Guide to Driving in Japan

Japan is splendidly one of the high-tech states of the modern world. You will find everything technically in a coherent way and for that it is a huge benefit to travel around the country having the basic conveniences. Some few driving rules are necessary to keep in mind while driving in Japan. It is just a simple undertaking to drive here and mange to find out the likely places except for the predicament of language. For a traveler from UK it is quite impossible to understand the language of the local people to get any kind of information when s/he drives around the local places. But in Japan, this shortcoming can be overcome for the technological benefits. You can easily use the Satellite Navigation Systems to trace a particular place. This is a great benefit in Japan that you can rent modern Japanese car which will provide you with GPS.

To discover the grandness of Japan one must rent a car because there are lots of places to visit with complete freedom. Driving a car would be a matter of ease for the well-structured roads of this country. You will be glad to find lots of one way roads all over the cities. Even if the roads of rural places are quite narrow, you will be pleased to drive there for their suitable condition. You must be aware of the tunnels as you may find many of them without proper lights. A map will be very helpful because it will be tough for you to make sense of the road signs and information in Japan for the language. However, do not forget to take your passport and driving license with you because the authority of Japan has strict rules regarding the foreigners.

The cities of this country are very busy and it is not so comfortable to move freely inside of it. You will also find discomfort in parking your car here for the massive traffic and the expense is not so little. If you are ready to pay some cash and want to drive break-free, there is the facility of widespread and jam-free toll roads which are called the expressways. 25Yen a passenger will be charged to use this road. Speed limits are notified on the roads but the authority is not so strict about that. Generally most of the vehicles move on disregarding the speed limits. Yet as an outsider you must be conscious about the rules.

Essential Driving Information

  • You have to drive on the left in Japan.
  • Motorway symbols have a blue background and white writing.
  • Seatbelts are obligatory for everyone in the front and rear.
  • If you are carrying child, a Child Safety Seat should be used.
  • Drink driving in Japan is strongly prohibited.
Speed Limits
Town/City: 30-50 Km/h
Motorway: 80 km/h
Emergency Phone Numbers
Police: 110
Ambulance: 119
Firefighters: 119
In English (Tokyo): +813 5774 0992
General Information (as of 2014)
Min Driving Age: 21
Alcohol Limit: 0.00%
Petrol Price: €1.11/litre
Diesel Price: €0.96/litre
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