Start with your documents, not the route
The most expensive mistake with street karting is not a crash. It is arriving with the wrong paperwork and being turned away. So before we talk about Rainbow Bridge, here is the checklist. If you cannot tick one of these boxes, stop here and scroll to the no-licence option at the end.
| Your licence | What Street Kart accepts |
|---|---|
| Countries that issue 1949 Geneva permits | Paper 1949 Geneva Convention IDP + home licence + passport |
| Switzerland, Germany, France, Belgium, Monaco, Taiwan | Official Japanese translation of your licence (for example from JAF) + home licence + passport |
| Japan | Japanese licence |
| US forces in Japan | US SOFA licence |
What does not work: a 1968 Vienna Convention IDP, a card-type IDP, a digital IDP, or a photocopy. The operator’s licence page is blunt about the result. If you turn up without the right documents, you do not drive, and there is no refund.
Two practical notes. First, if you need a JAF translation, arrange it before you travel, not on the day. Second, karts count as “mini cars” in Japanese law and are driven under an ordinary car licence. The rule is not one company being fussy; any public-road kart tour will ask for a licence valid in Japan.
From MariCAR to Street Kart
If you searched for “MariCAR Odaiba”, this is the same business under a new name. The history is short:
- February 2017: Nintendo sued the operator over its name and its use of Nintendo characters.
- 22 March 2018: the company renamed itself MARI Mobility Development and began trading as Street Kart.
- 29 January 2020: the IP High Court ordered ¥50 million in damages and banned the MariCar name and the rental of Nintendo-character costumes.
- 24 December 2020: the Supreme Court made the ruling final.
Costumes are still offered, but they are not Nintendo characters. Any website still selling “MariCar” tours with Nintendo costumes is either out of date or not the real operator.
The Tokyo Bay route: what you actually drive
Street Kart runs shops in several parts of Tokyo, including Shinagawa, Akihabara, Shibuya and Asakusa. The course that matters for Odaiba starts from its Tokyo Bay shop: a tour of about 1.5 to 2 hours that crosses Rainbow Bridge on the general-road deck to Odaiba and takes in Tokyo Tower.
Two things to know about the start:
- You do not start in Odaiba. The Tokyo Bay shop is at 2-10-8 Shinkiba, Koto-ku, a 10 to 13 minute walk from Shin-Kiba Station (JR Keiyo Line, Tokyo Metro Yurakucho Line and the Rinkai Line). Street Kart also has a separate Shinagawa shop, and some third-party listings mix the two up, so check that your booking names the Tokyo Bay shop and take the address from the confirmation.
- You never drive on the expressway. The upper deck of Rainbow Bridge is the Shuto Expressway, and karts are not allowed on it. A kart that ended up there in 2019 was breaking the law.
On the road you drive a single-seat kart in a group of up to six, led by a guide. Helmets are required by the operator. Heels, sandals and long skirts are not allowed, so dress for it. Prices vary by date and time slot, from ¥7,500 to ¥25,000 on streetkart.com.
Beware lookalike websites
Search for “Street Kart” and you will find several near-identical domains. The operator’s licence rules are on streetkart.com and its Tokyo Bay shop page is on streetkart.tokyo. Others, such as kart.st, streetgokart.com and streetkarttokyo.com, also turn up, and we could not confirm how they relate to the operator.
Our advice: book through a large platform you already trust. Street Kart’s Tokyo Bay tour is listed on Klook and Headout, and GetYourGuide sells its Shibuya tour. At least then you have the platform’s support if something goes wrong. Whatever you book, check that the operator named on the listing matches what you expect.
Street Kart compared with the alternatives
The karting cards on this page are not Street Kart products. Klook’s “Go-Karting in Tokyo Bay” listing is run by Neo Tokyo Kart, a different company. Here is how the main options differ.
| Street Kart (Tokyo Bay) | Neo Tokyo Kart (Klook) | City Circuit Tokyo Bay | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Where | Public roads, Rainbow Bridge | Tokyo Bay area (see listing) | Fenced track in Aomi, Odaiba |
| Licence | 1949 IDP or accepted alternative | A licence valid in Japan (check listing) | None |
| Main limit | Documents | Documents | Minimum height 150 cm |
| Top speed | Road traffic | See listing | 50 km/h (electric karts) |
| Book via | Klook, Headout | Klook | Operator’s own site |
Because Neo Tokyo Kart is not Street Kart, read its own licence and refund terms on the product page. GetYourGuide also lists a Tokyo Bay kart tour; check the operator name there too. We earn a commission if you book through the Klook or GetYourGuide cards below; we have no affiliate link with Headout or with Street Kart directly.
-
Klook Go-Karting in Tokyo Bay (Neo Tokyo Kart)
from $64.79 See ticket
-
GetYourGuide Tokyo Bay: Scenic Skyline Go-Kart Tour (90 Minutes)
from $89.03 See ticket
Prices in US dollars as listed by the partner when we last checked; the price shown at checkout is the one that counts.
The regulation picture
Street karting has drawn official attention in Tokyo. Since 1 July 2025, Shibuya Ward requires kart operators to register routes and vehicles 30 days before opening, check licences and hold meetings with residents. It was the first rule of its kind in Japan, though it carries no penalties. We found no equivalent in Minato or Koto wards, which cover the Tokyo Bay route. Tokyo police also asked operators to improve safety as far back as 2017.
None of this stops you riding. It does mean the industry is under scrutiny, and operators take the licence check seriously.
No IDP? Drive in Odaiba instead
City Circuit Tokyo Bay in Aomi, Odaiba, is a fenced electric-kart circuit that opened in December 2023. No licence is needed, the karts reach 50 km/h, and drivers must be at least 150 cm tall. You will not cross Rainbow Bridge, but you will not lose your money at the door either. It is also the only option for teenagers who cannot hold a licence yet, provided they meet the height rule.
Pros and cons
What works
- Driving across Rainbow Bridge at street level is a rare way to see the bay.
- Guided groups of up to six keep it organised.
- Sold on big platforms with English support.
What does not
- Strict document rules, with no refund if you get them wrong.
- Many travellers, including holders of 1968 Vienna IDPs, cannot take part at all.
- Confusing lookalike websites.
- You start in Shin-Kiba, not in Odaiba.
Verdict
If you hold a paper 1949 IDP, or a JAF translation for the countries listed, Street Kart’s Tokyo Bay tour is one of the most memorable things you can do around Odaiba. Book through a major platform, check the start address, and pack your documents the night before. If you are missing any paper, go to City Circuit Tokyo Bay. Our Odaiba go-kart guide compares every current option, including tours to the Daikoku car meet.
| Platform | Product | From | Rating | link |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Klook | Shibuya Street Go-Kart (Original Street Kart) | $58.19lowest | ★ 4.9 (414) | See ticket |
| Klook | Go-Karting in Tokyo Bay (Neo Tokyo Kart) | $64.79 | ★ 4.9 (258) | See ticket |
| GetYourGuide | Tokyo Bay: Scenic Skyline Go-Kart Tour (90 Minutes) | $89.03 | ★ 4.9 (14) | See ticket |
| GetYourGuide | Tokyo: Street Kart Experience in Shibuya | $104.93 | ★ 4.9 (1,902) | See ticket |
Questions visitors ask
What licence do I need for Street Kart in Tokyo?
A paper International Driving Permit issued under the 1949 Geneva Convention, plus your home licence and passport. A Japanese licence or a US SOFA licence also works.
Can I drive with a 1968 Vienna Convention IDP?
No. Street Kart does not accept 1968 Vienna IDPs, nor card-type, digital or photocopied permits.
I have a German, French or Swiss licence. What do I need?
Drivers with Swiss, German, French, Belgian, Monegasque or Taiwanese licences need an official Japanese translation of their licence, for example from JAF, instead of an IDP, plus a passport.
Is Street Kart the same as MariCAR?
Yes, it is the successor brand. After Nintendo won its lawsuit, the company dropped the MariCar name and stopped renting Nintendo-character costumes.
Can I go karting in Odaiba without a licence?
Yes, at City Circuit Tokyo Bay in Aomi, a fenced electric-kart track that opened in December 2023. No licence is needed, but drivers must be at least 150 cm tall.
Do the karts drive on the Rainbow Bridge expressway?
No. Karts may not use the Shuto Expressway on the upper deck. Tours use the general-road deck.