I have not only written a book called “Driving In Japan”, I have also written articles and longer pieces on some other websites. All of course aimed at helping you get the most out of renting a car and driving in Japan.
1. Understanding Japanese Rules Of The Road
Driving in Japan is not really complicated, there are just hundreds of small things you have to think about all the time. And you have to stay on constant alert, because things may happen at any time.
So I wrote an article to help you sort out the rules of the road in Japan. It will help you understand the special Japanese rules, based on my book “Driving In Japan”.
2. Understanding The Japanese Highways
Japan has an amazing system of expressways, stretching all across the country, serving as the backbone for the Japanese just-in-time delivery system.
In this article, you will learn how to navigate them, and how to drive on the highways in Japan. Of course, the article is based on the chapter about freeway driving in Japan in my book “Driving In Japan”.
3. Get To Know How And Where To Park In Japan
Japanese cities, in particular the center of the old cities like Kyoto and Nara, have narrow streets which are often congested. After all, they were built when the main mode of traffic was pedestrian. Long before anyone had even thought about cars.
Of course, I wrote about this in my book “Driving In Japan”, and I have not one, but two chapters about navigating the narrow Japanese cities. You can read the table of contents here.
So not only are the centers of most Japanese cities hard to drive in, there is no parking either. What there may be are small lots with three or four spaces, where a house used to stand. which means you need to understand where to look for parking, and how much it will cost you. Read more here.
4. Filling Up Your Car
Most cars in Japan are hybrid gasoline-electric. Fully electric cars are still uncommon, despite the best efforts of manufacturers like Nissan and Mitsubishi to popularize them.
So you need gasoline. The cheapest gasoline in Japan (a country where petrol is expensive) is at Costco, the American cash-and-carry warehouse store chain. They honor foreign membership cards as well – even in their gasoline stations.
I wrote a separate article about how to use a Japanese gasoline stand (usually with a big sign saying セルフ, which means self-service). And there is naturally a separate chapter in my book “Driving In Japan” about how to use Japanese filling stations.
https://japantravelplanning.com/japanese-gas-stations/
5. And A Lot More On My Own Site
I have also collected quite a bit about driving in Japan on my own website,
Did you find this useful? Then chances are that you will find my book “Driving In Japan” even more useful. It has not just one, but two chapters about renting cars in Japan.
Japan Top 10 