We Filipinos aren’t really picky when it comes to license plates. If they’re given to us when we pay for them, y’know, like how a basic government service is supposed to be rendered, we’d treat all our neighbors to a round of beer. That’s how happy we would be.
But in First World countries like Japan, they’ve moved on to creating pleasant motorist experiences. Because that’s what you do when you think of the welfare of your citizens. According to RocketNews24, Tokyo’s Sumida Ward has decided to issue special license plates for scooters—classified as motorbikes 50cc and below. And this is only for two-wheelers; regular vehicles only get to use the typical JDM plates.
The designs are inspired by Japanese artist Hokusai’s most famous work, The Great Wave off Kamagawa. The famous painter was born in the mid-1700s in the area now known as Sumida Ward, thus the honor. And the choice of design was through a contest organized by high school students, not a government initiative. Good job, kids.
As for our local license plates, and since we’re fantasizing anyway, we wouldn’t mind a Voltes V design ourselves.
