Did you know that winter license training camps are very advantageous?
Compared to summer vacation or spring vacation, it's 70,000 to 90,000 cheaper. On the other hand, winter vacation is shorter than summer vacation or spring vacation, and many driving schools are closed during the year-end and New Year holidays, so you may not be able to graduate during the vacation period. By just following these points, you can get your license in time for the start of classes in the new semester while keeping the fees much lower than in the spring and summer! If you read this article, you will be able to cover the points to note regarding winter license training camps and narrow down your search for winter training camps.

[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 season in spring, if you have a regular car license, you will save about 70,000 to 90,000 for both MT and AT, which is equivalent to, for example, a 4-day domestic trip. That's the amount.
Honestly, I think this low price alone could be a deciding factor in choosing a winter Driving Camp!
In Driving Camp market, summer vacation and spring vacation are busy periods due to the length of the vacation period, and prices are accordingly higher, but winter vacation is short in the first place, and there are few driving schools that are open during the year-end and New Year holidays. It's not the peak season nationwide, and you can apply at the same rate as off-season rates.

[2] Two points to note

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

As a premise, there are very few training camp driving schools that are open during the year-end and New Year holidays.
The reason for this is that many of the students currently enrolled in the school return to their parents' homes during the New Year holidays, making it difficult to fill reservations for lessons, and the license centers and police stations that issue Driver's License are also closed during the New Year holidays. As a result, driving schools are often closed.

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)

Schools such as
There are approximately 1,200 driving schools nationwide, and only about 30 of them are open during the year-end and New Year holidays during the winter license training camp.

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

There is a period during the winter break when temporary Driving Camp.
In the 2023-2024 calendar, Driver's License cannot be issued for six days from December 29th (Friday) to January 3rd (Wednesday) as the license center will be closed at the end of the year.

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, many students' winter vacation will begin as early as Saturday, December 23rd, and end as late as Sunday, January 7th, and for most students it will last for 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, please complete the first stage of training by December 28th (Thursday). It needs to end. This year, winter vacation tends to be a little shorter than usual, so we need to make the most of it.

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 riverbed, allowing for spacious lessons, and Furuya's appeal is its professional driver training for large 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 function.

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 different 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

How was that?
The number one point for winter license training camp is to obtain a provisional license before the police station closes. The number of admission dates that can meet this deadline is narrowed down every year, so the competition is high, but let's choose a school based on three important points so that you can apply as soon as the school goes on sale in September!