Image Credit: Yuzuru Gima
Americans, I am sorry, but Japan drives on the left. Instantly jarring to you, but strangely comforting to British people like myself, cars in Japan do drive on the left side of the road.
Why does Japan drive on the left when most countries don’t?
Turns out traffic laws have roots in very human, very historical habits.
The origins of left-side travel date back long before cars. In medieval times, samurai and swordsmen would walk or ride on the left side of roads so that their right hand—typically the dominant one—would be free to draw a weapon or offer a handshake (depending on how the encounter went). Staying on the left made it easier to defend oneself from oncoming threats or, say, an unfriendly warrior.
This practice wasn’t unique to Japan; it was also common across Europe, especially in feudal societies where close-quarters combat was the norm (including the UK).
Think about medieval jousting, where knights rode on the left side so they could better aim their lances with their right hand—another example of how left-side travel was rooted in practicality and self-defense.
Japan’s official commitment to left-side travel took shape during the Edo period, but it became law in the Meiji era as the country modernized its infrastructure. British engineers played a significant role in designing Japan’s early railways, and their influence helped codify left-side traffic in urban planning and law. In fact, by 1924, left-side driving became legally standardized across the entire country.
For more on this Edo period travel, you might be interested in my article: A Tale of Edo Japan Timekeeping and Navigation.
Credit: Bluesky85
So why does the United States—and most of Europe and, indeed, the world—drive on the right?
Blame the French, at least in part. During the French Revolution, aristocrats began traveling on the right side of the road to avoid drawing attention from the revolutionaries. Napoleon, a lefty himself, made right-side driving the rule across much of the European continent. This norm spread, especially as France gained influence.
Across the Atlantic, American settlers and freight drivers followed suit. In the early days of the U.S., large freight wagons were pulled by several pairs of horses and didn’t have driver seats. Drivers would sit on the left rear horse so their right arm could better manage the whip. To avoid collisions, they preferred oncoming wagons to pass on the left—hence driving on the right.
As cars came into the picture, Ford’s Model T helped standardize right-side driving. If you think about it, as cars were becoming more common in the early 20th century, there was still no universal standard for which side of the road to drive on in the United States. That changed with the introduction of Ford’s Model T in 1908.
Henry Ford designed the car with the steering wheel on the left side, which made practical sense as drivers could sit closer to the center of the road, making it easier to judge oncoming traffic and safely pass other vehicles. For that setup to work properly, cars needed to drive on the right side of the road. The Model T’s massive popularity helped solidify this pattern, and over time, the entire country aligned with right-side driving to match the car’s design.
(If you’re driving in a foreign country that is the opposite side to what you’re used to, don’t think to position yourself on the right or left lane. Instead, always picture yourself, the driver, as needing to be in the middle of the road.)
If you’re not ready for the road in Japan yet, here’s a beginner’s guide to cycling in Tokyo.
Today, only about 30% of the world drives on the left, mostly former British colonies like Australia, India and South Africa. Japan, while never colonized by Britain, retained many of the same logistical patterns due to British industrial partnerships in the 19th century. British companies and engineers played a significant role in building Japan’s railway systems, beginning with the first railway line between Tokyo and Yokohama in 1872.
It made sense for Japan to simply continue what it was doing over on the left-hand side of things, and these railways adopted British standards, including left-side operation. This eventually extended to road traffic as automobiles became more common.
So the next time you’re standing on a Tokyo curb or cruising along the Tomei Expressway, remember: the side of the road we drive on might seem like a small thing, but it carries centuries of global history in its lane markers.
Living in Japan? Read more of our Guides to Life in Tokyo here.
