Foreigners getting a Driver's license in Japan in English

Table of contents ・ Introduction of the student who have obtained a driver's license ・ The reason for getting a license in Japan ・ Why Kiki driving school? ・ Obtaining license at examination center ・ Flow of getting a license ・ Total cost to obtain a license ・ How long it takes to get a license ・ Regarding communication in English during lessons ・ How was the result of the test? ・ How was the service of Kiki Driving School? ・ What is the online training materials of Kiki Driving School? ・ Comments from instructor Ueno Introduction of the student who have obtained a driver's license I got a driver's license at the age of 16 in the United States. After that, I had about 20 years of driving experience in the United States, and even when I first arrived in Japan, I had been driving for about a year with an international driver's license. In Japan, I am currently in my 4th year of stay while working in marketing. The reason for getting a license in Japan When I first came to Japan, especially in Tokyo, there were plenty of public transportation such as trains, and I didn't feel the importance of getting a driver's license. However, I decided to get a driver's license because I felt that it would be convenient and expand my range of activities if I had a driver's license, such as when traveling. Why Kiki driving school? I searched for "Tokyo Driving School" on line, and immediately the page was displayed. In addition, there were pages in English about school programs and the contents on the web site was very easy to understand , so I was very impressed. I can communicate in Japanese, but still it was important to be able to learn the terms related to specialized driving knowledges in English. I also read a lot of articles in newspapers and magazines about this company, and felt that I would take the lessons with confidence, so I decided to take lessons at this company. Obtaining license at examination center During my stay in Japan, my American driver's license expired and became invalid. So, even though I have driving skills, I had to get a license from scratch in Japan. Flow of getting a license 1. Contact Kiki Driving School by phone 2. Take a practical lesson for Lerner’s permit at Kiki, and I was explained study methods for written exam and materials to study. 3. Studying for written exam for Lerner’s permit at home. And took the written exam at the examination center. 4. Took the practical lessons right before the exam at Kiki , and took the driving skill test for Lerner’s permit at the examination center. 5. Studying for written exam for Driver’s license at home. And took the written exam at the examination center. 6. Took the practical lessons right before the exam at Kiki , and took the driving skill test for Driver’s license at the examination center. 7. Took a compulsory training course for first aid and obtained a drivers license. Total cost to obtain a license The cost paid at Driver's License Examination Center : 24,000 yen. Kiki Driving School : 117,000 yen. (Each class is 40 min, 4 times for Lerner’s exem and 5 times for Driver’s exem.) In total 141,000 yen. How long it took to get a license When I took the exam was just when COVID-19 was widespread. The Driver's License Examination Center in Tokyo has restrictions on the number of examinees, and it was very difficult to make reservations for practical exams. In my case, it took about 6 months in total. ★ Usually, you can get a license form 2 weeks to a few months. ★ The driving test center in Tokyo is relatively crowded, but in rural areas, the number of applicants is less, so you can take the test faster than Tokyo. Regarding communication in English during lessons The lessons in English were perfectly fine. The pronunciation and explanations were great to understand, and I was also taught some simple Japanese words such as "right, left, turn, stop, etc." used in the exam. How was the result of the test? All passed at one shot. I passed both Lerner’s and Driver’s exams at my first attempt. How was the service of Kiki Driving School? It was very good. In particular, it was good to be able to take lessons in English. So I was able to take exams without stressed. What is the online training materials of Kiki Driving School? You can easily learn the points of driving in the actual practical exam on your mobile phone. The points of the exam are explained with easy-to-understand illustrations and explanations. All those small points were very helpful when I took the exam. Comment from instructor Ueno Mr. Luke knew in advance that there are differences between US and Japanese driver's license The ideas of safety driving and rules are sometimes slightly or very different. The key of success for passing exam at the first attempt was, Luke drove and showed the safety driving during the exams, but also followed the Japanese exam rules what examiner expected.