Parking In Tokyo

Contrary to popular belief finding a parking space in Tokyo is actually not that hard, especially if you drive a compact car.  

Many of the "Car Stacking" type automated parking towers in central Tokyo are getting quite old, but the estate owners cannot demolish and rebuild them as they are often embedded as a part of residential or commercial buildings. As a result, as long as you drive cars that are in the "Number 5" class (NEW MINI, VW Polo...), chances are that those automated parkings have vacancies, especially ones that will not accomodate larger "Number 3" class cars.   Watch out for "Kei cars". Although they are compact in dimension normally they are taller than number 5 class cars. Many of current "kei cars" do not fit into the tower parking.  

Latest shopping complexes like Roppongi Hills or Aoyama Hills have newer facilities that accomodate much larger cars including SUVs.  

There are almost no "Parking on the Streets" without any sign that allows you to park there.. Almost all of the streets in Tokyo are either "NO PARKING" or "NO PARKING OR STOPPING" zone. Enforcing officers are patroling streets 24/7.  Unless you are away from your car for 15 minutes or less ( legal limit of "Stopping" on streets, any longer will be classed as "Parking" ).  

Parking lots / Car parks / "Chuu-sha-jo" is another place you can park in Tokyo.  Look for electric signs that read "空", usually displayed in GREEN.  Signs that read "満", usually in RED, means theb parking lot is full. Capacity of the facilities may not be obvious, some large underground parking lots have a small entrance.  

Parking Meters usually ask ¥300 for 60 mins of parking. Beware of the enforcers who CAN issue tickets at 61 mins on the clock. There are 2 types : "Pay and display" or "Park by the meter". Make sure to carry enough ¥100 coins as public parking meters don't accept other coins.  

The article is based on "Traffic rules in Japan you need to know" Government guide for drivers from outside Japan.

http://www.hkd.mlit.go.jp/topics/toukei/chousa/h20keikaku/e/e25_31.pdf