MrLapaLap and I had a bit of a chat about this.
One thing I'm not going to be able to describe properly in writing are the cultural differences between the notion of a 'date' that an American has to one that a Japanese person has. (Even between an American and an English person the word 'date' can conjur entirely different nuances and scenarios).

As is so often the case with potentially embarrassing concepts, the notion of a date is often joked with. Even MrLapLap's grandmother will say she's going on one (when she really isn't). But it's usual for some 'distance' to be involved during these meetings.

Just when the dynamics of relationships were going through a big shift in the 80s the concept of 'going on a drive' hit off in a huge way. It fulfilled the requirement of a date of finding an intimate space together, had a glamour/escapism element to it, yet maintained the 'distance' that so many people felt comfortable with (partly because that distance allows you the possibility to potray yourself in a favourable light - to show off as it were - and like it or not, this is always going to be an important art of dating).

I have a theory that one of the reasons that there are so many big wheels around Tokyo is that they offer couples an innocent and non threatening way to spend 20 to 30 minutes together - and there's the lead up in the queue, which is a weirdly private place to talk together. I guess it's the same for Disneyland, and I doubt the US versions of the park are used quite so heavily for dating as they are in Japan and will be, I suspect, in China.

It must get difficult as you get older (i.e. when you're not a teenager anymore). Perhaps you should think about getting yourself a car to use in Japan, Sunnyhere!