the lack of space, especially parking space, is in Japan. Japan doesn't even really have garages, just an overhead plastic roof to keep off the rain. Even while driving, cars often have to stop to let those on the other side of the road pass by! And for some reason they always have to back into parking spots, even when the available space is so narrow!

A common parking lot in Japan.

I've always wondered how they get the cars down when one is underneath?!

Shin-chan's family goes down to the dealership to find out how much it'll cost to repair the car. As money is pretty tight in Japan (the majority of overtime work is unpaid, and overtime seems to be an almost daily occurrence), it's no wonder that they are daunted by the sum suggested. Misae tries to convince them that they can do without a car anyway and use the money they would save to buy more things they want, like sweets for Shin-chan and alcohol for Hiroshi, which is about all it takes to convince those two. Excited at a sudden shopping spree, they end up buying way too much and having to carry home a ton of heavy bags. To make matters worse, it starts raining!

When you go overboard at the store and then remember you're walking home.

The family is forced to conclude that cars are necessary after all. As I said before, since Japanese rarely use their cars anyway, they really only have them for when they're buying a lot of stuff, going on a trip, or going somewhere in the rain. It always amazes me when I see moms with their kids on a seat at the back of their bikes and groceries in the front basket, too! How exhausting! It's hard enough to bring home groceries for the week for just one on your bike, let alone for an entire family! Japan is very connected with trains and buses, so you can manage without, as I've been doing for three years, but when it comes to shopping it's a real pain without.

Part 2: Having decided a car is a necessity, the family starts looking at cars to buy.

Deciding to keep their damaged car for now, the family wanders into a dealership selling imported cars. They quickly realize that it's very expensive! They're given a tour by the foreigner in charge, and decide to go for a test drive, but are too worried about the cost of repairs if they damage it, so they give up and leave before they've even pulled out onto the street.

A typical kei car.

In Japan, most people choose to drive domestically made cars like Honda, Toyota, etc. The most common type of car is called a "kei" car – specially made to be compact! These cars have engines of 660cc or less and make up about one-third of sales. They're also more affordable, and easier to drive and park on the narrow roads and parking spaces. I can't stress how little space there is for vehicles in Japan – even buses are really narrow, and short! Some only have ten seats! Plus, with exchange rates and added costs, foreign cars end up being about 20 percent more expensive than their Japanese counterparts. Japanese people prefer a greater variety of models and confidence in a certain brand, rather than taking risks. Even Volkswagen, one of the highest selling foreign brands in Japan, apparently sells at a loss! Overall the Japanese automobile market is pretty closed and domestic.

Part 3: The family decides to definitely buy a car, but haggle for a big discount.

How about a pink car? Here in Japan, they're a definite YES!

Shin-chan's family finally buckles down and commits to purchasing a new car. Of course this means they all have to agree on a car they like – naturally Misae likes the pink kei car (there are so many feminine colors sold here in Japan! You can literally find all colors of the rainbow), Shin-chan wants something cool with TVs inside, and Hiroshi wants a big car, but Misae protests that it's too big for her to drive. Eventually they settle on a mini van advertised by a female celebrity on TV.

Another color popular with women in Japan.

Unfortunately their salesman is really bad at his job, which actually lets them take advantage of the situation to haggle for a huge discount. When they don't get as much as they want, they threaten to leave, when finally the manager comes out and approves the discount. At last, they have a new car! Everyone is excited to go out for a drive. Admittedly they are a little sad to say goodbye to their old one, but happy to have their new one.

Thus ends the 3 part saga, which probably happens to many Japanese people every day!