Driving in Japan

You’ve seen countless tourist spots in guidebooks and on social media—but you may not realize... only a small fraction of them are accessible by train or bus.

With a car, you can reach hidden gems and scenic destinations that simply aren’t reachable otherwise.

Your travel options expand dramatically.

Trains and tours often tie you to a strict schedule.

But with a rental car, you can travel at your own pace:

• “I want to stay a bit longer here.”
• “I’m hungry, let’s eat first.”
• “The kids are tired—let’s head to the hotel early.”

You can adjust your trip based on your mood and needs, making the experience far more flexible and enjoyable.

You’ll also spend less time on unnecessary transfers and more time exploring—meaning a higher satisfaction level even within the same number of travel days.

Traveling with a large suitcase can be exhausting.

But on a road trip, your car becomes your personal locker for the entire journey.

You can bring souvenirs, extra clothes—whatever you need. (Just be mindful of airline baggage limits on your flight home!)

Train fares increase with distance, and in 2023 the JR Pass saw a significant price hike.

With a rental car, you can split the cost among travelers, making it a much more affordable option for groups of two or more.

Even when you add up highway tolls, gas, and parking, the per‑person cost is often much lower than you’d expect.

Because road trips are so flexible, creating the itinerary takes a lot of time.

Choosing the places you want to visit, pinning them on a map, and figuring out the most efficient order to visit them— that alone is a big task.

Moreover, the tools and options available have limitations:

• Google Maps can tell you the “shortest route,” but it doesn’t offer scenic roads where you can enjoy breathtaking views.
• Although AI is strong at planning urban trips, it lacks sufficient data for regional tours, resulting in less‑accurate plans and a risk of ruining the trip due to misinformation.

As a result, even planning and booking a one‑week trip can easily take 30 to 40 hours.

Have you ever gotten back from a trip just to find out about an awesome place you missed?

In rural areas, there are many hidden gems not listed in guidebooks and delicious local gourmet spots loved by residents but not listed online.

• Guidebooks focus mainly on famous tourist spots and rarely include hidden attractions.
• Municipal tourism sites are comprehensive but contain mixed‑quality spots, making it hard to choose.
• Influencers mostly post about cities, leaving very little about rural areas.

Moreover, information about scenic routes is scarce in general. As a result, even if you pass amazing nearby places, you might miss them without knowing — which makes for a regrettable trip.

While road trips seem free and easy, a poorly planned trip quickly becomes inefficient and cramped.

Common mistakes include:

“I wanted a relaxed trip, so I stayed in one town and took several day trips, but I ended up spending most of my time traveling and little time sightseeing.”

→ Although it looks simple, this day‑trip style involves lots of back‑and‑forth travel, making it inefficient. A loop‑style itinerary reduces travel distance and makes sightseeing time easier to secure, but planning it is more complex.

→ Japan is mountainous with narrow, winding roads. If you plan 200–300 km per day as you might in other countries, it ends up taking a lot longer than you expected. The fatigue and stress caused by rushing also increases the risk of accidents or driving violations.

Even if you carefully plan your itinerary, it may not work well in practice. The satisfaction of your trip greatly depends on the accuracy of your itinerary – therefore, all of Drive Japan’s itineraries have been road‑tested!