Japanese cars have the
steering wheel on the right!
The most important thing to remember when driving in Japan is to stay on the left side of the road. In order to remember this, keep in mind that the driver’s seat should always be closest to the centre line of the road. When you make a right turn at a traffic light, the oncoming traffic will cut directly through your path, so you have to come to a complete stop and wait for a clearing.

In Japanese cars, both the steering wheel and the turn signal lever are on the right side. Most people accidentally turn the windshield wiper on the first time they try to make a turn!
If you are American, you will probably be used to seeing the speed limit in miles. Japanese road signs are all written in kilometres, so be careful of this difference!

Be extra careful of oncoming traffic when making a right turn at an intersection!



Always stop when you come to a red light. Turning left is not allowed.

Caution when pulling out
When leaving a parking lot or turning onto a major road from a small one, cars will be approaching from your right in the left traffic lane. It is tricky to get used to the opposite flow of traffic, and very easy to forget in the beginning, so make sure to check both ways before you merge into traffic!



Make sure to check both ways. When making a right turn, check for cars approaching from the right!