Race Through Tokyo’s Iconic Sightseeing Spots by Street Kart: A Complete Guide for Beginners
The moment the traffic light at Shibuya Scramble Crossing turns green, hundreds of people start walking all at once. Imagine watching this scene not from inside a tour bus window, but from a viewpoint just inches above the ground. I’ve been living in Tokyo for five years now, and street kart is still the first thing I recommend whenever friends from abroad come to visit.
A New Standard in Tokyo Sightseeing
I’ll be honest—at first, I thought, “Is it really okay to drive a kart on public roads?” But once I actually tried it, I discovered a completely different world. Street Kart has conducted over 150,000 tours and guided more than 1.34 million customers. With an average rating of 4.9/5.0 from over 20,000 reviews, you can see just how beloved this experience has become.
What really put my mind at ease was knowing that guides trained specifically for international drivers accompany every tour. English support is a given, and the website is available in 22 languages, making reservations a breeze. As for driver’s licenses, you’ll need an International Driving Permit—check the official website for details.
From Shibuya to Omotesando: Cruising the Cutting Edge of Trends
Shibuya Scramble Crossing is said to see up to 500,000 people pass through daily—it’s a world-famous spot. When you roll through in your kart and pedestrians around you start pointing their smartphones, the thrill is absolutely indescribable. Passing by the Hachiko statue and climbing up Miyamasuzaka, you’ll enjoy a quintessentially Tokyo landscape where cutting-edge fashion buildings stand alongside old-school shops.
Once you enter Omotesando, the atmosphere shifts completely. Cruising beneath the zelkova trees is especially magical around dusk. Sunlight filtering through the leaves casts shadows on the road, creating scenes that look straight out of a movie. It’s a classic phenomenon among foreign tourists—this stretch tends to blow up on social media as a prime photo spot.
Tokyo Tower and Zojoji Temple: Where Tradition Meets Modernity
Tokyo Tower stands 333 meters tall as an iconic symbol of the city. But here’s a little secret—if you want to gaze up at the tower, the view from the grounds of Zojoji Temple beats looking straight up from underneath. The composition of the temple’s majestic gate, with over 600 years of history, framed alongside the red and white tower is the money shot I always recommend to friends visiting from overseas.
Street Kart routes let you explore this area efficiently. Experiencing the tranquility of the temple alternating with urban bustle is a unique joy that only kart riding offers. Distances that would tire you out on foot become effortless when you’re seated, feeling the wind as you cruise along.
Experience the Future at Odaiba
The route crossing Rainbow Bridge to Odaiba is a classic course that even first-timers can enjoy. You get to take in Fuji TV’s spherical observatory, the life-sized Unicorn Gundam statue, and Tokyo Bay’s waterfront all in one go. On evening tours, the waterside illuminations reflecting off the water create a breathtaking scene that’ll make you gasp out loud.
From Akihabara to Asakusa: Soaking Up Downtown Culture
In America, they call it “otaku culture,” but in Japan, there’s this refreshing atmosphere where you can proudly enjoy it as “pop culture.” Weaving through Akihabara’s electronics district, cruising along the Sumida River, and arriving at Asakusa’s Kaminarimon Gate—this downtown course takes about two hours and reveals another side of Tokyo entirely.
Looking up at Kaminarimon’s massive paper lantern up close is something special. Tour buses require you to walk from the parking lot, but with a kart, you can get right up front. Gazing at the bustling Nakamise shopping street while wondering which shop to pop into next is part of the fun.
Why Street Kart Stands Out
What makes Street Kart special is that it goes beyond a simple attraction—it’s an authentic Tokyo sightseeing experience. With six locations in Tokyo plus shops in Osaka and Okinawa (eight nationwide), you can flexibly book according to your itinerary.
The guide staff are experienced in hosting international tourists, and their English explanations are thorough. I was nervous at first, but once I got on, the controls were intuitive and I got the hang of it within minutes. With over 250 vehicles in their fleet, group participation is totally doable. The sight of friends or family rolling in formation is Instagram gold all on its own.
Safety measures are thorough too. The pre-departure briefing covers traffic rules and important points in detail, so you don’t need to worry even if you’re unfamiliar with Japanese road conditions. From my experience, having guides watching over you from the front and back the whole time made it easy to relax and enjoy the ride even as a first-timer.
Costume rental services are also available, letting you race through Tokyo’s streets in your outfit of choice. Many participants pick colorful costumes for commemorative photos, adding an extra layer of memory-making to the experience.
Booking Tips and What to Expect on the Day
Making reservations can be tricky for international tourists, but with Street Kart, you can easily book online at kart.st. The English site is comprehensive, so not being able to read Japanese is no problem at all.
The most popular time slots are Saturday and Sunday afternoons through sunset. These slots fill up quickly, so I recommend securing your spot as soon as your travel dates are set. Weekday early afternoons are relatively open—a hidden gem time slot for a more relaxed experience.
Aim to arrive about 15 minutes before your scheduled time on the day of. You’ll receive a quick operational briefing before departure, so even if you’re not confident behind the wheel, you’ll be fine. In America we drive on the right with left-hand drive cars, but in Japan it’s the opposite. What’s funny about this cultural difference is that with a kart, you barely feel it compared to a regular car.
Exploring Tokyo’s classic sightseeing spots while feeling the wind in your face—there’s a reason I always recommend street kart when friends from back home visit. It’s because you get to enjoy Tokyo from a local’s perspective that you won’t find in any guidebook. On your next trip to Tokyo, definitely give this new style of sightseeing a try.
A Note About Costumes
We do not offer rentals of Nintendo or “Mario Kart” related costumes. We only provide costumes that respect intellectual property rights.
