Road Trips in Japan: Essential Tips & Tricks

Apart from popular city centers such as Sapporo, Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto, and many more, there are many beautiful landscapes and routes that the train and buses cannot access. The beauty of road trips is being able to curate your own routes according to your preference. Here are some things to know when you plan for that road trip in Japan based on my experience.

*Note: I’m not a licensed driver, but I’ve done my best to include the experience of my licensed family members. These tips may be more applicable to travelers who plan to stay overnight at hotels and not campervan road trips.

 

Obtaining an International Driving Permit

The most important thing you need if you plan to drive in Japan is to obtain an international driving permit. Depending on the country you’re from, the application process is different, but if you’re from Singapore, you can apply online or in person with the Automobile Association of Singapore.

 

Planning your route

Foggy and windy roads of Japan; Image Credit: Nur Qa'riah

An important part for a safe, comfortable, and efficient trip is planning for the trip. Based on the list of places you hope to visit, you can start to route the way for your trip based on the locations. If you do not plan for a round-trip, fret not, you are able to rent a car from one city and return it to another.

Japan is a country with many mountains, which adds to the beauty of road trips, and the accessibility to places where buses or trains aren’t able to access them, but this is something important to note as this may affect the duration of the drive. One of the biggest lessons that we learned from our road trips is to take note of the weather and windy roads. It is also best to check if there are routes that are more commonly used by the locals.

 

Car rental in Japan

Image Credit: Nur Qa'riah

There are many rental companies for you to choose from in Japan. Each company will provide rules, information on how traffic works in Japan, and other helpful information.

As mentioned earlier, you are able to rent your car from one city and return it to another. However, do note that one-way rental returns will include additional fees depending on the distance and vehicle type.

Rental companies will offer ETC card rental, this is important for you as it is more convenient to access toll gates on the expressways. Of course, you are also able to use cash or a credit card, but it is definitely easier to get through with ETC as you simply have to pass through the ETC lanes.

If your plans include multiple transfers on highways, you should also check if they offer an expressway pass. For our first trip, we got our rental from NIPPON Rent-A-Car with an expressway pass add-on. The expressway pass allows access to certain highways at a fixed price. This was convenient as compared to the regular ETC card rental. When you return the ETC card at the end of your rent, they will print out the history, and you will pay the total.

Additionally, you should also make sure that the cars you rent have an English navigation system.

 

Navigating the roads

Image Credit: Tuan P. on Unsplash

After the planning, there is the actual road trip experience. While you can use your phone for the maps as it offers alternatives that may show a faster route than the car’s navigation system, inputting destination details on the system may be tricky. The best way to input is either with the postal code or phone number, but unfortunately, some destinations may not list the full details online, so nearby landmarks will be helpful. Some landmarks that are easier to input are train stations or hospitals.

In the countryside, be prepared for the navigation system to fail. During our trip, there were times when it kept leading us to drive through paddy fields or even to a different location. There were also cases in which the system was navigating us to the supposed entrance but there were signs in the city that were directing us to the opposite direction for parking. So always be prepared for unexpected turns but don’t be discouraged, as it can happen!

 

Parking in Japan

Paid parking in Japan; Image Credit: Nur Qa'riah

Depending on your destination, some places offer free parking, but other times, you will have to search for alternative parking. For car parks that are near popular spots, the rates are higher. So here is a short guide to the different types of car parks you can find.

Paid Parking

The most common type of car park you can find in city centers is coin parking. There are many systems for coin parking spaces and different rates. Making payment for these parking lots can be confusing but usually, you have to make the payment at the pay station just before leaving.

• Flap-lock: This parking system uses an automatic lock once you’re parked after 3 to 5 minutes, and it gets released once you’ve made payment at the pay station with your parking slot number. Don’t take too long to return to your car, or the system might lock your car again.
• Without flap-lock: The system is similar, but before you move your car, you simply have to input the parking slot number to make payment, as they use camera monitors to record entry/exit.
• Pre-paid: This system charges you in advance, whereby you have to purchase a ticket at the pay station. After making payment, you leave the ticket in your car where it is visible from the outside. This system is more reasonable for long durations of parking, such as overnight, as the rates are common and friendlier for long-term units.
• Gate-system: Most travelers would be most familiar with this. When entering the car park, you will press a button that issues you an entry ticket to open the gate. In order to make payment, there are 2 likely ways. First, is paying the ticket at a pay station, where the machine will then return a ticket that you can use while leaving. Second, you drive up to the exit gate, where you insert the ticket and make payment there.

Manned parking

More common in the countryside or popular attractions are physically manned car parks. Some attractions will require you to pay for entry and park right at the entrance when you drive in. Alternatively, manned parking lots can be found near the city centers. You will enter the car park space and they will inform you of the parking fees. In most cases, the parking fee will entitle you to a full day of parking or a few hours. 

Meter Parking

You may come across this in Tokyo but it is uncommon as it is mostly forbidden to park along the streets. Parking meters work very much the same as anywhere else in the world, you insert coins, turn the lever and the meter gives you time.

Public Car Parks

As mentioned earlier, you will pay for parking at the entrance of some popular attractions. Whereas, some public car parks don’t require any payment, which essentially means free parking.

 

Navigating gas stations in Japan

If you’re running low on gas or need to refuel the tank before returning your car, you’re probably worried about how to use the gas stations.

Full-service Gas Stations

Full-service gas stations are more traditional and easier to navigate. Once you enter the station, an attendant will guide you to position and check for which gas you would like and how much. The attendant will then put gas in your car’s tank per your instructions. And typically, another attendant will offer to clean all of your windows and mirrors while the tank is being filled. Once they’ve completed filling your tank, they will take your payment and hand you the receipt and change.

Self-service Gas Stations

This may be more confusing if you can’t read Japanese but it's not impossible (if you’re in a rush, you might want to avoid these). These stations will have attendants to guide cars into position. Typically, there is an option for English-language menus and instructions, but if there isn't, you can pull out the translation apps to guide you through. The machines usually require you to input which gas you want and how much you want to fill before you are able to pump.

While full-service gas stations are easier, self-service stations are becoming more common and generally cheaper than full-service. It is also worth noting that most gas stations tend to open after 11 am and close around 6 pm so be sure to keep an eye out for your gas while on the road.

 

Rest Stops

Image Credit: jason low on Unsplash

Road trips are fun, but they will also include long drives. It is encouraged to take breaks to prevent fatigue and loss of concentration. Japan is famous for its service areas and roadside stations (Michi-no-Eki). Even if you don’t plan for them, it is easy to find them on the go, and the rest stops are always well-equipped with bathrooms and vending machines. Some even have convenience stores and petrol stations.

 

Final Words

That is all for things you need to know about going on road trips in Japan. Japan is a country filled with many cities to explore, so I hope this article is useful and that you are able to gain some extra information that will make your trip easier. And lastly, the most important thing you need for road trips is to make sure you have enough coins with you for your parking fees!