As street parking in Japan is illegal, every vehicle owner needs to secure their own parking space. Most properties come with their own parking space, with standalone houses often having several. In the case that your rental property does not include parking, or if you require an additional parking space, you would need to rent a monthly parking space. Thes contracts generally last for either one or two years, with the parking “rent” being paid on a monthly basis.
Apply for a parking space:
Most available spaces in monthly parking lots around Iwakuni are listed on ParkDirect, a site where you can check availability, confirm monthly costs, fill out the lease application and even pay for your new parking spot.
https://www.park-direct.jp/
For applications submitted through ParkDirect, you have the option of paying the initial contract costs with a valid credit card, directly through the site.
Respect the rules of the road:
Unfortunately in Japan, street parking is nearly always prohibited, as is parking in a parking space other than your own (in a leased parking lot). Please avoid parking illegally at all costs, as this can result in police intervention, along with fines and/or towing of your vehicle.
Follow parking lot regulations:
Please ensure you park within your parking space (without your vehicle being on or over the line). Additionally, please refrain from doing any work on your car while parked at the monthly lot (this includes washing your car).
If your car has a noisy engine (with or without modifications), it is expected that this would be brought to the realtor’s attention when you first start looking for a parking space. This will not necessarily disqualify you from leasing a space; this will allow your agent to assist in your search for an appropriate space, inform you of regular expectations and most importantly, assist in the best posible way such that any trouble with surrounding neighbors or police can be avoided.