Driving in Japan

Japan drives on the left. Roads are narrow, parking is expensive in cities, but a car is essential in rural areas and very helpful outside the major metros.

License Options

International Driving Permit (IDP)

• Valid for 1 year only from date of entry to Japan.
• Must be issued in your home country before arriving.
• After that year (or if you become a resident), you must get a Japanese license.
• Countries that issue IDPs recognized in Japan: U.S., Canada, UK, Australia, and 80+ others under the Geneva Convention.
• AAA International Driving Permit - For U.S. citizens.
• CAA International Driving Permit - For Canadians.

License Conversion (Gaimen Kirikae)

• If you held your home country's license for at least 3 months before moving to Japan, you can convert it.
• Process: written exam, eye test, and (for some countries) a practical driving test.
• Easy conversion countries (no practical test): UK, Australia, Germany, France, South Korea, Taiwan, and 25+ others.
• Hard conversion countries (practical test required): U.S., China, Brazil, Russia. The practical test is famously difficult.
• Gaimen Kirikae Guide - Comprehensive English walkthrough.
• JAF License Conversion Info - Japan Automobile Federation's official guide.

Getting a License from Scratch

• If you don't have a license already, you'll attend driving school (~$2000-$3000) and take written and practical tests.
• Process takes 1-3 months.

Driving Schools

• Koyama Driving School - Tokyo driving school with English instructors.
• Mizonokuchi Driving School - Yokohama-area school.

Buying a Car

• Carview - Japan's biggest used car listings site (Japanese).
• Goo-net Used Cars - Major used car platform.
• BeForward - Export-focused but lists Japanese inventory.
• TC-V - English-language Japanese used car export site.
• Costs Guide - English guide to the buying process.

Shaken (車検)

Every car must pass a costly biennial inspection called shaken. Budget ¥100,000-¥200,000+ every two years. This is a major reason used cars are cheap.

Renting a Car

• Tocoo - English car rental booking platform.
• Times Car Rental - Major chain with English support.
• Toyota Rent a Car - Toyota's rental service.
• Nippon Rent-A-Car - Another major option.

Car Sharing

• Times Car Plus - Most popular car-share with stations everywhere.
• Orix Car Share - Another major car-share network.

Roads & Tolls

• Japan Expressway Toll Calculator - Plan toll costs in advance. Tolls are expensive (~¥3000 Tokyo-Nagoya).
• ETC Card - Highly recommended for any expressway driving. Saves money and skips toll booths.
• Northern Road Navi - Hokkaido winter road conditions.

Driving Rules & Culture

• Drive on the left.
• 0.0% BAC for alcohol. Penalties are severe, including for passengers.
• Speed limits: ~40 km/h on urban roads, 60 km/h on rural roads, 80-100 km/h on expressways.
• No right turn on red. Wait for the green arrow.
• Stop sign (止まれ) = full stop, always.
• Cyclists often ride on sidewalks and roads. Watch carefully.
• Japan Driving Rules (JAF) - Official English summary.

Roadside Assistance

• JAF (Japan Automobile Federation) - Japan's AAA equivalent. Annual membership ~¥4000.

Apps

• Google Maps - Works well in Japan, traffic data included.
• Yahoo Car Navigation - Better for in-Japan routing (Japanese).
• NAVITIME - Highly accurate Japanese navigation.

Selling Your Car

• Gulliver - Major used car buyer chain.
• Apple International - Used car export and resale.

Scrapping / Disposal

• Cars in Japan must be properly scrapped through a registered scrapper. There's a recycling fee paid when buying that funds this.