How to Get a Japanese Driver’s License in Just 2 Weeks! 🏁

📌 The Foreign Class Group

The English-language foreign student group consisted only of Anatolii and Stan-san. The school accepts a very limited number of foreign students—just three at a time, a few times a year. The rest of the students are high schoolers and college students, creating a typical school-like atmosphere.

📌 Training Overview

• There are 50-minute theory lessons with English-language textbooks. Daily tests help students prepare for exams, and instructors tell you exactly what will be on the exam—super helpful!

• Driving practice took place on the training track and in the city. Since the instructors didn’t speak English, they provided feedback after the lessons with a translator.

📌 Exams & Tests

STEP 1️⃣. Provisional License Exam (“Karimen” Learner’s Permit)

The first week prepares you for the karimen test, which covers driving basics and road safety. After lectures and lessons, you’ll take a mock test and “見極め (mikiwame)”assessment. Pass these, and you can take the official tests to earn a learner’s permit.

• Driving test: Held within the boot camp, using a point deduction system (5, 10, or 20 points lost per mistake).

• Written test: 30 minutes, 50 true/false questions, 90% pass mark.

With a karimen permit, you can drive on actual roads—but only with a learner’s plate and a licensed supervisor.

STEP 2️⃣. Final Driving Test

In the second week, you move to real street driving. After passing a final mock test and mikiwame evaluation, you’ll take the official driving test (same point system, but on public roads).

STEP 3️⃣. Final Exam - Driver’s License Center

The final challenge takes place at your prefecture’s Driver’s License Center. A 50-minute written exam with 95 questions. The format is similar to karimen, but 5 questions use illustrations and are worth 2 points each. You need 90% to pass.

🌚👇

This post covered the basics, but Stan-san’s blog goes beyond that. For the full, no-holds-barred story, check out his blog post here.

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