Renewal of my Driving Licence

In Japan we have to update the driving license every 5 or 4 or 3 years
depending on how well the holder's driving attitude is. In Hyogo
Prefecture the renewal process cannot be achieved at nearby police
stations on Sunday and we have to go to driving license centers. The
largest one in Hyogo is located at Akashi, and I went there today.

Hyogo is a preceding prefecture where driving licenses of IC card type
are issued. Thus we have to pay 3,250 yen even for excellent drivers
(the license is valid for 5 years), which value is 450 yen more
expensive than the old type one.

At a glance there seems to be almost no change.
One change is that the legal address on family registry / nationality
is blank. I got an additional paper which says the registered address
/ nationality when I got the new license card. We have to check it is
correct.
And I have heard that the thickness is slightly large, though it is
almost impossible to distinguish unless you compare them side by
side.
And also we have to register a password (8 digits). I got a paper in
which the password is written, and I have to reserve it apart from the
license card... The security is enough???

From June 2 this year (yesterday!), a new car-rank has been
introduced... 'Tyu-gata' or middle class. I had 'Futsuu' or normal
class license, but it belongs to 'Tyu-gata' in the new category with
some restrictions. Please see the following site for the
details. (Sorry but Japanese!)
http://www.keishicho.metro.tokyo.jp/menkyo/chugata/chugata.htm
Anyway the types of cars I can drive do not change.


The following pictures are taken in Akashi Park, where I visited on my
way home.
http://www.hyogo-park.or.jp/akashi/
(Sorry this is also only Japanese...)


* Gou-no-Ike *


* Library *
The left building is Hyogo Library, and the right one is Akashi
Library.


* Akashi Castle, Tatsumi Watchtower *
We can see Akashi Channel Bridge over there.