Driving in Japan
 

I will be driving from the Northern Island of Japan to Tokyo in late August. Can anyone suggest neat things to see or do along the way. I think this will be a great part of the trip. Thanks in advance for any help.

I hope you're used to drive on the left and without any indication or road sign in English until 20 miles outside of Tokyo, and the Japanese can't be qualified as good drivers ... I've been driving in and South of Tokyo, never again ! I'll stick to public transportation from now on. <BR> <BR>August is O-Bon time, when every city, town and village hold a festival. You should have ample choice of things to see, taste and do on the way. Do you have already an idea of an itinerary ? <BR> <BR>You might want to read "The road to Saga" (I'll look for the full reference), about an Englishman who went on foot from Hokkaido to Cape Saga in Kyushu some years ago. <BR> <BR>One stop you should not miss is Matsushima, Miyagi pref., near Sendai. A beautiful bay full of small islands, some as large as a coffe table and topped by just one twisted pine. <BR> <BR>I also have a good memory of Mizusawa, in Iwate pref., there was a beautiful temple nearby. Of course, I was with Japanese friends and I was more preoccupied with making merry than looking the sights. <BR> <BR>Look at www.jnto.go.jp or www.jinjapan.org, those places have web sites in English.

While I am not sure about roads near Tokyo, the roads near Osaka and Kyoto were pretty well marked in latin letters. A good map is a BIG plus. I had Kodansha (spelling?) maps and they were less than accurate, big 6 lane highways were missing. <BR>I have to disagree with assesment of Japanese drivers. My impression was that they were very careful. <BR>Public transport in Japan is amazing but I think I will rent a car next time I go there. <BR>Regards, Ewa

Please let me know how it works out. I'm going to be taking my family over in October and everything I've read thus far suggests cars for Hokkaido. Do you already have an itinerary for Hokkaido and if so, would you mind sharing it with me. I read the following online and maybe this will be of help to you. www.robert-wright.cwc.net/hokkaido.htm <BR> <BR>regards, <BR>Christine Lewis

Hi Brent,<BR><BR>Can you tell me how your experience went regarding driving in Japan. Also, do you have to apply for a special driving license? What do you think where the pro's and con's of driving in Japan?<BR><BR>I'm interested because a friend of mine is looking at possibly renting a vehicle during his stay in Japan. The past couple times I've been, I've used the public transportation - which, by the way, is great! Any information would be helpful.