More than 91% of the Japanese population live in urban areas where traffic and parking problems deter citizens from moving around in their localities. It’s no wonder that Japanese authorities have strict parking regulations geared towards providing optimal and quick parking.
While clearly defined parking practices make life easy for many, a traveler visiting Japan for the first time may find it challenging to understand the different parking signs and types in the country.
Types of Parking Signs You can Find in Japan
The parking prohibition signs in the country adhere to universal standards.
Other than this, here are the two types of parking signs you’ll likely find in Japan.
“Tsukigime” (月極め) or monthly parking rentals. If you see these signs anywhere, you can reserve these spots for monthly parking.
If you see these signs “空,” it means that the spot is available for parking.
Where to Park in Japan
The average parking prices across Japan can vary from ¥100 for 15 minutes to over ¥1000 for 24 hours. You may also find free parking spots, but the likeliness of this happening significantly reduces when you move downtown regardless of which city you’re in.
Here are the three most common types of parking spaces you’ll find in Japan.
Smart Parking Garages
These usually include automated parking garages in Japan, where the driver simply needs to park their car on a moving platform. After this, the platform moves the vehicle to available space. The driver can collect their vehicle after payment. You will typically find these parking lots as standalone buildings or attached to malls within Japan.
Metered Street Parking
This is essentially on-street parking with a parking meter to record your payment. Drivers can get a parking ticket from a meter and stick it behind their windshield so that enforcement officers can see it.
Coin Parking Garages
Easily found across Japan, these small parking lots feature a wheel lock once the driver moves their vehicle into a parking space. This mechanism doesn’t let drivers move their cars until they’ve paid the parking fee. To collect their car, the driver must pay the fee at the parking kiosk, which also accepts coins. These lots usually issue tickets when a driver enters the lot. Also Read: How Overparking Haunts California and Its Residents
The Don’ts of Parking in Japan
Japan has always been a stickler for rules, and parking practices are no exception to this. Therefore, steer clear of committing certain mistakes when driving in Japan. For starters, know that it’s illegal to park on roads close to intersections with other roads.
Secondly, you must not park near bus stops, bicycle and pedestrian crossing zones, and vehicle entrances. You also cannot park anywhere near or in front of fire alarms, fire hydrants, or other such emergency access zones.
Failure to comply with these laws will land you in serious trouble. You will receive a violation sticker, which means you’ll be paying a fine ranging anywhere from ¥10,000 to ¥18,000.
Wrapping Up
Finding parking in Japan can be challenging unless you understand their parking rules and regulations.
If you’re planning to drive in Japan, we hope this article will be of use.
