Driving in Japan

Would you like to know about what it's like to drive in Japan? Here is some general advice about obtaining a car in Japan, rules and regulations, and general tips. When I received my placement on the JET Program in Hokkaido, I discovered that I would be driving to 5 junior high schools in the Board of Education car, new last year. I also purchased my predecessor's car.

 

 

Before leaving the U.S. I obtained an International Drivers Permit from AAA for $15. Every country has different restrictions for international driving, but for drivers from the US, you need your US license along with your international permit and you can drive legally for one year. After one year, you must obtain a Japanese license, with which your supervisor can help you. When purchasing a car in Japan, you are responsible for the change of ownership form and the mandatory car fees (road tax, parking space registered with city, 2-year car inspection).

 

I was incredibly nervous to begin driving in Japan. Thankfully, BOE members took turns taking me on driving lessons, gesturing left and right, using their limited English and notes they took, and telling me “migi” and “hidari”. Driving on the left hand side of the road and reversing the driver's side of the car took some getting used to, and I still have to think about which side of the car to enter on! As far as I know, you can’t turn left at red lights.

The speed limits in town are from 30-40 km/hr, on highway roads its between 50-60km/hr, and on expressways the limit increases to between 80-100 km/hr. You must pay a pricey toll to use the expressway, but as it is heated in winter and the speed limit is significantly increased, it may be worth it. Despite the in-town and highway speed limits, Japanese drivers continue to speed, and it is polite to move over to the side to let cars pass you on no passing roads. 

 

The cost of gasoline in Japan is roughly ¥150/L (¥600/gal) or over $6.00/gal. However, the cars are smaller and more fuel efficient, so it probably evens out.

Here is a general overview of rules of the road in Japan. Road signs are easy to get used to. Stop signs are like red yield signs. The crosswalk signs are blue with people walking. The no parking signs are big red circles with lines through them. It is the law to stop at every train track. Talking on cell phones while driving is a big no-no. As is drinking while driving, so much so that there is a big “alcohol-free” beer industry so you can drink beer with your coworkers after work and still drive home.  

 

 

If you are caught violating the rules, you are given demerit points, and once you accumulate a certain number of points, your license can be revoked. Police cars are white with red oscillating lights. They patrol frequently but rarely pull you over while driving. Their lights are always on, and if they wish to pull you over, they will talk through a loud speaker at you, at which point you must pull over, and they will come take you into the back of their car for you to fill out some forms. You are not being arrested; this is just how it works in Japan. A ticket can also be mailed to you if you are caught excessively speeding by a speed camera, which are housed in giant metallic boxes and you are warned by about five yellow signs in advance. 

 

Because the streets are often narrow in town and in the countryside sidewalks are rare, oftentimes cars will swerve wildly around pedestrians. In addition, cars will park anywhere they want and throw on their flashers if there isn't a convenient parking lot, in which case more wild swerving ensues. 

There are two main practices that I have come to love in Japan, which seem to be very thoughtful. First, everyone backs into parking spaces. Its kind of an enigma as to why exactly this is a common practice, but I think it seems really orderly. Secondly, it is very common for people to lift their windshield wipers in winter in anticipation of a heavy snow or freezing temperatures to make scraping their windshield easier in the future. Its really smart. 

 

 

Winter driving is another topic entirely. One of my schools is about an hour away through a mountain pass, and in Hokkaido, the winter road conditions are often quite treacherous. They don’t salt/sand their roads and therefore snow gets packed down atop ice in a treacherous layer cake of winter driving danger. Furthermore, before steep climbs, vehicles will pull over in order to equip tires with chains to aid traction. 

 

Overall, driving in Japan is easy to adapt to, and once you jump through the initial hoops of car ownership, you can drive around Japan with relative ease!