Why I hate driving in Japan

By William Bonds

I don’t get out of Japan as much as I used to, but as far as I’m concerned, driving overseas is a zillion times more enjoyable than it is here. Why? Well here are 10 reasons.

1. Country roads. The most pleasurable thing about driving, for me, has always been cruising along a road less traveled in the British/American/Canadian/European countryside—there are few cars, no speed cameras and only beautiful scenery to look at. The Japanese countryside is polluted with ugly overhead cables, ugly villages and boring, boring roads.

2. Driving lessons. Getting a license in this country is ridiculously time-consuming and expensive. I know this because Mrs Bonds is halfway through the process. There are, if I remember rightly, around 40 hours of driving lessons, 30 hours of classroom lessons and five tests to take. It will cost around 300,000 yen. All this wouldn’t be so bad if Mrs Bonds were actually learning how to drive—but in fact all that is just to learn how to pass the exams. After she’s got her license, I’ll have to teach her how to drive.

3. Truck drivers. When the missus finally does earn her license, she won’t get any help from truck drivers. In Japan, like many other countries, “might is right.” Truckers seem to think that they have the right of way on any stretch of road. This is most apparent on expressways, when they drive right up your rear to try and bully you into moving over.

4. Blinkers. Do driving schools teach you what those orange lights are for? Even if they don’t, just how stupid can the drivers of Japan be? You put your indicators on before you brake to show that you are about to turn. Every day, I see drivers brake, then indicate, and then turn. The dumbest thing in Japanese motoring.

5. Insurance. OK, we need insurance, but my insurance man just quoted me a rate that’s higher for my second car than my first car, which is worth three times as much. On top of that, he says that because my second car is so cheap, it’s not covered for damage. So I pay less to get more insurance for a more expensive car. What’s more, he can’t link the two cars’ insurance policies. Oh yes, and I’m not covered for theft. Eh?

6. Shaken/taxes. You must get your car tested three years after you bought it new, and every two years thereafter. A dealer will charge you in the region of 150,000 yen to do this (my local mechanic does it for half that). A car inspection program is good, but this isn’t it. And how many privately owned Japanese cars need to be inspected after three years? Almost none. It’s an unrealistic and unnecessary burden on the car owner.

7. Parking. You have to have a parking place before you can own a car in Japan. Maybe not such a stupid idea, but the street parking in cities is way out of hand. Enforcement has improved, but there are still too many cars blocking too many roads. On the other hand, you will get a ticket for parking in a metered spot after-hours. Well, if a spot is OK during busy hours, why can’t we use it when the roads aren’t busy? Doesn’t make sense.

8. Tolls. I hate tolls. Apart from being an inefficient system for collecting money, they are way too high. OK, PM Aso has reduced them temporarily. Well done, but no one should be charged for sitting in a 50 kms traffic jam. You should only have to pay for expressways if they do their job, i.e., getting you from A to B fast.

9. PC Plod. A cop caught me speeding last week. Was it fair? Well, yes, I was speeding, but it was on a coastal toll road with absolutely no traffic. Possibly the quietest, safest road in Japan. Penalizing me on that road will not contribute to road safety in any way; he was just making sure he got his quota for the month. The police too often go for the easy target while letting the loonies go free.

10. Old People, young people. Confucius says old people are the repositories of wisdom. No, stupid people only get stupider as they grow older. And young stupid people are just plain dangerous. Restrict what they can drive and keep death off the roads.

William Bonds is an automotive journalist based in Chiba.

This commentary originally appeared in Metropolis magazine (www.metropolis.co.jp).

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Latest 15 of 76 Total Comments Show All

jonnyboy at 04:08 PM JST - 2nd June

whilst i should point out i've never driven in japan, nor ever want to, as for stopping distance between cars, the worst offenders for this i have experienced are definitely americans. sorry. they also fail for being the most confrontational/aggressive drivers i have experienced.
Wakarimasen at 05:07 PM JST - 2nd June

Shoot red lights. No indicators. Hog right lanes on expressway at low speed. Stop and park in ridiculous places. scooters ride like lunatics. But lots of great scenery (Izu, Kagoshima, Ise shima, across the J alps, Biwa ko etc - all some lovely drives.). And driving plenty of other countries no picnic either. So complain away (we all love to do so) but don't paint UK as beautiful or uncrowded (roads are awful), US drivers as good (they ain't) or say anything about driving in planty of other places (Mexico, Africa, China anyone)?
nisegaijin at 10:34 AM JST - 3rd June
1. Find country roads that don't go through populated ares. Usually mountain passes.
2. I think its designed so that not "Everyone" will get license. this fee and process designed to decrease the number of cars on the roads. I think i benefited from it though. i wasn't the best driver when i graduated, but i was some what street ready.
3. Agreed, but that's what you got accelerator for. punch it and drive away.
4. I disagree. I thnk Japanese use blinkers a lot more often and correct than drivers in other countries.
5. Forget your insurance guy and call Sony Sonpo, American Home, or Axa. They are dirt cheap and do their job.
6. I think its a way of fair tax. Did you notice how low income tax is? It's simple, don't drive, don't pay.
7. 100% agree, I think parking wardens must be shot, but I didn't know you get fined for after hours box parking.
8. Same as number 6. and it is designed to unload the highways
9. Cops should be shot with parking wardens. Next time take the paid mountain overpass, just make sure its a private road, not kokudo. I think you already know about it. I heard there are cops on Hakone turnpike now so be careful.
10. Agreed, but you can't control it.
I think we should challenge ridiculously low speed limits in next rant :-)
pawatan at 11:42 AM JST - 3rd June

I think people who really think Japan is a horrible place to drive and that the drivers are truly bad doesn't drive in other countries too much. Everywhere else in Asia is much, much worse. In North America you get idiots drinking and driving (with legal limits way, way too high), driving way too fast, road rage, tailgating...

My only complaint here is too much traffic. That's more than offset by not NEEDING to drive; only driving when I want to.
mirkwood at 12:53 AM JST - 4th June

LOL!!! Mr Bond.. thats SPOT-ON! I couldnt agree with you more
fatfrenchfool at 01:29 AM JST - 4th June

live inaka, drive without most of the idiots. live urban, don't drive. most people driving in Japan don't need to, no need to whinge
fatfrenchfool at 01:32 AM JST - 4th June

where do you live WilliB?
Tahoochi at 10:41 AM JST - 4th June

Country roads: TONS of beautiful scenery in the mountains, by the ocean (both are almost everywhere in Japan)

Driving lessons: Is a MAJOR hassle if you are applying for a license for the first time in Japan, but like most other posters have said, not if you have a license from another country.

Blinkers: Disagree... it's worse in Canada/US, especially away from the city where people don't even signal at all

Insurance/Shaken/Parking/Tolls: Yes, all way to expensive in my opinion and way to inefficient, but maybe it's intentional

As other posters have mentioned, red light running is a major downside. However, I do like the well maintained roads (I guess that's why they have tolls)
Kuroyama at 01:00 PM JST - 4th June

Gonna disagree wildly with the author of the piece.

Driving is a terrible experience here, but he KNEW that going into it. Why spend so much money on (not just one, but TWO cars) knowing the pain they bring. It seems to me that masochistic tendencies coupled with a healthy dose of complaining about the resulting pain is as loony as the drivers he shares the road with.

Riding the train is no picnic either, but it eliminates all of the hassle he writes about. As well as a greenhouse emission or two.
jonnyboy at 01:06 PM JST - 4th June

one problem with driving is that cars are a such a status symbol, regardless of their usefulness. at least many other countries don't have the excellent public transport systems of japan's cities. i remember when i lived in nishitokyo and people would complain about not being able to find anywhere to park in ikebukuro. wtf? take the train! use it or lose it
societymike at 03:48 PM JST - 4th June

What is with these highly inacurate articles lately? Mr Bonds, where do you drive? are you really IN Japan? I've been all over the world and I must say that Japanese roads are among the safest in the world. The beautiful country roads are some of the best parts of my weekends. What I LOVE about driving in japan is the courtesy from other drivers, most people using a signal to change lanes, allowing you to merge, no road rage, and people who actually obey the road laws, it's rather refreshing. Do you even drive here? I can not fathom how you came to this conclusion.
USARonin at 03:55 PM JST - 4th June

I don't think the author's 'missus' should confront one of those trucks he's talkin' about with one of those metrosexual Coopers.

Unless she's gettin' a licence for an 18-wheeler rig, I think she should yield to the big boys.

It's a Darwin Award kinda thing.
spielhur17 at 12:42 AM JST - 6th June

Hey!!! you must visit México. Here, everybody drives like mad, bus drivers are worse than bullies, streets are always full of cars, holes, slow traffic,street seelers walking between cars, pilgrimages and meetings at middle of street, etc. People don´t obey traffic signs and they don´t care about consequences, also we have to pay every year taxes for your car, and every 6 month you have to pay for a smog test(even new cars). if your car is old and/or it contaminate too much, it can´t work one or two days a week!!! Highways look like huge parking place. And you can see the most stupid things, like a guy who stoped at middle of a highway, and drove in reverse. Most people here don´t know how to drive. In México you don´t have to take a course, or to do a driving test to get a license!!! You can take a course only if you want and you pay for it. In México city, drive can be very stressing.
OhioDonna at 02:39 AM JST - 6th June

I hate to drive in any big city. I grew up on a farm and learned to drive in the country. I have made my share of mistakes but I do try to obey speedlimits, traffic signs and use common sense. I do not use my cell phone while driving and there are times when I turn off the radio so that I am not distracted while driving. I prefer driving in the country over city and interstate driving. I would rather pass a huge tractor sporting duelies any old day.
aedfed at 10:51 PM JST - 6th June

One of the things I loved about living in Japan was that I didn't have to drive. Sure I had a car, but I could walk to the supermarket, cycle or walk to work, cycle to many local destinations, and take the bus or train for holiday trips (much more relaxing than driving). That left the car for jaunts with the family to places too out of the way for public transport.

I liked the fact that Japanese drivers were generally courteous, although they did some incredibly stupid things. The one thing I hated was having to think, "Now where will I park?" whenever I set off in the car.