With a valid US license and proof of stay within the US for at least 6 months, potential J-drivers can take two half-day written and driving tests at a DOL to get their Japanese licenses, as opposed to signing up for expensive and very time-consuming driving schools (which are inevitable if you don't already have a license). FYI For non-American license holders (i.e. Canadian, Australian), you may be eligible to get Japanese licenses by just presenting a valid license to people at the DOL here.
Ninapod and I went to a Washington State wine tasting event at the Tokyo American Club last Tuesday. It was really crowded, filled with young international men and women. Some women were wearing what appeared to be prom dresses, giving the event a singles' party vibe (not necessarily bad, just unexpected). The wines were good and we tasted many from wineries we knew about near Seattle. There was a dinner buffet for which we all lined up like obedient cattle, ate and repeated. There was a German guy who was talking to different J-women every time I saw him (so it was a singles party!). There was a really beautiful Japanese woman there, who did not talk to the German guy because she was with her own guy. Ninapod and I took a coffee break at some point, and I ate a piece of home-made fudge which was given to me by a friend for White Day (Valentine's Day here is when women give presents to men, and White Day--March 14th--is when men reciprocate).
Here's Ninapod outside after the tasting, with her signature numeral ("2", because 2 in Japanese is pronounced "Ni").
The following morning I woke up with a cold. I was feeling a bit under the weather recently and I think the early mornings going to Samezu, the late nights working (or drinking wine, depending) and the sudden relapse of wintery winds in Tokyo threw my body off guard. So it was Vitamin C time.
While Chu Chu loves the vitamin C, Poppo doesn't really care whether he gets any or not.
And then the Vitamin C didn't work so I had some Nyquil. Mmmzzzz....
Which I usually take sparingly, for I purchase them one box at a time at American drug stores. But I had no reason to hold back on this day, as we will be visiting and purchasing drugstore items all weekend long while in the US celebrating Grandmama's 80th birthday with the whole family. Stay tuned!
3 comments:
Ai,
Sorry to hear about your cold. Are you feeling any better now? Today was impressively chilly -- I saw bitty snowflakes this morning on my way up the hill to work.
What made you decide to get the driver's license after all this time?
snowflakes?! there was a snow storm in tokyo years and years ago when i was a little baby, but i don't think i have seen snow so late into winter since. maybe they'll be snow when i return too.
i've always thought about getting a japanese license, i just put it off until now--an did it only because my us one is about to expire. it's much easier to not have to go to the japanese driving schools and clock in hours of driving at their facilities. yuck!! i would like to never go back to samezu again if i can help it :)
my license expired last november, but there's a certain amount of time that they will let you renew it beyond the expiration date in Washington... I think after six weeks a fine kicks in, but it does provide a cushion if you can get there in time. I wouldn't want to try the Japanese testing, it sounds painful.
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