Oops! Japan #47 — Don’t Drive in the City

 Oops! Japan #47 — Don’t Drive in the City

（大都市圏ではクルマNG!? ストレスMAXの落とし穴）

Thinking of renting a car for your trip to Tokyo, Osaka, or Kyoto?

Think twice.

While driving across rural Japan or scenic areas like Hokkaido can be a dream, urban centers are a very different story.

Why you should avoid driving in Japan’s big cities:

• 🚗 Traffic jams are constant. A 20-minute drive can easily become an hour.

• 🅿️ Parking is expensive and hard to find. Even convenience stores might not have parking.

• 🧠 It’s stressful. Navigating narrow roads, reading kanji traffic signs, and dealing with one-way streets is exhausting — even with GPS.

Better alternatives:

• 🚆 Take the train — it’s punctual, clean, and faster than driving in cities.

• 🧳 Use taxis when you have big luggage. Japanese taxis are safe, honest, and reliable.

• 🚶‍♀️ Many tourist areas are compact and walkable once you arrive.

A Reddit user summed it up well:

“We rented a car in Kyoto. Worst idea ever. Spent more time circling for parking than sightseeing.”

Unless you’re heading to the countryside, skip the car and save yourself the stress.

⸻

日本語の補足：

東京・大阪・京都などの大都市圏では「車での移動」はおすすめできません。

その理由は：

• 渋滞が多く、時間のロスが大きい

• 駐車場の料金が高く、空きも少ない

• 道が狭く、複雑で、ナビでも迷いやすい

観光には 電車やタクシー の方が安心・快適です。

特にタクシーは大きな荷物があるときに便利。日本のタクシーは安全で、料金も明朗です。

都市部では「運転しない勇気」こそ、旅を楽しむコツです。