Japan drives on the left side of the road, a system inherited from British railway engineers who consulted on infrastructure development during the Meiji period in the 1870s. The steering wheel sits on the right side of the vehicle. International Driving Permit holders from countries that drive on the right require time to adjust to this reversed configuration. The Japan Automobile Federation recognizes International Driving Permits issued under the 1949 Geneva Convention, valid for one year from date of entry into Japan. Countries party to the 1968 Vienna Convention require an official Japanese translation of their license from the Japan Automobile Federation or their embassy, which costs approximately 3,000 yen. Switzerland, Germany, France, Belgium, Slovenia, Monaco, and Taiwan operate under bilateral agreements requiring official translations rather than International Driving Permits.
The Expressway system in Japan charges tolls based on distance traveled and vehicle size. The journey from Tokyo to Kyoto via the Tomei and Meishin Expressways covers 460 kilometers and costs approximately 10,850 yen in tolls for a standard passenger vehicle. Japan Highway Public Corporation manages most expressways. Electronic Toll Collection operates through the ETC system, requiring a Japanese-issued credit card and rented ETC card unit, available through major rental agencies for 330 yen per day. Cash payment remains available at toll plazas. Speed limits on expressways typically range from 80 to 100 kilometers per hour, with 50 to 60 kilometers per hour on urban roads and 30 kilometers per hour in residential zones. Overhead electronic signs display current speed limits, which change based on weather and traffic conditions.
Rental vehicles in Japan require reservation confirmation and both your home country driver's license and International Driving Permit or official translation at pickup. Major agencies include Toyota Rent a Car, Nippon Rent-A-Car, Times Car Rental, Nissan Rent a Car, and Orix Rent a Car. A compact car rents for approximately 5,000 to 8,000 yen per day with unlimited mileage. Full insurance coverage typically adds 1,500 to 2,000 yen per day. Navigation systems in rental vehicles offer English language options, though rural area maps may display only Japanese characters. Rental agencies near airports and major train stations provide the densest coverage. Return policies require a full fuel tank, with gas stations near return locations often busy during peak rental periods.
The Hokkaido island road network provides access to landscapes distinct from Honshu. Route 12 connects Sapporo to Furano, covering 120 kilometers through agricultural plains where lavender farms operate between late June and early August. Route 237 continues to Biei, known for patchwork agricultural fields photographed from Shinsei-no-oka observation point. Route 273 traverses Daisetsuzan National Park, Japan's largest national park at 2,267 square kilometers, with the Sounkyo Gorge section featuring volcanic rock cliffs reaching 150 meters. Akan-Mashu National Park in eastern Hokkaido contains Lake Mashu, a caldera lake with a maximum depth of 211.5 meters and visibility measured at 41.6 meters in 1931, among the clearest recordings globally. Route 243 circles Lake Kussharo, Japan's largest caldera lake by surface area at 79.3 square kilometers. Shiretoko National Park on the northeastern peninsula becomes accessible via Route 334, though the Shiretoko Pass section closes from late October to late April due to snow accumulation exceeding three meters.
The Tohoku Expressway extends 679 kilometers from Kawaguchi Junction near Tokyo to Aomori, providing the primary north-south corridor through Honshu's northern prefectures. Route 4 runs parallel as a non-toll alternative, passing through Sendai, the largest city in Tohoku with a population of 1.09 million. The Bandai-Azuma Skyline, a 29-kilometer toll road closed from November to April, reaches an elevation of 1,622 meters with views of volcanic Mount Bandai and the Azuma mountain range. Lake Towada, a double caldera lake on the Aomori-Akita border, measures 327 meters at its deepest point. Route 102 and Route 103 provide access, with the latter section along the eastern shore known as the Towada-Hachimantai Skyline. Hirosaki in Aomori Prefecture contains one of Japan's twelve original castles that retain their historic tenshu, constructed in 1611. The Tsugaru Strait separates Hokkaido from Honshu by 20 kilometers at its narrowest point, crossed by the Seikan Tunnel exclusively for rail traffic since 1988.
The Nikko area sits 140 kilometers north of central Tokyo, accessible via the Nikko-Utsunomiya Toll Road. Nikko Toshogu Shrine, constructed in 1617 and expanded in 1636, contains the Yomeimon Gate decorated with over 500 carvings. Nikko National Park encompasses 1,402 square kilometers including Lake Chuzenji, formed by Mount Nantai's volcanic eruption approximately 20,000 years ago, sitting at 1,269 meters elevation. Kegon Falls drops 97 meters from Lake Chuzenji's outlet. The Irohazaka Winding Road features 48 hairpin turns, named after the 48 characters in the traditional Japanese hiragana ordering system, climbing from 650 meters to 1,275 meters elevation. One road serves uphill traffic, the second downhill, constructed separately in 1954 and 1965.
The Japanese Alps span central Honshu across Nagano, Gifu, Toyama, and Niigata Prefectures. The Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route, a 37.2-kilometer mountain crossing between Tateyama in Toyama and Omachi in Nagano, operates from mid-April to late November using cable cars, ropeways, trolley buses, and highland buses, prohibiting private vehicles. The Murodo plateau section at 2,450 meters elevation records snow walls along the road reaching 20 meters high in mid-April when plowing completes. Kamikochi valley in Chubu Sangaku National Park restricts private vehicle access from April 17 to November 15, requiring park-and-ride from Sawando parking area via shuttle bus. The valley sits at 1,500 meters elevation along the Azusa River, enclosed by peaks exceeding 3,000 meters including Mount Yari at 3,180 meters and Mount Hotaka at 3,190 meters. Route 158 and Route 471 provide access to trailheads. Shirakawa-go village in Gifu Prefecture contains 114 gassho-zukuri farmhouses, structures with steep thatched roofs designed for snow loads in a region receiving annual snowfall exceeding eight meters. UNESCO designated Shirakawa-go and nearby Gokayama as World Heritage Sites in 1995. Route 156 through the valley connects to the Tokai-Hokuriku Expressway.
The Hakone area occupies a volcanic caldera 80 kilometers southwest of Tokyo. Route 1, the historic Tokaido road, crosses Hakone Pass at 846 meters. The Hakone Turnpike toll road, 15.8 kilometers long with 659 meters of elevation gain, accesses viewpoints toward Mount Fuji and Sagami Bay, charging 730 yen for motorcycles and 1,280 yen for cars. Lake Ashi formed approximately 3,000 years ago when Mount Hakone's eruption blocked the Haya River, creating a lake surface area of 7.1 square kilometers with a maximum depth of 40 meters. The Hakone Skyline toll road connects to the Izu Skyline, which runs 40.6 kilometers along ridgelines of the Izu Peninsula, closed at night from 17:00 to 08:30 due to wildlife crossings. Mount Fuji's fifth station on the Yoshida Trail route, the most popular of four climbing routes, sits at 2,305 meters elevation and serves as the highest point accessible by paved road. The Fuji Subaru Line toll road reaches this elevation over 29.5 kilometers, charging 2,100 yen during the climbing season from July 1 to September 10 when private vehicles face access restrictions requiring shuttle bus use.
The Izu Peninsula extends 60 kilometers south into the Pacific Ocean from Atami. Route 135 follows the eastern coast past onsen towns including Ito and Shimoda, the latter being where Commodore Matthew Perry landed in 1854 to negotiate the Treaty of Kanagawa. The Nishi-Izu Skyline toll road traverses the western mountains for 18.8 kilometers, while Route 136 follows the western coastline with views of Mount Fuji across Suruga Bay. Cape Irozaki marks the peninsula's southernmost point. The Jogasaki Coast features volcanic cliffs and the Kadowaki Suspension Bridge spanning 48 meters at 23 meters above the ocean. Route 414 completes the peninsula circuit along less developed coastline.
Central Honshu's Pacific coast connects via the Tomei Expressway from Tokyo through Nagoya to the Meishin Expressway toward Kyoto and Osaka. This 536-kilometer route constitutes Japan's primary freight and passenger corridor. The Shin-Tomei Expressway, opened in stages between 2012 and 2020, runs parallel with design speeds of 120 kilometers per hour, currently restricted to 100 kilometers per hour in most sections. Nagoya, Japan's fourth-largest city with 2.3 million population, serves as a midpoint. Nagoya Castle, originally constructed in 1612 and reconstructed in 1959 after wartime destruction, features a 48-meter-high main tower. Route 1 parallels the expressways as a coastal alternative through Shizuoka Prefecture, where tea plantations cover hillsides producing 40 percent of Japan's green tea output.
The Kii Peninsula south of Osaka and Nagoya contains the Kumano Kodo pilgrimage routes, designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2004 as part of the Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii Mountain Range. Route 42 circles the peninsula's coast from Wakayama through Tanabe and Shingu to Kumano, covering approximately 380 kilometers. The Nakahechi route, the most traveled of six Kumano Kodo paths, connected Tanabe on the western coast to Kumano Sanzan, three grand shrines in the mountainous interior. Paved roads now reach Hongu Taisha, Hayatama Taisha, and Nachi Taisha, though traditional stone-paved sections remain preserved. Nachi Falls drops 133 meters in a single tier, Japan's tallest uninterrupted waterfall. The Ise-Shima Skyline toll road provides access to viewpoints over Ise Bay and the Shima Peninsula, where Ise Grand Shrine attracts approximately 8.5 million visitors annually to structures rebuilt every 20 years following Shinto tradition, most recently in 2013.
The Noto Peninsula extends 100 kilometers north into the Sea of Japan from Ishikawa Prefecture. Route 249 completes a 265-kilometer loop from Kanazawa around the peninsula's perimeter. The western Chirihama Nagisa Driveway permits vehicles to drive eight kilometers directly on beach sand, one of few such roads globally, passable during low tide with firm sand conditions. Wajima, known for lacquerware production dating to the Muromachi period in the 1400s, hosts a morning market along a 360-meter street operating daily except the second and fourth Wednesday of each month. The Senmaida rice terraces near Wajima descend toward the Sea of Japan in approximately 1,000 small paddies, illuminated by 21,000 LED lights from October to March. Suzu at the peninsula's northern tip marks one of Japan's westernmost locations on the Sea of Japan coast.
Kyoto's surrounding mountains limit parking in the historic center, particularly during autumn foliage season from mid-November to early December when approximately 5 million tourists visit. Arashiyama district on the western edge provides parking areas near the bamboo grove, accessed via Route 29. The Philosopher's Path, a two-kilometer stone walkway following a canal between Ginkaku-ji and Nanzen-ji temples, prohibits vehicle access. Fushimi Inari-taisha shrine at Kyoto's southern edge offers parking, though lots fill by mid-morning on weekends. The shrine's torii gate paths extend 4.2 kilometers up Mount Inari to 233 meters elevation, with approximately 10,000 vermilion gates donated by individuals and businesses. Route 1 traverses Kyoto as city streets with frequent traffic signals. The Meishin Expressway bypasses the city center via tunnel and elevated sections.
The Chugoku region of western Honshu contains the Sanin coast along the Sea of Japan and the Sanyo coast along the Seto Inland Sea. The Chugoku Expressway runs 370 kilometers through the region's mountainous interior from Suita near Osaka to Shimonoseki at Honshu's western terminus. The Sanyo Expressway follows the southern coast for 431 kilometers. Hiroshima sits on the Sanyo side with a population of 1.2 million. The Atomic Bomb Dome, a structure left standing 160 meters from the hypocenter of the August 6, 1945 bombing, became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1996. Miyajima, officially named Itsukushima, lies 10 kilometers southwest across water accessible by ferry from Miyajimaguchi. Itsukushima Shrine's torii gate stands 16.6 meters tall in the tidal zone, rebuilt in 1875 using natural camphor wood. The island prohibits most vehicle traffic except service vehicles. Izumo in Shimane Prefecture on the Sanin coast contains Izumo Taisha, one of Japan's oldest shrines with structures dating to 1744, though shrine tradition claims origins in mythological antiquity. The main hall stands 24 meters tall.
Shikoku, Japan's fourth-largest island at 18,800 square kilometers, connects to Honshu via three bridge routes. The Akashi Kaikyo Bridge spans 3,911 meters with a center span of 1,991 meters, the world's longest suspension bridge span, carrying six lanes of the Kobe-Awaji-Naruto Expressway. The Great Seto Bridge combines six bridges and four viaducts over 13.1 kilometers connecting Okayama to Kagawa Prefecture, carrying both road and rail traffic on double-deck structures since 1988. The Nishiseto Expressway, known as the Shimanami Kaido, spans 59.4 kilometers across nine bridges linking Honshu to Imabari on Shikoku via six islands in the Seto Inland Sea, opened in 1999. This route includes a separate pathway for pedestrians and bicycles spanning the entire distance. Toll charges vary by route and vehicle type. The Shikoku Pilgrimage of 88 temples extends approximately 1,200 kilometers around the island, traditionally walked but increasingly traveled by car or tour bus. Temple 1, Ryozen-ji, and Temple 88, Okubo-ji, both sit in Tokushima Prefecture. Completing the circuit by foot typically requires 40 to 60 days. The Yoshino River, Shikoku's longest at 194 kilometers, flows through Oboke Gorge and Koboke Gorge where Route 32 follows the water through sections with rock walls rising 200 meters.
Kyushu's expressway network connects Fukuoka in the north through Kumamoto and Kagoshima extending south. The Kyushu Expressway runs 346 kilometers from Kitakyushu to Kagoshima. Fukuoka city contains 1.6 million people with an international airport located six kilometers from the city center. Nagasaki on the western coast experienced the second atomic bombing on August 9, 1945. The Nagasaki Peace Park and Atomic Bomb Museum occupy the Urakami district near the hypocenter. Route 34 and Route 57 provide access. Kumamoto Castle, originally constructed between 1601 and 1607, suffered damage during the April 2016 earthquakes measuring magnitude 7.0, with restoration work projected to complete by 2037. Mount Aso contains the world's largest volcanic caldera at 25 kilometers north-south and 18 kilometers east-west, formed through four major eruptions between 300,000 and 90,000 years ago. Within this caldera, five peaks comprise Mount Aso proper, with Mount Nakadake at 1,506 meters containing an active crater accessible via ropeway and road when volcanic activity permits. Route 57 and Route 265 cross the caldera. The Yamanami Highway, designated Route 11, traverses 105 kilometers from Kumamoto to Beppu in Oita Prefecture across highland plateaus exceeding 1,000 meters elevation.