Driving In Japan
Driving in Japan is less difficult than you may have believed, and much more convenient than you might expect in a land full of trains. if you avoid the big cities, driving is simple and fun - even if it has its idiosyncrasies.
Planning ahead is the core of getting a fun Japanese driving experience - for you as well as your passengers. It is easy to plan ahead, too. You do not really need anything but the application you use everyday - Google Maps. I included a separate chapter about that in the book.
That book is “Driving In Japan”, my book to help anyone who rents a car in Japan and want to understand the traffic culture and what they are getting into once they get out on the road. The book is published now and available as an ebook - the pocketbook version will be out shortly.
The Japanese roads are different from roads in other countries mainly in who you meet - and how you meet them. The tight corners in Japanese cities make it impossible to see who or what is approaching - unless you use the strategically placed traffic mirrors.
And driving in Japan means learning to drive in rain - and in snow. Japan sees more rainy days than clear ones, and the snow in the northwestern part of Japan can reach up to five meters.
The Kei car is one of the most common you will see on Japanese roads.
Driving on Japanese roads also means you will encounter a number of different vehicles and types of cars that you may never have seen at home. Most common among these is the kei car, the workhorse of Japanese farms snd small companies.
Did you find these tips useful? In that case, you probably will be interested in a whole book full of tips and more about the reasons why things are as they are in Japan. You can find out how to order the ebook and paper book from this link. Just select the store that works best for you and put it in your shopping basket.
Driving Tips Blog
Since there are so many things you have to think about, and since so many things happen every minute on Japanese roads, I decided to be a bit more topical and give you a new tip every week.
No washing car accessories in this laundromat!
2023-03-14: AVOID SUDDEN BRAKING
Avoiding sudden braking is a sign of a careful driver. The better you observe the situation on the road, the better you are likely to be at adapting your speed - and hence be able to avoid braking suddenly. And Japanese drivers hate surprises.
Watching the green light will not tell you when it will turn, but seeing when it turns yellow will give you the opportunity to deccelerate smoothly - or decide to drive through.
But avoiding sudden acceleration? Most people avoid burning rubber in front of a red light (something which would earn questions from the police in Japan, and possibly a citation).
Very few are in such a hurry that they need to get up to regulated maximum speed in a few seconds - although delivery drivers, on electric bicycles, scooters and in kei cars, are changing the traffic situation. They are always in a hurry, and may not accept that smooth acceleration saves fuel, and is much better for the engine. In hybrid cars, it also lets the electric engines take the first round of acceleration until the gasoline engine kicks in.
Watching the green light will not tell you when it will turn, but seeing when it turns yellow will give you the opportunity to deccelerate smoothly - or decide to drive through.
But avoiding sudden acceleration? Most people avoid burning rubber in front of a red light (something which would earn questions from the police in Japan, and possibly a citation).
Very few are in such a hurry that they need to get up to regulated maximum speed in a few seconds - although delivery drivers, on electric bicycles, scooters and in kei cars, are changing the traffic situation. They are always in a hurry, and may not accept that smooth acceleration saves fuel, and is much better for the engine. In hybrid cars, it also lets the electric engines take the first round of acceleration until the gasoline engine kicks in.
