By Car

Japan offers many car rentals, both local and international. A car is a good vehicle to deviate from well-trodden routes. Expensive toll roads ($90 from Tokyo to Kyoto) and gasoline can scare you away though. A driver needs the international driver's license in Japan. For motorcycles with a 750+ cm3 engine volume you may be asked to re-pass the exam.

Japan's traffic is left-sided. Speed limits are 80 km/h on highways, 60 km/h on by-ways, and 40 km/h in town. Road signs are seldom bilingual there.