I happened to see a news report that said that taxis in London had been ranked the world’s best, with Tokyo’s taxis coming in 5th overall. While I’ve not had the opportunity to ride in a taxi in London, I was surprised by Tokyo’s low ranking, since I’ve always found taxi drivers in Japan to be the most polite and professional in the world. Not only are Japanese taxis spotless, with their drivers diligently polishing every surface whenever the driver waits for a fare, they make visitors feel welcome thanks to the passenger door that opens automatically for you. Of course not every taxi ride in Tokyo is going to be a smooth one for foreign visitors. There may be language problems since drivers’ English skills may vary, or confusion about what is near what in sprawling Tokyo, which is not actually a city but a prefecture with 23 cities inside it. There are also plenty of potential problems due to the chaotic way Japanese city blocks are laid out, and unless you have a map to where you’re trying to go, it’s possible even your driver won’t be able to find your destination.
I’ve always found taxi drivers in Japan to be outstanding.
