Taxi in Japan
To the average travelers who need to consider about the travel cost, taking taxi is the most expensive option from convenient public transportation in large cities.However, in those smaller cities where public transportation is not as convenient as in larger cities, taxi may be the best choice, if travel in group that 3 or more people then taxi also can be an economical option for short distance.
In Japan, most trains and buses stop running at midnight, which may cause a sudden increase in demand for taxis at that time, especially on weekends. On Friday and Saturday evenings, it is common to see long lines waiting for taxis in front of the train stations, and indeed it is time-consuming.
Most taxis can accommodate four passengers (not including the driver), while larger vehicles can accommodate one more, i.e. five passengers.
Taxi fares for a standard four-passenger generally cost about 400-700 yen at the first two kilometers and increase by about 80-90 yen for every additional 300-400 meters. When the taxi remains stationary for a long period of time, the cost also increases. Late at night, the rate increases by 20-30%.If the destination is needed to drive through expressways, then the tolls are added to the fare.
A panel on the dashboard in the lower corner of the wiper indicates whether the taxi is available or not. A red panel indicates that the taxi is unoccupied 
, a green panel indicates the opposite (Occupied) 
. During the night, a light on the roof of the taxi indicates unoccupied.
Note the left rear door of Japanese taxis is opened and closed remotely by the driver, It is not supposed to open or close by passengers. In addition, Japanese taxis are not in the habit of charging a tip, as the service charge is included in the fare.
If you do not speak Japanese, or if your destination is not a well-known place, it is recommended that you write down the exact address of your destination to the driver, or point it on a map, as Japanese addresses are complicated even for local taxi drivers.