Who loves to discover places that no one knows about? Who loves to be in charge of their own trip? Who loves to drive? If this is you, then a Japan Road Trip should definitely be on your itinerary! We’ve got some good tips and some places to go.
You know we love a good road trip. We’ve done this all over the world, and at first it seems like road-tripping in Japan would be difficult what with the language and writing system as well as having to drive on the left side of the road. But, we found driving in Japan to be pretty easy and so worth it.
Here’s one fact a out Japan that you need to know. Everything is orderly, clean, and different than anything we are used to. It’s got all the Japanese elements of zen, culture, and uniqueness that doesn’t exist anywhere else in the world. Everywhere. Not just Tokyo or Kyoto. And we feel the best way to get to know a country is to drive into the hinterlands, meet locals, eat at Mom and Pop restaurants, and soak in the real Japan.
Why road trip in Japan?
I’m sure a lot of you are asking, why should I take the trouble to rent a car and drive in Japan rather than taking their sleek, fast, and convenient trains?
Fair. If you are not interested in doing anything but staying in the cities, then yes, taking the train from point A to point B and return is a perfectly good option.
However, you are not in charge of where the train goes, or more importantly, where it stops and when. If you see a great sight or want to take a photo, well, too bad. You’re going to miss it.
Road tripping is really the only way to have the convenience to be on your own schedule. It allows you to be spontaneous. For example, one spring day we were driving and came across a Koma Festival that we’d not known about. Since we were driving, we were able to stop. And let me tell you, after over five years of living in Japan, it’s the Koma festival still ranks up there as one of our favorite things we did. And it was all spontaneous, because we were driving.
Driving gives you the opportunity to experience places that you would never train to, not because they’re not great, but because you just have never heard of them. The Internet is full of things to do in the cities, because that’s where most people go.
Have you heard of the city Sakai Minato? Neither had I, but on our road trip south to explore the island of Kyushu, we spent the night here and discovered an entire road of manga sculptures. The famous manga artist, Shigeru Mizuki is from there and the whole town celebrates his art. We had so much fun walking around these statues, and it was completely not planned.
Additionally, train travel can get expensive, especially if you are traveling with a group. Schlepping your suitcases and paying the prices are not so bad when it’s one of two people, but the more people you add, the difference in driving and training gets more financially viable. Let alone worrying about dealign with your luggage. If you choose to drive, though, do know that you will have to pay some costs like tolls and parking.
Driving in Japan – Things to Know
If you know anything about the country, you might know that they are one of those countries that people drive on the left. Sure, if you’re from Britain or Australia, no biggie. But, if you’re from the USA, it’s something to consider.
What we’ve found when driving on the left is, if you have a left-hand car, and you follow what other people are doing, it actually isn’t a problem.
On busier roads, it’s easier than on smaller roads, because there’s more traffic to follow. On smaller roads, especially if you’re the only one driving, it’s not as intuitive. Luckily, if you do see another car, you have plenty of time to correct.
Honestly, after driving on the left there for over five years, we never knew anyone who got into an accident because of it, so it’s one of those fears that is a little overrated.
What is difficult is the amount of traffic in most larger cities. That can get a bit nerve-wracking to say the least. Our take? Drive there, park, then take public transportation around the city. Only drive if you are going someplace a little off the beaten path. For example, we always drive to our favorite temple in Kyoto, the Otagi Nenbutsu Temple, because it’s on a back road outside the city. It’s just easier than trying to take the bus, and it’s easy. But, when we’re exploring the city, our car stays parked at the hotel.
Pro Tip: Make sure to book hotels with parking included. It will save you some big bucks in the city!
The best part about driving in Japan is that the other drivers are very polite, and unlike many places in the world (I’m looking at you, Italy!) they are more apt to stop and wait for you politely then barge in and try and get there first.
Japanese Toll Roads
There are a lot of toll roads in Japan. Just like anywhere else, the advantage of taking the toll road, it there is not as much stopping and starting. The downside, however, is they can get real expensive, real quick.
For example on one two week road trip we took we totaled over the equivalent of $800 just in tolls. And yes, that’s a lot! But, we had five people on our trip, so if we’d taken a train straight to one of the cities and return, it would have cost $800. So, along with the convenience, we felt it was money well spent. It’s just important to note that tolls will be a pretty major expense.
When renting a car, make sure you get one that has the ETC counter in it, and you’ll just pay the tolls one time. This is a great way to both know how much you are spending as well as the convenience of not always having to have cash on you.
Rental Cars in Japan
You need to know these things when renting a car in Japan.
- If you plan on renting a car, go ahead and each driver needs to have an International Driver’s License. Honestly, sometimes we needed it, and other times we didn’t. Luckily, we were always prepared, so we don’t know what would happen if they wanted it, and you don’t have it. Just get it, it’s cheap and easy.
- There are three national rental car brands, Toyota, Times, and Nippon. Toyota has the best website, but they all pretty much offer the same services. Again, make sure to get the ETC reader for tolls in your car, if it’s available.
- Get the insurance. Unless you are very familiar with driving on the left and in tight, narrow roadways, this is not the time to scrimp on insurance.
- Remember to not drink and drive. At all! The alcohol level is much lower than most countries, including the US an the UK, and the penalties are severe. There is a cool taxi system in Japan if you decide to drink. You call a taxi and tell them you have a car. The company will send two drivers. One will take you where you need to go, and the other will drive your car there for you. Yes, you are going to pay for it, but at least you won’t end up in jail.
Road Trips in Japan
We cannot possibly list, or even remember, all the road trips we’ve taken in Japan. But the ones we’ve listed here will get you out to some of the most worthwhile and iconic sights in the country.
Here are some of our favorites:
- Osaka, Kyoto, and Nara (4-5 days)
- Mount Fuji and its environs (3-4 days)
- Matsumoto – Shirakawa – Toyama (4-5 days)
- Kyushu Island (1 week)
- Tohoku, Northern Honshu, Aomori (3-4 days)
Conclusion
If you are traveling in Japan, there is so much more to see than just the big cities. Take the opportunity to rent a car and explore some of the lesser known, but epic places that the country has. You absolutely won’t regret it, I promise.