I actually think the drivers are pretty good, polite, interesting to talk to (a lot of them these days had other careers before they started driving cabs), etc. It's just that a lot of them don't know the roads very well. (I had one that had just arrived from Tohoku the day before and didn't know where the Imperial Palace was.) Now it's better with GPS, in the old days if you didn't have a printed map you were SOL.

I know central Tokyo better than about 99% of the drivers so I always give them turn by turn directions without any problems.

If in doubt, you can always hail a kojin taxi.

Yes.

I appreciate taxi drivers at suburban stations are very different from those around Shibuya or Shinjuku as they usually know the area but they haven't a clue how to get to an address like Anywhere 1-2-3.

I have always been impressed with the taxi drivers in Tokyo and Kyoto. The last taxi driver I had, insisted on checking that the Machiya he was dropping me off at matched the printed map I had AND rounded the fare down.

I figured out Japanese addresses a while back, but I'd like to see one of the Japanese variety shows do a piece where postal workers become taxi drivers for a day...

This is the case, as there were coins in the tray and applying Western values I assumed that was a 'hint' to leave a tip.
I've never see such a set up in cabs outside of Tokyo hence the question.
Thanks!

Interesting photo but not the case, certainly not a tray that would accept a IC card. Just a shopkeepers tray

Yes. It's just a tray - I think the IC reader is positioned under it, but that's not the point. If you put a couple of coins in it, it might resemble the one you saw in Tokyo. However, this one is not in Tokyo. (ICOCA is JR-West's card).

Interestingly I had friend who gave a cab driver just and address. The driver turned around and said, "What do you think I am? A mailman?"

For those who don't know, "kojin taxis" are taxis owned by the driver. They are almost always painted white, at least in Tokyo, which makes them easy to spot.

You have to have ten years of experience as a driver with a taxi company and pass a special law/geography examination in order to get a license to operate a kojin taxi -- whereas one can work as a driver for a taxi company with just a commercial driver's license. There is also a "masters" certification system for the kojin taxis, mainly based on driving and maintenance records. Those drivers who have obtained the additional certification have an additional light on the roof with a three-star logo.

Just to elaborate a little, the kojin taxis in addition to being white have a snail or a lantern on the rooftop. I think the qualification is actually 7 years and it can be any kind of commercial license ....not just taxis.
Also, I think the 7 years has to be with no accidents and not traffic violations. I once had a kojin driver that had been around for so long that when he started his career it was with in a taxi powered by a charcoal burner.

I was curious so I looked it up. There may be some variance by region, but in general it is indeed 10 years of experience as a commercial driver (truck experience is treated as 50%). Some associations define this as being a taxi/hired car driver. Depending on age there is also a requirement that some percentage of that 10 years be as a taxi or hired car driver.

The required accident/infraction-free period seems to only be defined for drivers under 35 (10 years); others don't have such a requirement listed.

In case you're bored at work: http://www.kojin-taxi.or.jp/taxi/jigyohnushi.html

Cool, thanks for the info. I thought the white cabs came from a particular company. They are usually later model "rounded" Toyota Crowns. Or is this something else?

Those be they. Look for the yellow blob on the top - a lantern or a swirl.

Glad we set that straight. Thanks for the info.