If you have lived in Japan without a car, chances are good you've been stuck somewhere before.
Japan has, for the most part, a useful public transportation system. Bullet trains zoom all over the country. Local trains service even more areas, while buses transport people in both cities and the countryside.
And yet, sometimes buses aren't accessible. Sometimes the train station is too far. And sometimes you need to go somewhere with luggage or a box or just don't want to brave another downpour.
You can call a friend and ask for a ride, but if your friend is busy, you'll need an alternative: call a taxi.
Most city train stations, and even some smaller ones, have taxis sitting outside waiting to take passengers wherever they need to go. But if you want one to pick you up at home, or from another location, you'll need to call for one.
How to Find a Taxi
There are several ways, but here are four:
a) Next time you're at the train station nearest your home, check for a phone number on the taxis sitting outside of the station. Make a new contact in your cell phone with this number.
b) Search for タクシー (
takushii) plus your city name online. The results should show a few places you can call.
c) Search a site such as
taxitaxi.jp or
taxisite.com. The sites are in Japanese, but fairly easy to use. Click on the prefecture you're in. On the page that opens, click on the city. Sometimes you may also need to click on a ward. A list of taxi companies will show up--you can try any of these (and put one or more into your cell phone contacts so you have them handy).
d) Alternatively, if you're at a place of business, you might be able to request someone there to call a taxi for you. Hotels will do this for you (if you're a guest). Say, "タクシーをよんでください" (
takushii o yonde kudasai).
How to Call a Taxi
Once you have the taxi number, dial it and when someone answers, say (in Japanese):
お迎えに来てもらえますか。
おむかえにきてもらえますか。
Omukae ni kite moraemasu ka?
Could you come pick me up?
