Fill 'Er Up

I went to put gas in the car again the other day and this time I took some photos.  Gas stations are a little different here.  First off, they are not combined with convenience stores.  Convenience stores are everywhere.  Gas stations, on the other hand, are a little harder to find.  I know of three or four and they are all about ten minutes from my house.  Two of the ones I know of (including the one I go to) are more like a combo mechanic and gas station.  It's actually a lot like going to a Valvoline place to get your oil changed.  Several guys wave you in and swarm over your car.  You tell the one that comes to your door to fill it up with regular gasoline please (in Japanese, of course, but the word "regular" is almost the same-- you kind of take the last "r" off).  They'll also ask if you're paying in cash....sometimes they use the Japanese word for "cash" but they know "cash" too and most of the time will see that you're a foreigner and just go with "cash" to start with.

Meanwhile the other guys are wiping off your windows and your windshield and giving you a damp cloth to wipe off your steering wheel and dash.  When they're all done they'll wave you out, thank you profusely and all bow  (typical behavior in service people here).

I have spotted one other gas station that just has a little hut and the pumps.  I think it may be self-serve but I'm not sure. But I'm pretty sure that in the one I go to I could get full mechanic services. 

this is a 7Eleven convenience store....note there are no gas pumps

this is the gas station I go to (the picture is bad
because I was driving)

these are the guys that swarm your car...you can almost see
the bays to the left....that is where I think you could get
mechanic work done