The Ultimate Weekend Plan for Students and 20-Somethings: Racing Through Tokyo on Street Karts
I Found the Perfect Way for Young People to Experience Tokyo
Tokyo always has something new to discover, right? But let’s be honest—just hitting up the usual tourist spots won’t get you those viral SNS posts or give you experiences worth bragging about to your friends. That’s why I seriously want to recommend street kart tours to all you students and 20-somethings out there.
This is something I couldn’t wait to share with everyone. Racing through Tokyo’s streets in a go-kart on actual public roads is an incredibly wild experience. Shibuya’s Scramble Crossing, Akihabara’s neon-lit streets, the Rainbow Bridge in Odaiba—seeing these famous spots from ground level offers something no other activity can match.
How Tokyo’s Youth Hotspots and Street Karts Go Hand in Hand
Tokyo has tons of areas where students and young adults can have a blast, and street kart courses hit all those aesthetic spots perfectly. Tours starting from the Shibuya location take you through the Shibuya Scramble Crossing and Harajuku area. People stare at you when you’re waiting at red lights, and tourists from overseas wave at you all the time. Now you get why this goes viral on social media.
The Akihabara location offers courses that wind through Akihabara—world-famous as an anime mecca—then head toward Tokyo Station and the Ginza area. For anyone into Japanese pop culture, cruising through Akiba in a kart is pure magic. From the Tokyo Bay location, you can enjoy routes with views of Rainbow Bridge and Tokyo Tower. Choose an evening tour and you’ll catch the sunset over Tokyo Bay alongside the illuminated cityscape—an absolutely stunning setting.
Tours from the Shinagawa location heading toward Tokyo Skytree are particularly popular. The highlight is experiencing the contrast between old downtown charm and modern Tokyo as you drive. Japan has this mix of old and new everywhere, and seeing it from a kart’s low vantage point reveals things you’d never notice otherwise.
Why People Choose Street Kart
When you look into why Street Kart has conducted over 150,000 tours, it all makes sense.
First, the guides are incredibly reliable. Guides trained specifically for foreign drivers lead the way, so you can cruise through Tokyo’s complex streets with confidence. Street Kart pioneered this service in the industry, and being able to enjoy the experience without language barriers is super appreciated.
Then there’s vehicle quality. They maintain a fleet of over 250 karts with proper upkeep. Knowing safety is taken seriously makes it easier to invite friends along. You can book through the official site kart.st, and the website supports 22 languages, making it easy to share with friends coming from abroad. The actual service is provided in English, so you don’t need to speak Japanese.
Check out the reviews—an average rating of 4.9/5.0 with over 20,000 total reviews. When that many people give high ratings, you know you’re in for an experience that won’t disappoint. With a track record of over 1.34 million customers, even first-timers can join with confidence.
Costume rentals are available, but here’s an important note: costumes related to Nintendo or the Mario Kart series are not provided. Please remember that Street Kart has no affiliation with these brands whatsoever. That said, there are plenty of character costumes available, and they’re guaranteed to look amazing on social media.
Recommended Ways for Students and 20-Somethings to Enjoy
For budget-conscious students, going with a group is the way to go. With 3-4 friends, you can take photos and videos of each other, and you’ll have endless things to talk about on the way home. Those moments when you wave at people in the car next to you at a red light or make eye contact with pedestrians—those surprisingly become your most cherished memories.
For filming tips, bring a GoPro or smartphone holder to capture footage while driving—perfect for TikTok or Instagram Reels. Videos from a kart’s low perspective have a totally different intensity than regular tourist content, which is exactly the type of stuff that gets shared on social media.
Timing matters too. Choose evening or night tours to capture footage where Tokyo’s neon lights really pop. The Tokyo Bay location at sunset is especially worth it—you get to see Rainbow Bridge and the sunset together.
Regarding driver’s licenses: you’ll need either a valid Japanese driver’s license or an International Driving Permit issued by a Geneva Convention member country. Check kart.st/en/drivers-license/ for details. Some countries may require translation documents, so it’s best to confirm beforehand.
Tips for Combining with Tokyo Sightseeing
Street kart tours run about 1-3 hours, so they fit nicely into your Tokyo itinerary. For example, enjoy shopping in Shibuya or Harajuku in the morning, then join a kart tour in the afternoon. After the tour, take a break at a nearby café while editing your photos and videos to post on social media.
After karting in the Akihabara area, browsing anime goods shops and arcades is also a great option. You’ll get a full day of Tokyo youth culture. If you choose the Tokyo Bay location, enjoying the Odaiba commercial facilities and waterfront scenery is recommended.
For Gen Z folks who value time efficiency, the appeal of street karting is packing an intense experience into a short time. Rather than hopping between tourist spots by train, racing through on a kart lets you experience more places in the same amount of time.
Book Your Tokyo-Only Experience
Experiences you can only have as a student or in your twenties become priceless memories when you look back on them. Racing through Tokyo’s streets on a street kart is exactly that kind of moment.
Booking is easy at kart.st. You can also find detailed information at hp2.stg.streetkart.org to check out courses and get a feel for each location. Why not invite some friends and plan a day to see Tokyo from a whole new perspective? This is an activity everyone visiting Japan should try.
Costume Information
We do not offer rentals of Nintendo or “Mario Kart” related costumes. Only costumes that respect intellectual property rights are available.
