One of my most anticipated activities for Japan was “Mario Kart” or go karting through the streets of Tokyo. Now it isn’t actually Mario Kart, and the character costumes that are provided aren’t Mario characters, but still it’s the closest thing you’d get to Mario Kart. After doing some research, the company that had the best reviews was STREET KART Tokyo Bay. There were a few options to choose from including going through Shibuya Crossing, which would have been cool, but the one that interested me the most was the longest tour (2 + hours) where you go over Rainbow Bridge and to the Tokyo Tower.
One thing you need to know is if you plan on go karting in Japan, whichever company you choose, you will need an international drivers permit. I got mine from CAA and it cost $35 CAD. Then the Rainbow Bridge/Tokyo Tower tour costs 17 500 Yen (about $160 CAD) but if you promise to leave a review it will go down to 15 000 Yen. I booked my time and date ahead of time to ensure a spot and on the day of, I had to arrive 30 minutes early for orientation, pick my costume and sign the waiver forms.
We were busy in Japan, trying to cram everything in, so the day of STREET KART was no different. We had to rush because we went to Senso-Ji temple in the morning, then had to make our way across Tokyo to the Shin-Kiba train station. From the Shin-Kiba station, STREET KART Tokyo Bay is another 15 minutes walk. We were running late so instead we took a taxi instead and arrived just on time. I got there, chose the costume of Pikachu and read some very confusing road rules which you didn’t have to follow. After reading the rules, I was a bit nervous, but it was super easy because you really only have to follow your team leader and listen for a few commands, “slow down, stop, speed up, one line or two lines”. And to signal when you’re turning. My anxiety was all for nothing.
So, after our orientation and getting some reminders we were off. The only reminder I forgot about was sometimes turning off my signal light and of course the most important of all, the seat belt. But let’s be honest, with the STREET KART experience, you are driving on the road with all the traffic. At times you will have semi-trucks speeding beside you, as grim as it sounds, if you get hit, I don’t think a seat belt is going to help. I realized about halfway through the journey, while cruising on the Rainbow Bridge at high speeds that I forgot the seat belt… whoops. And speaking of the Rainbow Bridge, it doesn’t look anything too spectacular, but what an experience driving 60 km/hr on a massive bridge in Tokyo traffic. The Rainbow Bridge is Japan’s equivalent to the Brooklyn Bridge… it's a massive suspension bridge that has two levels and a number of roadways branching off of it. There are sections of the roadway that are painted red and it kind of feels like something out of Mario Kart although it isn’t really painted like a rainbow.
After the Rainbow Bridge we made our way to the Tokyo Tower. The Tokyo Tower is a communications tower modelled after the Eiffel Tower, although it’s not as big and it’s painted red and white. It is a cool structure rising into the Tokyo skyline. It’s good that I chose this tour because I wouldn’t have seen the Tokyo Tower or Rainbow Bridge as most of our time was spent in Shinjuku, Shibuya and Kawaguchiko.
We didn’t learn much on the tour and we didn’t see too much of Tokyo. We saw, like I said the Tokyo Tower and the Rainbow Bridge. We also saw a lot of Tokyo Bay. It sounds cool but there isn’t much to see besides industrial buildings, the water, and some new buildings. Although there is a cool-looking beach surrounded by extremely modern buildings on the other side of the bay. I didn’t explore the area but saw it off in the distance.
Despite not seeing too much, the experience was awesome. You won’t get a lot of opportunities for photos but that’s okay, the experience is all about fun and speed. Using a phone while driving is illegal, but you can take photos while stopped at a red light, just make sure you’re ready to go when it turns green. The tour guide will also take photos of you, print one out at the end then give you digital access to the photos. You can also rent a go pro for 2000 Yen (about $15 CAD) or you can bring your own which I did. You can see the first-person video of my experience here.
So, if you’re seeking adventure and an adrenaline rush then STREET KART Tokyo Bay is for you. It was over 2 hours of high-speed driving and a thrill seeking adventure. You will be driving on the road with the traffic and in Japan they drive on the left hand side, but after about 20 minutes you will be used to it and cruising. We did see some places I wouldn’t normally have seen too. Overall, it was a great experience and for anyone who likes getting their adrenaline flowing I’d recommend it. It cost close to $150 CAD and another $35 for the IDP but the price was totally worth it. It was over 2 hours of action and what an experience, go karting through the busy Tokyo streets while dressed as Pikachu.
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