Base Transportation Options

Base Shuttle Bus (253-3944): On base shuttle bus is free and runs every 30 minutes, Mon-Sat 0600-2300, Sun 0800-2300, Holidays 0800-2300 MCCS Car Rental: Northside Auto Mini Mart (253-4245): Car rental $60 per day, van rental $70 per day. Price includes toll passes for the express way to your destination and back. Taxi:  MCCS offers Taxi service on-base.  You can call for a taxi on-base by dialing 253-5954 or off base by dialing 090-2000-8545.  Taxi service is available Friday and Saturday nights from 1900 - 0330.

Riding a Bicycle

PMO requires registration of all bicycles. You will receive a sticker to place on the bike to prove it's yours in case someone steals it. You will want to lock it to a bike rack to prevent theft. Q: What type of headlights and taillights are required? A: Just a headlight is required; as long as it works, you're fine. If you want to use a taillight, too, that's great, but it's not a requirement. Q: What are the regulations on reflectors? A: No reflectors are required to actually be on the bike, but of course the more visible you make yourself, the better. Q: Is reflective clothing required? A: Everyone has to wear reflective gear/clothing such as a vest or belt, even dependents. Q: Are there any particular regulations for helmets other than just wearing one (any specific type)? A: No specific regulations, you just have to wear one. Q: Are bike trailers allowed for pulling kids, and if so, do the kids need to wear pads along with the helmets? A: Yes, bike trailers are allowed to be used, and the kids are required to wear a helmet; pads are optional And of course, you should always adhere to the rules of the road while riding your bicycle! Effective June 2008, there are New Japanese Laws for bicyclists and drivers.

Taking a Taxi

You should take at least 5000 Yen when you go off base, to cover transportation, food, and purchases. A cab ride from the base to downtown Iwakuni at the train station ranges from $8-$15 or 800 to 1500 Yen, depending on where you caught the cab on base. Food is a bit more expensive off base than what you might be accustomed to in the States, so plan on spending about 1500 yen ($15) per person in food if you plan to dine while you're out, and of course take enough extra for any goodies you find to purchase! Be aware that not all cabs can come on base, so be sure you ask if they can come on base (typically they understand "On Base?" and "Crossroads Mall", and it's a nice central location), or you might end up dropped off at the Main Gate (almost all of them understand the phrase "Main Gate") and walking!

Driver's License

You will need a valid stateside license in order to drive at Iwakuni. Check the expiration date before you leave the US, and make sure your state side license will be valid the whole time you will be stationed at Iwakuni. When you arrive, you will be required to take a test that covers road signs in Japan (be sure to click "Next" at the bottom of each page, there are three pages of road signs). Drivers Manuals to study for the test are available for checkout at the base library. The test is administered via computer (or a written test is taken at the Station Safety Office if the computers are down), and you can miss 5 of 50 questions to pass (10 out of 100 if you take the written test). You will be given a brief review of the test before taking it. Upon passing, you will receive a SOFA license which grants you driving priviledges in Japan and on base. The SOFA license is just a laminated piece of paper stating that you are allowed to drive in Japan! The driving directions are the opposite from the US, so if you are accustomed to driving in the US, you will be driving on the opposite side of the road. Be sure to check the regulations concerning drivers under the age of 26, and ranks E-5 and below. Drivers under age 18 may drive only on base. Refer to the Driving in Japan section of the base web site for more information.

Buying a Vehicle

The base is very small, so you can walk pretty much everywhere. The commissary, bank, post office, exchange, 7-day store, library, etc are right in the center of the base. However, as good as walking is for your health it does get old eventually. The single people here often make do with bicycles or motorcycles, both of which are widely popular, but for those who need a better mode of transportation, buying a vehicle is the next step. It is not advisable to bring your vehicle. The laws for cars in Japan are different from the US. For you to bring your car, you would have to have it modified to meet Japan’s standards. This can be costly, upwards of $5000. It’s more economical to obtain something once at Iwakuni. You can buy a car from one of the local dealers located just out the main gate, such as (TNT Cars) for around $3000, which includes two years of the required JCI (Japanese Compulsory Insurance; click the link below to read more about this) and usually includes a 90-day warranty. You can also buy outright from someone on base for much less than that, but the prices are directly related to how much time is left on the JCI. These are not new cars; they are old, ranging anywhere from the late 1980s to the 1990s. You can get new cars, but realistically, unless you’re going to be here for a decade, there’s really no need to buy a new car when a used one will suffice, and save you money! When you find a vehicle you like, you will need to take care of some business. The first thing you will need to do is pay for the vehicle, either outright or by obtaining a loan at Navy Federal or Community Bank on base. Next, you will have to go just off base (the first right out the main gate, barely even a road) with the Title, current JCI, road tax receipt (see link below for more about road taxes), and any other documents you have with the vehicle to AIU (conveniently located just outside the main gate) or ACE and obtain secondary insurance (required for us military people driving in Japan). You will need to get Yen (Japanese currency) to pay for the insurance. You can withdraw Yen directly from your bank account if you use the ATM outside the 7-Day Store by the Exchange. Then, you will need to have the current owner (or individual left in charge, if the owner has already left Iwakuni) accompany you to PMO to change the ownership information and get a temporary base decal. If you obtained a loan for the vehicle, you will need to take some of the forms from PMO back to the bank. Finally, you need to take the Title, Road Tax Receipt, JCI documents, proof of secondary insurance (AIU or ACE, or other approved insurer), and whatever else you have in your hands at this point, to any dealership off base and have the title changed to your name. Total Costs Incurred Buying a Vehicle: Cost of Vehicle: $3000 or less Secondary Insurance (varies slightly, plan on $400 to be safe): $300 (30,000 yen) Title Transfer: $50 (5000 yen) The freedom to drive instead of walk: Priceless! Click Here to Learn About Annual Road Taxes Click Here to Learn About JCI

Local Train

You can easily take the local Iwakuni train to Hiroshima (45 minutes) and other surrounding locations. Information is provided on how to ride the local train during one of the welcome aboard briefs, and instructions are posted in English at the local Iwakuni train station for your convenience (instructions in English are NOT provided at other train stations). Two sets of instructions for how to take the local train: How to Take the Local Train Japanese Learning Site: How to Take the Local Train

Shin Train

If you need to travel to more distant locations within Japan and you need to get there quickly, you can ride the Shinkansen ("Shin" or "Bullet") train. It is more expensive than the local train, but travels at very high speeds. Below are some documents you may find useful for understanding how to read Shin tickets and other helpful information about taking the Shin train. How to Read Shin Tickets How to Read Shin Tickets (Provided by JR-East Rail Company) Yokota and New Sanno Info (Images: Local Train Schedule at Iwakuni Train Station, Taxi Cabs)