Since I started traveling more-or-less full time around three years ago, my planning skills have gone a little down the drain. It’s not that I don’t enjoy the planning process, it’s just that I couldn’t possibly plan everything for every trip ahead of time.
The trip I most recently returned from began in Amsterdam in August and I just flew home from Japan on December 20. For the most part, there weren’t any major hitches with the trip, but there was a small one in Japan.
I had booked the Ritz-Carlton Okinawa with the three free night certificates I earned from signing up for the JPMorgan Chase Ritz-Carlton Credit Card last year. It was an easy round trip flight from Tokyo Haneda (HND) for only 15,000 Avios plus about $5 in taxes per ticket. Since the hotel is a bit far outside of Naha City, where the airport is, I had been planning to rent a car all along but hadn’t actually made the car rental reservation.
Image source: http://www.ritzcarlton.com/en/hotels/japan/okinawa#Rooms%20%26%20Suites
About a week before heading to Okinawa, I figured it was about time that I get around to reserving a car. Unfortunately (or fortunately?) Avis notified me during the booking process that an International Driver’s Permit (IDP) is required in order to drive in Japan. At first I didn’t think anything of it and went ahead making my reservation because other countries, like Italy, “require” an IDP. In practice, I’ve never been asked for it so I figured it would be more of the same. That said, I wanted to do my due diligence and look up the official requirement.
As it turns out, Japan is pretty strict about requiring the IDP. Most car rental agencies will ask to see it when you pick up your car, and if you do drive without it and get pulled over you can be fined, imprisoned, or deported. That’s not a risk I wanted to run.
Instead of renting a car, we took the limousine bus to and from the hotel. It wasn’t quite as convenient because the timing wasn’t perfect, but it wasn’t terrible either. We spent one day hanging around the hotel and walking to the nearby town and spent the other day scuba diving – including pickup and drop off service for a total of $30.
All in all, we ended up saving around $100 by not renting a car for three days and were only minorly inconvenienced by the bus times, so it worked out perfectly fine (this time) in the end.
That said, if you want to drive in Japan, don’t forget to get your International Driver’s Permit before you depart from your home country! This can quickly be done for $20 at an AAA location within the U.S.
Have you ever made a travel planning mistake that turned out okay?
You also need an IDL to drive the MariCar around Japan! :D
Honestly, why is this even an article?
To drive, you need an acceptable license or permit. In Japan, your American drivers license is worthless. Seems simple and reasonable. Do you think a self-proclaimed Japanese world traveler would honestly believe that a Japanese drivers license would be acceptable in the USA? Come on…
Just because you got away with not having to show an IDP at the rental counter in Italy (PSA: not Japan) shouldn’t give you a free pass on being foolish. And your comment about Japan being “pretty strict” about requiring a valid permit to drive is another example of your ignorance. Isn’t your country (USA) the same way, like most other countries in the world? Try driving in a foreign country without a license, and see what happens to you when the police stops you.
I guess this is why there are so many stories about the ubiquitous “Ugly American”; they’re just completely clueless sometimes, and this is a classic example of one. But, thanks for sharing. :/
In fact, many (most?) countries do not require an IDP, so it’s not unreasonable to assume that it’s not required.
“In fact, many (most) countries do not require an IDP, so it’s not unreasonable to assume that it’s not required.” -Caroline Lupini
LOL. I can’t believe Grant would allow such nonsense and lies to be posted on his site.
FYI, more than 100 countries and/or its rental agencies DO require an IDP to rent a car, such as Italy. Just because they forget to ask to see it doesn’t make it okay to drive without one. Furthermore, to drive in most foreign countries, it requires an acceptable license, permit, or translation. Your lone American license is not going to cut it (except Canada, Mexico, and a few others). Accept that as fact, because it is.
Please stop writing on this website; you are hurting Grant’s legacy as a knowledgeable traveler.
Hi Maria, I appreciate your insights. Outside the US, I have only rented a car in Iceland (September 2017) and only showed them my US drivers license. Next time I plan on renting a car internationally, I will look into getting an IDP. Thank you and merry Christmas.
Most of the countries I’ve visited required an IDP and your license to rent a car. I don’t know about most countries in general, but I don’t see how the rental agencies would let you drive off without some sort of legal permit. Or, maybe, they don’t care because they just want your money.
Hi Jose, what were the last few countries where you needed an IDP for your rental car? Thank you and merry Christmas.