Get in a taxi in Tokyo, and you’ll get a ride with a little old-world charm.

The liveried cabs are shiny, spotless and odor-free. The seats are covered in white lace. The drivers wear suits, sometimes sporting white gloves and even bow ties.

They concentrate on driving instead of chatting on mobile phones. While some newbie drivers don’t know Tokyo like the back of their hand, GPS ensures they won’t get lost, and they’ll get you to your destination as quickly as possible. And while they can be expensive compared to taxis in major U.S. cities, they don’t take tips.

But despite there being about 50,000 cabs on the roads of the capital, more than three times the number in New York’s Manhattan, a cab can sometimes be very difficult to get, especially at times of peak demand. That creates an opportunity for ride-hailing apps in Tokyo and other Japanese cities.

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