driving
Driving in Japan: A Practical Guide
Left-hand traffic, signage, navigation and the mistakes first-timers make.
holioo.com Japan Drive Editorial TeamLast updated：2026.09.01
Getting used to left-hand traffic
Japan drives on the left. Drivers from right-hand-traffic countries most often drift into the wrong lane immediately after a turn or when leaving a car park. Spend 20–30 minutes on quiet roads first.
Navigation tips
- Ask staff to switch the head unit to English or Chinese
- MapCode is most reliable, then phone number; addresses are the most error-prone
- Bring a phone mount and cable, and download offline maps
- Toggling 'use toll roads' materially changes your route time
Signs you must recognise
- Red circle with white bar: do not enter
- Inverted triangle 止まれ: full stop required
- Blue arrow: one-way direction
- 一時停止: mandatory stop at the junction
- 徐行: slow down
Five common beginner mistakes
- Hitting the wipers instead of the indicator (stalks are reversed)
- Rolling stops — Japanese police enforce full stops strictly
- Underestimating mountain and snow driving times
- Forgetting to refuel before return
- Driving without headlights after dark in cities
Useful? Share it with your Japan road trip companions.
holioo.com | Driving in Japan: A Practical Guide https://e-drive.holioo.com/en/guides/japan-driving-guide
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We keep updating this collection of driving, rental, road, parking and itinerary information for Japan. When rules, facilities or spot details change, we revise the page.