This is so relatable because I went through this early this year! I was really happy when I passed the tests. We used the same textbook. In Japan, you can get your license in two weeks if you take lessons full time. Also, a lot of people fail at the written test. When I took the final, only around 70% of the people passed.
That Japanese Man Yuta yeah shut the fuck up! Stop making shitty videos. And a lot of people fail at the writen test? I don't think so. The written test is easy.
Going through the exact same experience... and have two comments. First, as a video producer myself, this video is very well produced. Very good job! Second... I'm jealous. Your driving school is much nicer than mine. People sounds really cool there!
I got my driver's license when I was 20 which is strange since so many of the people around me got it around 16 or 17. It's better late than never! Please don't be afraid to drive! It gets easier with practice!
I love this video! I'm 25 next year and I'm still on my Australian learner's permit because I was too nervous to drive and nowadays, I don't really need it. But I have been thinking about going for my full licence next year and this gave me some hope and confidence! Always love your work Micaela ♥
Chokocchi I didn't get my license in America until I was 26. I just didn't really need it when I lived in the city but then I moved to the suburbs and you REALLY need a car here.
25 no license brother I'm 16 in 2 months I'll have my P's fuck not going straight away I'd die ahah but I live in a smaller town not city I'd understand if you were in the city
WOW That is very nice of the driving school to allow you to vlog while you were there! Especially during the on-road driving lessons! Best of luck passing to get your FULL License!
Hehe, well of course I had to get permission. And the condition for shooting the road lesson was that it wouldn’t technically count as a lesson and I’d have to take the lesson “for real” again the day after to get credit for it. (I ended up taking CPR twice too.) I’m just thankful they were willing to work with me! :)
I just saw your insta story on how much work this vid was, but it payed off in my opinion! It was shot and edited very nicely, great quality content :) My drivers license journey has been sooo stressfull! I think I have been taking classes on and off for like 2 years now, mainly because I developed such bad driving anxiety because of my old instructor, I'd get stressed out and dreadful even a week before my next lesson! Even though I was quite a decent driver at the time if I may say so myself. So a couple months ago I switched driving schools and my new instructor immediately let us plan my final exam, he is so chill and understanding, and even though I could already drive decently I really feel like I became much more of a "real" driver under his watch :)) Got rid of most of my anxiety within a couple weeks! Unfortunately I did fail my first practical exam a couple weeks ago (i was so nervous i blanked out and forgot how to park in an empty parking lot lol) but I will re-do the exam hopefully next month! I'm so ready to finally get my license, and I hope your journey will be much more positive ;)
Ahhh! I'm so sorry your experience was so difficult. I have the worst anxiety too, so I keep joking to my teachers, "You can be strict today, but just know that I'll probably cry." Thankfully, they're always nice and patient. There are a lot of young teachers too, so during one of my lessons, the teacher was telling me how she plays bass guitar, and her favorite band was the red hot chilli peppers. We get to have conversations about stuff like that while practicing and it helps me calm down and feel less nervous about what I'm doing. I get super nervous for tests too so I can totally see myself blanking out. I told everyone I want to keep a few days around each test open to give room for failure so I can re-take the test if I need to. That way, I won't panic if I do fail the first time. :I I hope you'll get your license without a hitch! Good luck to both of us!
This is so similar to my experience! While my first teacher wasn't scary he wasn't a good one. Such a chatterbug he rarely payed proper attention to my driving. No wonder I failed. I gave up and accepted my fate to never get a license. My boyfriend encouraged me to try it again so I finally got it. Unfortunately I haven't driven in years. I've built up too much fear to drive. I'll get a few lessons with a specialised teacher and hopefully overcome my fears.
In England you sign up to take lessons with a driving school. You can choose your hours and usually only have a single instructor. To start the instructor will brief the student on the basic car functions. Most instructors get their students to practice in an empty car park for their first lesson as nearly everyone starts to learn a manual car as opposed to an automatic. Once the student is able to get the car moving and navigate around the car park most instructors will get the student to start driving on public roads. If however the student has already had practice driving with someone else (since you can get a learners licence when you are 17 just by applying for one, making it legal for you to drive on public roads accompanied by someone experienced) the instructor will skip the car park part. The student must pass their theory exam before they can take their practical exam. There are no lessons for the theory exam, so students must learn in their own time. Once the student has passed, they will be allowed to book a practical exam. The time taken to learn how to drive will be up to the digression of the instructor and the students. The students then can take their practical exam. If they pass, they will be given a full paper licence, making it legal for them to drive on public roads. The reason this is paper is because the student needs to wait for their full licence to be mailed to them. In England there is no classroom lessons or basic first aid or CPR training either and most, if not all driving schools do not have private roads for learners to practice. It seems like a much more involved process in Japan.
baileyboy125 you have to give your provisional to the examiner if you passed so they can send it off and you just get your full license however, some practical exam places they can’t do it and you have to mail off your provisional license and the certificate together to get your full license. Also, there is no CPR classes/first aid etc but they’re combined in the theory multiple questions, eg one of the questions i got asked was “if you come across an accident involving a motorcyclist what should you do? A... B... or C”. I started learning in February this year and passed in July. However i was having 4/5 or more hours a week. Passed my theory first time but failed my practical exam the first time, passed on the 2nd attempt though with 3 minors. They are extremely stringent with the practical exam which is a good thing, however people do fail due to other drivers. Eg buses pulling out in front of them etc.
Ah yeah that would be correct. And congratulations on passing :) Yeah some people I know failed for stupid reasons. One person failed because as they were reversing into the parking space at the test centre at the end of their test, the person in the car next to them opened their door and my friend had to stop. The instructor failed him for the reason "You should have chosen a different parking space". Another person I know failed because someone pulled out in front of them and had to stop, yet the instructor failed them anyways. They didn't give a reason as to why their instructor failed them. What I do know is if you DON'T press your horn when someone is about to pull out on you, you do fail because you have neglected to use a warning feature on the car to alert the other driver of your presence. But the thing is this can be misinterpreted as road rage as well and could anger the other driver. It's not really a situation you want to be in. Thankfully when I took my test there were no idiots around so I was able to pass just fine.
baileyboy125 baileyboy125 baileyboy125 baileyboy125 thanks! And i know its so stupid! My friend took her test and someone pulled out on her and she slammed on her breaks but she failed because the examiner beat her to the dual controls and failed her due to “ intervening”. My first test was horrible because i had the head examiner of my test centre and i was took on an A road and i overtook a car he asked me to turn off at the next slip road and i was in the middle lane, the car in the left lane saw i was on my test and kept speeding up then slowing down then speeding up again so i sped up overtook them but basically cut them up. Its an awkward A road because it goes from 70mph to 50mph and you have to basically slam on your breaks because right where the 50mph sign is thats where the average speed cameras checks are. He was a really nice examiner and he said “i hope you get a cancellation and book your test asap because you was one of the best people doing their test” and my instructor said hes never said that to anyone. My instructor taught me from the start to use my horn, we was doing a lesson on that A road and a car turns off for the slip road then decided to join it again and nearly crashed into me, she beat me to the horn but i went to go for it haha. What you said about your friend my instructor told me never to do that when we was practicing that! She went “if you want to check, ask the examiner if its okay to open your door and put the hand break on” i think its stupid because in a real life situation like a car park you always do that. I done mine between 11am-2pm so youre not doing your test when its super busy, however a few of my friends done it for like 8am on a school day in london because they never got to do any driving they was just constantly in start stop traffic and all of them passed. Congrats on passing as well, at least we don’t have to get the graduate driving license now
Im in my 20s and I JUST got my learners permit here in America, and everyone of the workers assumed I was like 15 and it was an interesting experience! haha
When I got license in Ohio, I only spend $15. 20 multiple choice questions, and go around a quiet neighborhood for 15 min... When I took license in Japan, I had to go through all the things you have mentioned, and spend over $3000. I remember these Japanese exams were full of trick questions with wording, so I had to memorize word by word in order to pass.
Yes the questions are so hard!!! Like the difference between a 車 and a 自動車？ is so confusing. A 自動車 is a car but a 自転車 is technically a 車 because it’s a vehicle with wheels and whatttt is going on my head is going to explode.
In The United States 🇺🇸 You Take A Written Exam For Permit And License You Must Complete A 5 Hour Pre Licensing Course Before You Take A Road Test And If You Pass You Get A Receipt And Wait For License In The Mail In 2 Weeks
Congratulations on learning to drive! I've heard that the driving test in Japan is super difficult. I went to driving school in California, but it mostly seemed like a formality. We'd do some studying, and then they'd play some cheesy soap operas as a reward. One of our first driving excursions was on Pacific Coast Highway, and it was terrifying because of the windy roads. Wishing you all the best in taking this test! You can do it! P.S. I have funny memories of watching one of my uncles managing to drive through the narrowest streets and alleys in Japan.
Seeing you cruising around on the course got me excited. I want to drive again, it's fun isn't it? It's interesting you get a different teacher each time. In Germany you have "your" teacher for your entire course. I'm calling a driving school today. I just have to muster up the courage. LOL
yes. teacher is different in every time. we choose teacher before every time . popular teacher earn more money but not popular teacher is less money so , teacher need more service than others. im japanese ^^
I'm 22 and still frightened of driving. I wish the way things were structured in my small town we're similar to this, I feel like the entire experience would be so much easier for me.
in ontario, the process to get a license is split into three steps. taking your G1 (knowledge test), G2 (road test), and final G (road test with highway/freeway). you have a maximum of 5 years to complete the final G (or apply for an extention if you have a valid reason for not completing it within this time), otherwise this process expires and you will have to restart from the beginning. after taking the G1, you have to wait a minimum of 8 months before even being eligible to take the G2 test. i believe this process is similar in all the other provinces but the time frame varies. ~ i love how you're taught CPR and that aptitude test seems fun to do. goodluck!!
Very proud of you to challenge yourself. No small feat. I know kids who don’t think they’ll ever need a license because they live in the city but they really should know as a life skill. I got mine when I was 25 and hardly use it but in an emergency I know what to do. Good luck Micaela, don’t stress!
I've always found it strange that if you have a license in another country you can get an international driving permit that allows you to drive in almost every country (except China) but only for a limited time. If you move there the permit can usually not be converted in a local license and in some countries, like Japan, you would have to take the tests to get a license, even though you potentially already have a couple of months of experience driving in that country. When I learned to drive, it was almost completely on public roads (except the practice for things like parallel parking). You do need to take a theoretical exam first, but there is no mandatory schooling. After that I could either go with an instructor and be done in 3 months or have my parents teach me and that would take at least 9 months. I chose the first option. The first hour, the instructor was controlling the pedals and all I had to do was steer. The next 17h of lessons (over the course of a couple of weeks) was mostly me, often stalling out the engine because I always went from first to fourth gear (yes, we Europeans like our manual cars). After I completed my 18h I was free to drive on my own on my learners permit for the next 3 months and after that I had 2 more hours with the instructor to iron out my biggest mistakes and right after that the practical tests. Anyway, good luck with the lessons and the tests and I hope you are having fun :)
Great video, Micaela! It's really nice to see you making informative videos like this that most people can't so please keep it up (if you can!) ^_^ In New Zealand, you can get a learner's licence when you are 16, which means you have to drive with somebody in the passenger seat who has had their full licence for 2+ years. That's just a paper test, and you need 32/35 to pass. After 6 months, you can sit a driving test to put you onto your restricted. This means that you can drive by yourself, but not between the hours of 10pm-5pm, and you still can only have a full licenced passenger. After 6 more months, if you take a defensive driving course (to teach you about hazards) you can get your full licence. Most people take a few lessons with an instructor, and they will teach you what the exam is going to be like too. It usually costs about $90 each time you get a new licence. Your Learners and Restricted expire within 5 years, but your Full is 10 years, and you renew that without a driving test (just an eye test) until you retire.
It's so good to see a video from you Micaela! I always enjoy what you create. I got my drivers license here in the US when I was 18. Most get it at 16 or 17, but I really wasn't that interested. I only really said "hey I should get this" when I was accepted into college and didn't want to spend the extra money to live on campus. Rules vary by state and change often, but my mom taught me to drive and signed off on a paper that we had worked for a certain amount of hours. I then had to take the eye test and safety test (don't drive when tired, drunk, texting etc) at a local driving school and as part of that, had to take a couple classes with that school on the road. I was able to take the actual written test there too as well, instead of having to go to the Department of Motor Vehicles (state gov't organization). Overall, for a very nervous person, I had a good experience. I wish they had a class for 'what to do if you are ever in an accident' (whether your fault or not). Does Japan have that kind of training?
Hmm, we have the emergency CPR class and lots of classes that tell us what to do in certain circulations (what to do if you break down on the highway, on railroad tracks etc.) But not a lot of hands on physical training on that front. They were mostly in slideshow form. Still better than nothing though!
This is really interesting! I'm excited to watch this series :D In the US i feel its pretty easy. You have to study for the written test to get your permit. Which is a small booklet that you can read on your own time. Then if you're under 18, you have to log in so many hours of driving with a parent or guardian present. I want to say it's around 40 hours of driving? Then, if you're over 18, i believe you don't have to keep track of how many hours you do. You can just go take your test when you feel ready. I've never known anyone that's done driving school, so I'm honestly not sure how that goes.
Thank you for showing this side^^ In Luxembourg it takes about 6 months to get your license, if you pass everything at the first time. You have to take 16 hours of theoretical study and then you have to pass a test. If you have passed, you can drive for the first time, also for about 16-20 hours. Some driving instructors let you drive immediatly on the streets and some are going to a small place where you can learn how to use the car. The driving instructors are mostly pretty cool and fun, but the one who comes with for the test is sometimes rude and annoyed by everything, so not everyone gets the license at the first time we also have to share the car with other students (you, the driving instructor, the one who decides if you pass, and two other students).
That was a really interesting video!! Getting a driving license in Japan is quite different than from Canada, so it was nice to see the difference. A really well made video!!
When you mentioned you were taking classes, driving classes didn't even enter my mind! It's really interesting to see the Japanese way of teaching driving, in the UK you're straight on the road with the instructor, so having an actual track to practice on would be so helpful. And the cpr course is a great idea. Anyway, great video and good luck!
The track was nice at first! An easy introduction to driving and the only people on the road are fellow students... But then you realize you have to drive that same little private course for 12 whole hours before you get your learners permit and can head out on the road... the final hours you go a bit stir crazy haha.
I can’t believe how easy it is over in Japan. In Australia you do a computer test to get your learners permit. You then have to do 160 hours of driving (with a full licenced driver with you) - in all weather conditions, day and night time, freeways and town roads before you can go for your licence. Then you do another computer test and a 20 minutes driving test out on the normal roads. If you pass that you get a Probationary licence which means you can drive on your own but you have speed restrictions as well as curfews. That lasts for 3 years before you finally get your full licence. We are lucky that our licence is just swapped over to a Japanese licence without having to do any tests if we move over there :)
very easy . my brother got the license in 1 week. because there are such "1 week program" but you have to go "合宿". 合宿 is kinda trip? i dont exact translation sorry. I am Japanese^^
Wow! Congratz on taking your driving classes! Your driving school is way more intensive than anything I heard about in the US. That is the most detailed report card I've ever seen. For me, I just studied the driving manual and then took the written test for the full license. I did fail the first driving test, because, where I was told to park the car to use for the test, 10 feet away from a stop sign and I did not think to move 10 feet, then stop for it since I was already not moving to begin with. I passed the second time and got my license, though. Thanks for sharing!
I’m so glad you’re doing this series! I’m working hard to move to Japan soon and I was thinking it would be nice to get my license eventually. I only got my American driver’s license at 26 so it hasn’t been that long, and as an adult it’s a much less difficult experience. I guess as an adult you’re supposed to have gathered driving knowledge through years of observing other drivers? because there’s no driving hours requirement when you’re over 18. I did go with a driving school a few times to help lesson the anxiety of taking the actual test with a stranger, but I failed the first time anyway because I couldn’t parallel park 🙈 Fun but weird fact: did you know that Maryland is apparently the only US state that Japan will allow a direct conversion of license? I’d love to know how that came about... (Sadly I’m not from Maryland so I’ll have to go through the same process as you are!) Thank you for sharing! 💖
Thank you so much for this video!! The timing is great -- I've been living in Gunma for 2.5 years now, and as I'm getting a little older, I'm realizing how helpful a car would be in the hot summer... I was anxious about the idea of driving school, but it looks really nice and fun! Really looking forward to updates!!
Reminds me of when I had to go through all of the daunting tasks of learning basic road sign knowledge and actually acquiring driving skills when I was still in the UK 3 years ago, but glad I got that out of the way because I was able to then just translate my driver's license over and begin driving in Japan, but good luck and most importantly, enjoy the process! P.S. Just a bit surprised that they don't teach you not to cross your hands over during the practical lessons, because at the very least that causes negative points in the UK's practical driving examination.
0:55 If I recall correctly here in Pennsylvania you can get a learners permit one month before your 16th birthday. That means you can drive as long as there's an adult or other licensed driver in the car. After your 16th birthday you can test for a license whenever you want. As for learning, most high schools have a Driver's Ed class or you can go to a school, or just have a relative teach you. I learned the laws in school and the driving part from my dad and older sister.
Good for you for taking the plunge! I had it easy, since I first got my driver's license when I was 16. (In the US you can get your learner's permit at age 15 and 7 months, then take the test for your license when you turn 16). In Japan I was able to convert my license without having to take any classes here- just apply for license conversion, then take the written and practical tests. The written test was ridiculously easy- only 10 yes-or-no questions, and I was able to finish it in with 100% marks in just over a minute. The driving portion of the test was a lot harder, because of how strictly they grade you. Luckily I passed on my third try, but I did ride-alongs with others who were on their 7th or 8th... It's such an awesome feeling finally getting the license though! Best of luck with the rest of your classes and testing!
This is both useful and really neat to be able to get an inside look into the process to obtain a driver's license in Japan. Love your videos and hope to see more :D
Wow...!!!. I had a quick view of your videos over the years and I'm so happy to see you develop and grow to be a happy person , especially the video on your successful visa application and the bout of depression you went through and overcame. Wishing the best and hope you continue to make videos for all..Cheers
Wow! I've been subbed to you for a least 8-9 years now. I remember your early vlogs of you moving to Japan from Canada. Now your like your Japanese citizen now. I rarely check RUclips. This is cool! All the best
Hey Micaela I've been watching you for around 6 years, but I think this may be your best video. I was really impressed with all of the camera work! As a foreigner considering this in the future, thank you for the information. Love the videos. Keep it up! :)
As someone who has recently taken and passed my first aid certification in the UK its pretty difficult especially when you get cervical questions out of nowhere but hey if someone has an issue at the museum i can deal with it, its its interesting to see how another country deals with first aid certification.
This was really inspirational! I had bit of a similar experience, as I lived away from home during the time most people learn to drive. I have been really nervous about learning, but I know as long as I'm going to keep living here in the US I do need to learn to drive LOL. The goal is to go back to countries where public transport is more widely used, but I still want to learn to drive. Thank you for this really great video!
I heard you can also opt to go to a Driving School Camp where you stay at the school 24/7 for a week. Thank you for taking us with you on your journey!
That driver instructor seems really nice. It’s so interesting to see the difference from where I live, Sweden. It’s very different from here, we have four things you need to do, first you need to take a day course with the person you’ll practice with. Then after a lot of practice and confidence you can take the skid pan test. The roads can get very slippery in Sweden during winter so you need to know what to do when you loose traction. After that you need to take the written test and the driving test. One thing I noticed that’s different from Japan/US to Sweden is that we don’t got no test driving track. You start of in traffic from day one. Most people do find a parking lot to learn how the car works tho.
This is so exciting! I remember what it was like getting my driver's license 12 years ago when I was 21... I was so nervous and had to take the practical exam four times (!) because I was always so nervous, but as soon as I had my license, it was gone and I was driving fine :) Good luck!
I just got my motorcycle license in Japan. Was fun, interesting and teachers were super nice. I didnt have to do a written test because I had a normal license already.
Got my license when I was 16. In the US it isn't really hard. They do cover everything like going onto the interstate parallel parking etc, but its quite easy and is expected when you are in highschool to get your license.
Here in the Netherlands it depents on your driving ability more then the exams. For example some friends here got their driver's license after 18 hours of driving, but some of my friends took more than 40 hours of driving. So before you take your practical exam you have to take a theory exam. After all those driving hours and exams you can start your practical exam. When you pass your practical exam you can drive alone but have a beginners licence for 5 years also you can start at the age of 16 and 7 months and you can obtain your license when you are 17 but have to be accompanied by one of your parents for a year. I now have my driver's license for 2 years now and I absoluty love to drive.
It's pretty similar here in Austria, but you also need a special training for rainy/snowy weather conditions. And if you want to start training as a 17 year old, you need to accumulate 3000km driving experience with your parents until you can take the exams.
I've been driving since 1990, but I've never driven in a country where the road signs are all in what would be a second language for me. Talk about intimidating! Congratulations, you've already challenged yourself and grown in ways that I haven't yet. I haven't seen a graded score card in any of the states that have issued me licenses (I've lived all over the U.S.), but I love the idea. That seems like useful feedback on where the student has room for improvement.
In Canada it takes at least two years to go from getting your learner's permit from taking a written test (which only lets you drive with someone who's fully licensed in the passenger seat), to taking your final test to get your full license, at least in provinces that have a similar system to Ontario. After passing your written test, you generally have to wait a year to take your first in-car test, which gives you a license with some restrictions (basically no multi-lane highway driving and no night driving). After getting that, it takes at least another year before you can take your final in-car test which gives you your full license. And I remember taking an aptitude test in my driving class actually! I don't remember how similar it was to the one you took, though.
Yeah in BC, Canada it is three years now to get your full licence. 1 year with a 'L' (leaners) then 2 years with a 'N' (novice). Not sure how that compares with the rest of Canada.
Thanks! They were super co-operative! I'm really grateful since normally you wouldn't be able to record a driving lesson (all luggage including phone has to be put away before you get in the car, no distractions allowed, etc, no electronics during class either...) It was a big project and I'm glad the first video turned out so well!
Ahhh in August I’ve had my licence for nine years. I went to a two week course but i had driving lessons once a week before I started. I wish I had your first teacher! He was really sweet! You can do it, I believe in you!
I loved this video, you seemed really happy and this step looks really exciting! I'm actually collecting money for getting driver's licence too in my country to get that freedom which car can give to you, looking forward that.
I got the driver license in japan man it was so hard but I was lucky that I didn’t fail even once to get the driver license I studied a lot and I had never studied so much in my life In writing test I got 47 scores out of 50 and 98 out of 100 Getting a driver license in japan is so hard but it’s the most powerful ID in japan works everywhere I can say more powerful than the visa
Thanks for this video. I am undertaking the process myself in Kitakyushu. Just signed up yesterday and will start everything this weekend. I can totally relate with the fear of learning to drive, though my fear is more around whether I can do it in all Japanese - though I did take full-time Japanese Language School and went from N4 to N2 level over those 9 months, so I figure I should be okay. I guess it's also scary thinking about actually driving by myself on the road, but the trade-off of not having to take a packed train to work everyday is going to be so worth it.
LOL japanese driving schools are like 90% the same as in german. You can get your license withing a few weeks if you know what you're doing and you also need to pass a emergency first aid test (cpr 'n stuff). Went trough almost exactly the same 2 years ago, only in germany we don't drive in a closed off area but on public streets for the whole process. So hyped for you! :)
I did for this! Sometimes it’s a team, sometimes it’s my boyfriend, sometimes it’s my manager. It would be impossible to do it all myself. When I enrolled in the school told them about my plans to make these videos and they were very co-operative. It’s a lot more work than a vlog! I edit everything myself of course but the extra camerawork is usually done by someone close to me, whoever is available haha.
Great video and good luck on your driving tests! Its nice watching videos of how drivers are educated in other countries. The amount of preparation and discipline they get. We don't get that here in the Philippines. You can get a license within a day and you don't even need to be able to drive or read and you can already drive buses or big trucks!
Yesss you can do it! (There are other adult students too. One woman I'm studying with is a mother of three who is only getting her license now so she can take her kids out during summer holidays instead of staying at home.) Everyone succeeds at their own pace!
Micaela, this looks great. Back home(Romania, Europe) we have to pass 2 tests: a theory one and a practical one. Going to school is not a must tho’ and the actual driving lessons are going to take aproximately a month . Aaa we have just one driving teacher for the whole period. Fingers crossed! I’m sure you’ll do great
wow hopefully everything goes well and you can get your license!! it seems like having a car in japan can really help get around to more rural areas which would be cool. it's really neat that in fukuoka they have textbooks and tests in english and chinese! those cpr lessons look really handy too wow
I was fortunate to have my driving course as part of my school classes. I was able to get my temps at 15.5 years old, then my license on my 16th birthday. It's weird to think I've been driving for half my life, but I grew up in the woods, so you needed to be able to drive as public transportation didn't exist there. Good luck to you. Remember to signal when coming out of a parking space on the side of the road. I missed that on my exam.
Those instructors were super nice. In Slovakia the course takes around 10-12 weeks. It includes classes twice a week and driving in traffic a lot (only like 1-2 lessons are in parking lot or some abandoned place). Then you have a 3 part test supervised by a policeman - driving rules, car mechanics and practical part - driving in traffic for a few minutes.
Congrats on stepping outside of your comfort zone!! I'm from the US and I got my learner's permit when I was 16, and my license the same year. At the time, I was living in Connecticut, and there, you have to have your learner's permit for a year before you can get a license (and there are lots of restrictions on when and who you can drive with). The exception is that if you take driving school (classes and on-the-road training), you can get your license in 6 months, instead of 12 months. There was a driving school down the street from where I was living, so I went there. The on-the-road training was actually ON the road - they didn't have a closed driving course, but they did often take you to parking lots to practice for the first few times. I'd be curious to know more about how getting a driving license in Japan if you ALREADY have a license from another country. I imagine that you still have to take a new test (to make sure that you know the local laws), but I'm curious if they require driving training as well.
I'm so excited to see the process, it's really interesting! I got my driver's license several years ago, I'm not an active driver, as I don't have my own car yet and my parents won't let me lend theirs. But I really want my own wheels some day so I'm gonna take some extra lessons to make sure I don't kill myself and anyone else when I start driving again lol. I feel like the driving schools in the Czech Republic are somehow similar - it depends on the city, of course. I live in a bigger city and we had obligatory theoretical classes (we had something similar to the CPR course as well, but much less thorough I find), then actual driving on the roads and if you pass the written and driving exams, you're all set. Though it seems much more strict in Japan overall, which is a good thing.
Anyway, that's very big mistake - tell your parents. Not to buy you a car, but to lend you car or at least to let you drive the car with them aboard. Otherway after a few years you will have to take another lessons in drive school to refresh you forbidden skills :-)
The instructor looks so kind compared with the time when I got a license. It was few decades ago, they used to teach us strictly not to have a car accident. Declining students caused by declining birthrate probably changed recent driving school. Have fun & keep safety driving.
Oh wow, that's not how I expected the process to be at all. Though it's super fitting, I honestly really like it. If driver's tests were like that here, honestly I'd be more excited to go off and get my license. But you're not alone! It's only taking longer and longer to get a license in Canada, and I'm 21 and have yet to even bother thanks to Vancouver's public transit.
Watching this video reminded me of the time when I was getting my driver's license. It took me one month to learn and do the test - driving lesson once a week for roughly two hours. I can tell you that it was one of the most hilarious experiences for me because the examiner on the day of the lesson took one good look at me, and proceeded to blast the radio with rock music and then told me to go ahead and start whenever I was ready haha! Anyway, good job and good luck Micaela!
Driving in Japan is fantastic! The roads are in good condition and the scenery out in the countryside is amazing--also driving through tunnels and bridges is a great experience. The only real problem is that everyone drives so slowly in Japan, and the narrow roads makes it difficult to pass. I remember I once had to take a refresher driving course in Japan (the by-the-book/no common sense culture of clerical paperwork deemed I was a beginner despite driving for 15 years), and it was a neat experience going through the obstacle course. It was very mellow. Tip for new drivers in Japan: learn your car and your angles/distances for turning. Roads are very narrow, and visibility limited in some intersections.
Thank you for this ‘ in America there is a driving school’ but depending of your location you will not need it . It’s as simple as reading a pamphlet, answer 20 questions on your test’ if you get 4 questions wrong, you fail🚲 but if pass you get a permit ‘ within three months fill out your driving log book/ take course test’ pass it and you’ll get your drivers license that same day. It’s simpler than most countries
It was a really interesting video!!! Thanks for filming as much as possible! Do you know what car model is it? It's so cool and elegant! 😍 Here instructors don't explain that much and usually we don't do first circuits, we start off with roads immediately. We can only drive legally when we go to a driving school and can not drive before having the license (even if we are going with our parents or someone who has the license). The PCR was so surprising since here we don't even mention it! And it is way more expensive than in Japan I believe, it's around 900 - 1000€/person (at least where I live) But it is easier to pass the theory part, need to be fair on this one. 🤣
I'm Swedish and I'm in the middle of learning how to drive too! Here, automatic cars are not as common. I'm learning how to drive with a stick. (Manual) I'd say it takes slightly longer here since it takes extra time to get comforable with the clutch and the gears. Aside from the final driving test, we also have two smaller tests which you pass by just attending. One is basically a class where you discuss things that can affect your driving negatively, such as your personality, alcohol, drugs and sleepiness. On the second one you get to drive on a road that has been smothered with something slippery, so you get to feel like what it's like to break on a slippery surface. There are also dolls jumping out on the road now and then. This is good since Swedish roads are icy during the winter. You can either go to driving school or drive with someone you know. I drive with my parents, and they had to attend a 5 hour class to be allowed to teach me. Once they did, they're allowed to teach people how to drive for 5 years. When driving with them you put a big magnetic sticker on the back of the car that says "ÖVNINGSKÖR", "Practicing drving". I wish I lived in a country with automatic cars! I'd be done by now.
In Germany you can get a driver's license at the age of 18, but a few years ago the government introduced the concept of learner's permits for 17 year olds. The requirements for a learner's permit are the same as for the ordinary license, such as a tough written exam, 12 hours of CPR/first aid instructions, ca. 20 hours of driving training (including two hours at night, two hours on country roads and two hours on Autobahns) before you can take the practical exam. Holders of a learner's permit must have an adult of more than 30 years of age and perfect driving record on the passenger seat. On your 18th birthday the learner's permit is automatically exchanged to a life-long driver's license.
It is always such a pleasure to go to Japan and drive. I have done many extended driving tours to reach the less accessible places around Japan. Once you learn the rules there it is easy to drive because everyone is polite and considerate on the road. Not like here in the US where every other driver is either clueless (like the lady who decided to back up in a roundabout when she missed her exit!), or they are full of road rage and think the post speed limit is a suggested minimum speed and give you the finger as they pass.
In america at least my state, as long as you're 18 you can take the written test right away no classes. if you pass you can come back the next day if you wanted and take the real test. that's if you can get in its always busy asf.
it is but isn't, our driving test it's self is pretty hard. they make you do everything from parallel park to driving through the cones forwards and backwards. you can't hit the break during that part till you are at the point you're supposed to stop or you fail instantly.
dn32585 mh..its way easy...in the states,in my opinion, if u are already knowledge in driving... germany is about the same as in japan...but even more classes and a lot of money... it took me 5 month and about 2000 euros until i had my german license..and i was one of the fasted😂u need to have 12 driving practise hours,( it will end up more but those are the hours u def need) and then a certain amount of hours in class room..then if u are sure and the teacher feels like u are secure in driving u can do ur actual test to get the license. others take normally 6 to 8 month and even more money ... i moved to arizona... it took me one day and 20 dollars to get my american license 🤷♀️ all i did was show up at the dmv....i went and got it about a month after we moved here....i looked up online questions, to study the questions a little bit on my own.... if u do classes before hand or not is up to you...i think they need to change that here tho.....
2000 Euros omg we'd have a lot less driver if they did that lol, i had to wait till i was 18 cause we were not well off but not poor. I always lived in a house but still, driving class was not an option my mom couldnt afford it. being a devorced single mom of 4 she did the best she could on her own, i thank god they have it that way for those who wouldnt be able to afford those classes.
I’d say getting a license in England is pretty easy! Once you turn 17 you can get a provisional (learners) license, and then you have to complete a theory exam (multiple choice questions and hazard perception) and a practical test (45 minutes long) but there’s no minimum amount of hours you have to drive before you can take your practical test so you could (in theory) pass your test within a week or two if starting out! If you pass your test in an automatic car then you can only drive automatics unless you take another test, whereas in England manuals are more common and most people take their tests in these and it allows you to drive both! Good luck with your driving, it looks like you gained more confidence with it already!
I'm 31 and moving to Japan to teach English. I lived all around the world but always wanted to live in Japan. I don't have a driver's license I will get one when I am in Japan ASAP. Thanks for the video!
Congratulations on attempting your license in Japan! I did some driving in Japan when I was visiting on an IDP, and found it to be similar to Australia to a degree, just a lot narrower than I was used to in the side streets! To get a license here in Victoria, Australia, you study a book called "Road to Solo Driving", and then take a computerized knowledge test of 32 questions and take an eye test. 74% to pass. If you pass, you get your photo taken, and you will be mailed your Learner Permit. Valid 10 years. You then record in a log book for 120 hours of driving practice with a full license driver as your supervisor. Must record 10 hours at night too. At age 17 3/4. you can take another computerized test called a Hazard Perception Test which runs simulations of hazardous situations, such as a turning right when a truck is blocking your view. You click the mouse to signal when you would perform the move it is asking you to do (start, stop, turn, etc). At age 18, with your completed log book, you undertake a 20-30 minute practical on-road drive test where you complete a set course and perform different maneuvers such as a reverse parallel park, and 3-point turn. Complete the test without making more than 2 mistakes and you will be given a Probationary License. On your Probationary License, there are 2 "stages" to it: P1 and P2. P1 - You show a Red "P" plate at the back of your car for 1 year. You can't drive with more than 1 passenger between ages 16~24 without a full license holder supervising you. Excludes immediate family. Can't drive a car with a power-to-weight ratio of 125 KW/tonne, and can't drive anything turbocharged or supercharged without permission from the Road Traffic Authority, nor can you drive anything with 8+ cylinders. You have a BAC limit of 0.00 and can't use your phone under any circumstances, or tow a trailer. P2 - If you have been good on P1, you will get a letter in the mail to graduate to P2, where you show a Green "P" for 3 more years. Most of the P1 restrictions apply still, but you can use a mobile phone handsfree now (at last check) and have more passengers in the car without needing a full license holder. After 4 years on Probationary License, you will get another letter graduating you to a full license. If you have had no infringements in that time, you should be able to get your full license at no charge (you have to pay the renewal fee if you have gotten a ticket anytime during your "P's") Compared to getting your license in Japan in the video, getting a license here is a bludge. Good luck on your endeavours!
Ryan O'Malley getting a licence in Japan is so much easier. They only need 16 hours of driving experience compared to our 120 hours. The only good thing about having such a long and strict licensing process is that Aussies can swap their license to a Japanese one if you move there. A lot of other countries (including the US) have to go through the entire licence process from scratch. Their home country licenses doesn’t mean anything over there.
Girl im starting Saturday in Hofu! Im excited! I know its a bet older video but i am trying to be prepared 🤣 i drove in Michigan but its the opposite side. I should do ok hopefully 😆
Yeah, we had no driving school fake streets and intersections :-) Anyway in Japan it looks more like a school, in my country it's like intensive course and the final test is made with the police officer. My first lesson ever was going in real traffic through the city (like 30km) and second lesson was on multilane highway :-) Even I saw japan test result with all the grades - woaw, in my country it was just done/fail :-) I like japan driving school the theoretical part but our practical driving part... PS: Getting the license is not the same as knowing how to drive :-) It can take a few years (or more or never) to become a good driver.
This is so relatable because I went through this early this year! I was really happy when I passed the tests. We used the same textbook. In Japan, you can get your license in two weeks if you take lessons full time. Also, a lot of people fail at the written test. When I took the final, only around 70% of the people passed.
That Japanese Man Yuta yeah shut the fuck up! Stop making shitty videos. And a lot of people fail at the writen test? I don't think so. The written test is easy.
@sasuke ishikawa yes. Yuta is leech.
WHy are you so fucking mean? Wtf is this?
@@PremiumGerman well some of them fail so they hate being bring in the comment like "Many people fail" or "around 70% peoplr passed"
You think a 30% failure rate is a lot? Here in the Netherlands up to 50-60% fails for their theoretical exams.
This is such an incredibly well produced, high quality video! I would love to see more content like this on your channel.
No kidding. An incredibly high cooperation rate from the driving license school / people. I can't imagine the same level of support from the DMV here.
Such high quality editing. Wow this channel hasn't lost it's touch at all. Great work!
Ren3 I'm sure it helps when you have extra person to handle the camera. 😉
Going through the exact same experience... and have two comments.
First, as a video producer myself, this video is very well produced. Very good job!
Second... I'm jealous. Your driving school is much nicer than mine. People sounds really cool there!
I got my driver's license when I was 20 which is strange since so many of the people around me got it around 16 or 17. It's better late than never! Please don't be afraid to drive! It gets easier with practice!
I love this video! I'm 25 next year and I'm still on my Australian learner's permit because I was too nervous to drive and nowadays, I don't really need it. But I have been thinking about going for my full licence next year and this gave me some hope and confidence! Always love your work Micaela ♥
Chokocchi I didn't get my license in America until I was 26. I just didn't really need it when I lived in the city but then I moved to the suburbs and you REALLY need a car here.
For sure, in the suburbs or country, a license is almost necessary. I got my permit at 16 and license at 17.
25 no license brother I'm 16 in 2 months I'll have my P's fuck not going straight away I'd die ahah but I live in a smaller town not city I'd understand if you were in the city
WOW That is very nice of the driving school to allow you to vlog while you were there! Especially during the on-road driving lessons! Best of luck passing to get your FULL License!
Hehe, well of course I had to get permission.
And the condition for shooting the road lesson was that it wouldn’t technically count as a lesson and I’d have to take the lesson “for real” again the day after to get credit for it. (I ended up taking CPR twice too.)
I’m just thankful they were willing to work with me! :)
I just saw your insta story on how much work this vid was, but it payed off in my opinion! It was shot and edited very nicely, great quality content :)
My drivers license journey has been sooo stressfull! I think I have been taking classes on and off for like 2 years now, mainly because I developed such bad driving anxiety because of my old instructor, I'd get stressed out and dreadful even a week before my next lesson! Even though I was quite a decent driver at the time if I may say so myself. So a couple months ago I switched driving schools and my new instructor immediately let us plan my final exam, he is so chill and understanding, and even though I could already drive decently I really feel like I became much more of a "real" driver under his watch :)) Got rid of most of my anxiety within a couple weeks! Unfortunately I did fail my first practical exam a couple weeks ago (i was so nervous i blanked out and forgot how to park in an empty parking lot lol) but I will re-do the exam hopefully next month! I'm so ready to finally get my license, and I hope your journey will be much more positive ;)
Ahhh! I'm so sorry your experience was so difficult. I have the worst anxiety too, so I keep joking to my teachers, "You can be strict today, but just know that I'll probably cry." Thankfully, they're always nice and patient. There are a lot of young teachers too, so during one of my lessons, the teacher was telling me how she plays bass guitar, and her favorite band was the red hot chilli peppers. We get to have conversations about stuff like that while practicing and it helps me calm down and feel less nervous about what I'm doing.
I get super nervous for tests too so I can totally see myself blanking out. I told everyone I want to keep a few days around each test open to give room for failure so I can re-take the test if I need to. That way, I won't panic if I do fail the first time. :I
I hope you'll get your license without a hitch! Good luck to both of us!
This is so similar to my experience! While my first teacher wasn't scary he wasn't a good one. Such a chatterbug he rarely payed proper attention to my driving. No wonder I failed. I gave up and accepted my fate to never get a license. My boyfriend encouraged me to try it again so I finally got it. Unfortunately I haven't driven in years. I've built up too much fear to drive. I'll get a few lessons with a specialised teacher and hopefully overcome my fears.
In England you sign up to take lessons with a driving school. You can choose your hours and usually only have a single instructor. To start the instructor will brief the student on the basic car functions. Most instructors get their students to practice in an empty car park for their first lesson as nearly everyone starts to learn a manual car as opposed to an automatic. Once the student is able to get the car moving and navigate around the car park most instructors will get the student to start driving on public roads. If however the student has already had practice driving with someone else (since you can get a learners licence when you are 17 just by applying for one, making it legal for you to drive on public roads accompanied by someone experienced) the instructor will skip the car park part.
The student must pass their theory exam before they can take their practical exam. There are no lessons for the theory exam, so students must learn in their own time. Once the student has passed, they will be allowed to book a practical exam. The time taken to learn how to drive will be up to the digression of the instructor and the students. The students then can take their practical exam. If they pass, they will be given a full paper licence, making it legal for them to drive on public roads. The reason this is paper is because the student needs to wait for their full licence to be mailed to them.
In England there is no classroom lessons or basic first aid or CPR training either and most, if not all driving schools do not have private roads for learners to practice.
It seems like a much more involved process in Japan.
baileyboy125 you have to give your provisional to the examiner if you passed so they can send it off and you just get your full license however, some practical exam places they can’t do it and you have to mail off your provisional license and the certificate together to get your full license. Also, there is no CPR classes/first aid etc but they’re combined in the theory multiple questions, eg one of the questions i got asked was “if you come across an accident involving a motorcyclist what should you do? A... B... or C”.
I started learning in February this year and passed in July. However i was having 4/5 or more hours a week. Passed my theory first time but failed my practical exam the first time, passed on the 2nd attempt though with 3 minors. They are extremely stringent with the practical exam which is a good thing, however people do fail due to other drivers. Eg buses pulling out in front of them etc.
Ah yeah that would be correct.
And congratulations on passing :)
Yeah some people I know failed for stupid reasons. One person failed because as they were reversing into the parking space at the test centre at the end of their test, the person in the car next to them opened their door and my friend had to stop. The instructor failed him for the reason "You should have chosen a different parking space".
Another person I know failed because someone pulled out in front of them and had to stop, yet the instructor failed them anyways. They didn't give a reason as to why their instructor failed them.
What I do know is if you DON'T press your horn when someone is about to pull out on you, you do fail because you have neglected to use a warning feature on the car to alert the other driver of your presence. But the thing is this can be misinterpreted as road rage as well and could anger the other driver. It's not really a situation you want to be in.
Thankfully when I took my test there were no idiots around so I was able to pass just fine.
baileyboy125 baileyboy125 baileyboy125 baileyboy125 thanks! And i know its so stupid! My friend took her test and someone pulled out on her and she slammed on her breaks but she failed because the examiner beat her to the dual controls and failed her due to “ intervening”.
My first test was horrible because i had the head examiner of my test centre and i was took on an A road and i overtook a car he asked me to turn off at the next slip road and i was in the middle lane, the car in the left lane saw i was on my test and kept speeding up then slowing down then speeding up again so i sped up overtook them but basically cut them up. Its an awkward A road because it goes from 70mph to 50mph and you have to basically slam on your breaks because right where the 50mph sign is thats where the average speed cameras checks are. He was a really nice examiner and he said “i hope you get a cancellation and book your test asap because you was one of the best people doing their test” and my instructor said hes never said that to anyone.
My instructor taught me from the start to use my horn, we was doing a lesson on that A road and a car turns off for the slip road then decided to join it again and nearly crashed into me, she beat me to the horn but i went to go for it haha.
What you said about your friend my instructor told me never to do that when we was practicing that! She went “if you want to check, ask the examiner if its okay to open your door and put the hand break on” i think its stupid because in a real life situation like a car park you always do that.
I done mine between 11am-2pm so youre not doing your test when its super busy, however a few of my friends done it for like 8am on a school day in london because they never got to do any driving they was just constantly in start stop traffic and all of them passed.
Congrats on passing as well, at least we don’t have to get the graduate driving license now
Im in my 20s and I JUST got my learners permit here in America, and everyone of the workers assumed I was like 15 and it was an interesting experience! haha
When I got license in Ohio, I only spend $15. 20 multiple choice questions, and go around a quiet neighborhood for 15 min... When I took license in Japan, I had to go through all the things you have mentioned, and spend over $3000. I remember these Japanese exams were full of trick questions with wording, so I had to memorize word by word in order to pass.
Yes the questions are so hard!!! Like the difference between a 車 and a 自動車？ is so confusing. A 自動車 is a car but a 自転車 is technically a 車 because it’s a vehicle with wheels and whatttt is going on my head is going to explode.
In The United States 🇺🇸 You Take A Written Exam For Permit And License You Must Complete A 5 Hour Pre Licensing Course Before You Take A Road Test And If You Pass You Get A Receipt And Wait For License In The Mail In 2 Weeks
Congratulations on learning to drive! I've heard that the driving test in Japan is super difficult. I went to driving school in California, but it mostly seemed like a formality. We'd do some studying, and then they'd play some cheesy soap operas as a reward. One of our first driving excursions was on Pacific Coast Highway, and it was terrifying because of the windy roads. Wishing you all the best in taking this test! You can do it! P.S. I have funny memories of watching one of my uncles managing to drive through the narrowest streets and alleys in Japan.
Seeing you cruising around on the course got me excited. I want to drive again, it's fun isn't it? It's interesting you get a different teacher each time. In Germany you have "your" teacher for your entire course.
I'm calling a driving school today. I just have to muster up the courage. LOL
yes. teacher is different in every time.
we choose teacher before every time . popular teacher earn more money but not popular teacher is less money so , teacher need more service than others. im japanese ^^
Omg is THAT why you were so lit on the driving terms?! Either way excited for you and hope the driving adventures are off to an amazing start.♥️👌
LMAO I know... You were like "how do I say novice driver?" and I was like WELLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL I happen to be one, and~~~
Micaela ミカエラ gurhurhurhurr
I'm 22 and still frightened of driving. I wish the way things were structured in my small town we're similar to this, I feel like the entire experience would be so much easier for me.
in ontario, the process to get a license is split into three steps. taking your G1 (knowledge test), G2 (road test), and final G (road test with highway/freeway). you have a maximum of 5 years to complete the final G (or apply for an extention if you have a valid reason for not completing it within this time), otherwise this process expires and you will have to restart from the beginning. after taking the G1, you have to wait a minimum of 8 months before even being eligible to take the G2 test. i believe this process is similar in all the other provinces but the time frame varies.
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i love how you're taught CPR and that aptitude test seems fun to do. goodluck!!
Very proud of you to challenge yourself. No small feat. I know kids who don’t think they’ll ever need a license because they live in the city but they really should know as a life skill. I got mine when I was 25 and hardly use it but in an emergency I know what to do. Good luck Micaela, don’t stress!
I've always found it strange that if you have a license in another country you can get an international driving permit that allows you to drive in almost every country (except China) but only for a limited time. If you move there the permit can usually not be converted in a local license and in some countries, like Japan, you would have to take the tests to get a license, even though you potentially already have a couple of months of experience driving in that country.
When I learned to drive, it was almost completely on public roads (except the practice for things like parallel parking). You do need to take a theoretical exam first, but there is no mandatory schooling. After that I could either go with an instructor and be done in 3 months or have my parents teach me and that would take at least 9 months. I chose the first option. The first hour, the instructor was controlling the pedals and all I had to do was steer. The next 17h of lessons (over the course of a couple of weeks) was mostly me, often stalling out the engine because I always went from first to fourth gear (yes, we Europeans like our manual cars). After I completed my 18h I was free to drive on my own on my learners permit for the next 3 months and after that I had 2 more hours with the instructor to iron out my biggest mistakes and right after that the practical tests.
Anyway, good luck with the lessons and the tests and I hope you are having fun :)
First it's so nice to see you posting again😁 Ciaela. Better yet getting you DL in Japan. Hope you pass👍 and that all is well. #LoveCanada
Great video, Micaela! It's really nice to see you making informative videos like this that most people can't so please keep it up (if you can!) ^_^
In New Zealand, you can get a learner's licence when you are 16, which means you have to drive with somebody in the passenger seat who has had their full licence for 2+ years. That's just a paper test, and you need 32/35 to pass.
After 6 months, you can sit a driving test to put you onto your restricted. This means that you can drive by yourself, but not between the hours of 10pm-5pm, and you still can only have a full licenced passenger.
After 6 more months, if you take a defensive driving course (to teach you about hazards) you can get your full licence.
Most people take a few lessons with an instructor, and they will teach you what the exam is going to be like too. It usually costs about $90 each time you get a new licence. Your Learners and Restricted expire within 5 years, but your Full is 10 years, and you renew that without a driving test (just an eye test) until you retire.
and if you want to renew it you have to be in NZ unfortunately otherwise get a replacement for a year.
What a great video - never seen anything like this before in Japan, thanks for taking us along with you.
It's so good to see a video from you Micaela! I always enjoy what you create. I got my drivers license here in the US when I was 18. Most get it at 16 or 17, but I really wasn't that interested. I only really said "hey I should get this" when I was accepted into college and didn't want to spend the extra money to live on campus. Rules vary by state and change often, but my mom taught me to drive and signed off on a paper that we had worked for a certain amount of hours. I then had to take the eye test and safety test (don't drive when tired, drunk, texting etc) at a local driving school and as part of that, had to take a couple classes with that school on the road. I was able to take the actual written test there too as well, instead of having to go to the Department of Motor Vehicles (state gov't organization). Overall, for a very nervous person, I had a good experience. I wish they had a class for 'what to do if you are ever in an accident' (whether your fault or not). Does Japan have that kind of training?
Hmm, we have the emergency CPR class and lots of classes that tell us what to do in certain circulations (what to do if you break down on the highway, on railroad tracks etc.)
But not a lot of hands on physical training on that front. They were mostly in slideshow form. Still better than nothing though!
You go girl! You got this.
This is really interesting! I'm excited to watch this series :D
In the US i feel its pretty easy.
You have to study for the written test to get your permit. Which is a small booklet that you can read on your own time. Then if you're under 18, you have to log in so many hours of driving with a parent or guardian present. I want to say it's around 40 hours of driving? Then, if you're over 18, i believe you don't have to keep track of how many hours you do. You can just go take your test when you feel ready. I've never known anyone that's done driving school, so I'm honestly not sure how that goes.
Thank you for showing this side^^ In Luxembourg it takes about 6 months to get your license, if you pass everything at the first time. You have to take 16 hours of theoretical study and then you have to pass a test. If you have passed, you can drive for the first time, also for about 16-20 hours. Some driving instructors let you drive immediatly on the streets and some are going to a small place where you can learn how to use the car. The driving instructors are mostly pretty cool and fun, but the one who comes with for the test is sometimes rude and annoyed by everything, so not everyone gets the license at the first time we also have to share the car with other students (you, the driving instructor, the one who decides if you pass, and two other students).
That was a really interesting video!! Getting a driving license in Japan is quite different than from Canada, so it was nice to see the difference. A really well made video!!
When you mentioned you were taking classes, driving classes didn't even enter my mind! It's really interesting to see the Japanese way of teaching driving, in the UK you're straight on the road with the instructor, so having an actual track to practice on would be so helpful. And the cpr course is a great idea. Anyway, great video and good luck!
The track was nice at first! An easy introduction to driving and the only people on the road are fellow students...
But then you realize you have to drive that same little private course for 12 whole hours before you get your learners permit and can head out on the road...
the final hours you go a bit stir crazy haha.
I can’t believe how easy it is over in Japan.
In Australia you do a computer test to get your learners permit. You then have to do 160 hours of driving (with a full licenced driver with you) - in all weather conditions, day and night time, freeways and town roads before you can go for your licence.
Then you do another computer test and a 20 minutes driving test out on the normal roads.
If you pass that you get a Probationary licence which means you can drive on your own but you have speed restrictions as well as curfews. That lasts for 3 years before you finally get your full licence.
We are lucky that our licence is just swapped over to a Japanese licence without having to do any tests if we move over there :)
BlueSkyeDays Gosh, Australians are so prudent and careful for driving license much more than Japan! Australia is very conservative, no?
very easy . my brother got the license in 1 week.
because there are such "1 week program" but you have to go "合宿".
合宿 is kinda trip? i dont exact translation sorry. I am Japanese^^
Wow! Congratz on taking your driving classes! Your driving school is way more intensive than anything I heard about in the US. That is the most detailed report card I've ever seen. For me, I just studied the driving manual and then took the written test for the full license. I did fail the first driving test, because, where I was told to park the car to use for the test, 10 feet away from a stop sign and I did not think to move 10 feet, then stop for it since I was already not moving to begin with. I passed the second time and got my license, though. Thanks for sharing!
I’m so glad you’re doing this series! I’m working hard to move to Japan soon and I was thinking it would be nice to get my license eventually. I only got my American driver’s license at 26 so it hasn’t been that long, and as an adult it’s a much less difficult experience. I guess as an adult you’re supposed to have gathered driving knowledge through years of observing other drivers? because there’s no driving hours requirement when you’re over 18. I did go with a driving school a few times to help lesson the anxiety of taking the actual test with a stranger, but I failed the first time anyway because I couldn’t parallel park 🙈
Fun but weird fact: did you know that Maryland is apparently the only US state that Japan will allow a direct conversion of license? I’d love to know how that came
about...
(Sadly I’m not from Maryland so I’ll have to go through the same process as you are!)
Thank you for sharing! 💖
berry aesthetic nice fact I didn't know that!😌
Well done on this video, it was so informational and well-shot! ❤ Thanks for taking us along!
Thank you so much for this video!! The timing is great -- I've been living in Gunma for 2.5 years now, and as I'm getting a little older, I'm realizing how helpful a car would be in the hot summer... I was anxious about the idea of driving school, but it looks really nice and fun! Really looking forward to updates!!
Reminds me of when I had to go through all of the daunting tasks of learning basic road sign knowledge and actually acquiring driving skills when I was still in the UK 3 years ago, but glad I got that out of the way because I was able to then just translate my driver's license over and begin driving in Japan, but good luck and most importantly, enjoy the process!
P.S. Just a bit surprised that they don't teach you not to cross your hands over during the practical lessons, because at the very least that causes negative points in the UK's practical driving examination.
Excellent episode Micaela-san, better than much tv show, congratulations.
Thank you for making this video. Today I got my Japanese driving license. Started from zero, and this video has inspired me a lot on my journey. 😄
0:55 If I recall correctly here in Pennsylvania you can get a learners permit one month before your 16th birthday. That means you can drive as long as there's an adult or other licensed driver in the car. After your 16th birthday you can test for a license whenever you want. As for learning, most high schools have a Driver's Ed class or you can go to a school, or just have a relative teach you. I learned the laws in school and the driving part from my dad and older sister.
Good for you for taking the plunge! I had it easy, since I first got my driver's license when I was 16. (In the US you can get your learner's permit at age 15 and 7 months, then take the test for your license when you turn 16). In Japan I was able to convert my license without having to take any classes here- just apply for license conversion, then take the written and practical tests. The written test was ridiculously easy- only 10 yes-or-no questions, and I was able to finish it in with 100% marks in just over a minute. The driving portion of the test was a lot harder, because of how strictly they grade you. Luckily I passed on my third try, but I did ride-alongs with others who were on their 7th or 8th...
It's such an awesome feeling finally getting the license though! Best of luck with the rest of your classes and testing!
This is both useful and really neat to be able to get an inside look into the process to obtain a driver's license in Japan. Love your videos and hope to see more :D
Wow...!!!. I had a quick view of your videos over the years and I'm so happy to see you develop and grow to be a happy person , especially the video on your successful visa application and the bout of depression you went through and overcame. Wishing the best and hope you continue to make videos for all..Cheers
Wow! I've been subbed to you for a least 8-9 years now. I remember your early vlogs of you moving to Japan from Canada. Now your like your Japanese citizen now. I rarely check RUclips. This is cool! All the best
I used to study driving for long time ago, yeah, now you ready to learn driving, just going fun, good luck.
She comes back with an amazing editing style!! Good luck!!
Hey Micaela I've been watching you for around 6 years, but I think this may be your best video. I was really impressed with all of the camera work! As a foreigner considering this in the future, thank you for the information. Love the videos. Keep it up! :)
As someone who has recently taken and passed my first aid certification in the UK its pretty difficult especially when you get cervical questions out of nowhere but hey if someone has an issue at the museum i can deal with it, its its interesting to see how another country deals with first aid certification.
This was really inspirational! I had bit of a similar experience, as I lived away from home during the time most people learn to drive. I have been really nervous about learning, but I know as long as I'm going to keep living here in the US I do need to learn to drive LOL. The goal is to go back to countries where public transport is more widely used, but I still want to learn to drive. Thank you for this really great video!
This video is really nicely done, and is really good at explaining the process of getting your licence in Japan! Good job!!
I heard you can also opt to go to a Driving School Camp where you stay at the school 24/7 for a week. Thank you for taking us with you on your journey!
That driver instructor seems really nice. It’s so interesting to see the difference from where I live, Sweden. It’s very different from here, we have four things you need to do, first you need to take a day course with the person you’ll practice with. Then after a lot of practice and confidence you can take the skid pan test. The roads can get very slippery in Sweden during winter so you need to know what to do when you loose traction. After that you need to take the written test and the driving test. One thing I noticed that’s different from Japan/US to Sweden is that we don’t got no test driving track. You start of in traffic from day one. Most people do find a parking lot to learn how the car works tho.
This is so exciting! I remember what it was like getting my driver's license 12 years ago when I was 21... I was so nervous and had to take the practical exam four times (!) because I was always so nervous, but as soon as I had my license, it was gone and I was driving fine :) Good luck!
I just got my motorcycle license in Japan. Was fun, interesting and teachers were super nice. I didnt have to do a written test because I had a normal license already.
Got my license when I was 16. In the US it isn't really hard. They do cover everything like going onto the interstate parallel parking etc, but its quite easy and is expected when you are in highschool to get your license.
Here in the Netherlands it depents on your driving ability more then the exams. For example some friends here got their driver's license after 18 hours of driving, but some of my friends took more than 40 hours of driving. So before you take your practical exam you have to take a theory exam. After all those driving hours and exams you can start your practical exam. When you pass your practical exam you can drive alone but have a beginners licence for 5 years also you can start at the age of 16 and 7 months and you can obtain your license when you are 17 but have to be accompanied by one of your parents for a year. I now have my driver's license for 2 years now and I absoluty love to drive.
he! nog een Nederlander :)
It's pretty similar here in Austria, but you also need a special training for rainy/snowy weather conditions.
And if you want to start training as a 17 year old, you need to accumulate 3000km driving experience with your parents until you can take the exams.
I've been driving since 1990, but I've never driven in a country where the road signs are all in what would be a second language for me. Talk about intimidating! Congratulations, you've already challenged yourself and grown in ways that I haven't yet.
I haven't seen a graded score card in any of the states that have issued me licenses (I've lived all over the U.S.), but I love the idea. That seems like useful feedback on where the student has room for improvement.
In Canada it takes at least two years to go from getting your learner's permit from taking a written test (which only lets you drive with someone who's fully licensed in the passenger seat), to taking your final test to get your full license, at least in provinces that have a similar system to Ontario. After passing your written test, you generally have to wait a year to take your first in-car test, which gives you a license with some restrictions (basically no multi-lane highway driving and no night driving). After getting that, it takes at least another year before you can take your final in-car test which gives you your full license.
And I remember taking an aptitude test in my driving class actually! I don't remember how similar it was to the one you took, though.
Yeah in BC, Canada it is three years now to get your full licence. 1 year with a 'L' (leaners) then 2 years with a 'N' (novice). Not sure how that compares with the rest of Canada.
Welcome! I hope you enjoying your stay.
I'm amazed at how you're able to film this lol let alone get these camera angles! This is an awesome video!
Thanks! They were super co-operative! I'm really grateful since normally you wouldn't be able to record a driving lesson (all luggage including phone has to be put away before you get in the car, no distractions allowed, etc, no electronics during class either...) It was a big project and I'm glad the first video turned out so well!
Ahhh in August I’ve had my licence for nine years. I went to a two week course but i had driving lessons once a week before I started. I wish I had your first teacher! He was really sweet! You can do it, I believe in you!
I loved this video, you seemed really happy and this step looks really exciting! I'm actually collecting money for getting driver's licence too in my country to get that freedom which car can give to you, looking forward that.
Thanks! I had a lot of fun when I made this. It’s fun to be a student again, even if it’s just for a little while #forever18
I got the driver license in japan man it was so hard but I was lucky that I didn’t fail even once to get the driver license I studied a lot and I had never studied so much in my life
In writing test I got 47 scores out of 50 and 98 out of 100
Getting a driver license in japan is so hard but it’s the most powerful ID in japan works everywhere I can say more powerful than the visa
you're so amazing micaela! loved this video.
Thanks for this video. I am undertaking the process myself in Kitakyushu. Just signed up yesterday and will start everything this weekend. I can totally relate with the fear of learning to drive, though my fear is more around whether I can do it in all Japanese - though I did take full-time Japanese Language School and went from N4 to N2 level over those 9 months, so I figure I should be okay. I guess it's also scary thinking about actually driving by myself on the road, but the trade-off of not having to take a packed train to work everyday is going to be so worth it.
LOL japanese driving schools are like 90% the same as in german. You can get your license withing a few weeks if you know what you're doing and you also need to pass a emergency first aid test (cpr 'n stuff). Went trough almost exactly the same 2 years ago, only in germany we don't drive in a closed off area but on public streets for the whole process. So hyped for you! :)
I enjoyed watching this! I loved the different filming angles you did.
Very well done!
P.S. do you have a cameraman follow you around? Just curious!!
I did for this! Sometimes it’s a team, sometimes it’s my boyfriend, sometimes it’s my manager. It would be impossible to do it all myself. When I enrolled in the school told them about my plans to make these videos and they were very co-operative. It’s a lot more work than a vlog!
I edit everything myself of course but the extra camerawork is usually done by someone close to me, whoever is available haha.
Great video and good luck on your driving tests! Its nice watching videos of how drivers are educated in other countries. The amount of preparation and discipline they get. We don't get that here in the Philippines. You can get a license within a day and you don't even need to be able to drive or read and you can already drive buses or big trucks!
You're awesome!!! I'm getting encouraged by your video to go to driving school and move on at 32sai
Yesss you can do it! (There are other adult students too. One woman I'm studying with is a mother of three who is only getting her license now so she can take her kids out during summer holidays instead of staying at home.) Everyone succeeds at their own pace!
Micaela, this looks great. Back home(Romania, Europe) we have to pass 2 tests: a theory one and a practical one. Going to school is not a must tho’ and the actual driving lessons are going to take aproximately a month . Aaa we have just one driving teacher for the whole period. Fingers crossed! I’m sure you’ll do great
this is the cutest video ever!
If you're trying obtain a Japanese license from scratch it costs around ￥300,000 (roughly ＄3000.00). They make so much money!
wow hopefully everything goes well and you can get your license!! it seems like having a car in japan can really help get around to more rural areas which would be cool. it's really neat that in fukuoka they have textbooks and tests in english and chinese! those cpr lessons look really handy too wow
Yes! I'm so excited to be able to get in a car and drive out to places in Fukuoka that I couldn't normally visit before!
I was fortunate to have my driving course as part of my school classes. I was able to get my temps at 15.5 years old, then my license on my 16th birthday. It's weird to think I've been driving for half my life, but I grew up in the woods, so you needed to be able to drive as public transportation didn't exist there.
Good luck to you. Remember to signal when coming out of a parking space on the side of the road. I missed that on my exam.
Those instructors were super nice. In Slovakia the course takes around 10-12 weeks. It includes classes twice a week and driving in traffic a lot (only like 1-2 lessons are in parking lot or some abandoned place). Then you have a 3 part test supervised by a policeman - driving rules, car mechanics and practical part - driving in traffic for a few minutes.
I can't believe you were able to film this!!
Congrats on stepping outside of your comfort zone!! I'm from the US and I got my learner's permit when I was 16, and my license the same year. At the time, I was living in Connecticut, and there, you have to have your learner's permit for a year before you can get a license (and there are lots of restrictions on when and who you can drive with). The exception is that if you take driving school (classes and on-the-road training), you can get your license in 6 months, instead of 12 months.
There was a driving school down the street from where I was living, so I went there. The on-the-road training was actually ON the road - they didn't have a closed driving course, but they did often take you to parking lots to practice for the first few times.
I'd be curious to know more about how getting a driving license in Japan if you ALREADY have a license from another country. I imagine that you still have to take a new test (to make sure that you know the local laws), but I'm curious if they require driving training as well.
Your videos are always such high quality 👍🏼
I'm so excited to see the process, it's really interesting! I got my driver's license several years ago, I'm not an active driver, as I don't have my own car yet and my parents won't let me lend theirs. But I really want my own wheels some day so I'm gonna take some extra lessons to make sure I don't kill myself and anyone else when I start driving again lol. I feel like the driving schools in the Czech Republic are somehow similar - it depends on the city, of course. I live in a bigger city and we had obligatory theoretical classes (we had something similar to the CPR course as well, but much less thorough I find), then actual driving on the roads and if you pass the written and driving exams, you're all set. Though it seems much more strict in Japan overall, which is a good thing.
Anyway, that's very big mistake - tell your parents. Not to buy you a car, but to lend you car or at least to let you drive the car with them aboard. Otherway after a few years you will have to take another lessons in drive school to refresh you forbidden skills :-)
The instructor looks so kind compared with the time when I got a license. It was few decades ago, they used to teach us strictly not to have a car accident. Declining students caused by declining birthrate probably changed recent driving school. Have fun & keep safety driving.
Oh wow, that's not how I expected the process to be at all. Though it's super fitting, I honestly really like it. If driver's tests were like that here, honestly I'd be more excited to go off and get my license.
But you're not alone! It's only taking longer and longer to get a license in Canada, and I'm 21 and have yet to even bother thanks to Vancouver's public transit.
Watching this video reminded me of the time when I was getting my driver's license. It took me one month to learn and do the test - driving lesson once a week for roughly two hours. I can tell you that it was one of the most hilarious experiences for me because the examiner on the day of the lesson took one good look at me, and proceeded to blast the radio with rock music and then told me to go ahead and start whenever I was ready haha!
Anyway, good job and good luck Micaela!
Today I learned about the Landolt C eye test chart. Cool!
You’re gonna have fun learning again to drive on the other side of the road if you move back to Canada!! 😂
Hlo
Driving in Japan is fantastic! The roads are in good condition and the scenery out in the countryside is amazing--also driving through tunnels and bridges is a great experience. The only real problem is that everyone drives so slowly in Japan, and the narrow roads makes it difficult to pass. I remember I once had to take a refresher driving course in Japan (the by-the-book/no common sense culture of clerical paperwork deemed I was a beginner despite driving for 15 years), and it was a neat experience going through the obstacle course. It was very mellow. Tip for new drivers in Japan: learn your car and your angles/distances for turning. Roads are very narrow, and visibility limited in some intersections.
Thank you for this ‘ in America there is a driving school’ but depending of your location you will not need it . It’s as simple as reading a pamphlet, answer 20 questions on your test’ if you get 4 questions wrong, you fail🚲 but if pass you get a permit ‘ within three months fill out your driving log book/ take course test’ pass it and you’ll get your drivers license that same day. It’s simpler than most countries
It was a really interesting video!!! Thanks for filming as much as possible!
Do you know what car model is it? It's so cool and elegant! 😍
Here instructors don't explain that much and usually we don't do first circuits, we start off with roads immediately. We can only drive legally when we go to a driving school and can not drive before having the license (even if we are going with our parents or someone who has the license). The PCR was so surprising since here we don't even mention it! And it is way more expensive than in Japan I believe, it's around 900 - 1000€/person (at least where I live)
But it is easier to pass the theory part, need to be fair on this one. 🤣
I'm Swedish and I'm in the middle of learning how to drive too!
Here, automatic cars are not as common. I'm learning how to drive with a stick. (Manual)
I'd say it takes slightly longer here since it takes extra time to get comforable with the clutch and the gears.
Aside from the final driving test, we also have two smaller tests which you pass by just attending. One is basically a class where you discuss things that can affect your driving negatively, such as your personality, alcohol, drugs and sleepiness.
On the second one you get to drive on a road that has been smothered with something slippery, so you get to feel like what it's like to break on a slippery surface. There are also dolls jumping out on the road now and then. This is good since Swedish roads are icy during the winter.
You can either go to driving school or drive with someone you know. I drive with my parents, and they had to attend a 5 hour class to be allowed to teach me. Once they did, they're allowed to teach people how to drive for 5 years. When driving with them you put a big magnetic sticker on the back of the car that says "ÖVNINGSKÖR", "Practicing drving".
I wish I lived in a country with automatic cars! I'd be done by now.
In Germany you can get a driver's license at the age of 18, but a few years ago the government introduced the concept of learner's permits for 17 year olds. The requirements for a learner's permit are the same as for the ordinary license, such as a tough written exam, 12 hours of CPR/first aid instructions, ca. 20 hours of driving training (including two hours at night, two hours on country roads and two hours on Autobahns) before you can take the practical exam. Holders of a learner's permit must have an adult of more than 30 years of age and perfect driving record on the passenger seat. On your 18th birthday the learner's permit is automatically exchanged to a life-long driver's license.
Great video!! Good luck on getting your lisence!!
It is always such a pleasure to go to Japan and drive. I have done many extended driving tours to reach the less accessible places around Japan. Once you learn the rules there it is easy to drive because everyone is polite and considerate on the road. Not like here in the US where every other driver is either clueless (like the lady who decided to back up in a roundabout when she missed her exit!), or they are full of road rage and think the post speed limit is a suggested minimum speed and give you the finger as they pass.
In america at least my state, as long as you're 18 you can take the written test right away no classes. if you pass you can come back the next day if you wanted and take the real test. that's if you can get in its always busy asf.
Wow that sounds so easy!!!
it is but isn't, our driving test it's self is pretty hard. they make you do everything from parallel park to driving through the cones forwards and backwards. you can't hit the break during that part till you are at the point you're supposed to stop or you fail instantly.
dn32585 mh..its way easy...in the states,in my opinion, if u are already knowledge in driving... germany is about the same as in japan...but even more classes and a lot of money... it took me 5 month and about 2000 euros until i had my german license..and i was one of the fasted😂u need to have 12 driving practise hours,( it will end up more but those are the hours u def need) and then a certain amount of hours in class room..then if u are sure and the teacher feels like u are secure in driving u can do ur actual test to get the license. others take normally 6 to 8 month and even more money ... i moved to arizona... it took me one day and 20 dollars to get my american license 🤷♀️ all i did was show up at the dmv....i went and got it about a month after we moved here....i looked up online questions, to study the questions a little bit on my own.... if u do classes before hand or not is up to you...i think they need to change that here tho.....
2000 Euros omg we'd have a lot less driver if they did that lol, i had to wait till i was 18 cause we were not well off but not poor. I always lived in a house but still, driving class was not an option my mom couldnt afford it. being a devorced single mom of 4 she did the best she could on her own, i thank god they have it that way for those who wouldnt be able to afford those classes.
that'd be awesome lol i hate parallel parking
I’d say getting a license in England is pretty easy! Once you turn 17 you can get a provisional (learners) license, and then you have to complete a theory exam (multiple choice questions and hazard perception) and a practical test (45 minutes long) but there’s no minimum amount of hours you have to drive before you can take your practical test so you could (in theory) pass your test within a week or two if starting out! If you pass your test in an automatic car then you can only drive automatics unless you take another test, whereas in England manuals are more common and most people take their tests in these and it allows you to drive both! Good luck with your driving, it looks like you gained more confidence with it already!
I love the way you shoot and edit your videos 💕 well done
Thank you!
I'm 31 and moving to Japan to teach English. I lived all around the world but always wanted to live in Japan. I don't have a driver's license I will get one when I am in Japan ASAP. Thanks for the video!
Great video! I wish driving lessons in the US were as nice & thorough as they appear to be in Japan! You did an awesome job driving!
Congratulations on attempting your license in Japan! I did some driving in Japan when I was visiting on an IDP, and found it to be similar to Australia to a degree, just a lot narrower than I was used to in the side streets!
To get a license here in Victoria, Australia, you study a book called "Road to Solo Driving", and then take a computerized knowledge test of 32 questions and take an eye test. 74% to pass. If you pass, you get your photo taken, and you will be mailed your Learner Permit. Valid 10 years. You then record in a log book for 120 hours of driving practice with a full license driver as your supervisor. Must record 10 hours at night too.
At age 17 3/4. you can take another computerized test called a Hazard Perception Test which runs simulations of hazardous situations, such as a turning right when a truck is blocking your view. You click the mouse to signal when you would perform the move it is asking you to do (start, stop, turn, etc).
At age 18, with your completed log book, you undertake a 20-30 minute practical on-road drive test where you complete a set course and perform different maneuvers such as a reverse parallel park, and 3-point turn. Complete the test without making more than 2 mistakes and you will be given a Probationary License.
On your Probationary License, there are 2 "stages" to it: P1 and P2.
P1 - You show a Red "P" plate at the back of your car for 1 year. You can't drive with more than 1 passenger between ages 16~24 without a full license holder supervising you. Excludes immediate family. Can't drive a car with a power-to-weight ratio of 125 KW/tonne, and can't drive anything turbocharged or supercharged without permission from the Road Traffic Authority, nor can you drive anything with 8+ cylinders. You have a BAC limit of 0.00 and can't use your phone under any circumstances, or tow a trailer.
P2 - If you have been good on P1, you will get a letter in the mail to graduate to P2, where you show a Green "P" for 3 more years. Most of the P1 restrictions apply still, but you can use a mobile phone handsfree now (at last check) and have more passengers in the car without needing a full license holder.
After 4 years on Probationary License, you will get another letter graduating you to a full license. If you have had no infringements in that time, you should be able to get your full license at no charge (you have to pay the renewal fee if you have gotten a ticket anytime during your "P's")
Compared to getting your license in Japan in the video, getting a license here is a bludge. Good luck on your endeavours!
Ryan O'Malley getting a licence in Japan is so much easier. They only need 16 hours of driving experience compared to our 120 hours.
The only good thing about having such a long and strict licensing process is that Aussies can swap their license to a Japanese one if you move there. A lot of other countries (including the US) have to go through the entire licence process from scratch. Their home country licenses doesn’t mean anything over there.
Girl im starting Saturday in Hofu! Im excited! I know its a bet older video but i am trying to be prepared 🤣 i drove in Michigan but its the opposite side. I should do ok hopefully 😆
It's funny how they put you straight on the busy public roads in my country and it was also with a manual which is mandatory to get a license
Yeah, we had no driving school fake streets and intersections :-) Anyway in Japan it looks more like a school, in my country it's like intensive course and the final test is made with the police officer. My first lesson ever was going in real traffic through the city (like 30km) and second lesson was on multilane highway :-) Even I saw japan test result with all the grades - woaw, in my country it was just done/fail :-) I like japan driving school the theoretical part but our practical driving part...
PS: Getting the license is not the same as knowing how to drive :-) It can take a few years (or more or never) to become a good driver.
Best of luck! I’m sure you’ll do great!