Takatama Station

Takatama Station, a photo by dtk_guy on Flickr.

Looking at this photo you'd think this place is in the middle of nowhere. Actually, it sort of is. But not that much. Takadama/Takatama is south of Tendo and this station is the nearest JR station to the Yamagata Traffic Safety Centre (Koutsu Anzen Senta-). I made my second trip out there today in order to write my driver's licence test. My goal being to obtain a Japanese driver's licence.

The trip out there was relatively uneventful. I took the 0911h train from Yonezawa to Yamagata instead of the 1041h train because the latter one would give me a five minute margin on catching a bus. I figured I'd take it easy and grab a bite to eat and a cup of coffee at the Yamagata station.

One thing I forgot about and which I got a good reminder of at the Starbucks in the Yamagata station...In Japan, Christmas season starts the second the Hallowe'en decorations come down. At the Starbucks they had removed their Colombia blend VIA instant coffee and replaced them with 12 packs of Christmas blend. Plus their music selection consisted entirely of Christmas songs and carols. I think I caught a version of "Hark the Herald Angels" done to a reggae beat. I wasn't subjected to the same thing at the Lotteria downstairs where I had their bacon and egg sandwich. I like that particular item: they use a mustard mayonnaise sauce which is quite tasty. Their place mats were advertising a couple of upcoming anime movies and their tie-in products. One of titles is the "K-ON!" movie. I wonder if that thing will get screened in Yonezawa. Maybe not.

Things went relatively smoothly at the Traffic Safety Centre even though I hadn't taken my passport with me. I figured since the fellow there had photocopied it last week then I wouldn't need it. Turned out he wanted it. Nonetheless we managed to get by without it. For some odd reason he asked questions about all the visa stamps I had in my passport. So I ended up answering questions about each one (and my somewhat wanderlust ways). Then he had to ask why there were no Canadian entry stamps. He got the gist of my explanation that Canada Customs reads our passports electronically via the code on the photo page. After that there was another round of questions pertaining to Canadian driver licencing, road tests, written tests and driver training. The last bit involved an eye exam and my forking out some money to get the actual licence. The best part of the process: as someone possessing a Canadian driver's licence I don't have to write a test or take a road test. I had the option of writing a test and I gracefully declined. The reason for this is that the Japanese view Canadian licence requirements as being strict enough to warrant allowing a straight transfer from a Canadian licence to a Japanese one. The Americans aren't as fortunate. I'm not sure if I have this right but my American co-worker said that he's never heard of an American pass the test on the first try. Though I have a vague recollection he was referring to the times when a road test was part of the process for Americans. I think today they just do the written component.

So at the end of the day I went out for dinner and ordered a self-celebratory beer. The next question will be whether I can snare a credit card issued by a Japanese bank. My American friend suspects I might have a better chance if I put my Japanese driver's licence particulars on a credit card application form rather than an alien registration card number. Unlike North America there is no such thing as a credit rating in Japan. It all boils down to how much money you make, how much money you have and whether or not you have some semblance of being a permanent residence. One of the other teachers, who has been here for 10 years, has yet to succeed in getting a Japanese credit card...but he doesn't have a Japanese driver's licence. We shall see how it goes.

Other stuff... I taught my first "Bunny class" on Saturday. I think I've gained a small amount of appreciation for what a kindergarten teacher has to go through. Mind you, my class was made up of 2-3 year-olds and their mothers. They weren't as gung-ho zany as the class of 3-5 year-olds two doors over. My youngest "student" hasn't turned two yet. I think his birthday is next month. It goes without saying that the really little ones cling to their mothers.

That's it for now....'til later!