Nice vid, Dream Drive. Just want to point out that the sign displayed at the 1:29 mark doesnt mean "No Right Turns." It means "No Crossing" (e.g. to enter a parking lot, konbini, etc. on the opposite side of the road).
Hands down the easiest country I’ve driven in. Very relaxing form me. The drivers have a very high standard of driving test and it shows with the consideration for other drivers. Traffic is low, cars leave you space, no tailgating, so no pressure. Messed up a couple of times with the solid lines so shouldn’t turn right, but all good other than that. Tokyo has wide roads for the most part, so tons of room and for a capital city, and comparing to others, it really isn’t that hard.
Additional: Some train tracks crossing has no stop signs, but regardless you have to FULL STOP and check... Most School Zone has no signs. The best way to identify you are in a certain area, if you saw a two diamond signs on the road it means student, children's or pedestrian crossing ahead. YOU HAVE TO SLOW DOWN...
The hazard lights are used as a thank you for commercial trucks in the US as well, I was a truck driver for 15 years and always tried to be polite, not everyone is as nice though, it could also be trying to tell you that you should be in the slow lane with your hazard lights on😅
All good advice. A little known rule at rail crossings is that, not only must you come to a complete stop and look both ways, you must also roll down your window and listen too.
WHYYYYY did you start to add those sound effects near the end of the video!? Scared the crap outta me.. I thought something was warning me of an earthquake. Useful stuff though. Roundabouts are rare but here..
Thanks for the video. I am going to Japan for a bit next year and was a bit worried about the driving (I have a license but I myself stopped driving about 10 years back). Might rent a car here and get some practice in and Japan should be a breeze instead of a (divine) wind!
"another triangular sign is the 'Give Way' sign" (then proceeeds to gesticulate with a 3 sided square) Come on dude, how many tickets have you REALLY gotten?
I heard that any type of a foreign licence is NOT accepted in n Japan, you will have to apply for a domestic one. So, after your video, it says, you may just carry a proper international one (as issued in your home country). Is this true? Highly helpful vids btw! Thx a lot!!
Hi Tom, this video was made when inbound tourism was a thing, and our business was mainly for tourists at the time. On a 3 month tourist visa certain countries passport holders can get a international driver's permit and be fine to drive in Japan. If you become an expat in Japan, you are supposed to get a domestic license, but I know people who drive for the first year on an international driver's licence (it's grey if that's allowed or not). After one year here renewing the international license is not accepted at all I hear, you need to have a domestic license.
I'm a commercial driver in the states, I drive the big 18 wheelers, a lot of this is very similar. Compared to four wheelers on the road. Like no left hand turns, complete stops at railroad tracks, using your four ways.
Thanks for advice. I drove ladt week in Japan. The toll roads messed me up 😂. Next month i would rather hire a driver for half a day, know anyone or company that does that?
This feel more like for people who didn’t apply for basic driving in Japan (I have international license but still applied) all that is thought at school. So is more fore people who transfer license and don’t care to learn local rules . There’s lot more about parking/stoping in Japan, color of flags , cops arms, etc.
There are roundabouts in Japan, but they are incredibly rare. My town in America has 2. While I only saw 2 my whole time in Japan. 1 in Saga and 1 in Tottori
Public Parking meter outside hours is NOT FREE!!!! It just meant non-servicing hours, parking there is illegal could be fined in points and money. A notable example is the Ginza corridor, they have parking enforcement to check every now and then for illegal out of service hour parking.
@@DreamDrivecampervansJust to be clear, after 7pm, most public parking meter space is no longer in service and people should not park there at all. Parking there is illegal after 7pm(some meter operates till 9pm thou)
This is just like driving in UK, hazards to thank and apologise, flick the fog lights to beckon someone and generally considerate driving resulting in low accident rates. Nice
Many thanks to the video, I'm visiting Hokkaido in May and will be driving by renting a car. I did it some ten years ago and so I do have a bit of knowledge in driving in Japan. I'm just a bit curious about refueling, as I've heard that some gas stations are now self-service, unlike the time I drove in Japan ten years ago. I'm wondering if there's anything I need to know to make sure that I can do the refueling properly by myself
I imagine a shortage of young workers who can be on their feet for long hours is a factor. Aging population and all that stuff everyone knows about already.@@vitocorleone8323
thanks this is super helpful! I like to know if you have any information/tips on how to read those signs with arrows pointing to different cities/towns etc..
I was a professional drive before I retired and everything you have just said applies to driving in the Uk but I don’t understand why we have to have an international driving permit when other countries who drive on the right of the road can use their driving license, I have driven all over Europe in my work and some of the European road laws are different to those of Japan and the Uk
Hi Malcom, I believe theres special permits for driving in the EU, but they do not apply when in Japan. Also these rules apply to Japanese drivers when they visit the EU.
@@DreamDrivecampervans thank you so much. What happened is i'm living in sooo small city and before five days i think i cross the signal while it's red and it was in the night and i didn't see flash camera at all. So how can you know if you lose points or you did traffic violation? Is it only by flash cameras or the police stop you and give you tickets?
No, it's not easy and it's not simple. I have a Japanese license, I live in Japan. And I've encountered the most difficult and confusing intersections here in Japan. Bring your "A" game and you'll be OK. But Japan is not easy. PERIOD
@@DreamDrivecampervans I have my own car so where else can I get the card? Our toll road newly opened up after the repair from the landslide so now I will be using the toll road often. A card will much quicker to use.
O'm a 73 year old American man. I live my life pretending to be a 16 year old Japanese high school girl. Being a girl is so much fun that I just can't stand it. Being a Japanese girl is such tremendous thrill that it makes me delirious.
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This didn’t age well…
Nice vid, Dream Drive. Just want to point out that the sign displayed at the 1:29 mark doesnt mean "No Right Turns." It means "No Crossing" (e.g. to enter a parking lot, konbini, etc. on the opposite side of the road).
Hands down the easiest country I’ve driven in. Very relaxing form me. The drivers have a very high standard of driving test and it shows with the consideration for other drivers. Traffic is low, cars leave you space, no tailgating, so no pressure. Messed up a couple of times with the solid lines so shouldn’t turn right, but all good other than that. Tokyo has wide roads for the most part, so tons of room and for a capital city, and comparing to others, it really isn’t that hard.
Additional: Some train tracks crossing has no stop signs, but regardless you have to FULL STOP and check...
Most School Zone has no signs. The best way to identify you are in a certain area, if you saw a two diamond signs on the road it means student, children's or pedestrian crossing ahead. YOU HAVE TO SLOW DOWN...
Stopping at a railroad crossing SHOULD BE the common knowledge for all drivers but unfortunately rmeven long term drivers tend to be ignorant
Thanks for explaining that you should fully stop at a stop sign. Seems like your fines were all things you would fail a driving test for...
Nice vid. Found a roundabout the other day in Karuizawa - first time in 15 years of driving here.
The hazard lights are used as a thank you for commercial trucks in the US as well, I was a truck driver for 15 years and always tried to be polite, not everyone is as nice though, it could also be trying to tell you that you should be in the slow lane with your hazard lights on😅
Very useful info!
Thanks as always!
All good advice. A little known rule at rail crossings is that, not only must you come to a complete stop and look both ways, you must also roll down your window and listen too.
WHYYYYY did you start to add those sound effects near the end of the video!? Scared the crap outta me.. I thought something was warning me of an earthquake.
Useful stuff though. Roundabouts are rare but here..
Had to keep you on your toes, being alert while driving is important, anything can happen out there...
Thanks for the video. I am going to Japan for a bit next year and was a bit worried about the driving (I have a license but I myself stopped driving about 10 years back). Might rent a car here and get some practice in and Japan should be a breeze instead of a (divine) wind!
"another triangular sign is the 'Give Way' sign" (then proceeeds to gesticulate with a 3 sided square) Come on dude, how many tickets have you REALLY gotten?
Haha, as far as you know I still only have 3
I heard that any type of a foreign licence is NOT accepted in n Japan, you will have to apply for a domestic one. So, after your video, it says, you may just carry a proper international one (as issued in your home country). Is this true?
Highly helpful vids btw! Thx a lot!!
Hi Tom, this video was made when inbound tourism was a thing, and our business was mainly for tourists at the time. On a 3 month tourist visa certain countries passport holders can get a international driver's permit and be fine to drive in Japan.
If you become an expat in Japan, you are supposed to get a domestic license, but I know people who drive for the first year on an international driver's licence (it's grey if that's allowed or not). After one year here renewing the international license is not accepted at all I hear, you need to have a domestic license.
Thanks for the tips. I'm planning in going to Japan in April 2023.
You will love it here, hope you can make some great videos for your channel
I'm a commercial driver in the states, I drive the big 18 wheelers, a lot of this is very similar. Compared to four wheelers on the road. Like no left hand turns, complete stops at railroad tracks, using your four ways.
This is like 90% of how it is in Sweden, signs and signals.
Thanks for advice. I drove ladt week in Japan. The toll roads messed me up 😂. Next month i would rather hire a driver for half a day, know anyone or company that does that?
Thanks ! I have singapore & aussie (provisional) driving licenses, is it correct that i need IDP to be able to drive in japan ?
There are roundabouts in Japan!
You got me...I just happened came across any at the time
You mentioned google maps might be wrong indicating one way, is using waze more efficient or google?
Ever get an answer? I’m renting a car tomorrow and I’m doing some last-minute studying.
Can I just turn right into a place like gas station on the two-way traffic road (crossing the incoming lane)?
This feel more like for people who didn’t apply for basic driving in Japan (I have international license but still applied) all that is thought at school. So is more fore people who transfer license and don’t care to learn local rules .
There’s lot more about parking/stoping in Japan, color of flags , cops arms, etc.
There are roundabouts in Japan, but they are incredibly rare. My town in America has 2. While I only saw 2 my whole time in Japan. 1 in Saga and 1 in Tottori
Public Parking meter outside hours is NOT FREE!!!! It just meant non-servicing hours, parking there is illegal could be fined in points and money. A notable example is the Ginza corridor, they have parking enforcement to check every now and then for illegal out of service hour parking.
Thanks for the comment, Its always best to be safe and pay for the parking but there are a lot of people who roll the dice and park in these spots.
@@DreamDrivecampervansJust to be clear, after 7pm, most public parking meter space is no longer in service and people should not park there at all. Parking there is illegal after 7pm(some meter operates till 9pm thou)
That was so helpful, thank you.
This is just like driving in UK, hazards to thank and apologise, flick the fog lights to beckon someone and generally considerate driving resulting in low accident rates. Nice
Many thanks to the video, I'm visiting Hokkaido in May and will be driving by renting a car. I did it some ten years ago and so I do have a bit of knowledge in driving in Japan. I'm just a bit curious about refueling, as I've heard that some gas stations are now self-service, unlike the time I drove in Japan ten years ago. I'm wondering if there's anything I need to know to make sure that I can do the refueling properly by myself
I always loved the nice service you get from the station workers in Japan. Why would they ever get rid of that?
I imagine a shortage of young workers who can be on their feet for long hours is a factor. Aging population and all that stuff everyone knows about already.@@vitocorleone8323
thanks this is super helpful! I like to know if you have any information/tips on how to read those signs with arrows pointing to different cities/towns etc..
Thank you very much Sir... It is very useful tips.
very useful thanks 😂❤
I was a professional drive before I retired and everything you have just said applies to driving in the Uk but I don’t understand why we have to have an international driving permit when other countries who drive on the right of the road can use their driving license, I have driven all over Europe in my work and some of the European road laws are different to those of Japan and the Uk
Hi Malcom, I believe theres special permits for driving in the EU, but they do not apply when in Japan. Also these rules apply to Japanese drivers when they visit the EU.
Very helpful!!!
Sounds like me.
Yes, very helpful!
Is there any website that let you know if you commit traffic violation in japan?
Because i feel that i did one
Please help me
What happened? I don't believe there's a website, they would usually send a letter to your house if you were flashed by a speed camera
@@DreamDrivecampervans thank you so much. What happened is i'm living in sooo small city and before five days i think i cross the signal while it's red and it was in the night and i didn't see flash camera at all. So how can you know if you lose points or you did traffic violation? Is it only by flash cameras or the police stop you and give you tickets?
Wow great Advice
What does that p60 min mean ?
Parking permitted for 60 minutes.
No, it's not easy and it's not simple. I have a Japanese license, I live in Japan. And I've encountered the most difficult and confusing intersections here in Japan. Bring your "A" game and you'll be OK. But Japan is not easy. PERIOD
Where can I get an ETC card?
They come as an option with a credit card in Japan. Certain rental car companies offer them to rent with the vehicles
@@DreamDrivecampervans I have my own car so where else can I get the card? Our toll road newly opened up after the repair from the landslide so now I will be using the toll road often. A card will much quicker to use.
@@WittyVictory you need to get a credit card and select the option of a ETC, I hear there’s a copy that does one with deposit called ETC kumiai
O'm a 73 year old American man. I live my life pretending to be a 16 year old Japanese high school girl. Being a girl is so much fun that I just can't stand it. Being a Japanese girl is such tremendous thrill that it makes me delirious.
Umm… what???
Same bro same
I get the idea
What the fuck