Yes, taxis are most definitely everywhere in Tokyo.

Just go to the nearest arterial street, and one is likely to come by within five minutes.

Just out of curiosity, I once videoed the intersection in front of my hotel in Shimbashi for one minute. During that minute, TWELVE cabs passed through the frame.

You've obviously never tried to get a taxi in Tokyo on a rainy Monday morning, when they all magically disappear.

As long as the thread stays on topic (i.e. Uber in Japan) then I will let the discussion continue here.

Regards,
armagebedar
Japan forum moderator

There's always the bilingual Taxi app.

Try it on a rainy Monday morning and see what happens. It will either say "no taxis are available," "the system is too congested" or it will simply return an error message when you try to book....

Which is probably true for about most major cities....

+1

Quiz - What's the difference between taxi drivers in Tokyo and NYC.

Answer - Tokyo taxi drivers speak better English.

yes. and it is very easy to add and works pretty well...even when used by a Gaijin like me but frankly, never was it required since so many cabs were around.

i can think of WAY more than one good answer... ;-) when was the last time you had a guy hustle to the trunk to pull your suitcase or wear white gloves when doing so or manually open your door for you....

UberBlack between Haneda Airport and the city has a fixed price depending on the ward you're in.

My ride from Sheraton Tokyo to Haneda airport was a fixed price of JPY6,100. I was picked up in a Toyota Royal Crown.

Promo code is hanedaflat.

I would take the subway/airport line but my friend and I had loads of luggages so Uber was the obvious choice.

I know. I can't tell if I'm falling up or down the rabbit hole when I'm traveling between New York and Tokyo.

Have you tried the Japan Taxi app? It's slow as molasses to start up but it has an Uber-like interface and supposedly works nationwide; in Tokyo it's served by Nihon Kotsu.

For NRT I've done cab to Ueno then hop on the Skyliner -- I learned my lesson about not taking N'EX during inclement weather, last year when a lightning struck the overhead cables near Sakura, causing the N'EX to go out of service. For HND I usually cab it, so I can sympathize with OP. (Note: this is all business travel so I'm not paying in cash, but in time)

Only problem is that's it not flat. It's a flat amount times the surge rate so it can range from 8000 to 25,000 yen.

Oh I see, I haven't encountered surge rate so far.

I was walking around Ginza on a weekend night and noticed several nicer model sedans with drivers inside waiting at the curb without the taxi lights. Some had a little antenna with a blue light on front bumper, another had the white seat covers. They didn't have the uber signs I'm used to seeing in front windshield, either. Are these some sort of town car service waiting for their patrons inside Ginza hostess clubs or other upscale venues? Or do the really upscale (venues or households) also keep in-house drivers?

I also saw more women in kimono walking down the street than usual around 8 pm. Some were probably below mid-thirties but others were not. A few were probably women returning from a day of shopping or dressed up for a nice dinner but I did see one nodding at a club tout on the street before going into a combini. Were a majority of these traditionally attired women on their way to work?