Our Last Full Day
For our last full day in Japan, we’d saved the silliest thing for last: driving go-karts on the actual streets of Tokyo. In costume.
We took the train to Akihabara in the morning and walked to the kart shop, where you pick a onesie from the rack. Minmin went for Rilakkuma (of course), and I went for Elmo.
Gearing Up
Before anything else, they check your International Driving Permit. Without one, you can’t drive, full stop. Then a quick briefing, and off we went, in a line behind the guide, with a few other groups dressed as Minions and other characters.
The karts sit really low, so your eyes are at the height of car bumpers, and buses and trucks look enormous. It feels much faster than it actually is. And everyone stares, waves and takes photos of you. Tourists, office workers, kids, everyone.
Asakusa and Kaminarimon
First stop: Asakusa, right in front of Kaminarimon, the big gate with the red lantern at the entrance to Sensoji. The guide pulled us over by the side of the road for photos.
Under the Skytree
Then across the Sumida River to Tokyo Skytree, where we parked for a proper photo break by the canal right below the tower. The staff photographer got everyone to pose, jump and do silly things. We were happy to oblige.
Back Across Town
From the Skytree, we drove back across the river and all the way down to Tokyo Station and Ginza. Driving a go-kart in an Elmo onesie past the red-brick Tokyo Station is not something I ever expected to do, but here we are.
By noon we were back at the shop in Akihabara, and they handed us printed photos from the Skytree stop as a souvenir. Nice touch.
Was it touristy? Totally. Was it one of the most fun things we did on the whole trip? Also yes. After all that, we needed lunch, and we were right in the middle of Akihabara.
Information About the Akihabara Street Kart Tour
About two hours on real Tokyo roads with a guide in front, costumes included. The staff take photos at the stops and give you prints at the end.
PS: You need an International Driving Permit (1949 Geneva Convention) or a Japanese licence. No permit, no kart, no exceptions, so sort it out before you fly.