Why is the HIACE my favorite car type?
Let me tell you a story about myself.
My father can't drive, and so when I was young, he hired a driver who often picked me up and dropped me off from school. It was nice to have someone waiting for me when I finished school, and didn't have to wait for the bus in the sweltering Singapore heat. It was also great that I could hop in the car to go to the next activity they had in mind for me, so I never needed to worry about my schedule!
When I went abroad to study, my parents also often told me to never get in random friends' cars to go on driving holidays or the nearby shopping, as parents often think young people drive dangerously. So my dear friends, now you know the real reason why I never went on holiday with you! Because I am a very good girl who listens to what my parents said when I was younger, even after coming to Japan, I have only rode in vehicles where the driver has a Class 2 Professional Driving License, the license you need to ferry guests around. My business partner Tokuda, my husband, and some of my friends are actually all licensed to drive large buses or trucks! Things have surely changed from my childhood where my dad couldn't drive. Oh, by the way, I cannot drive myself either.
Which is why I started a private tour company, to help others who cannot drive in Japan, enjoy and have wonderful memories of Japan. With the concept of safety instilled in me since young, I make sure that my drivers are not only certified to drive, but also are safety conscious and drive with the passengers comfort in mind.
Managing Directors of Japan Private Drivers- Tokuda and Aw
Before I started my own private car department, I used to ride in Totyota HIACE vans as a tour guide and also as a passenger myself when my family comes over to visit. I always said that the HIACE vans were my most favorite type of vehicle. HIACE is pronounced as Hi-Ace, like saying Hi to your friend and Ace, like acing your test. Did you know that the HIACE can sit up to 8 passengers comfortably and fit 8-10 suitcases? An Alphard can only sit a maximum of 3 when you have suitcases. The HIACE van is actually one of the largest MPVs around! And it seems that the HIACE van for passengers is only available in Japan. The HIACE vans sold out of Japan are usually for cargo only. The HIACE passenger version is also used as accessible friendly vans or as ambulances because they are built to be stable and be extremely robust. If you have never rode in a HIACE van before in your country, we recommend you to try at least once when you are in Japan, especially so if you are traveling in a somewhat big group. This would be a big part of your Japan Experience! The HIACE vans also come equipped with a power sliding door where you can open the door easily by maneuvering the lever. The vehicles are also equipped with [Toyota Safety Sense], Toyota's latest technologies designed to prevent the most common types of accidents.
When traveling in a somewhat larger group, it might be common to charter a microbus, for those who don't know that there are HIACE vans catering to the group size of 5-8pax. I remember clearly that when we were traveling with our 90-years-old Grandma, it was really great that we could pull the HIACE into the nearest space to the entrance, or enter the narrow Japanese lanes. This way Grandma could walk the least distance to get what she wanted instead of parking in the motorcoach parking lot.
Beautiful HIACE under the Sakura Trees
My dear cosy HIACE, thank you so much for the memories of the fun times I had with my family. Thank you for being such an important part of our business too. I associate a family's warmth, our business relationships and friendships with our guests and clients. Everytime I see you on the road, black, white, navy, two-toned, whatever the colour you may be, I can't wait to let everyone know what a great vehicle you are.
I love you so much <3
