We love travel. We love places. We love people, everywhere. But one place that always tickles our fancy is Japan. If there has ever been a country that has gotten the balance right, it’s them. The country and its people seem – almost effortlessly – to display to the world how a country should operate. From its place on the world stage, to the way that the people go a little bit crazy over cats, to its famous Shinkansen (bullet train) to well-connected local trains, buses, and subways that make traveling within Japan is convenient and reliable. This makes it easy for visitors to explore various regions of the country. It’s a country to genuinely be admired and aspired to.
And, we here at Matouring love cars. We have ever since we were six years of age. We’ve had a lot of cars in the past, but we now use trains whenever we can, and it’s getting easier to use rail as the days go on. Maybe someday we will have automobiles that are guilt-free. Fingers crossed.
For many decades, the Japanese (and the Europeans) have focused on small, efficient and fun autos. For sure, zipping in a Fiat 500X through the hills of Tuscany is one of life’s best pleasures – top down, 5-speed manual transmission. But, Japan have gone one step further with their Kei-cars. They’re small, light, nimble, fuel-efficient 660cc automobile runabouts. And, little chance of them getting crushed by North American monster trucks, as those gas-guzzling behemoths are rare on Japanese roads.
So, you’re going to Japan for a holiday and want to know how to get around? Well, if you read this site regularly, you’ll know that we have loads of articles on travel in Japan. But, if you’re feeling adventuresome and want to try driving (note: Japan drives on the left side of the road, like in the UK) we have some good news for you. You can easily rent them while you’re there. They’re called kei-cars and you can find them almost anywhere.
Kei car, or light automobile, is a vehicle category in Japan that’s made up of the smallest highway-legal passenger cars. The Kei car category was created by the Japanese government in 1949, shortly after the end of World War II.
Since Kei-cars have small bodies you can drive safely in narrow corridors, and park easily. Recommended for people who don’t drive so often. It’s perfect for driving around the city or short use such as shopping. They are easy to navigate even in narrow corridors. Chances are it would be hard to park a vehicle that you’ve never driven before, but not the case for Kei-cars. Typically designed for 4 passengers, they sip fuel and zip from here to there. Read more here about driving in Japan.
Avis – Budget have your Kei-car in Japan. Click here to book.
If you don’t want to drive, Japanese rail is legendary. A JR Pass is a personal transportation pass specifically for foreign travellers. There are two types of passes – Whole Japan Pass and other regional passes. Depending on the pass you’ve purchased, you’ll be able to access all relevant train lines operated by Japan Railways, including all trains on the JR railway network as well as JR Kyushu, JR Shikoku, JR West, JR Central, JR East and JR Hokkaido. You’ll also be able to access other means of transportation like the JR Bus, JR Ferry and monorails.
Click here to book your Japan Rail tickets.