Gaimen50-question practice tests in the real exam formatWhat does 車両通行帯 (sharyō tsūkōtai) mean? Traffic lanes
Updated: 2026-10
車両通行帯 (しゃりょうつうこうたい, sharyō tsūkōtai) means a vehicle traffic lane: a part of the road where road markings show that vehicles must travel within it (Road Traffic Act (道路交通法), Article 2, paragraph 1, item 7). Lanes are provided on roads with two or more lanes in one direction, and as a rule you drive in the leftmost lane. The test also uses lanes as a condition for priority roads, statutory speed limits and overtaking in tunnels.
Legal definition: lanes on roads with two or more each way
The Act defines a vehicle traffic lane as "the part of the road shown by road markings where vehicles must travel in a designated part of the road". The Rules of the Road (教則) note it is also called 車線 or レーン (lane).
When the Public Safety Commission sets up lanes, it provides two or more on the left half of the road (or the whole road if one-way), each normally 3 meters wide or more (Enforcement Order (施行令), Article 1-2(5)). So a road with one lane each way is usually not a "road with traffic lanes".
Spelling and reading: 車両通行帯 (しゃりょうつうこうたい / sharyō tsūkōtai).
How to drive on roads with lanes
Article 20 and the Rules decide which lane to use.
- Two lanes each way: drive in the left lane; the right lane is for overtaking and similar
- Three or more lanes: keep the rightmost lane free for overtaking and use the others by speed (slower cars to the left)
- Overtake using the lane immediately to the right and return promptly (staying in the rightmost lane is a lane violation)
- Do not drift out of your lane or straddle two lanes; do not change lanes needlessly
- If the lane boundary is a yellow line, do not cross it to change lanes (Article 26-2(3))
- If signs or markings designate lanes (turn lanes, etc.), follow them
Links to other rules (what the test targets)
Several rules give different answers depending on whether there are lanes.
| Rule | When lanes exist | Legal basis |
|---|---|---|
| Priority road | Lanes (or a center line) continuing through the intersection make it a priority road | Article 36(2) |
| Statutory speed on general roads (motor vehicles) | Roads with a center line or lanes: 60 km/h. Residential roads with neither: 30 km/h (from 1 September 2026) | Enforcement Order Art. 11 |
| Overtaking in tunnels | Allowed in tunnels with lanes | Article 30(ii) |
| Stopping/parking in tunnels | Banned whether or not there are lanes | Article 44(1)(i) |
Test traps
Example 1: "In tunnels you may stop or park only where lanes are provided" → False. Stopping and parking in tunnels is always banned. Lanes change only the overtaking rule.
Example 2: "In tunnels you must not overtake, whether or not there are lanes" → False.
Example 3: "On general roads with a center line or lanes and no posted limit, the statutory maximum for motor vehicles is 60 km/h" → True.
Practice the conditions in your language
Since October 2025 the knowledge test has 50 True/False questions in 30 minutes; you need 45 correct. With lanes, rules split at the same place: overtaking yes, stopping no. menkyopass lets you practice with English explanations (the first mock test and three topics are free).
Practice questions using this term
- A road whose center line or vehicle traffic lanes continue through the middle of an intersection is a priority road.
- Inside a tunnel, you may stop or park only when vehicle traffic lanes are provided.
- Inside a tunnel, overtaking is prohibited whether or not there are vehicle traffic lanes.
- On ordinary roads with a center line or marked lanes where no maximum speed is set by signs or markings, the statutory maximum speed for motor vehicles is 60 km/h.
- On ordinary roads with a center line or marked lanes and no speed limit sign, the statutory maximum speed for large motorcycles is 30 km/h.
FAQ
Q. Is sharyō tsūkōtai the same as a lane?
A. Yes. The Rules say it is also called 車線 or レーン. The formal legal term is 車両通行帯.
Q. On a road with two lanes each way, may I stay in the right lane?
A. No. Use the left lane; the right lane is for overtaking and similar. Return promptly after overtaking.
Q. May I change lanes across a yellow line?
A. No. When the lane boundary is a yellow line, you must not cross it to change lanes (except in unavoidable cases such as road works).