Driving in Japan is a different challenge from driving anywhere else. Most of the road signs are home-grown, the drivers do not drive in ways that you expect, and there are rules of the road that you have never heard about.
The good thing is that there are not all that many of them. It is not too difficult to drive in Japan – once you have familiarized yourself with the rules, roadsigns and writing on the road.
I have written quite a bit about driving in Japan here, but it may be hard to find if you have to cruise between the pages. So let me give you a little guide to what I have written about driving in Japan.
By the way, if you are interested in the topic of driving in Japan, you are sure to be interested in my book “Driving In Japan”. You can read the table of contents here. And from this page, you can order the book directly from your favorite online bookstore.
1. The Road Signs
Japan has its own completely homegrown flora of road signs. Most of the streetsigns you will find in Japan are different from street signs in other countries. So here are some articles to guide you.
The Top 10 Strangest Road Signs You Will Find In Japan
10 Road Signs Pedestrians In Japan Must Recognize
The Five Most Common Road Signs In Japan
10 Kanji You Need To Know In Japanese Traffic
2. Japanese Traffic
The driving culture in Japan is different from other countries, even other countries that drive on the left. It is firmly rooted in politeness, conflict avoidance, and the other values that shape personal interactions in Japan.
Many other things are different too, including what extra equipment you can get for your rental car. And getting the rental car itself.
Five Kinds Of Extra Equipment You Will Need For Your Car
5 articles to help you make the most out of driving in Japan
10 Strange Traffic Habits You Will See In Japan
3. Read Up In Advance
I was completely taken aback when I discovered that “Driving In Japan” was the only book in its category on the market. So please use it.
Top 5 Books About Driving In Japan
What Is An IDP, And Why Do You Need It To Drive In Japan?
How To Get An IDP In The 20 Countries With Most Visitors To Japan
4. Walking In Japan
You do not need a car to get around Japanese cities. As a matter of tact, it would mostly be in the way. In Japanese cities, sightseeing means walking. So here are ten tips to make your Japanese walking experience as smooth as possible.
5. Driving In Adverse Conditions
Japan is a safe place to drive, and paradoxically it is even safer at night. For one, you can see other cars very easily (but pedestrians is another matter). So here are some tips.
5 Tips About Driving In Typhoons
Five Things You Need To Know About Driving In Japan At Night
10 Tips For Winter Driving In Japan
6. Planning A Road Trip
A road trip is one of the best ways of enjoying Japan beyond the beaten tracks. But you need to think about what you are planning.
10 Things Not To Do When Planning A Road Trip In Japan
10 Tips About How To Plan A Road Trip From Tokyo
5 Road Trips To Take In Tochigi
5 Resources To Use When Planning A Road Trip
Resources For Renting An RV (Or Campervan) In Japan
Japan Top 10 