Driving in Japan: A Road Trip Guide for Visitors
Renting a car in Japan opens access to regions and experiences that public transport cannot reach — the unmarked coastal roads of the Noto Peninsula, the lavender fields of rural Hokkaido, the remote onsen hamlets of the deep mountains. Japan’s road infrastructure is excellent, driving rules are strictly observed, and toll highways span the country.
Licences and Requirements
Foreign nationals from most countries can drive in Japan using an International Driving Permit (IDP) alongside their home country licence. Japan drives on the left. IDP holders from countries participating in the Geneva Convention on Road Traffic (1949) — which includes most of Europe, the US, Canada, and Australia — can rent and drive for up to one year. Visitors from countries using the Geneva Convention on Road Traffic (1968) — including Germany, France, and Switzerland — must obtain a Japanese-format translation of their licence from the JAF (Japan Automobile Federation). Check your country’s status with JAF before travelling.
Renting a Car
Car rental (renta-ka) is available at all major airports and most large train stations. Domestic chains Toyota Rent a Car, Nippon Rent-A-Car, Orix, and Times Car share the market alongside international names. Compact kei cars (light vehicles) are the most affordable — well-suited to narrow rural roads — from around ¥4,000–¥6,000 per day. Navigation systems (navi) with English-language options are standard in rentals; input destination by phone number rather than address for reliability. ETCs (Electronic Toll Collection) cards for highway tolls are available at rental desks and save stopping at booths.
Best Road Trip Routes
Hokkaido offers Japan’s finest open-road driving: the Biei-Furano flower road (summer), the coastal Route 334 at Shiretoko Peninsula, and the Hokkaido Sky Road. The Izu Peninsula (Shizuoka) is a classic short escape from Tokyo — scenic coast road, hot spring stops, and fresh seafood. The Kumano Kodo region in Wakayama connects sacred mountain sites along narrow winding roads through sugi cedar forest. Western Shikoku’s cape roads (Muroto, Ashizuri) provide dramatic Pacific ocean views. The Kirishima-Kinkowan National Park in Kyushu is best explored by car for access to volcanic viewpoints.
Practical Road Trip Tips
Highway tolls in Japan are expensive — a Tokyo-Osaka expressway run can exceed ¥8,000 each way. Budget routes using national roads (kokudo) take longer but cost nothing. Expressway service areas (SA) and parking areas (PA) are exceptionally well-developed, with clean facilities, hot food, local product shops, and free parking — they function as rest stops well above international standards. Parking in city centres requires paid lots; on-street parking is rare. Petrol (gasoline) stations are plentiful on major roads but sparse in deep mountain areas — fill up when the tank reaches half in rural regions. Japan has strict drink-driving laws: the legal limit is 0.03% BAC — below most countries’ limits.