Driving in Yamagata

Getting a License

This is advice specific to people who already have licenses in their home countries. If you do not have a license, you will have to do it the Japanese way which involves enrolling in a driving school. Documents You'll Need
 * If you are planning on staying in Yamagata for more than one year you will need to go through the process of transferring your foreign license to a Japanese license. Japanese law states that an international drivers license (permit) can only be used for one year before residents must visit a driving center and receive a Japanese license.
 * For people from many countries you only need to pass an interview, an eye exam and a written test.
 * Countries whose residents don't need to take the practical driving test: Iceland, Ireland, United Kingdom, Italy, Estonia, Australia, Austria, Netherlands, Canada, South Korea, Greece, Switzerland, Sweden, Spain, Slovenia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, New Zealand, Norway, Finland, France, Belgium, Portugal, Taiwan, Luxembourg, and Monaco.
 * If you are from the United States of America you will need to pass an interview, the eye exam, a written test, and the practical test (with the exception of Washington State, Maryland, Virginia, Hawaii, and Ohio license holders; in which case, you don't need to take the practical test due to these states' reciprocity agreements).
 * juminhyo (住民票）
 * This is proof of your residence in Yamagata. You can get this certificate at the Yamagata City Office (山形市役所). It costs around ¥400.
 * Passport
 * Original Drivers License (must be valid, must have been issued three months before coming to Japan)
 * If you come from a country that does not display the issued date on its license you will need to get proof from the institution that issued your drivers license that it was valid three months before your arrival in Japan. You may also need to show proof that you were in the country your licensed was issued in for at least three months after it was issued.
 * A translation of your drivers license from JAF (Japan Automobile Federation)
 * If you do this by mail you will need a special envelope called a genkin-kakitome-futo. In the envelope you will need to put ¥3500 and the documents. The application fee is ¥3000 and the by mail fee is ¥500.
 * Go to this website to download the application form and read more about the process: http://www.jaf.or.jp/inter/translation/index_e.htm


 * A passport style photograph (A photo booth is available in the Tendo driving center, but you can also take these official pictures outside of many grocery stores)
 * Any additional documents to prove that you were indeed living outside of Japan prior to obtaining the International Drivers' Permit. (If you do not have your old license, you may have success in providing university transcripts or credit card statements that prove you were living in the USA prior to arriving in Japan. A quick call with the driving center will clarify this)

Driving Center Information

山形県 総合交通安全センター

1300 Takadama, Tendō, Yamagata Prefecture 994-0068, Japan

Phone: +81 23-655-2150

It's best to call and make an appointment. Staff are not always available, so walk-ins are highly unadvised.

When scheduling an appointment you should let the receptionist know that you are a foreign resident of yamagata and you want a Gaimen-Kirikae. This is the term for using your foreign drivers license to obtain a Japanese license.

Summer is a busy time for testing, so appointment slots book up very fast. Usually try to book two months in advance to allow to time to retest before your IDP expires.

What to Expect 

The department that handles foreign drivers is located on the second floor and appointments begin around 1pm. If you arrive an hour early, you can go to the cafeteria and eat lunch. Please expect the entire process to take a few hours, if not the full day.

First you will present your documents to a person, who will examine them and verify them. You will have a long interview where they will ask you about the process you have to go through to obtain your drivers license in your home country.

After they confirm the details of your driving history, they will administer an eye exam. If you need glasses to drive, you must bring them to the center with you to take the test.

After this, you will be given the written exam. The exam is largely based on the road signs and basic road safety. If you are Australian and you pass this test you can obtain your license.

If you are American you have the misfortune of being required to take the driving exam. There are two courses at the test center that they will ask you to memorize. If you arrive early enough you can walk the course. It's very helpful, and it is definitely recommended. The first time you take the test, the test administrator should take you through the course that they expect you to complete. Unlike the American system, they will not tell you where to turn or what to do unless you ask them.

Be wary of how you change lanes and when you turn on your blinkers. They are sticklers for turning them on 30 meters before making the turn. The little pamphlet you receive will explain rules explicitly, such as check your side mirror, rearview mirror, then physically checking behind you by turning your head. Be sure to verbalize as you do these motions. Also, exaggerating motions such as very seriously checking left and right before proceeding from a stop is a good habit. You are tested up until the engine is off again, so don't forget to check your blindspots before you turn into the final parking spot.

If you pass and you can obtain your license, you will be escorted to a line to pay a license fee. Unfortunately, the driving center does not issue your physical drivers license on the same day as your test. You will likely have to return for it. Unlike many countries, Japan does not mail the driver's licenses to the recipient. You must go during their open hours to pick up your driving license. If you have to retest, you have to rebook an appointment and pay the fees again. JETs often report it taking anywhere from 1-5 times before passing the test, depending on which instructor you get.