In the Japanese capital, Tokyo, a city where nearly 30 million people use the train as a means of transportation every day has the lowest car usage in the whole world. 

To be allowed to purchase or use a car, someone has to be able to prove that he has somewhere to park it. This approval is issued by the local police, and is known as a shako shomeisho, or “garage certificate.” Without one, you cannot buy a car. 

READ ALSO: Welcome to Hell; A Norwegian Town

According to the country’s 1957 nationwide law, overnight street parking of any kind is completely illegal and someone is liable to get fined about 1.2 million ($1,700). 

This helps to explain why the Japanese buy so many tiny cars, like the so-called Kei cars. It means they can have smaller garages. Owning a car in Japan without having a dedicated parking space for it would be a nightmare. 

What is a car-free city?

A car-free city is an urban center that prioritizes walking, biking, and public transport over personal cars.

The concept is simple, but there is a misconception that car-free cities completely ban car ownership. Car-free policies often involve reduced car usage or limitations in specific areas. Residents can still own and drive cars. But other options, such as public transport, cycling, walking, and ride-sharing, are more accessible and actively encouraged.

A car ban on individual streets and neighborhoods can improve safety, lower air, and noise pollution, and promote active transport methods. On a broader scale, car-free cities illustrate a cultural shift where we reimagine what cities can look like with fewer cars on the road.

Car-free cities 

A host of cities across the world has embraced car-free policies. Here are some cities leading the charge and consolidating their position as the best cities in which to live without a car: 

• Ghent, Belgium
• Amsterdam, Netherlands
• Oslo, Norway
• Hydra, Greece
• Lamu, Kenya
• Zermatt, Switzerland
• Fes el Bali, Morocco
• Venice, Italy
• Helsinki, Finland