Page 333 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Japan

Taxis a greater chance of finding English-speaking
staff with international car agencies, such as
Taxis come in various colors, but all have a “taxi” Avis, Budget and Hertz.
sign on the roof. A red sign to the left of the Avis
driver indicates that the taxi is free. You can flag ∑ avis.com
a taxi on the street or look for a stand: they are Budget
invariably located near main stations. They are ∑ budgetrentacar.co.jp/en
expensive, with rates starting at around ¥600– Hertz
¥700 for the first mile. Fares increase per mile, ∑ hertz.com
and are higher at night and on weekends. Fares Nippon Rent-A-Car
also increase in standing traffic. Drivers operate ∑ nrgroup-global.com/en
taxi doors from inside so you do not need to Toyota Rent a Car
bother opening and closing them. Few taxi ∑ rent.toyota.co.jp/eng
drivers speak much English, so it is best to carry
a map marked with instructions in Japanese and Parking
the phone number of your destination. Public parking is available but it tends to be
expensive – and the parking fee rises as you
Driving move closer to the city center. There are cheaper
car parks in neighborhoods on the city fringes,
Japan is an enjoyable and relatively safe country but these may be hidden away on backstreets
in which to take to the road. In the countryside, and difficult to find. On-street parking is not
renting a car is usually the best and most permitted in Japan, and parking meters are a
flexible way to get around. rarity. To overcome the problem of a lack of
sufficient space, the Japanese have developed
Driving in Japan various innovative parking solutions, such as
Road surfaces are usually good, and rental cars lifts and rollover systems.
are very well maintained. The main problem
foreign drivers in Japan will face is navigation. Rules of the Road
It can be difficult trying to find one’s way around For visitors who wish to acquaint themselves
Japan’s towns and cities, which often have with driving conditions in Japan, the Japan
complex networks of one-way streets. Only Automobile Federation publishes “Rules of the
main thoroughfares have names, and although Road” in five languages. This can be purchased
rented cars are usually equipped with sat-nav for ¥1,000 from its regional offices, which are
systems, these are in Japanese. listed on its website.
Very heavy traffic is a common feature of The Japanese drive on the left side of the
Japan’s major cities. Other problems include road. Drivers may not turn left on a red light.
hazards such as roads blocked by snow in Drivers tend to be considerate while on the road,
winter, flooding during the rainy season, and and although most drivers adhere to the laws,
occasional landslides. some tailgate, speed, and have a habit of driving
Visitors must produce an international over intersections after a light has turned red. It
driver’s license (International Driving Permit), is not a good idea to follow suit. Vehicles to the
but Japan does not recognize international front and rear should be observed carefully
driving permits from Switzerland, Germany, and when approaching traffic lights.
Taiwan. However, drivers from these countries
are instead allowed to drive in Japan for up to Cycle and Scooter Hire
one year with an official Japanese translation of
their license, which is available from the Japan As indicated by the often large bicycle parks
Automobile Federation, or at their country’s outside big stations and the huge numbers of
embassy or consulate in Japan. A valid passport bikes parked on the streets of Japan’s cities,
must be carried at all times. cycling is an extremely popular way of getting
Japan Automobile Federation around – even though there are few cycle paths
∑ jaf.or.jp/e to speak of. There are often bicycle-rental
companies in tourist areas. A good option in the
Car Rental capital is Tokyobike Rentals.
Vehicles are available for rental at ports of entry, Sidewalks are frequently used by cyclists,
major train stations, and local dealers. Since very despite the fact that it is illegal to do so.
few short-term visitors to Japan hire cars, car rental However, this is not strictly enforced and some
companies are generally not used to dealing towns prefer cyclists to use sidewalks rather
with customers in English. Two companies more than roads.
likely to have English-speaking staff are Toyota Tokyobike Rentals
Rent a Car and Nippon Rent-A-Car. There is also ∑ tokyobikerentals.com/en

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