Regular Gas is exactly $4.07/gal here in Fukuoka, Japan

[Matsubara]

Years ago, the pices here were significantly higher than the U.S., at about $3.75 per gallon, but now they are pretty much the same.

But most Japanese cars get 35~50 mpg, and the distances people drive here are much shorter, besides, there is great mass transit here for going to work - most people only drive on the weekends.

People in the states are clearly being GOUGED.

(I had intended to post this as a reply to the thread about gas prices in each area, but accidentally posted it as an OP - what the hell. I'll leave it be.)

[Art_from_Ark]

1. Is that for self-serve or full serve?

I take it it's regular and not "high oc".

By my calculations, regular here in the Tokyo area just cost me about $3.80/gallon, @ 120 yen per dollar.

The average car around here is lucky to get 30mpg because of all the time wasted in long traffic lines and waiting at the ubiquitous, uncoordinated stoplights.

[Matsubara]

2. Most gas stations here are still full-service.

And the few that are self-serve charge the exact same price. And yes, that's for regular unleaded.

Agreed about the horrible timing on stoplights in Japan. Nothing you can really do about the traffic, what with the narrow streets laid down eons ago. The expressway here is pretty quick, but 600 yen a pop, forget it. I avoid peak drive times and know a few shortcuts around town...

Sounds like the prices there are actually lower. Go figure. Here it's about 128~132 per liter.

But you guys must make up for the savings with those high rents. It's cheap out here in the hinterlands.

[Art_from_Ark]

10. Yeah, gas prices here do seem to be lower

Even at the more expensive "full-serve" stations (they wash your windows, and dump ashtrays), it's about 125 yen/liter for regular unleaded.

But rents aren't too terribly high in my neck of the rice fields- they run for 30,000 yen and up for student/efficiency apartments to 50-70,000 yen for an economical (but not luxurious) 3LDK, and you can probably get a truly detached house for less than 100,000 yen/month.

[IChing]

3. That price is a liter.

or two.........your prices don't equal
dollar or yen trade prices.

OK the dollar is shit.

[Matsubara]

4. No. I converted the prices to a per gallon price. Liter price is 128~132 yen, about $1.08/liter

According to today's exchange rate.

[IChing]

5. Damn the dollar is in the hole.

Hopefully you are earning the yen
and not dependent on the dollar.

[Matsubara]

7. 1 dollar is about 120 yen. It's actually been pretty stable.

The dollar has plummeted against the Euro, but it has held up against the yen. I do make my income in dollars, but am doing okay. As long as the exchange rate is better than 100 yen to the dollar, we're fine.

If it falls below that, I am changing jobs...

[Art_from_Ark]

9. The yen's been going down against all major currencies

including the US dollar. It's even going down against some of the lesser currencies like the Taiwan dollar, Singapore dollar, and Thai baht.

[SoCalDem]

6. But, I bet you have some public transportation, and shorter distances to commute to work

That's the part of the problem we cannot get away from here..

How many people here can afford to quit their jobs because they cannot afford to put gas in their cars?

[Selatius]

12. We got into that problem roughly 60 years ago.

When we let auto companies buy up light-rail/street trolley companies so that they could junk the trolleys and ripped out the rail lines to be replaced with more pavement and ultimately the interstate highway system. The car lobbies are why Amtrak and many railroads are in the decrepit state they are currently in.

[qdemn7]

8. Hybrids?

So what's the story with hybrids over there? Much mass appeal? What about diesels?

[Matsubara]

15. I see a significant number of Prius...

But even more significant is the fact that a full 40% of all passenger vehicles sold here are in the "Kei" (microcar) class. They have very specific size, weight, and engine displacement regulations. Keis are very popular because A) the taxes on them is about half or less of what it is on standard passenger cars, and B) they get gas mileage comparable to a Prius. My Kei van sips gas. I doubt I spend $10 per week on gas.

[Art_from_Ark]

17. The yearly tax on a "kei" car ranges from 4,000-7,000 yen

while the yearly tax on the next size class is 34,000-37,000 yen-- quite a difference-- and a selling point. Inspections for "keis" are cheaper too, and you even get a discount on the toll roads for a kei-- and cheaper insurance, too. Plus, like you said, they are much better on gas mileage.

[Matsubara]

19. They are actually pretty awesome cars.

Take the most popular of all Kei, the Suzuki Wagon R, for example, they manage to get an amazing amount of passenger & cargo space into the regulated dimensions, and it's fairly peppy, too.



I wish I could have gotten one. I was tight on funds, so I bought a 1990 Mazda Scrum. It's a real beater, but it still runs and can carry a lot of junk.

[opihimoimoi]

11. But its still 400 to 500 yen for the famous Hakata Ramen

LOL

[Art_from_Ark]

13. If you think that's high

if you want real, authentic Sapporo ramen, in Sapporo, you'll have to pay about 1000 yen for the privilege.

The Hakata stuff is cheap by comparison.

But it's still more expensive than the cheap Sapporo rip-off stuff that I get :hi:

[symbolman]

14. I was BORN there

back in 1953... always wanted to visit that place. I'm a 6 foot tall, Blonde, blue eyed white dude, my mom used to park my baby stroller outside of stores and go inside, when she came out there was always a crowd around me - I must have looked like a total Mutant to them :)

Had a HELL of a time Spelling Fukuoka as a child.. many teachers got really Upset at me for the way I wrote it :)

Itazuke Air Force Base still there? Probably not.

Wow, really a blast from the past, thanks!

[Matsubara]

16. Half of Itazuke is now a large city park, the other half is JASDF* base

*Japan Air Self-Defense Force.

Fukuoka is one of the nicest, most liveable cities in Japan, not too big and not too small.

Good food here, too. Hope you make it over here someday!

[Cessna Invesco Palin]

18. Nice.

I think it's around $6.60 or so per gallon here in the UK, but I don't drive so I'm not entirely sure on that one.

[terisan]

20. How much is for gas and how much for tax? nt