Japan (Lonely Planet, 11th Edition) - Chris Rowthorn [650]
Expressways
The expressway system is fast, efficient and growing all the time. Unfortunately, it is rather expensive, and tolls can really add up on longer journeys. Tolls run about ¥24.6 per kilometre. Tokyo to Kyoto, for example, will cost about ¥10,050 in tolls. The speed limit on expressways is 80km/h but seems to be uniformly ignored. At a steady 100km/h, you will still find as many cars overtaking you as you overtake.
There are good rest stops and service centres at regular intervals. A prepaid highway card, available from tollbooths or at the service areas, saves you having to carry so much cash and gives you a 4% to 8% discount in the larger card denominations. You can also pay tolls with most major credit cards. Exits are usually fairly well signposted in romaji but make sure you know the name of your exit as it may not necessarily be the same as the city you’re heading towards.
Fuel & Spare Parts
You’ll find gasoreen sutando (petrol stations) in almost every town in Japan and in service stations along the country’s expressways. The cost of petrol per litre ranges from ¥104 to ¥107 for regular and ¥116 to ¥118 for high-octane.
Spare parts are widely available in Japan for Japanese cars. For foreign cars, you may have to place a special order with a garage or parts store.
Hire
You’ll usually find car-rental agencies clustered around train stations and ferry piers in Japan. Typical rental rates for a small car are ¥5000 to ¥7000 per day, with reductions for rentals of more than one day. On top of the rental charge, there’s about a ¥1000 per day insurance cost.
It’s also worth bearing in mind that car rental costs go up during high seasons (28 April to 6 May, 20 July to 31 August and 28 December to 5 January). The increase can make quite a difference to costs.
Communication can sometimes be a major problem when hiring a car. Some of the offices will have a rent-a-car phrasebook, with questions you might need to ask in English. Otherwise, just speak as slowly as possible and hope for the best. A good way to open the conversation is to say ‘kokusai menkyō wo motteimasu’ (I have an international licence).
Two of the main Japanese car-rental companies and their Tokyo phone numbers are Hertz (0120-489-882) and Toyota Rent-a-Lease (0070-8000-10000).
MOTORCYCLE HIRE & PURCHASE
Hiring a motorcycle for long-distance touring is not as easy as hiring a car, although small scooters are available in many places for local sightseeing.
Although Japan is famous for its large-capacity road burners, most bikes on the road are 400cc or less. This is because a special licence is required to ride a bike larger than 400cc, and few Japanese and even fewer foreigners pass the test necessary to get this licence.
The 400cc machines are the most popular large motorcycles in Japan but, for general touring, a 250cc machine is probably the best bet. Apart from being large enough for a compact country like Japan, machines up to 250cc are also exempt from the expensive shaken (inspections).
Smaller machines (those below 125cc) are banned from expressways and are generally less suitable for long-distance touring, but people have ridden from one end of Japan to the other on little 50cc ‘step-thrus’. An advantage of these bikes is that you can ride them with just a regular driving licence, so you won’t need to get a motorcycle licence.
The best place to look for motorcycles in Japan is the Korin-chō motorcycle neighbourhood in Tokyo’s Ueno district. There are over 20 motorcycle shops in the area and some employ foreign salespeople who speak both Japanese and English. For used bikes in Kansai check Kansai Time Out, Kansai Flea Market or the message board in the Kyoto International Community House.
Insurance
When you own a car, it is