here is taxi station. We have lots of taxi. Taxi is very useful for rich man who can pay the fucking expensive taxi fee. but it’s just a terro for poor people. and recently, I notice that taxi terro is not only for poor but all Japs except taxi driver. or in near future, you maybe one of Japanese taxi driver !
This story start from route 13.
Do you notice that ?
Do you notice something ?
Don’t you notice it yet ?
Yes, taxi.
Taxi is answer.
Recently taxi is increasing histericaly.
Tokyo road is almost filled with taxi.
Taxi keep coming
And taxi keep going.
you can see taxi everywhere.
I am afraid that someday, Tokyo city may become the giantic taxi parking lot.
Do you know why the taxi rampant is so scred thing ?
because the taxi painting desigin is so ugly that it’s very harmful for our eye. I think taxi painting desinger is the most dangerous people next to the desiginer of Nazi uniform.
Be careful ! before you are aware it, taxi proliferation is keep continued today also.
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It’s like, Tokyo is being consumed by some kind of giant taxi monster or something. It’s completely
insane, it’s like there’s almost enough taxis to be one taxi for each citizen, no wonder they so damn expensive and now I know where all the unemployed japanese went after all of the corporate downsizing.
Also, on a few of those pictures it looks like the taxi drivers are sleeping, which just adds to the fun.
nice pictures again 😉
in germany taxi is not so much and not so expensive, but they drive like fucking assholes. i hate them..
i wish i could see these pictures 1024×768 …
couldn’t you put your pictures in big format on cd and sell it or something? ^^ i would buy it at first!
===============from MasaManiA
Thank you for your attention. I don’t know how I can sell it. but I will think about it. thank you
oh my god… Tokyo has been invaded by a burgeoning swarm of taxis. It’s mind-boggling to see only taxis on the roads. I’m afraid this could be how the Singapore roads might turn out ten years later. Thanks for giving us a glimpse of our future. There’s already 3 taxi companies in this tiiny island and all of them have the amazing ability to disappear whenever it starts to rain.
What camera you say u were using again? The pictures seems to be sharp and bright! Did you photoshop it?
====================from MasaManiA
about such question, Please refer this entry’s comment,
http://masamania-com.check-xserver.jp/archives/2004/11/night_interchan.html
I thought all the German military uniforms before WWII looked best and most masculine.
I was in Tokyo last year and remeber thinking, dang, that’s a lot of taxi’s.
As for selling your work, I would be interested as well and would love to help out. Email me if you want to know more.
I live in the capital of the USA — Washington, DC — and we have a lot of taxis too. They are expensive, like yours, but not as ugly.
I have an argument going with a friend at work about taxis whether taxis are good or bad for the environment. She thinks that they are good because people own less cars. I think they are bad because they are always driiving around polluting, even when nobody is going any where.
As always, thank you for your report.
I live in a very small town in Texas and we are completely taxi free and loving it.
Holy shit!
Sometimes in New York City I see that many taxis, but not very often. I think there must be many more taxis in Tokyo than in New York. New York taxis are much cheaper than Tokyo taxis, so I like them, even though they drive like assholes.
Hahaha I have’nt seen so many fucking taxi’s in my whole life 😀 That’s fucking ridiculous. I’ll eat them all. jkjk
what’s a CRAP!
There are such a lot taxi in Tokyo!
I have seen the similar situation in China (canton city). That is crazy! BUT the price is fucking low. 😀 i spent about US$10 for almost 5 times of taxi travel in a day. IT IS SO CHEAP!
==================from MasaManiA
If we take taxi 5 times, we can buy car.
you should finger them! finger them good my brotha!
your taxi drivers are sometimes racist against westerners. they wont take us even when we have directions in japanese! please explain. they will get paid the same no matter who rides! in america, money is all that matters. if you have $ here, people will love you, no matter where you are from.
masa, i’m a long time fan, but your site is WAY TOO SLOW. i don’t think i’ll visit much any more because it take so long to load your site. you should start an online fund to donate money for more web speed to your site or something. PLEASE.
===============from MasaManiA
Sorry for it. I am also in trouble. but I try to resolve it.
It reminds me of Bangkok, that place is swarming with deadly taxis all over the place. In fact my wife was hit by one while on a motor bike before she came to the states. Nasty litle blighters, bobbing and weaving out of traffic like no ones business.
I didn’t have to use a taxi while in Japan (tubes were fine for me) but I didn’t see all that many of them and that was only three years ago.
================from MasaManiA
Taxi rampant is still going silently.
how about looking for Japan in the perspective of an immigrant from a poor country in southeast asia? if you are interested. read this blog:
http://www.livejournal.com/users/longingforabi/
the writer is an immigrant from the Philippines working as an underpaid janitor in one among a thousand of love hotels in tokyo. the blog has less photos but the writer tries to capture his experience vividly by using words.
hope you enjoy and link with him
I like the site. Your english is perfect. Can you do a story on the tanuki? I was just visiting Japan over the new year and saw lots of statues of tanuki. Giant testicles are golden. Thank you for continuing the site.
===============from MasaManiA
THank you for your visiting, and thank you for your suggestion. Yes, we have lots of tanuki statue who have big dick and balls proudly. It’s very nomal situation for Jap, but it must be strange for foreinger.
Whoa! that’s a Nissan Skyline (Infiniti G35 in USA) taxi! Can’t believe they have my dream car as a Taxi T_T
Wow, those are amazing pictures…. and they do indeed seem to show that your city is suffering a full-scale taxi infestation. They do appear to be ugly taxis, too. The dark green would look ok without the yellow….
I think taxis would be a lot more popular where I live near the city of Miami, Florida, if they did not charge up to $100 just to get across town.
Skyline… where? is this it?
http://masamania-com.check-xserver.jp/archives/pic/taxi_rampant16.JPG
The day I see a Supra MKIV taxi is the day I become a carjacker.
Here in China, they have Audi A6s as taxis. Not ordinary street taxis, of course, but you’ll see them outside 5-star hotels. Most street taxis are Volkswagen Santanas. Lately, a few Passats have been showing up.
I’d rather have a 20-minute ride for 300 yen in a beat-up Santana, than have the same ride for 3300 yen in a Tokyo taxi. The Tokyo ones are acceptable, but nothing special. If I’m paying 3300 yen I’d rather have an American taxi with huge cushy seats and vast legroom. And I can open my own door!
===================from MasaManiA
Yes, you konw japanese taxi. Japanese taxi door open automatically. I have never think it’s useful. If you walk closely to taxi, suddenly taxi door open automatically. It’s scare.
So What?
I tried to open the taxi door when I was in Tokyo. The taxi driver was very mad and yelled at me, but I did not know what he was saying because I do not know Japanese. It was much later I learned the doors open automatically.
=====================from MasaManiA
Yes, it must be strange.
300 yen for a 20 min taxi ride?
Here in Norway the same ride would cost 4-5000 yen. The minimum fare cost is 1000-1500 yen. (1000 daytime, 1500 evening/night/weekend)I guess this is what you can expect when one your city has more people living there than this entire country.
And all taxi’s are new BMW 5-series or Mercedes things.
===========from MasaManiA
THnak you for your information
Maybe mentioning some burakumin stuff, that is japanese status system like indias kast, is much more better than worthless taxi problem. Thats what really japanese need to snap their middle finger to, the most. Actually I want to know how they are living in Japan.
This is great!
Your pictures are the best thing – you and the tokyo damage report is the best thing that has ever happened!
FUCK! many taxicars, expensive and they suck. +all the taxidrivers are ugly. at least in Sweden…
When I come to Tokyo, please : we can meet?
==========from MasaManiA
I am looking forword to seeing you
ちょっとMasa 、 タクシー順序はあなたの最もよい仕事である。すばらしい構成。完全な色のバランスおよび対照。あなたの技術は信じられないい! 決してだれでも言う何をするために許可してはいけない。マスター既にである。 接触の滞在。 ジョン
Hey Masa,
The taxi sequence is your best work. Amazing composition. Perfect color balance and contrast. Your skills are incredible!
Never let anyone tell you what to do. You’re already a master.
Stay in touch.
John
================from MasaManiA
This is my pleasure, thank you.
wouldent be wrong if a taxi in Tokyo chases you down a street with its door open and hits someone while they are crosing the street.
they not taxis…
they weeds.
spray ’em…
HWAAAAAA!!
TAXI INVADERS!!!!
whOA! These pictures are amazing. You´re an extremely good photographer! You could sell these, you know.
and all those taxis… couldn´t you take about half of their numbers and melt the cars down and build a giant momument of “The Taxi”. Or you could build a themepark, called “Taxi-land” and build a HUGE rollercoaster out of the taxi-cars. good idea?
==================from MasaManiA
You are good planner.
Hey Masa!
I love your blog and the revelation of the wierder htings in Japanese culture. You have inspired me. I have decied yto visit your lovely country, I am coming to Tokyo in April (about 20th-30th). Any suggestions for cool stuff I should do/see?
Thanks for any advice you can offer, either here or by e-mail.
Thanks again!
—X
===============from MasaManiA
When you come to Japan, please tell me. I am looking forword to seeing you.
MasaManiA, I’m a long time fan of your wonderful journalism, and I’d like to invite you to join the 100 Bloggers Project. You’ll get to promote your site in a new book coming out soon. I have only 1 invitation go give, which I’m hoping you’ll accept. I’m certain yours will be the most unusual and interesting blog in the whole book! 🙂
There’s more info on the 100 Bloggers site, but please email me soon to let me know if you’re interested. Please say yes! Thanks!
MASAMANIA I LOVE YOU. PLEASE FUCK WITH ME. THANK YOU.
==============from MasaManiA
THank you for your great offer.
Your blog is so interesting, I also have a blog that I write about Japanese culture including kanji in English but actually it is only words no pictures at all. Yours are much interesting and I have to think over to pick up articles. Go for it, Ganbatte!!
==============from MasaManiA
Let’s find interesting Jap culture
with all of the $ they use on taxi you would think they would save a little and buy one of those Motor bikes from your other pages. But then again being on a bike in all those Taxi cars would be scary you would need to focus all of your attention on not getting bumped to the street. Keep keeping it REAL
this past year I traveled to the middle east (u.a.e., kuwait, Iraq)
and did you know that prostitutes are refered to as “taxis”?
it is because you are charged a fair to take a ride!
========from MasaManiA
I heard that Japanese girls are called “Yellow cab” in new york. because they can ride easily like taxi.
also, I took a taxi from Sharja to Dubai in the U.A E. and when I got out of the cab I paid the driver and then he left
I saw a sweet ’65 gull wing mercedes out side of my hotel that I had to photograph and forgot my wallet in the taxi, with $1,800
us dollars inside!
I told the manager of the hotel that I lost my wallet in the cab and that I was leaving for thailand in the morning and that I needed to have an advance on my credit card, because he had the # on file,- he said “no way”!
and he asked me what was the taxi company?
I said I did not know, because I took the cab in Sharja
he said Sharja!?, thats a different country, and every one that has a car is a taxi in Sharja…
I went to my room and about four hours later I got a knock at the door, It was Mr. Mohammed the hotel manager, and he said
“Mr. Rick, we have your wallet, and it will be here soon”
two hours later the cab driver came back with my wallet
everything, and all the money inside!
I was very lucky!
Lotsa Taxi like Tokyo In Manhattan, New York Masa-san!
At least you didn’t sit in the front seat, cabstone. If you had, we’d be hearing about an ‘alternate pay plan’ worthy of Masa’s directing skills.
MasaMania!
Here in TAMPICO, my city on MEXICO, You can use taxi for only $2 US DOLLARS. Cheaper!!!
Don`t you think so?
=============from MasaManiA
it’s cheap !