Japan is a unique place, and the economic forces that cause this kind of business or that to spring up can be interesting — if I weren’t so busy with J-List, I might consider trying to import some of the business ideas I see here to other countries. While some businesses that flourish in Japan are probably not right for the U.S. or Europe — for example, hole-in-the-wall restaurants called tachi-gui soba, lit. “stand-and-eat noodles,” where everyone leans against tables while they eat since there’s no room to sit down — there are other ideas for business that may have more potential. Like the daiko (“replacement driver”) service, essentially a taxi with an extra driver who will follow behind in your car so you have it to use in the morning. Japan is so good at making awesome vending machines, I’m sure someone could find a way to to bring over some to the U.S. somehow. Another interesting idea for a business is Leo Palace, essentially a chain of inexpensive studio apartments that are made in a “cookie cutter” construction model, with all units having the same layout. I’m sure that college students would jump at the chance to rent a cheap single-room apartment with loft rather than do the roommate thing, though maybe I’ve just lived in Japan too long.Of course one attraction of the Leo Palace system is, the ability to rent an apartment without paying six months of rent up front as shikikin and reikin, deposit and “thanks money” to the landlord, which doesn’t apply in the U.S. Still, a franchise apartment system built efficiently might have potential. What do you think?
The daiko taxi system is a gerat way to go drinking without endangering others.
