Japan is a perfect country to have a road trip in. It has the highways needed for a long journey, and it’s one of the best, most scenic, and best-kept places in the world. The trips will also allow you to get to know local culture first hand and to enjoy it truly.
Foreigners visiting Japan need an international driver’s license in order to drive and rent a car. You’ll also need a national permit and a photo ID if the police stop you.
Hokkaido- Driving from Coast to Coast
Hokkaido is the most northern island of Japan, and it has a small population, a beautiful coastline, and great roads. All of this makes it a great place to drive through. The drive from coast to coast is about 430 miles.
Along the way, you’ll find medieval castles, beautifully arranged gardens and farms, a colonial port town that shows how Japanese culture mingled with the west and beautiful scenery. The trip usually ends in Tokyo, the largest city in the country – very much similar to cyberpunk in real life.
The Seto Island Sea
Hopping from one island to another is one of the most popular drivers in Japan since it provides the most exciting views. It’s a much shorter trip of about 40 miles, but it does mean you get to cross the fantastic suspended bridges that make you feel like you’re driving on air.
Along the way, you can visit Kosan-Ji, the temple known for its kitsch aesthetic that attracts tourists from Japan and all over the world. The temple is Chinese in appearance, and it’s made out of Italian stone, showing how complex the country’s history truly is.
The Drive on the Noto Peninsula
If you’re looking for beautiful seascapes, this trip is for you. All along the 147 miles, you’ll keep driving along the most beautiful seascape Japan has to offer. Noto is the most prominent peninsula since that’s where most shrines are built. Rice terraces are also built along the way, overlooking the cliff’s edges.
The port city of Wajima is one that you shouldn’t miss since it’s been a hub of the region for the past 1000 years and visiting is like going through the long history of Japan firsthand. It’s also home to an impressive Museum of modern arts.
Coastal Wakayama
Wakayama prefecture is the home of many castles and an entrance to the Kumano Kodo dark forests. About a hundred miles of the roads of this region are connected via feudal castles dating back to the 16the century. Shirama hot springs are also a common stop for tourists.
The region’s mountains are beautiful and dangerous looking, but they also play a significant role in local mythology. It was once believed that it was the place where Japanese gods came down to Earth. When you see them firsthand, you’ll understand why some may think so.
Central Japan Coastline
This scenic drive starts from Lino Ura and goes to Ine. It spans about 221 miles and goes through lush forests and the green coastline for which it’s so well known. Izumo is along the way, and it’s the home to the oldest shrine in the country. The dune system at Kaigan Geopark is also nearby.
The water is the perfect shade of blue, and the hills are green and majestic. The trip itself will be the most memorable part of the journey since it’s the most beautiful part of the country. This is especially true in spring when it comes to life.
Mount Aso and Cape Sata
Mount Aso is a volcano, and it doesn’t look like anything as you might imagine. It has a subtropical vibe to its lush forests and a dark and rainy ambiance. You can see the volcano at all times as you keep moving along the road.
The cuisine in this part of Japan is also somewhat different from the rest of the country. Make sure you stop at one of the towns along the road and enjoy the local cuisine as you look at the volcano from above. It will appear as if you’re floating.
The Rural Parts of the Country – Tohoku
Japan is well known for its vast cities, and it’s often overlooked how much of the country is rural in its industries and its aesthetic. A drive through Tohoku is a way to get to know this rural part of the country and truly enjoy it as a tourist.
The road from Fukushima to Aomori is about 200 miles long, and besides the farms, it also features a volcano and a shrine to 17th-century poet Matsuo Basho. Lake Towada, with its serene and pristine waters, is nearby, and you should make a stop.
88 Temples of Shikoku
If you’re interested in Japan’s ancient religion, this is the road trip for you. There are 88 temples along this road, stretching for 750 miles. The temples are dedicated to Kobo Daishi, the founder of the Japanese version of Buddhism.
Along the way, you pass the longest suspension bridge in the world – going on for 1.2 miles. The road will also take you through the busiest port cities and let you experience Japan as it mingles and mixes with the western cultures as well as the Chinese culture on the shoreline.
Tsushima
Tsushima is a small island on the shores of Japan, and it was made famous to the western audience by playing a prominent role in the Play Station game Ghost of Tsushima. The island is not well connected with the larger ones in terms of traffic and infrastructure, and you need to time your visit well. It’s worth your time, however, since it’s a place of outstanding natural beauty and historical importance.
The trip is only 43 miles from one end to the other, and it’s filled with important shrines as well as a beautiful coast from which you can see Korea on a clear day. Beautiful beaches are also a great place to rest after a long drive.
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