05 March 2005

strolling around Kinshicho

Leh and I went out for a walk this afternoon around the neighbourhood with with cousins Yasumasa and Hiroshi. Pretty interesting...


updated Honda Super Cub
The all-time best-selling motor vehicle in the world, the Honda Super Cub (C70 Passport in Canada), in a slightly updated, 'fashionable' version.
Leh beside a customized 'maxi' scooter
Leh beside another customized 'maxi' scooter.
your standard Japanese mail truck
A Japanese mail truck.
a non-motorized form of transport, the hand cart.
These hand carts are used for the collection of cardboard for recycling, and for a variety of other purposes.
construction site
A whole range of heavy equipment has been developed for use in small spaces.
the little people get the best ride of all
The little people get the best ride of all… You often see two kids being carried on one bike, and lately I've seen more wearing helmets – a decade ago I was still getting stares when I wore mine.
car wash
A car wash for small spaces…
bikes near a train station
At some stations you can see hundreds and hundreds of bikes parked – this is a pretty modest number. The orange scooter in the foreground is apparently Japan's cheapest scooter at the moment, selling for about ¥60,000, or C$700.
little backhoe
A little backhoe at work.
kid biking
Happily, it's still considered safe enough for kids to bike on the street in lots of places, though I wish she were wearing a helmet.
parking lots for tight spaces
These parking lots are all over in Tokyo; you take out the vehicle on the bottom and then drop the vehicle above down to ground level. This particular one is for taxis – the standard Toyota Crown models, that in Tokyo are powered by liquefied natural gas.
electric miniscooter
A little electric mini-scooter parked in front of café.
Mitsuoka Jidosha
The product of a small, custom car builder in Japan, Mitsuoka Jidosha, probably based on a Nissan Cedric.
Mitsuoka Jidosha - rear
rear view
three-wheeled delivery bike
These three-wheeled delivery scooters are everywhere; the Honda Gyro is the most popular model. They are jointed in the middle, and guys delivering pizza, beer, noodles, curry and other things just fly through the streets.
Super Cub with attachment for carrying bowls of noodles
A Honda Super Cub with a rack on the back for carrying bowls of noodles.
scooters for sale
A scooter shop. Note the prices; in the ¥130,000 range, or about C$1500.
guts truck
You have to love the names of some of the vehicles!
Prius
The Toyota Prius hybrid; Toyota also has a hybrid version of their Alfard mini-van.
canopy three-wheeler
Another three-wheeled scooter. This one has a canopy to stay dry on wet days. Wouldn't this be cool on Saltspring!
overhead gas station
A gas station with the pumps overhead – no fool will ever back into the pumps again…
refrigerated delivery truck
A tiny refrigerated delivery truck.

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