Driving & Car Rental
Fueling up, parking, police checkpoints, traffic violations, minor accidents, and car rental — real everyday scenarios after you get your license.
How to Speak Smoothly at a Full-Service Gas Station
- Say it all in one line: fuel type + quantity/amount + payment method, e.g. "レギュラー満タンで、カードでお願いします (regular, fill it up, by card please)"
- Common fuel types: レギュラー (regular gasoline) / ハイオク (premium gasoline) / 軽油 (diesel)
- Common ways to specify amount: 満タン (fill it up) / 現金で〇〇円分 (cash, specific yen amount) / 〇〇リットル (specific number of liters)
- Window cleaning and trash disposal are free services unique to full-service stations. Staff will usually ask — just say 「お願いします (yes please)」 if you want it
- After fueling, staff will tell you the total amount out loud. If you didn't catch it, ask them to repeat it, or check the display on the pump directly
Self-Service Gas Station: Operation Steps + Fuel Type Confirmation
- Confirming the fuel type is the easiest thing to get wrong — if unsure, ask staff, or check the 車検証 (vehicle inspection certificate) / the label inside the fuel cap, don't guess. Putting in the wrong fuel has serious consequences, so always confirm before operating
- For rental cars, the contract usually specifies the required fuel type — check it before you set off
- Basic operation steps: ① On screen select "給油 (refuel)" ② Insert card or choose payment method ③ Select fuel type (レギュラー/ハイオク/軽油) ④ Select amount or liters, or press "満タン (fill it up)" directly ⑤ Insert the nozzle into the fuel port to start fueling
- If you get stuck or can't understand what's on screen at any point, just ask staff for help — gas station staff are usually nearby
Key Points for Signing a Monthly Parking Contract
- Ask all at once: is a spot available + the price + whether your car's size fits — there are usually width/height limits (common max is around 1.9m wide, 2.1m high); confirm in advance for large or modified vehicles
- Common documents needed to sign: a copy of your 車検証 (vehicle inspection certificate), a personal seal, guarantor or payment account information — details vary by management company
- Contracts are typically 1 year, and most allow early termination with 1 month's notice — but always check your own contract terms
- It's worth asking to see the actual parking space in person, especially for mechanical/tower parking, to confirm your car will actually fit
Police Checkpoints: What You'll Be Asked and How to Cooperate
- The actual process: the police signal you to pull over → they come to your window, salute, and state which police station they're from → they ask you to show your driver's license → they often ask whether you've been drinking → they thank you and return your documents
- Just cooperate by showing your documents and staying calm — no need to volunteer extra information, and no need to question or refuse
Getting a Traffic Ticket: On-the-Spot Process and Paying the Fine
- The initial process is the same as a checkpoint (pull over → police salute and state their station → show your license, see previous item). If it's confirmed to be a violation, what follows is:
- Police explain the violation → you move next to the patrol car to handle the paperwork → they confirm your name, address, and date of birth → they inform you of the violation name/fine amount/points and ask you to confirm → you sign → you receive a stub and a payment slip → your license is returned
- If asked 「お心当たりはありますか (do you recall doing this?)」, just honestly and briefly admit it — no need to argue or question the legal meaning of signing
- ⚠️The fine amount and points deducted vary by type of violation — go by what's told to you on the spot and what's on the payment slip, don't try to memorize specific numbers
- ⚠️The payment slip states the payment deadline and location (bank/post office) — be sure to pay within the deadline, as missing it carries legal risk
Minor Accidents: On-the-Spot Procedure + Principles of Fault
- ⚠️Under Japanese law, even a minor accident (just a scrape, no injuries) must be reported to the police — failing to report it is itself illegal (it can be treated as "当て逃げ", a hit-and-run)
- On-the-spot procedure: ① Check if either party is injured ② Call the police (110 — clearly state location/whether anyone is injured/type of accident) ③ Leave the vehicles as they are and wait for police to arrive ④ Exchange names/contact info/insurance company info with the other party ⑤ Take photos as evidence ⑥ Contact your own insurance company afterward
- An accident certificate (事故証明書) is often needed later for insurance claims — you can have your insurance company apply for it on your behalf
- ⚠️Whether you're the one who hit or were hit, do not admit fault or blame the other party on the spot — let the fault ratio be determined by the insurance companies/police. Just objectively describe your own situation and what happened (what you did/were doing), without drawing your own conclusion about who's at fault
Car Rental: License Requirements Compared + Beginner Restrictions + Common Channels
- If you hold a Japanese driver's license (after converting a foreign license): the process is basically the same as for Japanese nationals, and you usually don't need to show a passport/international driving permit
- If you hold an international driving permit: besides the permit itself you'll also need to show your passport, and some companies also require your home-country license. The international permit is valid for 1 year from your entry date into Japan, after which it becomes invalid here — this is separate from the permit's own printed validity period
- ⚠️The required documents are completely different for these two license types. Mixing them up will cause preparation mistakes, so check which type of license you actually hold
- ⚠️Restrictions on beginners (license held less than 1 year) vary by rental company and are not a nationwide standard — common requirements include displaying a "初心者マーク (beginner driver mark)" or having a passenger with 3+ years of driving experience along. It's best to ask the rental company directly before booking
- You can also walk in on the day without a reservation, but for busy periods (holidays/weekends) it's recommended to book 1-2 days ahead
- If asking in person, start by clearly stating your rental period (from when to when) + number of people/amount of luggage, and staff can recommend a suitable car right away. Remember to ask for the total amount, so you don't just see the base rental fee and miss extra costs like insurance
- Major Japanese rental car companies include Toyota Rent a Car, Nissan Rent a Car, Times Car, and Orix Rent a Car, among others — apps/websites support booking, and some have multilingual interfaces. You can also use comparison websites/apps to check prices across multiple branches at once
Accident Response