Foreign License Conversion at Futamatagawa, Kanagawa License Center
The Practical Driving Test at Futamatagawa, Kanagawa Ken as of October, 2013
The process of getting a Japanese driver's license seems overly complex, time-consuming, and expensive, but if you need a car license, you'd best accept this and get on with it. And if you are an experienced driver in the US, be especially cautious of being overconfident. Think of the driving test here as similar to the tea ceremony or Kabuki. It isn't enough to know how to do it, it is important that you do the test in the highly stylized way they want it done. If you can embrace that concept, you'll be well ahead of the game.
For what it's worth, I did get my license on the first try, so it can be done. I spent a lot of time preparing before the exam (reading Internet materials and watching YouTube posts), I am a pretty good driver with lots of experience, and I took a one hour practice session with an instructor on the actual course. With all that, I wonder if I didn't get a bit lucky to have a pretty reasonable guy as my tester. I actually thought I'd failed, and it probably could have gone either way, but this guy knew I was prepared and he knew I knew what he wanted me to do. He didn't even have to give me any instructions since I knew the course so well, but of course I took care to acknowledge his instructions during the test. It took a lot of time to get that perpared, but I think it was worth the effort so I didn't have to waste several days returning to the bureaucratic, time and money wasting nightmare at the licensing center. I hope the following information helps others who are thinking of converting their license to save time and money as well.
For what it's worth, I did get my license on the first try, so it can be done. I spent a lot of time preparing before the exam (reading Internet materials and watching YouTube posts), I am a pretty good driver with lots of experience, and I took a one hour practice session with an instructor on the actual course. With all that, I wonder if I didn't get a bit lucky to have a pretty reasonable guy as my tester. I actually thought I'd failed, and it probably could have gone either way, but this guy knew I was prepared and he knew I knew what he wanted me to do. He didn't even have to give me any instructions since I knew the course so well, but of course I took care to acknowledge his instructions during the test. It took a lot of time to get that perpared, but I think it was worth the effort so I didn't have to waste several days returning to the bureaucratic, time and money wasting nightmare at the licensing center. I hope the following information helps others who are thinking of converting their license to save time and money as well.
The Process:
As an American, I was aware that to transfer my American license to a Japanese license, I would have to do several things:
1. Prove that I’d had my US license and driven on it for 90 days (this requirement is to keep people from getting a US license without really haven driven much, then coming to Japan and short-circuiting the full licensing system). This proved to be a problem for me even though I’d been driving for decades in the US, because in my state, when they renew your license they only write the date of renewal on the license. The Japanese bureaucrats interpret this to mean that you've only had the license from the date of your last renewal. They insist on knowing when you got your very first license. In my case, that was some 30 years ago, and my state only keeps records for 10 years. So, the first time I tried to apply for my license, they wouldn't take my application since I couldn't prove when my very first license had been issued. I became rather discouraged and let two years go by before trying again.
The second time I tried to apply, I tried to be ready for every possible objection. So, I wrote my BMV and got an official letter with my driving record and a record of my latest renewals going back 10 years. In addition, I translated that letter into Japanese to make it easier to follow, and explained that this was as far back as the records went. Also, on the same page as the translation, I explained about the licensing process in my state and what was required to get a license there. I talked up just how stringent the training was in my state and talked about drivers training courses, 6 months of a learner's permit, then taking the written and practical test. Also, this time, my Japanese wife was kind enough to help negotiate with the application screener. She told them that this paper was the best proof we had and she answered a couple additional questions (i.e. Why were my renewal dates at different intervals? A: Because I renewed the license when I had the opportunity when I was back in the US on vacation.), she smiled nicely, and eventually they softened their reluctance and accepted my application. Phew! In addition, I had all my old passports and had indexed the vacations I’d taken to America to show I’d driven on my current license for more than 90 days. I believe that having a rather patient and pleasant native Japanese speaker there to negotiate this part of the process was the key difference between my application being quickly rejected or accepted (even if reluctantly).
The second time I tried to apply, I tried to be ready for every possible objection. So, I wrote my BMV and got an official letter with my driving record and a record of my latest renewals going back 10 years. In addition, I translated that letter into Japanese to make it easier to follow, and explained that this was as far back as the records went. Also, on the same page as the translation, I explained about the licensing process in my state and what was required to get a license there. I talked up just how stringent the training was in my state and talked about drivers training courses, 6 months of a learner's permit, then taking the written and practical test. Also, this time, my Japanese wife was kind enough to help negotiate with the application screener. She told them that this paper was the best proof we had and she answered a couple additional questions (i.e. Why were my renewal dates at different intervals? A: Because I renewed the license when I had the opportunity when I was back in the US on vacation.), she smiled nicely, and eventually they softened their reluctance and accepted my application. Phew! In addition, I had all my old passports and had indexed the vacations I’d taken to America to show I’d driven on my current license for more than 90 days. I believe that having a rather patient and pleasant native Japanese speaker there to negotiate this part of the process was the key difference between my application being quickly rejected or accepted (even if reluctantly).
2. Take a 10 question driving test. (Very simple… mostly common sense… but worth browsing the rules of the road book you can get from JAF.) If your application is accepted, you’ll wait and wait, then take a 10 question written test somewhere around mid-afternoon. You’ll have 30 minutes to do the test. I finished in 3. The questions are mostly common sense and true or false. Here are a couple examples: Q: If you hear an ambulance and see the flashing lights behind you, you should continue driving as usual. Q: If you have taken sleeping pills or had a little alcohol but it hasn’t affected you, it is OK to drive. Q: If you are within 30 meters of a crosswalk it is ok to pass/overtake. Etc. The 7 of us who took the test that day all passed. They announce the results of the test just before closing at 5:00 pm, so be prepared to wait all afternoon. Bring a book.
3. To take a practice lesson or not?
If your application has been accepted and you pass the written test they’ll give you the date for your practical exam. You can change the date of your test by calling them. If you want to reschedule the time of your practical exam, it may be a week or more before you can get another time. Also, they will give you a handout with information about weekend driving lessons. The lessons are on the actual driving course you’ll use (which I think is very important). The cost of one hour of lessons is 5,500 yen to rent a car and 2,000 yen for an instructor. You need to make a reservation 2 weeks in advance. (045-362-3468) Or, you can find a local driving school that also offers classes on this course. I did that since I could schedule a session immediately. The school was "Futamatagawa Driving School" (045-391-1341). It cost 9,000 yen plus entrance fee for the school of 5,000 yen. I did a 50 minute lesson on the actual course.
I have a lot of driving experience and consider myself a good driver (who doesn't?) so I wondered whether to take a lesson or not. In retrospect, taking a class on the actual course probably saved me from a couple wasted days at the license center trying and retrying the actual test. I’m pretty sure that if I’d failed the course before taking the lessons, I’d be scratching my head wondering what I did wrong. The test has several rather unnatural (or even counterintuitive) situations that you'll likely not navigate properly if you haven’t gotten the ‘tip sheet’ from an instructor who knows exactly what the testers are looking for. So, my advice would definitely be, TAKE A PRACTICE LESSON ON THE ACTUAL COURSE. The lessons are good confidence builders and help you to know exactly what to do at each situation that would otherwise be ambiguous.
4. About strictness and rules
I’ve read a lot about the Kanagawa center being very strict. I think that is probably true, but if you know what they are looking for and don’t tense up, they seem reasonable/fair enough. My tester was pleasant and not at all the gruff person I’d been lead to expect. Frankly, having been an avid cyclist with years of experience riding in traffic, the stuff they are sticklers about really are important. There are lots of cyclists on the road and if you are in the habit of turning left without looking over your shoulder for cyclists or scooters on your left first, you’ll probably end up causing an accident. One sure way to fail the test is to get an attitude and act like the rules are bogus. You can argue all you like or have a fit, but if you do, I suspect you'll become very familiar with the waiting lounge at the License Center.
In my case, the tester was pleasant, professional, strict, but reasonable. When I took the test, the testers spent two or three minutes with each of us explaining our errors. In my case, I took a turn a bit too wide so that the front of car came close to/crossed the white line dividing lanes. I was told this could cause a big accident and agreed with the tester that this was not good. Also, my tester wanted me to slow down on the curve just before #4, which he said I took too fast and too wide. I told him I’d normally go slower but was trying to follow my instructor’s advice about being ‘genki’ about accelerating. Anyway, despite the issues, I did pass. Was it because my tester was a nice guy and a bit 'yasashii'? I have no way of knowing. Perhaps I was lucky. But I'm pretty sure it helped that he knew I took the test seriously and had known the rules and course well.
The Practical Test
In my case, the tester was pleasant, professional, strict, but reasonable. When I took the test, the testers spent two or three minutes with each of us explaining our errors. In my case, I took a turn a bit too wide so that the front of car came close to/crossed the white line dividing lanes. I was told this could cause a big accident and agreed with the tester that this was not good. Also, my tester wanted me to slow down on the curve just before #4, which he said I took too fast and too wide. I told him I’d normally go slower but was trying to follow my instructor’s advice about being ‘genki’ about accelerating. Anyway, despite the issues, I did pass. Was it because my tester was a nice guy and a bit 'yasashii'? I have no way of knowing. Perhaps I was lucky. But I'm pretty sure it helped that he knew I took the test seriously and had known the rules and course well.
The Practical Test
At Kanagawa, you’ll ride in the back seat of the car as the person before you is being tested. After you return to the station, the tester will ask you to wait outside the car while he critiques the examinee privately. Then, it is your turn. (In my case, the person I rode with had no experience in driving and would have been a menace. My short ride with this examinee was truly cringe worthy. I felt sorry for this person as they drove up against, then (in panic mode) continued over, the curb in the crank. The tester stopped the exam and got a bit agitated. Maybe I was lucky, because following that examinee, anyone would look like a pro.
1. Before getting in the car…
a) Check at the front and rear of the car…bend down low enough to see that nothing is under the car and it is clear of obstacles.(??) However, in reality, on the day of the test, none of the people taking the test at the Kanagawa center did this, and neither did I. It didn’t seem to be necessary.
b) Before opening the door, look both ways… imagine you’re on a busy street even though you’ll most likely be standing on a curb. *Although I did this on the day of the test, the test proctor was already in the car and would have had no way to see if I did this or not.
2. Pre start check after entering the car…
a) Lock the door behind you (my instructor said it is important to do this first thing) *I forgot to do this but still passed the exam.
b) Adjust the seat - with your foot on the brake and your hand on the steering wheel, adjust the seat forward or back on the rails.
c) Adjust the seat back (even if it feels fine, show that you are checking… best to move it a bit… or so said my instructor).
d) Belt - Put on your seat belt (make sure to do b, c and d before adjusting the mirrors since your mirrors would be out of whack if you adjust them then change the seat)
e) Mirrors - check the mirrors… and adjust the interior rearview mirror (my instructor said it wasn’t necessary to move the outside mirrors... but best to make sure you show you’re looking at them. You should actually touch the rearview mirror even if it is ok.)
f) Check brake and car is in Park- to make sure the parking brake is set and the car is in park
g) Start the car - put your foot on the brake and start the car
h) Blinker - *although it seems counter intuitive since you will be going straight ahead, you must put the appropriate blinker on to indicate you are pulling away from the curb.
i) Shift / Release parking brake - put the car in drive, then release the parking brake (in that order… or so said my instructor)
j) Look carefully - before actually moving forward make sure to check mirrors and look right / left and look over shoulder.
The Course
Once around the block familiarization ride - You will be asked to do a quick go around at the start point to get comfortable with the car… this will require 4 quick right turns before returning to where you began. After starting the car, put on appropriate blinker, pull straight forward to the stop sign… count 3 seconds… look both ways… turn right… move to intersection (also a stop sign, so stop for 3 seconds), signal right, look both ways, turn right. Then, go forward to crosswalk (again looking both ways before crossing) then turn right after checking mirrors and looking over shoulder. You’ll once again be in the start point area so go to the lane your instructor indicates (use signals as necessary. Pull up to the pole…. stop 30 cm behind the pole and 30 cm from curb). You’ll be asked to turn off the engine. (Don’t forget to put the car in park, then use the emergency brake before turning off the engine.)
I’m not sure if you can accumulate negative points on this part of the test or not, but it probably doesn’t help if you are very tentative or you roll through the stop sign (as I saw people do). Probably best to do this go-around as if you were being graded. Definitely come to a full stop for the full 3 seconds at each stop sign.
*Also, the brakes on the car were very 'grabby.' The slightest touch and you'd stop sharply. It was nearly impossible to stop smoothly in the car I used but then again, they want 'clear' stops, so maybe that was a good thing.
I’m not sure if you can accumulate negative points on this part of the test or not, but it probably doesn’t help if you are very tentative or you roll through the stop sign (as I saw people do). Probably best to do this go-around as if you were being graded. Definitely come to a full stop for the full 3 seconds at each stop sign.
*Also, the brakes on the car were very 'grabby.' The slightest touch and you'd stop sharply. It was nearly impossible to stop smoothly in the car I used but then again, they want 'clear' stops, so maybe that was a good thing.
Now, the ‘real’ test starts… (Below is a course map I put together using the map from Google Earth)
*Here’s a good YouTube video of the actual course although the start is clipped and she didn’t do the S-curve bits at the end. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bMscg1_k6-g
a) Starting Out - (from start point to turn point #5) - Again, make a show of checking the car is in park and the parking brake is set before starting the car. With your foot on the brake, put the car in drive and release the parking brake. As before, put on blinker for left turn… pull straight forward to the stop sign (stop 3 seconds just before the line) check mirrors, and look both ways, then over left shoulder. If no cars are there, make a left. You'll be turning right at #5, so you'll need to signal to move to the right-hand lane, check mirrors, look over your shoulder, move to the right lane then yield to any oncoming traffic. If none, proceed to the left-hand side of the road and continue to the stoplight. (You want to get your speed up a bit between the start and #5. The testers want to see that you go brake and speed up “hakiri” clearly. So…. don't dawdle but don't go too fast either, given the quick right turn.)
b) The Circle Route, from #5 to #4 - Go to the stoplight. Stop if red, but if green, go ahead (while checking for traffic left and right). Proceed to turn #7, and be sure to signal a left turn. Look carefully for traffic and also be sure to check over your left shoulder. If clear …slowly turn to the left and continue (always keep to the left of the lane). At the corner, you’ll see several yellow and black striped cones. At this point, you must slow to what may seem a ridiculously slow speed (like a slow walk) as you round the corner until you’re past the cones. Don’t hurry! Then, accelerate in the straightaway but slow before, not in the curve. Don’t get too far to the right as you go around this curve (like I did). Then be sure to signal for a left turn at turn #4 (it is right after the curve so make sure to get the blinker on in time). As always, check mirrors and look over left shoulder before turning left.
c) The Cranky Part - #4 and back again - As soon as you turn left at #4, you’ll need to move right and hug the centerline for a right turn into the crank course at #3. Signal a right turn, check mirrors, wait for traffic, check again, then turn into the crank course. Negotiate the cranks (easy does it.. go slow) and as you come out, prepare for a left turn at the stoplight. This is kind of a weird part… You’ll come out of the crank area perpendicular to a street where there is a stoplight to your left. So, at the end of the crank area, signal a left… look for approaching traffic as you near the corner… look left/right (of course checking mirrors and looking over left shoulder before turning left). As long as there is no approaching traffic, you can edge the nose of the car out into the street. If the light is red… wait there, even if it feels weird to have the front of your car half out in the road. If green, look both ways before proceeding then make your immediate left turn and hug the left side of the street (given that you’ve just come out of the crank section, this is more like a 180 degree turn… so turn sharp and get your car on the left side of the road). (*When I took the test, I was afraid of clipping the curb so the front right part of the car went over the white center line before I could straighten up and get to the left of the road again. The tester dinged me on that, although, given that I wasn’t driving a sports car and the turn is a 180, it’s pretty difficult to make this turn without going a bit over the center line or going up over the curb.) Set up for another left turn… blinker, mirrors, left shoulder… then turn left and go straight to #4, where you’ll be taking another left. It isn’t a stop, so slow, look left right and over left shoulder then turn.
d) Straightaway, Obstructed View and Obstacles - #4 - #15 After turning left onto the main drag, accelerate “hakiri” but prepare for a left turn at the “red” #10 sign. (Don’t confuse it with the black #10 just before it that heads you off to the railroad tracks). Take a left at the red #10 (observing proper procedures) then go to the marked crosswalk area at #11. This area simulates a blind corner (lots of bushes on the corner’s left that screen your view). Slow way down, then proceed very slowly (basically creep forward) looking left and right, you’re sure it is clear. Then proceed through the intersection and prepare for a right turn at #12. Use blinker, check mirrors, look over right shoulder, change to right lane. Slow at the corner… look carefully, for traffic. If traffic is approaching, even at a distance, it is always better to wait. Once you go ahead, be sure to keep going straight to the outside edge of the road here so that you end up hugging the left side of the road. (I kept wanting to make a smoother, more rounded corner and my instructor kept grabbing the wheel to force me to go straight so that I had to make a rather sharp turn to the right to line up close to the left side of the road.) Coming up, on the corner (#13) is an ‘obstacle’, (several cones) blocking the left lane. Use your blinker to signal a lane change to the right, look over shoulder, move to right lane. As soon as you’re in the right lane, immediately signal left, look over your left shoulder, move to left lane (after you’re past the cones) and keep signal on for immediate left at #15.
e) S curve (#15 and back to #15) - Turn left (follow rules for left turn) at 15. Move to centerline for right turn at #21. This intersection has a stop sign so be sure to stop for 3 seconds. Follow rules for right turn and be ready for another immediate right at 20. (move to center line) Follow rules for right turn at 20. After the turn, prepare for another right into the S-curve section… as always following procedures for a right turn. The S-curves are pretty easy if you have driving experience but take them slowly and cautiously. Coming out of the S curves, signal for a left, follow the rules for a left turn and continue to #15 (stop sign at #15, so stop 3 seconds).
f) The Crosswalk – (#15 to Station 4) – Make your left turn at 15, prepare for a right turn back to the start point area… move to the right lane (using correct procedures), go straight and you’ll see a crosswalk marked on the street at #17. Slow down at the crosswalk, look both ways, then proceed. Then, following proper procedures make your right turn back into the start point area. Go back to station the tester indicates. Stop 30 cm from the curb and 30 cm before the black and yellow striped pole.
g) The End, but Don’t Blow It….. You’re not done yet so don’t forget the final steps. Remember to stop the car where you’re supposed to. Remember to signal as if you’re making a lane change as you approach the appropriate station … check mirrors. Stop the car, put it in park, set the parking brake, (in that order) then turn it off. Take off your seatbelt. Return the seat to a full back position on its rails. Unlock the door. At this point your tester will talk with you about how you did (or at least that is what they did that day with all the people they tested). Check for traffic before opening your door. Now, go wait for the results.
Bottom line….Prepare well for the test. Take a practice lesson on the actual course. Be pleasant but have your game face on. Take the test seriously, and when you’re being critiqued,don’t argue or give excuses. Accept what they tell you as good advice (because it probably is) and/or acknowledge that you made a mistake (which you probably did… at least by the rules they go by). The testers know what they want and they expect you to know it too. There may be places where there is little correlation between this course and reality, but if you don’t want to retake the test many times, you’d best get comfortable with giving the testers what they want, no matter how trivial it may seem to you.
Other sources:
*This might also have some good tips but is also a bit dated and although it purports to be the Kanagawa testing center, the course described is not at all like the current course. Just be aware of that. The tips might be useful though. http://www.globalcompassion.com/driving.htm
