Driving within Tokyo and other big cities and driving out in the countryside of Japan are vastly different experiences.  While roads in Japan tend to be narrow, once you are out of the big cities, driving can be one of the best ways to see Japan - and not be controlled by timetables.  Many roads - even in remote regions - have signs in English especially the main National Routes and Expressways.  Driving is on the left hand side of the road, with cars being right-hand drive. 

Fuel is not too expensive (though has been getting increasingly expensive in the last few years as it has everywhere else), and if there are more than a few of you going somewhere together, driving can work out much cheaper than going by train.  And much more convenient.  The Japan Road Atlas (Shobunsha) is an essential purchase for English speakers intending to drive. 

Check out our Maps section to get an idea of how to get to Japanese snow resorts.

To drive a car in Japan you must have either a Japanese Driver's license or an International Driver's license as well as your driver's license from home.  You must apply for an International license while you are in your home country.  In Japan, people drive on the left side of the road as in Great Britain and Australia.  For those coming from North America, it may take a short while to get used to.  Fortunately, all major roads and expressways have signs in Japanese and English.  If you are headed out into the Japanese countryside, you may find that some local roads only are posted in Japanese.  

If you are heading for more rural areas, it may be a good idea to pick up a copy of the Japan Road Atlas (Shobunsha) while in one of the larger metropolitan bookstores.  All names are in romaji (roman letters), often accompanied by Kanji, and it has easy to follow maps with notes with expressway distances, cultural landmarks and even information on winter road closings.   

If you have car problems while driving in Japan, the Japan Automobile Association (JAF) can help in most cases.   You'll often see emergency phones along the expressways.  If you are a member of an automobile association in your home country, you may qualify for reciprocity with JAF.

Japanese road laws are the same as international standards so you shouldn't find any unusual rules.  Road signs and signals are generally easy to follow.   While you will often find cars exceeding the speed limit on the expressways, people do get caught and fined for speeding. 

One thing that is not tolerated is drinking and driving - Japan has a zero tolerance policy, so beware that one drink could land you in trouble. 

Japan has a number of Expressways which can certainly speed up journeys, but there are quite expensive.  The cost does have the benefit of keeping many people off the expressways so generally you will often find them not over-crowded.   (Beware that Sundays evenings on the way back to Tokyo from the ski hills can be extremely congested and best avoided if possible).

At regular intervals you will find rest stops and service stations providing food and gasoline. 

All Interchanges (junctions) are signposted in English and so there should be no problems navigating the system.

Normal national routes are the main network of roads spanning Japan with names such as "Route 17".  They have many traffic lights, especially in town areas, and it can be very stop and go with local traffic and holdups - although this is certainly not always the case.  They are of course free to use and many of them will have English signposts. 

There are alternatives to using public transport that can work out to be a better value while giving you more freedom.  One such option is car rental. This is especially good for groups of people.  If you consider individual round trip train fares, you will see that renting a car can work out much cheaper than taking the train, and gives you the freedom to explore areas that wouldn't be possible by rail.

There is a common misconception that driving in Japan is impossible for foreigners or visitors to the country.  Although driving in Tokyo or Osaka can be challenging to say the least, renting a car in Japan is a really good way to see the country.  Large cities such as Sapporo, Nagoya and even Kyoto are easy to get around in by car, and having renting a car is the best choice for getting out of the city and seeing some of the beautiful Japanese countryside.      

If you are traveling in a group, car rental will most likely save you a lot of money in travel costs while you are traveling around Japan.   For individuals or couples, high toll fares on the expressways may make long trips prohibitive.  However, one good idea is to take a train for long trips and rent car to explore the area as a day trip once you arrive.

Other areas such as Northern Honshu, Central Japan and Hokkaido are all best seen by car, as many natural treasures are off the beaten track.   If you hope to see the old traditional Japan as it only exists in the most far reaches of the country today, having your owns means of transportation is a must.  So, whether you want to get off the beaten track, save some money on travel costs, or just have more freedom to explore Japan with your friends or family, renting a car may be the best alternative.