As first-time motorists in Japan we are afforded the "privilege" of placing this soshinoya sticker on our vehicle. Nearest I can figure, soshinoya is a conglomeration of "stay away" and "be aware" in Japanese. It warns others, both on the street and on the sidewalk, to watch out for us if they see us coming. I purchased two for the car. One is stuck in front and the other in back. Everybody has been fairly warned.I have been told that the Japanese traffic police will go easy on you if you happen to be involved in a minor traffic violation. So long as you don't give the nice officer attitude during a traffic stop, the sticker can be your best friend on the road. This may be true. I don't want to put it to the test.
I have another mantra that I loop in my head every time I get behind the wheel. It goes like this, "death comes from the right, death comes from the right." It serves to remind me that as I approach an intersection, I am to look first to the right. That is the direction from which I am likely to get T-boned since folks drive on the left side here. With all this "re-education" I am receiving on the far side of the Pacific, I don't know what I am going to do when I get back to the States and rent a car.
