The trains and buses, however, stop running after 11:00 pm and do not resume until 5:00 am; for times when a person chooses to stay out late at night, it would be best that they stay out the WHOLE night or have their own transportation ready.
People also drive to get to places, especially if the public transportation does not stop anywhere close to an individual’s stop or if they consider driving to be the most convenient option.
The least preferred but available option are taxis. Taxis in Japan are super expensive, with a 30 minute ride being about 8,785¥ to 10,981¥, which is $80-$100. In fact, a ten minute ride from my college to the nearest station, Hirakatashi station, costs on average about 768¥, or $7. But for desperate times, especially for times when a person has missed their last bus or train, this could be an option- though a costly one.
Something that I find to be different about Hirakata City from my hometown in North Carolina is how common it is to see bike riders in the streets. There are so many people who ride the bike here that the study abroad officers of my college in Japan held an orientation just on the traffic safety guidelines- especially as it relates to bike riders in Hirakata City. In fact, there are several bike parking spots, which are usually filled with bikes, on my campus.
