Questions, answered
The licence rules first, because they are the ones that decide whether you ride. Then the karts, then the money.
The licence rules first, because they are the ones that decide whether you ride. Then the karts, then the money.
You drive on public roads, so Japanese law decides who may ride. This is the part that turns riders away at the counter, so it is the part to read before you book.
Almost certainly, yes. These are road-legal karts on public roads, so Japanese law decides who may drive.
You need one of four things: a Japanese driving licence, an International Driving Permit issued under the 1949 Geneva Convention, a licence from one of six listed countries plus an official JAF translation, or a SOFA licence. Your home licence on its own is never enough.
No. Japan accepts only the 1949 Geneva Convention permit, and the year is printed on the front cover. Permits issued under the 1926, 1943 and 1968 conventions are not valid here.
1968 is the one that catches most European riders out. Check the cover before you fly: we cannot make an invalid permit valid at the counter, and we cannot refund a rider we are not allowed to let drive.
In your own country, before you travel. They are not sold in Japan and we cannot issue one for you.
It also has to be carried together with the licence it was issued against — a permit on its own is void, which is printed on the permit itself.
Six countries are handled by translation instead: Switzerland, Germany, France, Taiwan, Belgium and Monaco. You bring your home licence plus an official Japanese translation of it made by JAF, the Japan Automobile Federation, ordered from them before you travel. A translation you arranged yourself is not accepted.
Estonia is a special case: JAF’s current English list and the 1949 party list disagree on it, so we are not guessing either way. If you hold an Estonian licence, message us before booking.
A SOFA licence is enough on its own — no permit, no translation. The same goes for dependants holding one.
Message us with a photo of your licence before you book and we will tell you straight away.
Japan accepts licences and permits from a fixed list of countries, and guessing in either direction is what gets riders turned away. Ask first — it takes a minute and it is free.
There is no separate age limit. If your licence is valid in Japan, you are old enough to ride.
You drive. The karts are single-seat, so everyone in the convoy is driving their own.
Up to 60 km/h. They are automatic — no gears, no clutch.
Hybrid. Each one carries a 48V 20Ah battery and a 4.4-litre petrol tank, so “electric” would be the wrong word for it.
Real roads, in live traffic, in an escorted convoy with a guide in front. The route runs past Kokusai Dori and the airport coast. This is a city ride, not a circuit.
English and Japanese.
No. Every kart is single-seat, so everyone riding drives their own. We do not currently offer a kart that can carry a second person.
Yes. Maximum weight is 130 kg and maximum height is 180 cm. Both are limits of the kart itself, so there is nothing we can do at the counter for a rider over either one — check before you book.
Yes. Vehicle insurance covering you in the event of an accident is included in the price of the tour.
Expressways and any road requiring an engine over 50cc are off limits, so the karts cannot use them. Some ordinary highways are permitted and the route does use them.
You can use coin parking exactly as you would with a car. Be aware that theft of, or damage to, the kart while it is parked is the rider’s own cost.
Cosplay rental, the guide, professional photos and video. Nothing on that list is an extra.
Two tours. 60 minutes at ¥9,000 covers Kokusai Dori and the Naha Airport coast road.
90 minutes at ¥12,000 covers the same, plus the bridge over to Senagajima and Umikaji Terrace.
These are open karts on open roads, so bad weather cancels the ride. If we call it off, you are refunded in full.
Weather is separate and always free: if the forecast is poor, you can cancel or move your booking at any time up to your slot at no cost.
Free of charge up to seven days before your slot, for any reason. Inside seven days, contact us — we handle these case by case rather than by a flat rule.
Weather is separate and always free: if the forecast is poor, you can cancel or move your booking at any time up to your slot at no cost.
Up to 9. If you are a group of more than 9, contact us directly rather than booking online and we will work out how to run it.
2-6-12 Kumoji 2-Chōme, Naha, Okinawa 900-0015, Japan. A container office at street level with the karts parked outside.
Open 9:00 – 22:00, daily. If you cannot find it, call +81-80-4694-0519.
Still unsure about your licence? Message us a photo of it before you book.