Taiwan is one of a small group of countries Japan handles by translation instead of by permit. You do not need an International Driving Permit — bring your own licence plus an official Japanese translation of it made by JAF.
Six countries do not issue permits Japan accepts, and Taiwan is one of them. Instead you bring a Japanese translation of your licence, made by JAF — the Japan Automobile Federation. Order it from them before you travel.
Important: Make sure the translation is from JAF. A translation you arranged yourself is not accepted.
Almost every article about driving in Japan tells visitors to get an International Driving Permit, because that is the answer for most countries. It is not the answer for yours, and turning up with a permit instead of a translation does not work either.
Order the translation from JAF — the Japan Automobile Federation — before you travel. Their English pages take the order and it arrives before you fly.
Important: A translation you arranged yourself is not accepted, however official it looks. It has to be the JAF one.
The rest of the rule is the same as for everyone else: these are road-legal karts on public roads in live traffic, so a licence Japan accepts is not optional, and your home licence on its own is never enough.
Not sure your licence works in Japan? That is the one thing worth settling before you book.
Read the permit rulesSix 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.
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.
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.
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.
The rest are on the FAQ, or emailinfo@gorillakartt.com.
¥12,000 per rider. Pick a day and a time — you are booking with us directly, not through a marketplace.
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