Japan is geographically isolated, and from around the mid 17th to mid 19th century had limitations on its contact with the outside world, but it's never actually been on its own in either recorded history or prehistory. There's been a lively trade with mainland Asia, and the concept of the wheel came to Japan from China before the period of written records. Archaeologists have found wheels and pictures of wheels from 7th and 8th century sites in Japan.

However, until the modern era, the wheel itself has never been very heavily used in Japan. Most of Japan is mountainous, and wheeled transport: mostly carts, was limited to use within the rare flat area. Wheeled carts rip up dirt roads, so part of the Tokugawa shogunate's policy for keeping an excellent cross-country road network was to ban wheeled vehicles from the main roads.