Mai Kaa! (My car)

Lately I've been finding it hard to think of things about Japan to write about. It may be a byproduct of me beginning to feel more settled in to this place, but the recent visit from my friend Sam helped bring some of the differences back into perspective and I feel inspired to write once again!

I recently bought a car (a very nice Nissan skyline) and I've been spending the better part of two months dealing with all the hassle that comes with it. Therefore I have decided to describe the process in order to help you guys understand the nightmare of the Japanese bureaucracy.

I first decided to buy the car at the end of April and I was hoping to get it right away so I could have transportation during the week long golden week holiday. At first I wanted to do the paperwork by myself in order to save a few hundred bucks and to try and keep the well-meaning but frustrating board of education from knowing about my car purchase, but that plan quickly went out the window when I had to begin the paperwork process.

Before you can even think about buying a car in Japan, you have to receive an official certificate from the city government saying that you have a place to park. This may seem simple enough, but this is Japan where space is at a premium and they take this part of the paperwork very seriously. Basically, you have to draw a map of the area you'll be parking, point out your official parking space and then have your landlord sign off on the paper as proof. Unfortunately for me, the board of education also happens to be my landlord and I was immediately forced to bring them into the process. They were very helpful and helped my blast through the paperwork, but I was dismayed to learn that the processing for the parking paperwork would take 7 days, meaning it would be over a week before I could even begin the official car buying process. Blarg.

The board of education also decided that they would help with the rest of the paperwork and began to prepare the forums while I was waiting for the parking papers to go through. The change of name paperwork looked like a confusing nightmare, luckily the board of education just had me stamp a few places and did the rest; however, the papers also needed the stamps of the person selling me the car (who lives about a 3 hour drive away), so the process was delayed even more as I waited for him the mail the forms back.

Eventually I did go and pick up my car despite not having it officially in my name yet. It's mainly been sitting in the parking lot since. In the meantime I sent off the rest of the paperwork to the BoE only to learn about two weeks later that the process wasn't finished yet and that I had to fill out a few more forms. I also was then reminded that I didn't yet have any car insurance. I eventually got everything filled out and then went to a car office to do the official changing of the name, but, of course, there was another 2 week processing wait before I could legally drive it.

And that brings us to now! In a few days my car will be in my name and then I'll finally be able buy insurance and drive legally after a month and a half of actually having the car in my possession. That won't be the end of my nightmare, however. Before the end of June I'll have to pay about another $1200 for the biannual car registration fee. Then, before the end of August, I'll have to get a Japanese driver's license which will be a new nightmare all in itself...

Pray for Mojo...