Tips for Travelers: How to Drive Abroad

Drivers in Hong Kong

It's been a whirlwind of a month! July has flown by faster than I could've ever imagined. I moved out of Santa Cruz at the end of June, stayed in my hometown of Huntington Beach with my parents for a few days, and then set off on a ten day family reunion/vacation in Mexico. The ocean was incredible - and the sunsets were even better.

The glorious sunset from our vacation house in Mexico

Now I'm back in Huntington Beach for a week and a half more before leaving to the JET Tokyo Orientation, where all the new JETs (like me!) take over a hotel and learn as much as we can before heading off to our prefectures. I can't wait to see Tokyo for the first time and learn as much as I can about being an Assistant Language Teacher!

But in the meantime, I'm figuring out some important details about actually living in Kadogawa. Since I'm living in a small town (the smallest I've ever lived in), my predecessor told me having a car is pretty important. Two of the schools I'll be teaching at are in the mountains, which would be hard to reach without reliable transportation. Cars offer protection from the elements, options for travel, and help out if I need to lug furniture, surfboards, or other heavy things around. In short, I better learn to drive on the left, because I'm getting a car.

Yes, I'm a bit nervous, since I've never driven anywhere other than California, but there's a first time for everything right? So if you're a fellow American who's moving to Japan (or any other foreign country) and you'll need to drive, here's a few things you'll need to know about getting the International Driver's Permit before you leave.

A. Where You'll Get It
I went to the local AAA and asked to sign up for an International Driver's Permit, even though I don't have a AAA membership. You can also do this at the DMV.

B. What You'll Need To Get It
Bring two passport photos, your driver's license, and some way to pay fifteen dollars, because there's a small fee.

C. How Does It Work
An International Driver's Permit is valid for a year from the date of issue, so get it right before you leave. As long as you keep it with your valid USA driver's license, you can drive your car from your new home in wherever the heck you're moving to. However, after that year, you'll need to apply for your Japanese license, which is a whole new can of worms.

As for everything else about driving in Japan, I'll let you know how it goes when I get there. I'm trying not to be too worried about anything specifically. There's just so much to consider - I guess I just have to take it a day at a time.

If you have any other questions about driving or any other pre-departure issues, leave a comment below! Thanks for reading!