How to buy, rent or import a motorcycle in Japan as a tourist?
Japan is an excellent country to explore on a motorcycle. If you’re seriously thinking about it then one of the first decisions you need to make before embarking on this adventure is how to actually get your ride in the country.
There are basically three options: buying, renting, or importing. We’ll break down the steps and requirements for each option, so you can choose the one that works best for you.
Regardless of your choice, you will always need an International Driving Permit to legally ride a motorcycle in Japan as a tourist. And if you decide to buy a motorcycle in Japan or import your own, you will also need to buy compulsory third-party insurance.
Buying a motorcycle in Japan
How to buy a motorcycle in Japan (as a tourist)?
Theoretically if you’re not a resident in Japan, you cannot buy and register a vehicle here. Not to mention that it’s very difficult thing to do by yourself if you don’t speak Japanese. However, in 2023 we managed to buy two second-hand Hondas CRF250L and legally ride them thanks to huge help of Apex Moto.
Apex Moto is a dealership and motorcycle shop in Japan that has a great reputation among foreign riders in Japan. They will help you handle all the processes, including registration and insurance.
While the process of buying the bike via Apex Moto is quite simple, we recommend to start looking into it at least a few months in advance. The first thing you need to do is decide which bike you want. You can check what’s available on the Japanese second-hand motorcycle market as well as indicative prices on GooBike.
Once you’ve decided on your future ride, let Apex know and they will start looking for the bike at auctions. Buying at auctions is a good choice, because they have strict quality rules and all the bikes get a thorough inspection.
However, it can take a while to find your perfect ride, and that’s why you should start the process a few months before coming to Japan. Apex will regularly send you available bike options and prices. Once you find what you’re happy with, just let them know and they will take care of the rest.
Picking up your motorcycle from Apex Moto
When you arrive in Japan, you will need to go pick-up your motorcycle at Apex Moto shop in Fuefuki City, Yamanashi Prefecture. It’s about 2-3h train ride from Tokyo. The closest train station is Isawa-Onsen. There is also a highway bus from Shinjuku station to Isawa. Might be a better option if you have a lot of luggage like us.
Important: In Japan they use certified and personal seals called hanko to sign important official documents. As a tourist, you won’t have it, so you may need a document that certifies the authenticity of your hand signature. Your country’s embassy in Tokyo can arrange that for you for a fee (you need to go in person). Before heading to pick up your bike, check with Apex Moto if you need this document.
Once at Apex Moto, they will help you arrange registration and insurance. If you are not a resident in Japan (meaning you don’t have a fixed address and resident card), you cannot actually register the bike in your name, but Apex has some solutions for that. In any case you will be able to legally ride and enjoy the motorcycle you bought without issues. You will also be able to export it back home if you choose to or to sell it once your trip is over.
As you can see, it is possible to buy and legally ride a motorcycle in Japan as a tourist, but we highly recommend to do it with a help of a reputable dealer like Apex Moto. It will save you a lot of time and bureaucratic headaches!
We were not the first ones to rely on Apex Moto. Here you can read about Malinda’s experience of buying a motorcycle in Japan as a Canadian citizen.
Importing a motorcycle to Japan
How to import your motorcycle to Japan (as a tourist)?
You’re allowed to bring your own vehicle to Japan as a visitor for up to 1 year. There are two ways of doing it:
- C5014 Temporary Import Form, only if arriving with a ferry from Korea or Russia
- Carnet de Passages en Douane (CDP), If shipping from other countries
Note: Vehicles registered in countries that did not sign 1949 Geneva Convention on Road Traffic (for example Germany, and Switzerland) cannot drive in Japan with foreign number plates and need to undergo domestic registration after clearing customs.
Carnet de Passages (CDP)
You need Carnet de Passages if you’re shipping your bike to Japan (meaning you’re not coming with your bike on a ferry from either Russia or South Korea). Apart from getting the CDP, you also need to obtain authentication of your Carnet from Japan Automobile Federation (JAF) which costs 3000 yen. You can only do so once in Japan at one of the JAF offices. The whole procedure and required documents are detailed here.
The final document you will need before being able to ride your imported motorcycle in Japan is the mandatory third-party insurance called jibaiseki hoken.
Documents needed:
- International Driving Permit
- Carnet de Passages
- authentication of the Carnet from JAF
- vehicle registration document from your country
- mandatory third-party insurance
The costs of shipping your bike to Japan can vary significantly, depending on the route, freight type, and forwarder’s costs (if required). In our experience, Roll-on Roll-off (RoRo) shipping the cheapest option. We used WWL in the past and were satisfied with their service. Although, it seems they require you to get a forwarder now, which can skyrocket the costs…
You can read about people’s past experiences with shipping motorcycles to Japan (and other places) here.
Temporary Import Form (C5014)
While the official website for Carnet de Passages shows that Japan requires it, it’s not entirely true. Based on our experience, of ferrying our bike via Russia in 2012, as well as the experience of other travellers, you can enter Japan with your motorcycle without the CDP by using the C5014 temporary import form.
There is one requirement though: you need to arrive in Japan on a ferry, which means you need to enter Japan either from South Korea or Russia.
As with the previous option, you will need to obtain the mandatory third-party insurance called jibaiseki hoken.
Documents needed:
- International Driving Permit
- C5014 temporary import form
- vehicle registration document from your country
- mandatory third-party insurance
Some travelers reported that you also need to leave Japan via ferry in order for the temporary import form to work, but we successfully shipped our bike back to Europe with RoRo in 2013 after entering Japan with the temporary import form. You may be required to submit some additional documents or a separate export form, but it is possible to import your bike on a ferry using the C51014 and then export the bike in another way.
You can read about people’s past experiences with shipping motorcycles to Japan from Russia and South Korea here.
Motorcycle insurance
Third-party insurance called jibaiseki hoken (自賠責保険) is mandatory in Japan. You will need to arrange it yourself if you’re buying or importing a motorcycle in Japan. On top of the jibaiseki, you can also take voluntary insurance nini hoken (任意保険). You can opt for different levels of coverage depending on what you feel is right for you.
You can buy the jibaiseki from any motorcycle shop. You will get a small sticker that you need to put on your registration plates to show that your bike is insured. We arranged our insurance with Apex Moto, and also opted for the voluntary one for an extra peace of mind.
In 2023, the cost of jibaiseki for a 250cc bike for the period of 12 months was 7,100 yen.
Renting a motorcycle in Japan
How to rent a motorcycle in Japan?
While we don’t have personal experience renting a motorcycle in Japan, there are several companies offering motorbike rental services. We listed some of them below. The rental price for a 250cc motorcycle for one month varies from 240,000 yen to 387,000 yen (with insurance).
Regardless of the company you choose, you will need an international driving permit.
Rental companies
Websites in English:
- Rental819
- Japan Bike Rentals
- Bike Rental Japan
- Moto Tours Japan (guided and self-guided motorcycle tours)
- Ninja Tours (self-guided tours)
Websites in Japanese:
Pros & Cons of each option
Buying a motorcycle in Japan
Pros
- Cheaper than renting if staying more than 1 month
- Modify the bike to your liking
- Sell the bike to get some money back
- Export the bike back home
- Can come back and ride some more
Cons
- Lengthy process (at least a few months)
- Cannot register the bike "Directly" in Japan in your name if on a tourist visa
Importing a motorcycle to Japan
Pros
- You get to ride your trusty donkey!
- Don't need Carnet de Passages if entering Japan via ferry from South Korea or Russia
Cons
- Can be expensive unless you're coming via ferry
- Lots of paperwork
Remember that you can only use the Temporary Import Form if you’re coming to Japan with your motorcycle on the same ferry either from Russia or South Korea. For other shipping options you will need Carnet de Passages.
Renting a motorcycle in Japan
Pros
- Cost effective for a short trip (maximum 1 month)
- Minimal paperwork
- Fast process
Cons
- Becomes expensive if renting for more than a month
- Can't modify the bike
Something has changed? Share your experience!
Information on this page is based on our own experience, the experience of other travellers, and internet research. Because rules and regulations change all the time, we can’t guarantee that all the solutions suggested in this article will work.
However, we hope that it will be useful for your initial planning. If you think something is missing or you have the latest updates on some of the procedures, please let us know and we will update this page accordingly.
Happy riding!