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2026 / 05 / 23
Driving in Japan as a Tourist
Which document your country needs, what the rental counter checks, how tolls and ETC work, and what surprises visitors on day one.
JDLTC editorial team · Camjyo Inc.
Driving in Japan as a Tourist: Everything You Need to Know
Japan is a country best explored at your own pace. While the bullet trains (Shinkansen) and urban subway systems are world-class, reaching the hidden gems—like rural hot springs, remote shrines, and pristine coastlines—often requires renting a car.
If you are planning to drive in Japan as a tourist, this guide covers all the essential rules, toll roads, and the absolute most critical requirement:
the correct driver's license translation.
1. Do You Need an International Driving Permit (IDP) or a Translation?
This is the most common mistake tourists make. Japan only accepts International Driving Permits (IDPs) issued under the
1949 Geneva Convention.
However, if your driver's license was issued in
Switzerland, Germany, France, Belgium, Monaco, or Taiwan, you
CANNOT use an IDP in Japan. Instead, you are legally required to carry a
Japanese Translation of your driver's license alongside your original license.
Where to get the translation?
JAF (Japan Automobile Federation) takes applications online only, from networks inside Japan, so before your trip someone in Japan has to apply for you. You can apply
100% online before you travel via
JDLTC (Japan Driver's License Translation Center), which applies to JAF on your behalf.
What You Receive:
- The PDF by email before you fly, so you can book your rental car.
- JAF's paper original, which you drive with, delivered to your hotel in Japan from the day after the translation is ready (+€10 / CHF 10 / NT$350).
- Direct to Rental Agency (Concierge Service): Instead of your hotel, we can contact your Japanese rental car agency in advance and mail the paper original directly to their office. Your document will be waiting for you at the rental counter when you arrive, allowing you to hit the road immediately.
2. Navigating Japanese Toll Roads (ETC)
Most expressways in Japan are toll roads. The most efficient way to pay is by using an
ETC (Electronic Toll Collection) card.
When you rent a car, you can usually rent an ETC card from the rental agency for a small daily fee (approx. 300 JPY). This allows you to drive straight through the toll gates without stopping for cash.
3. General Driving Rules in Japan
- Drive on the left: Just like in the UK and Australia, traffic flows on the left side of the road.
- Speed limits: Generally 40 km/h in urban areas, 50-60 km/h on rural roads, and 80-100 km/h on expressways.
- No right turns on red: Unlike some US states, you cannot turn right (or left) on a red light. You must wait for a green signal or arrow.
- Zero tolerance for alcohol: The legal blood alcohol limit in Japan is strictly 0.00%.
4. Parking Your Rental Car
Street parking is generally prohibited in Japan. Always look for paid parking lots, commonly known as
Coin Parking. These are automated lots where a metal flap rises under your car after you park.
Ready for Your Japan Road Trip?
Don't let paperwork ruin your vacation. If your license was issued in Switzerland, Germany, France, Belgium, Monaco, or Taiwan,
apply for your Japanese translation today.
👉 Start your translation application here🚐 Rent a campervan in Kyushu →
From the two of us who run this site
Driving on your IDP? Give Kyushu two weeks
We are Karen and Doko, a couple in Fukuoka. Besides the licence translations, we rent out campervans for trips around Kyushu under the name VAN TRIP JAPAN. When friends ask us where to drive in Japan, we send them south to Kyushu, the island we live on.
Our 7-day loop takes in Aso, Takachiho Gorge and the hot springs of Beppu and Yufuin. With two weeks you can add Nagasaki and Shimabara in the west and Kagoshima in the south, and you stop rushing. We've written up the 14-day loop day by day, with drive times.
Two weeks is also where the price starts to work. Rentals of 14 days or more get 15% off the whole booking (10% from 7 days, 20% from 21). Weekday rates start at ¥22,000 a day with insurance, bedding and a cooking set included, and you pick the van up 10 minutes from Fukuoka Airport.
Licence from Switzerland, Germany, France, Belgium, Monaco or Taiwan? The campervans work with the Japanese translation too, and VAN TRIP JAPAN takes ¥5,000 off the rental when the translation was done through us (just mention it on WhatsApp; the driver's name has to match the order).
Your translation, ready for your trip
For licences issued in Switzerland, Germany, France, Belgium, Monaco or Taiwan. Eligibility depends on the issuing country, not your nationality or current location.
