Gaining Mobility

Today, with the help of my uncle and cousin, I have managed to negotiate the purchase of a used scooter, the Honda Dio, 50cc moped from a local moped shop. I am waiting for the arrival of the license and title paperwork. This is a tiny moped but its really all one needs to become mobile in Japan without heavy reliance on public transportation. Its not that I mind a crowded commuter train once in a while. The fact of the matter is, public transportation here is the best I have ever seen in terms of reliability. However, as a major drain on the old pocketbook, I expect to recover the cost of my new used Dio, 85,000 yen, (approximately $1,000 US) in a only a few months. It would be an interesting case study to see how long it would take to save 85,000 yen mopeding in place of normal everyday transportation costs. Perhaps in a subsequent post, I will dedicate my efforts to such a study.