Getting There By Road
Heavy traffic congestion tends to make travelling by car in Japan’s urban areas a slow and frustrating experience. Fortunately, excellent public transport makes driving in and between cities unnecessary. Hiring a car can, however, be an excellent way for visitors to explore the more remote country areas. Driving in Japan is not as daunting as might be expected – drivers are generally disciplined and courteous and major signs are in both Japanese and English. Expressways, which are all named (for example, The Tokaido Expressway), are toll roads that link the main cities; tolls are expensive at approximately 40 per kilometre. Other main roads are numbered (for example, Route 24).
Traffic drives on the left and the wearing of seatbelts is compulsory. The legal driving age in Japan isd 18 years for a car and 16 years for a motorbike. Both a national driving licence and an International Driving Permit are required, as is basic travel insurance. Parking can be difficult to find and is a major expense in cities and larger towns. The speed limit outside built-up areas is 50kph (31mph) and 80kph (50mph) on expressways. In built-up areas, the speed limit is usually 40kph (25mph). Driving after having consumed any amount of alcohol is illegal and penalties are severe.
The Japan Automobile Federation, JAF (tel: (03) 3436 2811; website: www.jaf.or.jp/e/index_e.htm), provides an English-language ‘Rules of the Road’ booklet and JAF Road Service offers 24-hour breakdown assistance for both members and non-members. In the case of an accident, the police must be informed (tel: 110).
Emergency breakdown service:
JAF 8139
Routes to the city: Tokyo is linked by the Tomei–Meishin expressway to Kobe (via Nagoya, Kyoto and Osaka), by the Tohoku expressway to Sendai and northern Japan, and by the Chuo expressway to Nagano and Nagoya.
Approximate driving times to Tokyo: From Nagano – 3 hours 30 minutes; Sendai – 4 hours; Nagoya – 5 hours; Osaka – 7 hours. Note that actual driving times can vary widely depending on traffic conditions.
Coach services: A number of companies together offer a comprehensive network of long-distance bus services. Comfortable overnight coaches with reclining seats serve destinations such as Kyoto, Osaka and the cities of northern Honshu. Coaches leave from terminals outside Shinjuku Station, in Shinjuku, and Tokyo Station, Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku. Bookings can be made at Japan Travel Bureau, JTB (tel: (03) 5620 9500; fax: (03) 5620 9502; website: www.jtb.co.jp/eng), which has offices all over the city or at large railway stations.
|
Getting There By Road