I’m just another foreigner living in Japan. I live in South Tokyo just outside of the huge ex-pat community. I hope that what you find here in these pages will be useful, informative, entertaining, or some combination of the three. And, if you have anything you’d like to share, feel free. I, for one, enjoy learning new things and hope to learn something from everyone who has something they want to share here. So come on in, browse, and share.
Driving in Japan
To drive legally in Japan you’ll have to either get a Japan driver’s license or get an international driver’s permit (IDP) and carry it along with a valid driver’s license issued from somewhere in your home country. The IDP is not for use on its own. Depending on the country your license was issued in, you may be able to convert your current license to a Japan driver’s license. People from Canada and the UK are able to convert without a road test. Americans, unfortunately, have to take the road test.
To get your current license converted, you’ll have to get it translated. You can do this at a JAF (Japan Automobile Federation) office for a fee. I think I paid about ￥5000 a couple of years ago. I’ve included a couple of useful links below. If you have any specific questions, post them as comments here and I’ll try to answer them accurately.
