Is driving in Japan easy?

Hi everyone,

I’m planning our trip to Japan from March 21 to April 11, 2026. We’re planning to travel by plane for long distances (Okinawa) and by train for the rest. I’d like to know if renting a car is easy and, most importantly, if driving with road signs written in Japanese isn’t too complicated. For trains, are there any tips to save money?

Thanks for your advice!

Hi,

I’d like to know if renting a car is easy

Driving in Japan is very straightforward. I had the same questions before my first trip, but everything went really smoothly. You just need to remember to drive on the left. Also, the cars are automatic, which removes one thing to think about and lets you focus solely on the road. There’s little traffic except in some big cities, but in those cases, a car isn’t really useful anyway. Plus, overall, Japanese drivers are very calm.

and especially if driving with road signs written in Japanese isn’t too complicated. Also, are there any tips for saving money on trains?

Signs are often written in romaji alongside kanji, so they’re easy to read even if you don’t know Japanese. All cars come with GPS that works well, so no worries there. Don’t forget to get your license translated into Japanese.

Good evening,

You just need to be careful, especially during the first few days, and particularly if you turn right—old French driving habits tend to stick (that’s from my experience), especially if you’re tired after your trip. Driving is relaxed, even slow on the highway if you stick to the speed limits (I saw a lot of vehicles passing me, if not all!). The roads are in great condition. In cities, though, speed limits are strictly followed. For navigation, signs are also written in Latin characters, but GPS is a huge help—using a phone number to find an address is best if possible. On top of the rental cost, factor in toll fees (quite expensive, but the infrastructure is worth it) and parking. However, gas is cheap. Whether renting is worth it depends on your itinerary—it’s useful in Kyushu, for example. Overall, driving there reminded me of the US, but "left-hand side" version. A Japanese translation of your license is mandatory for renting a car (getting the translation has become more complicated this year).

As for trains, I don’t know any great tips. You might want to check out the JR Pass, but I didn’t get one since it wasn’t cost-effective for me. That said, having a Suica, Pasmo, or another IC card (physical or on your phone) is essential. It’s super handy for buses, subways, trains, convenience stores, etc. Google Maps is pretty reliable for calculating fares (I’ve heard Klook works well too, but I haven’t tried it). For Kyoto and Tokyo, consider transport passes.

Hi Nathalie, I’m planning a trip to Japan this autumn and was thinking of renting a car. My main concern is parking—is it easy to find spots in Japan? Even the hotels that offer parking don’t do it for free (though it’s not crazy expensive), and most only have a limited number of spaces (first come, first served). But what about the sights—are there parking lots near the attractions? Thanks for your help! Marie

Hi Nathalie, I’m planning a trip to Japan this autumn and was thinking of renting a car. My main concern is parking... is it easy to park in Japan? I’ve noticed that hotels offering parking don’t do it for free (though it’s not crazy expensive), and most importantly, they only have a limited number of spots (first come, first served). But what about tourist sites—are there parking lots around them? Thanks for your help. Marie

It’s easy to park in Japan, but you don’t park the same way as in France. In big cities, there’s not much point in having a car, but if you do, you’ll usually need to park in a paid lot.

Even in provincial capital cities, accommodations often have parking spots or partnerships with paid lots at a discounted rate for hotel guests. Between 600 and 2000 yen per day, depending on the city. I’ve stayed in hotels multiple times where parking was first come, first served, and I’ve never had an issue finding a spot.

For tourist sites, if they’re in the countryside, there’s always a parking lot, and they’re rarely full, so no need to worry.

Which cities are you considering driving in?

Thanks for your reassuring reply. We’re planning to visit Kamakura, the Fuji Five Lakes area, Nikko, Matsumoto, Takayama, Kanazawa, Okayama, Hiroshima, Himeji, Nara, and Koyasan. I assume you know them.

Hi, Side question: is there an expiration date on the Japanese translation of the passport? Thanks

There’s no expiration date listed. But the validity period is 1 year from the date of entry into Japan (according to the English notice), resetting after each exit from Japan if the stay is less than a year. For a tourist trip, that’s more than enough. But given the ongoing changes, the rule may have changed.

Thanks Bruno, Do you know where I can find out about the new rules? The Japanese embassy doesn’t know anything.

Hi there,

As far as I know, the translated license is valid as long as the original license is. For example, new French licenses are valid for 10 years, so the Japanese-translated license will be valid for the same duration unless you renew your French license before the 10 years are up (due to loss, theft, etc.).

If you have an old French license with no expiration date, the same applies to the translated license. I’ve rented cars in Japan several times under these conditions over the past 6 years and never had any issues.

Thanks for your replies. Have a great day.