Learning to Drive in Japan #0 – Intro and Outline

As of today, I graduated from the driving school that I have been going to for the past two and a half months.
I would like to share about my experience and hopefully it will be of some use to my dear readers.

Two things to note
1) You can get an Automatic Driver’s License in 14 days at my school if you go in for long hours every day. It took me two and a half months because I only went to school at a pace of three weekday nights and one weekend, per week.
2) Avoid going to driving schools in Feb and Mar. These are the months where it will be crowded with high school students. May, June, October, and November are good months to consider!

The following is my journey in a simple timeline.
Please click on the links in the timeline to jump to a particular section that you are interested in!
(Many entries have yet to be written. Please be patient if there is no link yet!)

October 2020
17th – Finding a School

November 2020
1st – Trial lesson at School K
8th – Trial lesson at School C
9th – Registered online for School K
16th – Orientation day at School K
17th – Official first day of school (theory lesson)
18th – First driving lesson

December 2020
4th – Final theory lesson for Part 1
8th – Preliminary theory test for Part 1
13th – Final driving lesson for Part 1
15th – Driving and theory test for Part 1 (obtained temporary license)
23rd – First driving and theory lesson for Part 2 (out on the road)

School’s Year-end and New Year Holidays: 29th Dec to 3rd Jan

January 2021
10th – Final theory lesson for Part 2 (excluding First Aid)
13th – CPR, AED and other first aid lessons
15th – Preliminary theory test for Part 2
20th – Predicting danger lesson (driving simulator)
22nd – Expressway driving lesson
27th – Final driving lesson for Part 2
29th – Driving test for Part 2 (graduation)

→ Theory test for Part 2 (some time soon)