Don't have a license?  Getting a scooter license is a good option.

You have to take a scooter laws written test, which is in English, and then a full day class in Japanese (costs 7000 yen, pretty fun class, actually)

To prepare for the written test you should ask your tantousha to get you a book called 'The Rules of the Road', which is in English.  I can't remember what the Japanese name is, but just have her call the Menkyo Center (driver's license office), and then she can ask them for an English guide to preparing for the scooter test.

The written test isn't too hard, but you would definitely fail it if you didn't study.  You have to answer questions about things like the number of centimeters that a package is allowed to hang off your scooter and stuff like that.