Congestion, the infrequency of road signs in English, and the difficulty—say nothing of the expense—of parking make driving in Tokyo impractical. And if you think a car will get you somewhere faster within the city than public transportation, you're wrong. That said, if you decide to rent a car, the following companies have locations all around Tokyo and Japan: Budget Rent-A-Car, Dollar Rent-A-Car, Hertz Asia Pacific (Japan), or Nippon Rent-A-Car Service. Be aware that their central business offices close at 6 PM or 7 PM, and that you're not guaranteed to reach anybody who can deal with you in English.

As with other Tokyo travel arrangements, plan well in advance if renting during peak seasons around New Year's, Golden Week (early May) and Obon (mid August)—or avoid it altogether. Expect most car rental agencies to be booked solid at least two months ahead of these seasons. Make your reservation via phone or on the Web before you come, and budget an extra hour or so when returning a car to an airport you're departing from; it will likely include a shuttle ride from the lot to the terminal. With taxes, the cost of a mid-size sedan is about ¥12,000 ($110) per day with considerably better weekly rates. You'll have a limited selection of newer brand-name automatic makes and models with AC such as Toyotas, Hondas, and Nissans. Minivans may also be available and note that opting for a "compact" model in Japan may leave you with even less room than expected. Most agencies require renters to be at least 25 years old and an international driver's license is needed.

You can hire large and comfortable chauffeured cars (the Japanese call them haiya) for about ¥5,000 ($46) per hour for a midsize car, up to ¥18,000 ($164) per hour for a Cadillac limousine. Call Hinomaru Limousine. The Imperial, Okura, and Palace hotels also have limousine services.

By law, a car seat must be installed if the driver is traveling with a child under six. Child seats generally cost about ¥500 a day, and must be ordered at the time of reservation.

In Japan your own driver's license is not acceptable. You need an International Driver's Permit (IDP), which can be used only in conjunction with a valid driver's license and which translates your license into 10 languages. Check the AAA Web site for more info as well as for IDPs ($10) themselves.

Gasoline

If you must drive, beware that you will be shocked by the gas prices. Luckily prices are fairly uniform across the country at about ¥110 per liter ($4.80 per gallon)—still cause for sticker shock!

Gas stations are plentiful along Japan's toll roads, and credit cards are accepted everywhere and are even encouraged—there are discounts for them at some places. Self-service stations have recently become legal, so if you pump your own gas you may get a small discount. Often you pay after pumping, but there are also machines where you put money in first and then use the receipt to get change back. The Japanese word for receipt is uketori, but as with every legal transaction in Japan (except for taxis, though if you ask, you can get one) you'll get a receipt without asking.

Of course, instructions are in Japanese only and the automated procedure is likely to be quite different from the pumps back home. Even without Japanese skills, however, it should be easy to enlist the aid of an attendant or fellow patron. Tipping is not customary.

Parking

There's nothing easy about parking in Tokyo. Parking is often hard to find and authorities have stepped up efforts to ticket and tow illegally parked cars, so be very careful where you park. To top it off, parking is usually very expensive and can range anywhere from ¥100 to ¥800 for an hour or two in a lot or on-street parking to ¥1,500 or more for an off-the-beaten-path overnight lot or half-day stint at a popular attraction. Major attractions and malls usually offer discount parking for purchases of more than ¥3,000; so hang on to your receipts and inquire about discount validation. Meters in lots usually take bills to facilitate long-term parking. On-street meters often have an electronic eye to prevent re-feeding the meter for longer stays; meters won't reboot until the car is moved. Of course, you can pull away and repark at the same meter to extend your stay but that wouldn't be exactly legal.

Road Conditions

Driving in Toyo and other cities can be troublesome, as there are many narrow, one-way streets and little in the way of English road signs except on major arteries.

Roadside Emergencies

Emergency telephones along the highways can be used to contact the authorities. A nonprofit service, JHelp.com, offers a free, 24-hour emergency assistance hotline. Car rental agencies generally offer roadside assistance services.

Emergency Services

Police (110). Fire (119). JHelp.com (0570/000-911).

Rules of the Road

In Japan people drive on the left. Left on red is not allowed. Speed limits vary, but generally the limit is 80 kph (50 mph) on highways, 40 kph (25 mph) in cities. Penalties for speeding are severe. By law, car seats must be installed if the driver is traveling with a child under six, while the driver and all passengers in cars must wear seat-belts at all times. It is illegal to use hand-held mobile phones while driving.

Many smaller streets lack sidewalks, so cars, bicycles, and pedestrians share the same space. Motorbikes with engines less than 50 cc are allowed to travel against automobile traffic on one-way roads. Fortunately, considering the narrowness of the streets and the volume of traffic, most Japanese drivers are technically skilled. They may not allow quite as much distance between cars as you're used to. Be prepared for sudden lane changes by other drivers. When waiting at intersections after dark, many drivers, as a courtesy to other drivers, turn off their main headlights to prevent glare.

Japan has very strict laws concerning the consumption of alcohol prior to getting behind the wheel. Given the almost zero-tolerance for driving under the influence and the occasional evening police checkpoint set up along the roads, it's wisest to avoid alcohol entirely if you plan to drive.