Are you worried, "I wanted to apply for Driving Camp, but I was told that the seats were already full. What should I do when this season is my last chance?" please do not worry. There are still spaces available even at the last minute. Even if you missed the timing to apply for some reason, if you practice what I will introduce now, you will definitely find a driving school (and one that suits your selfishness). Please refer to it!

1. Even if you apply at the last minute, there are still spaces available!

If you aim for the cancellation slot, you can apply even at the last minute!

The earliest you can apply for Driving Camp is 3 or 4 months in advance, and the number of available slots will be much smaller 1 or 2 months before the start date. However, not everyone participates, and in fact, more than 10% of people cancel due to unavoidable reasons such as ``I got sick'' or ``I just can't afford the lesson fee.'' Therefore, even if you apply last minute (one month in advance), there may still be spaces available, so please do not give up and inquire.

Please make inquiries by phone rather than online.

If your application is last minute, please be sure to contact us directly by phone. Normally, when you make an inquiry using a web form, you will be contacted back after the inquiry is made to the school, so the response will be delayed. Also, if you make a last-minute application, even if you enter your desired driving school, you will often be told that it is full and reservations are not possible. If that happens, you will have to wait for another call to find another driving school, which will be a double hassle. Applications for Driving Camp are accepted on a first-come, first-served basis, so spots will fill up during this time. If you contact us directly by phone, we will be able to check availability, make provisional reservations, and proceed with the reservation process on the spot, so you can proceed with your application more smoothly.

Three points to keep in mind when making inquiries over the phone

[1] List multiple driving schools you are considering and your expected enrollment date.

If you make a last-minute application, it is likely that your request will not be met. Also, consider leaving some time between your scheduled enrollment dates.
(✕: February 3rd or February 7th 〇: Early February or mid-March)

[2] Don’t be too picky about the distance from your home to the driving school

Basically, transportation expenses are provided, so the area of the driving school is not an issue to worry about. It is easier to find vacancies if you do not narrow down the area.

[3] Keep the number of applicants as small as possible (1 to 2 people)

In most cases, the cancellation limit is about 1 to 2 students per enrollment day. The fewer the number of applicants, the more likely there will be spaces available.

2. Three ways to find vacant slots even if you apply at the last minute!

Driving Camp are flooded with applications every year. What should I do if my application is accidentally delayed?

[1] First, consult with a training camp site that has many affiliated schools!

The more schools we partner with, the more spots we have available. The Driving Camp agents that we will be introducing now have many affiliated schools, and staff who are familiar with Driving Camp are available to assist you. Even if you make a last-minute inquiry, we will help you find Driving School with vacant slots according to your wishes. Please consult with these agents first.

Lawson Driving Camp (number of affiliated schools: 111 schools)

URL: https://www.lawson-drive.jp/
Payments can be made 24 hours a day at Lawson stores nationwide without any fees.

Driving Camp WAO (number of affiliated schools: 111 schools)

URL: https://www.mentoro.jp/
On the site, you can enter your desired car type, area, and room type to check availability information.

Driving Camp Wakaba (number of affiliated schools: 90 schools)

URL: https://www.menkyo.jp/
We kindly support you in obtaining licenses and availability information for not only regular cars, but also medium- and large-sized cars.

Driving Camp Live (Number of affiliated schools: 93 schools)

URL: https://menkyolive.net/
Update application information in real time. You can immediately find the latest information Driving School with the most applications, room types, and number of people.

Driving Camp plus (number of affiliated schools: 102 schools)

URL: https://www.gasshukumenkyo.jp/

[2] Ask the driving school group directly (Matsuki, SDS, Nasu group are directly managed call centers)!

You can find out the latest availability by contacting the directly managed call center of the group school. If the school you are considering is a group school, please give us a call.

Matsuki Driving School Group

URL: https://www.matsuki-ds.com/
It has been expanded to a total of 11 schools in Yamagata, Niigata, and Fukushima prefectures. This is a popular driving school group for Driving Camp originating from the Kanto region.

Sakura Nasu Driving School Group

URL: https://www.kyosyujyo.co.jp/
We have four schools in Tochigi Prefecture. It is easily accessible, taking about an hour by Shinkansen from the city center. We handle a wide variety of vehicles, including not only regular cars, but also motorcycles and professional driver's licenses.

SDS group

URL: https://aic.driver.co.jp/
This group operates driving schools across the country, from Tochigi Prefecture to Okayama Prefecture. In particular, training camps in the Tokyo metropolitan area have a reputation for being easy to access.

[3] Ask directly to the driving school that is considering or is large!

When you contact the driving school directly, there may be spaces left. In addition to those who apply for Driving Camp via the website, there are also a certain number of people who apply by contacting the school directly, so we have reserved slots for direct applications. If you really want to go to a driving school, please call the school.
Also, similar to training camp agents with many affiliated schools, relatively large driving schools may have multiple vacancies. If you just want to enroll, please refer to the driving schools that I will introduce now.

[Eastern Japan] Kakegawa Driving School (Shizuoka Prefecture)

URL: http://kakeji.com/jidousya/trainingcamp/
It is one of the largest Driving School in Shizuoka Prefecture. About 1 hour from Nagoya by Shinkansen. This is a training camp school recommended in the Chukyo area.

[East Japan] Niigata Chuo Driving School (Niigata Prefecture)

URL: http://www.ncds.co.jp/g_index.html
It is one of the largest Driving School in the Shinetsu region. It is also easily accessible from Tokyo, within 2 hours by Shinkansen.

[East Japan] Nasu Driving School (Tochigi Prefecture)

URL: https://www.nasu-ds.jp/
It is one of the largest Driving School in the Kanto area. We have 6 types of accommodations, so you can choose your favorite room type. The school cafeteria is buffet style.

[Western Japan] M Land Masuda Campus (Shimane Prefecture)

URL: http://www.ncds.co.jp/g_index.html
It is one of the largest training camps in Japan. In addition to the cafeteria, we have facilities that other schools do not have, such as beauty salons and rock baths, as well as extra-curricular activities such as events and volunteering, which are very popular with students. Transportation expenses are provided at 25,000 yen for round trip, so trainees come from all over the country.

[Western Japan] Shoei Driving School (Okayama Prefecture)

URL: https://www.net-de-menkyo.com/
It is one of the largest Driving School in Kansai. There is a free shuttle bus from Shin-Osaka Station, so access is very good.

[Western Japan] Kyoritsu Driving School Hino School (Nagasaki Prefecture)

URL: http://kds.co.jp/hino/stay/
It is one of the largest Driving School in Kyushu. Although the school is in Nagasaki Prefecture, there is also a round trip transportation fee of 20,000 yen for those coming from Tokyo.
There is a payment. It is completely closed on Sundays, so you can enjoy sightseeing all day long.

3.Summary

Each school and Driving Camp site are supporting you as you take on the challenge of obtaining a license. If you decide that you want to get your license, please refer to this article and do not hesitate to consult us at any time.