Q & A
What is Driving School?
It is a private lesson on a driving course similar to the one you will see on your practical test.
You drive in comparable car to what you will be taking your test in while an instructor
sits next to you, has you drive a specific path, and explains errors and advice.
"I went to driving school four times. I did the 'crank' perfect during my first two lessons.
The third, I hit the curb. I did not learn until the second time what do to at a railroad stop
and my fourth instructor was the only one who told me to go up to third gear and not stay in
second the whole time. Sometimes, multiple lessons are helpful."
|
Why should I go to Driving School?
Although most everything you need to know will be found in this book and from other people,
applying it to actual driving is not as easy as it seems. Practicing in your own car is
a helpful start, but actually having a Japanese instructor sit next to you and scrutinize
you is quite useful. If nothing, it helps you practice listening to Japanese instructions
and driving at the same time. Going to Driving School is the closest experience you can have
to a test without having to take it. Being under the pressure of remembering all the right
things may be more challenging than you think. Also, you will get to practice things like the
S-curve and the Crank which you may not ever see on the real road (but that you will definitely
see on your test.)
Do I have to take off work?
You do not have to. Driving School, unlike the actual driving test, does not necessarily interfere
with work hours. You can take the lessons (45 to 50 minutes long) after work, in the evening,
and often on Saturday. You usually do have to make reservations, but rarely have to wait
longer than a week.
How much is a lesson at Driving School?
It is fairly expensive. One lesson will run you anywhere from 4,000 - 8,000 yen. However, if it keeps you from failing even once, then it is
worth it
What do I need to make a reservation?
Call or walk in to a driving school to make a reservation. Bring your driver's license
from your home country and, if you have it, a translation. They will probably also want
to see your alien registration card. You can sign up for one lesson, multiple lessons, or
even a two-hour block. The application form is simple, but in Japanese. However, the people
at reception will probably know just enough English to help you fill out the form.
Mainly, you need to write your name, address, birthdate, and whether you want to practice manual
or automatic transmission.
Don't I need to be able to speak Japanese?
Although knowing a little Japanese is helpful, what you do not know can usually be conveyed
through demonstration, drawing diagrams, or body language. To save the time and
confusion, you can bring a Japanese person with you or ask for an interpreter
(I've heard some places will do this). However, you do not necessarily need one.
Where is the nearest Driving School to me?
This site: http://school.driver.jp/pref has the
name and address of nearly every driving school there is in Japan. Unfortunately, it is in
Japanese. However, there will likely be one in the nearest town of any size. Look for
these words in a phone book or map of the city:
Ž©“®ŽÔŠwZ
(jidousha gakkou)
Number of driving schools in each prefecture:
Akita
Aichi
Aomori
Chiba
Ehime
Fukui
Fukuoka
Fukushima
Gifu
Gunma
Hiroshima
Hokkaido
Hyogo
Ishikawa
Ibaraki
|
27
54
30
60
19
11
41
37
29
26
32
82
53
14
38
|
|
Iwate
Kagawa
Kagoshima
Kanagawa
Kochi
Kumamoto
Kyoto
Mie
Miyagi
Miyazaki
Nagano
Nagasaki
Nara
Niigata
Oita
Okayama
|
31
17
31
38
12
27
24
21
43
19
30
19
10
38
15
19
|
|
Okinawa
Osaka
Saga
Saitama
Shiga
Shimane
Shizuoka
Tochigi
Tokushima
Tokyo
Tottori
Toyama
Wakayama
Yamagata
Yamaguchi
Yamanashi
|
22
42
15
49
20
10
42
35
17
49
8
18
15
31
26
16
|
Can't I take a lesson on the course I will actually test on?
Sometimes. Even if no lessons are available, many driving centers leave the course open
on certain Saturdays or Sundays for you to practice. There is usually no instructor,
but you can take a car around the course a few times. Sometimes it is free (like Fukui)
sometimes it costs money (like Kanagawa) and can be anywhere from 3,000 to 10,000 yen.
END OF CHAPTER