This page exists because of a search behaviour: people still look for MariCar.
What happened to the name
MariCar was, for years, the best-known street kart brand in Tokyo — largely because customers drove around dressed as Nintendo characters.
Nintendo brought legal proceedings over the use of its characters and imagery. The case went against the operator, and the brand name and the costumes both changed.
Two consequences follow for anyone booking today:
1. The name in your head may not exist. Street karting continues in Tokyo under other operator names.
2. The costumes you have seen in photographs are gone. No Tokyo street kart operator offers Nintendo character costumes. Costumes are still provided, but they are unrelated to any game.
If the image in your mind is people dressed as Mario driving through the Scramble Crossing, adjust it before you book, or you will be disappointed on the day.
What the current product is
From its booking page on 3 September 2026:
- Rating — 4.7 from 243 reviews
- Bookings — 6,000+
- Duration — 1 hour
- Languages — English and Japanese
- Karts — described as Tokyo’s only electric street kart
- Route — Shibuya to Harajuku
- Requirement — an International Driving Permit, stated in the product name itself
Why electric matters
Not a marketing distinction. It changes the hour in two concrete ways.
For you. A petrol kart puts you at road level, behind and beside traffic, breathing exhaust and listening to engine noise for a full hour. Electric removes most of that.
For the neighbourhood. Street karting in Shibuya has drawn sustained local criticism over noise. Choosing the quieter option is a small thing, but it is the thing residents actually complain about.
Why the route matters
Most Shibuya kart products loop the district and pass the Crossing once or twice. This one runs from Shibuya to Harajuku along Meiji-dōri.
That is a different experience: more of the city, less of the same intersection repeated. If you have already walked the Crossing on foot, seeing new ground may be worth more than driving through it again.
Harajuku and the surrounding area is covered in what’s near Shibuya.
The licence rule still applies
Electric or not, this is a motor vehicle on a public road.
- A Japanese licence, or a 1949 Geneva Convention International Driving Permit
- IDPs cannot be issued in Japan — get one before you travel
- 1968 Vienna Convention permits are not valid in Japan
- Bring the permit, your original home licence and your passport
The operator puts the requirement in the product name, which is more upfront than most. Full detail in go-karts in Shibuya.
Where it fits
| Operator | Rating | Reviews | Distinguishing feature |
|---|---|---|---|
| Akiba Kart | 4.8 | 1,700 | Highest volume |
| Street Kart ×2 | 4.9 | 708 combined | Highest rated |
| Shibuya Kart | 4.7 | 673 | EN / JA |
| Monkey Kart | 4.7 | 243 | Electric, Shibuya–Harajuku |
Choose Monkey Kart if the electric karts or the Harajuku route appeal, or if you want Japanese-language support.
Choose otherwise if volume of reviews is your main reassurance.
Sources
Rating, review count, booking volume, duration, languages and product description are the values displayed on the booking page on 3 September 2026 and change over time.
The account of the litigation is a general summary of a widely reported dispute; for the legal specifics, consult the published judgments and reporting. This site is not affiliated with any kart operator and gives no legal advice.