Overland Japan Travel
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Contents
- 1 Visiting Japan
- 2 Entering Japan with a Car or Motorbike
- 3 Driving in Japan
- 4 Gas and Diesel price in Japan
- 5 Safety and Security Considerations
- 6 Camping in Japan
- 7 Navigation
- 8 Special Overland Travel interests
- 9 Vehicle Maintenance
- 10 Buy or sell a car or motorbike in Japan
- 11 References
- 12 Helpful External links
Visiting Japan
Japan is a country with a long history, and in many places not a happy history, but it has become one of the most developed countries in the world. It's known for its food (especially sushi and chicken), Mount Fuji, and the largest city, Tokyo.
Entering Japan with a Car or Motorbike
You need the carnet de passages en douane and your vehicle can stay in japan for as long as the carnet is valid, there was no problem leaving the country storing the motorbike in Japan as long as the carnet validity. You can extend the carnet for 3 months if you have a reason that is forcing you to stay, but remember that you need the permissione of your national motoclub plus the permission of the JAF japanese auto federation. If your bike overstay you'll have to pay a fine (tax) based on the value of the motorbike when exporting it
Required Paperwork
(To check if you need a travel Visa for Japan, application instructions and fees see: Japan Visa online application at VisaHQ.com)
Check if you need a visa, many countries can get a stamp on the passport for a 3 months stay.
If you exit the country and re enter after a resonable time they should give you other 3 months, other traveller told me that even if you stayied for a short period everytime it's suspicious to enter more than 2 times per year and you can be refused at the border
Process at border
I entered from the sakaiminato port with the ferry DBS line (Russia-Korea-Japan), at arrival they took care of my documents and carnet and I had to take a bus to the next JAF offices to validate my carnet, and back to the port, did everything in a long afternoon.
Cost of entry
State the cost for a vehicle to enter
Permitted length of stay
State the permitted length of entry for the vehicle
Extension of stay
You can extend the carnet for 3 months if you have a reason that is forcing you to stay, but remember that you need the permissione of your national motoclub plus the permission of the JAF japanese auto federation. I was able to extend my Carnet for 3 months showing them a medical reason, the plan of exiting japan and shipping my bike out in 2 months, and the already approved extension from my motorclub. It's a very rare case so usually not many people know how to deal with it. It's a little bit difficult if you don't speack Japanese but totally duable if you have good intentions and a reason for the bike overstay
Storing a vehicle and temporarily leaving the country
I stored my motorbike at a friend's place for about 4 months in winter, the carnet was still valid so no problem while re exporting the bike, also no problem while exiting and re entering the country .
Exiting with a vehicle
If you export it by shipping, the company will provide a broker that will sort your carnet easily and fast , it costed me about 20000 yen. If you use the ferry to go to Korea or Russia they should take care of it, but make sure your broker-agent can do that for you.
Driving in Japan
Recommended books for Overlanding in Japan
Travel insurance for Japan
World Nomads offer the most flexible Travel Insurance at the best prices for multi-country / multi-year trips. You can buy, extend and claim online, even after you've left home.
Vehicle insurance requirements
Yes or No if insurance is mandatory, and what kind is acceptable.
Cost of vehicle insurance
State the price of insurance and a time period.
Where to purchase vehicle insurance
Describe where insurance can be purchased.
Driving license
State the kind of driving licenses required. i.e. International Driving Permit.
Driving side of road
Left.
Unknown if LHD vehicles can be driven in Japan
Mandatory items in vehicle
State any mandatory items that must be carried in the vehicle. (i.e. safety triangle, first aid kit, fire extinguisher, etc.)
Roads
General Road quality
Give a brief description of the general road quality. Mention if one way streets are common.
Road signs
Briefly describe the overall quality & existence of road signs for directions and hazards.
Toll roads
List the frequency and approximate price of toll roads.
Bribery in Japan
Briefly describe how common bribery is and whether it should be expected, and the best way to deal with it.
Checkpoints
describe the frequency of checkpoints (police or military and what to expect.
Traveling with pets
List the entry requirements and anything else required to travel with a pet.
Gas and Diesel price in Japan
Last updated: July 2019
Currency and unit to display:
| Gasoline Grade | Price |
|---|---|
| Unleaded | €1.16 EUR per Liter[1] |
| Diesel | €1.01 EUR per Liter[1] |
Gas and Diesel Availability / Frequency
Briefly describe if gas shortages are known to occur.
Also state the approximate average distance between gas stations. This is a very rough estimate.
Gas and Diesel Quality
Discuss if gasoline / diesel considered "clean" or "dirty", and generally high or low quality.
State the sulfur content of diesel, if known.
Safety and Security Considerations
Driving at night
Discuss driving at night and if it should it be avoided. Mention why.
Vehicle parking
Discuss if vehicles can be parked on the street, if they are considered "safe" at night. If vehicles can not be parked on the street, list the other options that exist.
Special driving considerations
A List of special things to be careful of (i.e. Unsigned speed bumps, abnormal road rules, people or animals on the road, etc.).
List any roads that are not recommended to drive for safety or other security reasons.
Security advisories and information
- Country Specific Information - U.S. Department of State
- Travel Reports and Warnings - Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada
- Travel advice by country - Foreign and Commonwealth office (U.K.)
- Travel Advice for Japan - Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
Camping in Japan
Describe if organized "pay" camping is common. List the facilities commonly found at these campsites.
List the approximate average price range of camping in organized campgrounds.
Also discuss the possibility of "wild" or "roadside" camping. How common is it? Is it considered safe, or a bad idea.
Camping guide books
List and link to books specifically for camping.
Drinking water
Describe if the regular tap water is safe to drink. If not, describe where safe water can be purchased and the approximate average price range.
Paper maps
Reise Know-How are amoung the best paper maps. Purchase paper maps before arriving in Japan
GPS Maps of Japan
Review different GPS companies, quality and coverage (Tomtom, Garmin, OSM, Tracks4Africa). (with links to each).
GPS co-ordinates for camping, propane, gas, repairs, etc. in Japan
- iOverlander is a website and iPhone application designed by Overlanders, for Overlanders. It contains GPS co-ordinates and reviews for camping, hotels, propane, water, mechanics, borders and much more.
Link to sites that have a list of GPS co-ordinates (or directions) for camping locations (including "wild" campsites), propane filling, gas stations, repair shops, places of interest, etc.
Special Overland Travel interests
List any special items / places that are popular with Overlanders
Vehicle Maintenance
Dealers
4x4s / Trucks
- Toyota Global Dealer Locator
- Land Rover International Dealer Locator
- Mercedes Benz International (select country on bottom right)
- Jeep International site locator
Motorbikes
Local Garages
Add known good mechanics here.
Buy or sell a car or motorbike in Japan
Buy
Describe how a foreigner can buy a vehicle.
List any difficulties or limitations on where the vehicle can be driven.
Sell
Describe how a foreigner can sell a foreign-plated vehicle, or list not possible.'
References
Links to the source of any information - blogs or discussion forums, etc.
Helpful External links
Add any helpful external links here.
- Japan: Visa and Passport requirements | World Travel Guide
- Health Information for Travelers to Japan - Center for Disease Control and Prevention
- Japan travel guides at wikivoyage
- Japan - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
