Everything you need to identify Japan in GeoGuessr — from the writing system and road signs to bollard colours, utility poles, and the landscape itself.
These are the fastest visual identifiers — things you should look for in the first few seconds of a round.
Japanese wooden utility poles crammed with wires and transformers are among the most recognizable in the world
Colorful decorative bollards (often shaped like characters or animals) are uniquely Japanese
Japanese script is unmistakable — combination of Hiragana, Katakana, and Kanji characters
Left-hand traffic; vending machines on virtually every street corner
Camera is noticeably lower to the ground than in other countries — roads look taller
These details help narrow down a location once you've spotted the country — or confirm your guess when you're unsure.
Green for expressways; blue for national routes; white with red for warnings; Japanese script with Romaji on main roads
White lines; yellow center lines; very well-maintained
Yellow and black
Highly distinctive colorful bollards: blue, green, white, yellow — often shaped like animals or characters
Wooden with a distinctive forest of wires, transformers, and cross-arms — extremely recognizable
Japanese (Hiragana, Katakana, Kanji — all three used together)
Japan drives on the left side of the road. In-game, the Google camera car is on the left side — so oncoming traffic comes from the right. The steering wheel is on the right side of the car (visible in reflections). This immediately rules out most of continental Europe, the Americas, and most of Asia.
Japan has over 6,800 islands, but 97% of its population lives on just the four main islands. It has more vending machines per capita than any country — about one for every 23 people.
Explore More About Japan
Want to practice with another country? Browse all GeoGuessr country guides or generate a random country.