Driving in Japan Part 4: Taxis and Daikos

It sometimes happens, here in Japan. Well, it often happens.
You find that during a night on the town you have, as many of my Japanese friends say, "overdrank." Whether inadvertently or intentionally, it happens frequently.
What's the problem, you ask? Drinking is fun, and in fact, it is an admitted hobby of many people here. Drinking to excess is actually a required duty in most jobs.
Everything is acceptable when you have overdrank, and misdeeds or embarrassing actions are all forgiven. But that will be covered, maybe, in another, or 20 other, blog posts.
Anyway, so you can overdrink and become a complete ass and be excused for every single crazy action that you don't remember doing...
Almost.
Driving while drunk is a serious no-no all over Japan. Usually not a problem for most, as many people use public transportation or their own feet regularly. But there are those who brave the roads in their beloved Minicas...
The rule is: if you drink even one sip of an alcoholic beverage, you are strictly forbidden from driving a vehicle. This includes cars, vans, trucks, motorcycles, tractors, scooters, golf carts, off road vehicles and even bicycles. If you are caught and you are Japanese, you will be arrested. If you are caught and you are not Japanese, chances are you will be deported.
But do not worry!
The tyranny of enforcing safe roadways should not discourage you from over-indulging! It must not! Not with overdrinking being almost an Olympic level sport here! Japanese practicality is present even for this situation! Especially for this situation!
Ladies and Gentleman, may I present the daiko!?!
The daiko is a taxi service that will come pick you up at whatever disreputable hostess bar you end your night at, drive you to your car in the overpriced parking garage or in your secret free illegal parking place behind crates in back of the flower shop, drive your car home and then park it much more acceptably than you ever would be able to, even while sober. 1
Ladies and Gentleman, this service is cheaper than normal taxis!
The facts - a normal taxi, from Yuda to Ouchi (read as: from the drinking quarter to my home) costs about 2500Yen. A daiko costs 1800Yen. I do not understand it either.
The daiko service will allow you to drive wherever you please and drink as much as you want and still be able to safely return home. Sometimes the driver will even give you cigarettes!
They are experts at corralling drunks and very patient with drunken attempts at speaking Japanese.
All bars have the local taxi and daiko numbers and will happily call one for you at the end of your night. 2
This service may be available in other countries, in fact it probably is! But I first met this here in Japan, and it will always be a Japanese service in my heart.


1 Or maybe just better than me. I am a really apathetic parker.
2 Unless you are going home with the hot bartender, in which case he will arrange private transportation for you both.