signs
Reading Japanese Road Signs
The Japanese signs and road markings most often misread, with kanji and real-world context.
holioo.com Japan Drive Editorial TeamLast updated：2026.09.01
Regulatory signs you must know
Japanese signs are colour-coded: red circles forbid, blue signs instruct, yellow diamonds warn. When the text is unfamiliar, read shape and colour first.
- 止まれ, red inverted triangle — a full stop, not a slow-down
- 一方通行 — one way, in the arrow's direction only
- Red circle with a white bar — do not enter
- 駐車禁止 no parking; 駐停車禁止 no stopping at all
- 徐行 — proceed slowly, usually at blind spots
Road markings
Markings are painted in kanji; a handful of them covers most situations.
- A solid yellow line means no overtaking across it
- A broken white line allows lane changes
- A diamond marking warns of a pedestrian crossing ahead
- Striped areas before a stop line ask you to slow
Expressway signage
Green signs are for expressways, blue for ordinary roads. At toll gates, ETC lanes are marked in purple, cash lanes in green, and mixed lanes show both.
- SA is a full service area with fuel and restaurants; PA is a smaller stop
- 出口 is the exit, IC an interchange, JCT a junction between expressways
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Full background on this topic: Driving in Japan: A Practical Guide、Japan Traffic Rules Explained
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