{"id":19563,"date":"2026-04-16T11:36:06","date_gmt":"2026-04-16T02:36:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/joyn.tokyo\/?p=19563"},"modified":"2026-04-16T11:36:16","modified_gmt":"2026-04-16T02:36:16","slug":"driving-in-japan","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/joyn.tokyo\/zh\/admin\/driving-in-japan","title":{"rendered":"Driving in Japan: Get Your License and Get on the Road"},"content":{"rendered":"

Driving in Japan may not be the first thing you think of when considering moving here. Even if you already live in Japan, you may not think about driving much if you live in a big city with convenient access to trains and buses. But, it\u2019s a useful skill to have, and almost certainly essential if you plan to move to a rural community in Japan. Since the convenient trains that so many rave about tend to thin out or even cease to exist in rural Japan, you\u2019ll probably need to learn how to drive if you plan to live there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How to Start Driving in Japan<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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There are a few different ways to get started driving in Japan, and some are going to be easier than others. I\u2019ll explain each way that you can start driving, starting from the easiest and getting more difficult from there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

International Driving Permit<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The International Driving Permit (called the kokusai unten menkyosho\u30fb\u56fd\u969b\u904b\u8ee2\u514d\u8a31\u8a3c in Japanese) is a one year long driving permit that\u2019s available to foreigners living in a variety of countries, including Japan. You\u2019ll need to obtain it while you\u2019re still in your home country, and will need to present your valid domestic driving license, as well as a passport-style photo, and will probably need to pay a small fee to obtain the permit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The entire process is pretty easy, and requires no written or hands-on test to complete. You can get the process started by bringing your current license, passport photos, and a filled-out IDP application to your country\u2019s automobile association (AAA in the U.S. and CAA in Canada). This is where they will process your application and issue your IDP, usually on the same day. I remember when I applied for an IDP before moving to Japan, the entire process took about an hour. It may vary by country, but in general, it\u2019s a simple and straightforward process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Driving License Conversion<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Foreign driving license conversion, called gaikoku menkyo kirikae\u30fb\u5916\u56fd\u514d\u8a31\u5207\u66ff in Japanese, is a common practice, and much easier than taking a Japanese driving test or attending a school to get started driving in Japan. But, it\u2019s a little more complicated than the International Driving Permit process explained above. First of all, Japan only allows the licenses of some countries to be converted, and in the case of the U.S., only a few U.S. state\u2019s licenses allow for conversion. So check to make sure your country is on the list of eligible licenses, before taking the steps to convert yours.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If this is all fine, then the process shouldn\u2019t take too long. It will probably take about half a day at your local prefecture\u2019s driver\u2019s license center, and can be done completely in Japan, so you don\u2019t need to do anything beforehand in your home country to get the process started. You will need to submit some paperwork, take an eye test, and, in some prefectures, drive a lap on a closed course. You\u2019ll need to pay a few fees, including an examination fee and license issuance fee, as well as a fee on top of that to get your home country\u2019s license translated to Japanese. However, these fees are not outrageous, with the combined examination and license issuance fee coming out to about 5,000 yen, and the license translation fee being about 6,000 yen. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

You will also need to make an appointment at your local driver\u2019s license center, and will need to provide some other things such as your passport, residence card, etc. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Official Driving School<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019re unable to convert your driving license, there are a few other ways to get started driving in Japan. But, they\u2019ll be a little more expensive and complicated. The easier way to start driving in Japan without a convertible license, is to attend one of Japan\u2019s accredited driving schools. You\u2019ll be able to graduate from the school without taking the practical driving test, so in a lot of ways, it\u2019s easier. However, you\u2019ll still need to take the written exam that I\u2019ll explain more about later.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Attending one of these schools will cost you from 250,000 to 350,000 yen, which is considerably higher than the fee just to take the driving test. However, paying the fee is often available in installments, so you don\u2019t necessarily have to pay it all at once.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In terms of the curriculum of an accredited driving school, expect 26 hours total of classroom time teaching Japanese rules of the road, and 31 hours of hands-on driving time on both closed course tracks and real roads. But, at the end of all of this, you will not need to take the practical driving test, so you\u2019ll be able to start driving in Japan as long as you pass the written and eye exams. Many schools also now supply English language materials, so you won\u2019t be completely lost in class if you don\u2019t speak fluent Japanese.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some of Japan\u2019s officially designated driving schools that are English-friendly are Koyama Driving School in Tokyo and Yokohama, Seishin Driving School in Kobe, and Minami Fukuoka Driver\u2019s School in Fukuoka.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Prefectural Driving Test<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Probably the most difficult way to start driving in Japan is to take the official driving test (unten menkyo shiken\u30fb\u904b\u8ee2\u514d\u8a31\u8a66\u9a13) in order to get your Japanese driving license. However, it is quite a bit cheaper than attending a school, with the combined fee for the written test, practical exam, and license issuance coming out to a little under 10,000 yen. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the test itself, you should expect a written examination of 50 questions. You will need to get 90% of these questions right to pass. Don\u2019t worry, the exam is available in English as well as many other foreign languages, so you don\u2019t need to be completely fluent in Japanese to pass this test.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The most difficult part of the test may be the practical exam, in which you will need to not only drive safely as you normally would, but will be required to check your blind spots more than usual, and will be required to look under and around the car before driving, to make sure that there aren\u2019t any dangerous objects underneath.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You will also need to take a basic vision and hearing test to make sure that it\u2019s safe for you to drive on Japanese roads. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Japanese Driver\u2019s Test Advice<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Common Test-Day Snags<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

On the day of the test, don\u2019t forget to pay attention to these things that often trip people up. Remember to stop at any railway crossings before continuing on ahead, in case the gates lower and a train is about to pass. Remember to drive at 30 km\/h (or under) unless otherwise specified. Remember to over-check your blind spots and mirrors while taking the practical test (better safe than sorry!)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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