Did you know that winter driver's license training camps are a great deal?
It's a whopping 70,000 to 90,000 yen cheaper than summer and spring vacations. On the other hand, winter vacation is shorter than summer and spring vacations, and many driving schools are closed during the New Year holidays, so you may not be able to graduate during the break. However, by simply following the two points we will introduce now, you can get your license in time for the start of the new semester while paying significantly less than in spring or summer! If you read this article, you will be able to cover all the points to note about winter license training camps and narrow down your options for winter training camp driving schools.

[1] Winter driving license training camps are just so cheap! Compare the prices with summer and spring vacations

First of all, please take a look at the comparison of training camp costs for summer vacation, winter vacation, and spring vacation license training camps ↓

As I mentioned at the beginning, compared to the most expensive time of the year in spring, you can save about 70,000 to 90,000 yen for a standard car license, whether it's manual or automatic, which is the equivalent of a four-day domestic trip, for example.
To be honest, I think that the low price alone could be the deciding factor for choosing a winter Driving Camp!
In the market for Driving Camp, summer and spring vacations are busy periods due to the length of the holidays, and prices are therefore higher, but winter vacation is shorter to begin with, and there are few driving schools that are open over the New Year holidays, so it is not a very busy period nationwide and you can apply at the same rate as in the off-season.

[2] Two points to note

1. Very few driving schools are open during the year-end and New Year holidays!

First of all, there are very few training camps that are open during the New Year holidays.
The reason is that many current students return to their parents' homes during the New Year holidays, making it difficult to fill up driving lessons, and since the license centers and police stations that issue provisional Driver's License are closed during the New Year holidays, driving schools are often closed as well.

Despite this, we would like to introduce some training camps that are boldly putting their customers first and are open even during the year-end and New Year holidays.

If you want to get your license during the winter break, check out the following training camps.

Large-scale driving school group of 26 schools nationwide: SDS Group (26 schools)

Examples of schools include:
There are approximately 1,200 driving schools across the country, of which only about 30 are open for winter license training camps over the New Year holidays.

2. Provisional licenses cannot be issued during the year-end and New Year holidays!

There is a period during the winter Driving Camp when provisional licenses cannot be issued for driving training camps.
In the 2023-2024 calendar, Driver's License will not be issued for six days from Friday, December 29th to Wednesday, January 3rd, as the driver's license center will be closed for the year-end holidays.

Let me explain it briefly. Below is a chart showing the flow from enrollment to graduation.

After completing the first stage of training in STEP 5 and passing Driving Test and provisional Karimenkyo Written Test exam, you will obtain a provisional driving Driver's License in STEP 8 and enter the second stage, but the acquisition of this provisional license will be during the New Year holidays. Because you can't do it, you can't go to the second stage. (important!!!)

In this case, the training camp will be temporarily suspended, students will return home, and they will re-enter the school from January 4th (Thursday) onwards. In other words, you will not be able to continue your lessons during the year-end and New Year holidays.

So, in order to obtain a provisional license by December 28th, when is the best time to start school?

[3] These are the enrollment dates this year (end of 2023 to beginning of 2024)!

To start with the conclusion, if you want to get a regular car license this winter (2023-2024), there are very limited enrollment days.

For AT

Enrollment: December 22nd (Friday) → Obtaining provisional license: December 28th (Thursday) → Graduation: January 4th (Thursday)

For MT

Enrollment: December 20th (Wednesday) → Obtaining provisional license: December 27th (Wednesday) → Graduation: January 4th(Thursday)

In 2023, winter break for many students will start as early as Saturday, December 23rd in some places and as late as Sunday, January 7th in others, with most lasting about two weeks.
In 2023, the license center will be closed from December 29th (Friday) to January 3rd (Wednesday), so if you want to graduate during the winter break, you will need to complete the first stage of training by December 28th (Thursday). This year's winter break is a little shorter than usual, so you will need to make good use of the break.

Here's how to put them together on a calendar.

[4] 100% full! Apply early!

At the winter license training camp, there are only a limited number of dates that students can complete in time for the new semester, so competition is inevitably high.

Information on winter license training camps will be released (you can apply) at many driving schools around mid-September! If you are reading this article and are thinking of going to winter license training camp, please narrow down which school you will go to before the tickets go on sale and be ready to apply right away.

[5] We also recommend getting a motorcycle license during winter vacation!

For regular licenses, the enrollment date is limited by the issuance of a provisional license, but when obtaining a motorcycle license, it is not necessary to issue a provisional license, so it is easier to choose the enrollment date than for a regular license.

Below are the year-end and New Year plans of recommended driving schools for motorcycle licenses in the Kanto and Kansai regions. This too must be fully booked. The following two schools are closed only on New Year's Day. During the year-end and New Year holidays, you can stay in the school dormitory. This year in particular, the winter vacation period tends to be shorter than usual, so the demand for obtaining a motorcycle license is likely to be high.

[6] Recommended schools

We will introduce some recommended schools where you can stay at the end of the year so that you can apply immediately in preparation for the release of information on the upcoming winter license training camp.

1. Smart Driver School Kawagoe (Saitama Prefecture)

Located an hour from central Tokyo in the popular tourist destination of Kawagoe, Furuya is an urban training school that combines gourmet food and sightseeing. It is a comprehensive driving school offering all subjects.

・Convenience that is unique to the metropolitan area!
The convenience store is right next to the school, and the supermarket is just 30 seconds away on foot, making it a very convenient location. The course is located on the riverbank, allowing for spacious lessons, and Furuya's appeal is its training of professional drivers for large vehicle licenses and Class 2 licenses.

Flora WEST, the men's dormitory, is the newest dormitory, completed in 2020.
Other accommodations are also safe and comfortable at Leopalace!!
The women's dormitory is a spacious loft type. There is a dryer in the bathroom, which is convenient for women, so there is no need to dry laundry indoors even on rainy days. The bathroom and toilet are separate, and home security (SECOM) is available.
The men's dormitory has high beds. There is a large storage space under the bed, so the living space and storage space are separated for a neat and tidy living space. The bathroom and toilet are separate and have a dryer.

The popular Smart Driver School Kawagoe is sure to fill up quickly! Apply early!

Click here for more information about the driving school

2. Smart Driver School Kobe Nishi (Hyogo)

If you come to Kobe Sannomiya Station, we will pick you up at the school with a free shuttle bus. The on-site lessons at this comprehensive Driving School in Kobe City, which has an extra-large training course, are impressive.

The accommodation is popular.
West House is a unisex dormitory located near Gakuen Toshi, making it convenient for small shopping trips. The 10th floor is a women-only floor, and has an auto-lock and security cameras, so you can feel safe and secure while you stay.

・Sightseeing is indescribable.
Kobe is a city with many faces. It has "Padlock", one of the three largest Chinatowns in Japan, "Meriken Park", the symbol of Kobe in the bay area, "Ikuta Shrine", the god of matchmaking, and the famous hot spring "Arima Onsen".

If you're going with friends, Smart Driver School Kobe Nishi is the place to go!!

Click here for more information about the driving school

[7] Summary

What did you think?
The most important thing about winter driving school is to get your provisional license before the police station goes on holiday. The number of dates to enroll in school that fit that schedule is narrowed down considerably every year, so the competition is fierce, but you should choose a school by keeping these three points in mind so that you can apply as soon as the dates go on sale in September!