Sapporo, Hokkaido island’s most populous city, is one of the best ways to enjoy the north of Japan on a day trip or a weekend break. Most visitors will arrive to Sapporo by plane, be aware that the Chitose airport is quite some distance away from the Sapporo city centre and a train will take anywhere up to 45 minutes before arrival at the centre of Sapporo.
Sapporo is a fun evening out and there is plenty to do in the vicinity of the centre of the city. Great nightlife, amazing food and friendly people make for a wonderful evening.
Sapporo also has some of the most beautiful areas within the local areas, including the likes of Biel and Furano.
Furano will take over two hours to get to, but once there you will see some of the most wonderful flowers in Japan.
Yakushima is an island located off of the southern coast of Kagoshima; the farthest prefecture south in Kyushu. The island is one of the wettest places in the world and has the most precipitation in the whole of Japan; partially because of the mountainous landscape. Yakushima is one of the most enjoyable places in the world to drive and is famous for it’s winding roads twisting around the mountains on the island.
All of the above makes Yakushima undoubtedly one of the most fun places to travel by car and the island makes for a fun excursion both for a day or for a long term trip. We decided to make a day trip to Yakushima and therefore only travelled around approximately 1/4 of the island, but were able to visit two of the most fun places on the island.
Taking a ferry from Kagoshima is anywhere between a 2 hour journey to 3 hours; depending on the route that you choose to take. When you arrive at Miyanoura port, you will be able to find several rent-a-car outlets near to the port. Both Times Rent a Car and Toyota Rent a Car can be found just 5 minutes walk away from the port; alternatively you can arrange for transport to the car centre in advance. Recommended if it’s a rainy day, which is roughly 1 day in every 3 on this wonderful island.
The first port of call from Miyanoura would be a short 30 minute drive to the world famous Shiratani Unsuikyo, which has a variety of trails that could take anywhere from up to 1 hour from car park and back; or a four hour journey farther into the forest. The journey will take you on one winding road into the centre of the Shiratani and from there you will be able to reach three of Yakushima’s most famous cedars; Kugurisugi, Yayoisugi and Nidaiosugi. All beautiful in their own special way, a short walk will take you up stream to the waterfalls.
Watch out for the monkeys on the road… they’re everywhere…
The next port of call for us was a trip to Yakusugi Land, which makes for a great trip if you don’t want to hike the 10 hours required to see Yakushima’s oldest tree. The journey from Shiratani Unsuikyo to Yakusugi Land will take about 1 hour and 30 minutes, and will also go through some small towns on the way where you will be able to enjoy a quick stop for lunch.
At Yakusugi Land you can see some of the most stunning cedar trees and a further trip in land will give you a trip to Kigensugi, one of Yakushima’s giant cedars.
In total six hours will afford you a great journey through Yakushima; recommended for anyone who wants to experience the best that this stunning island has to offer.
The Okayama prefecture is a place often visited by tourists visiting the West of Japan due to its position close to Kansai and north of Shikoku. With the gorgeous Naoshima nearby, it’s worth a weekend trip and certainly worth exploring by vehicle if you have the opportunity to do so.
Okayama city surrounds the main train station nicely, so most of the hotels and car rental companies are strategically placed around the station. On both sides of the track you can find a selection of accommodation and vehicle rental spots; Times Car Rental is highly recommended in Okayama for its excellent customer service, as a non-Japanese speaker they will even help setup your GPS unit in your preferred language.
From the Okayama City centre, it’s well worth heading straight to Okayama Castle and the world famous Korakuen; a stunning garden located to the East of the main city centre.
From Okayama City it’s a nice journey to the highly recommended Kurashiki; a stunning village with traditional Japanese architecture and beautiful local shops to explore. There is a canal on which you can rent a boat and float leisurely along the water.
From Kurashiki, you can make a journey to the beautiful, artistic island of Naoshima. A ferry can taken across in approximately 20 minutes to Naoshima and you car can of course come along, this will cost you just over 300 yen per person and the car should set you back a further 2000 yen.
When on Naoshima, most will travel by foot or bicycle, but by car is the absolute winner. There are very few places to keep your car in Naoshima but if you are staying at the world famous Benesse House, as a guest you will be able to leave your vehicle right next to the hotel. The car can also be used to travel around the different museums and buildings in Benesse House.
Miyakojima is one of the Okinawan islands at the southernmost point of Japan. Much like Ishigaki and Okinawa island itself, hiring a car on Miyakojima is easy and a fun way to get around the island. Miyako is only 25 kilometres by 15 kilometres so a vehicle makes for a convenient way to explore everything on offer.
Miyakojima is 300km away from Okinawa’s main island and is thus only reachable by plane. JAL have a direct flight to the island from Tokyo but expect to pay a hefty price as Miyakojima is an incredibly popular spot for traveling Japanese tourists.
Miyako is famous for its beaches and Maehama Beach and Yoshino Beach are absolutely the most popular spots to visit. A quick 15 minute drive from the airport will take you to Maehama and thus should be one of the first spots that you visit on your travels around the island.
A visit to Cape Higashi-Hennazaki would certainly be an important part of any tourist’s itinerary but expect to travel approximately 30 minutes from most of the island to reach the spot, famous for its lighthouse.
A visit over Irabu, Ikema and Kurima bridges makes for an exciting trip and the Irabu bridge is one of the longest in the world. The 1.7 kilometre Kurima Ohashi connects Kurima Island with Miyako Island and is only recently built. Irabu’s bridge – at 3.54km – takes some time to explore but gives travellers the option to visit Irabu Island.
Irabu Bridge
Miyakojima is a must visit spot for any international traveller looking for a different experience in Japan.
Ishigaki is one of the most southernmost islands in Japan and can be reached by plane direct from many major cities; including Tokyo, Fukuoka and Osaka.
Japan’s incredible infrastructure never ceases to amaze and even as far south as Ishigaki has excellent roads and highways.
Ishigaki
Hiring a car at Ishigaki Airport is easy and convenient. There are shuttle cars to drive you to your vehicle but Nippon Rent a Car is just a short walk away if you have no reservation in advance. One of the best things about Japanese rental car companies is that if the store is not located directly within an airport, transportation for free is generally provided.
From Ishigaki Airport you will be able to drive directly to Kojima Bay, in approximately 20-30 minutes. The roads are quiet and easy to navigate, but car parking at the bay could prove busy and difficult. Prepare for a short wait during busier times of the year. The bay itself is pretty and is one of the most famous beaches and picture spots in all of Japan.
From there, the possibilities are endless. Ishigaki is an island where you should probably split your trips into two separate days; conquering the north on a different day to the south. A route South of Kojima Bay can see you drive along the west coast of the island. It would be worth stopping at XX beach; don’t be put off by the hotel that you need to walk through. The beach is public and the hotel welcomes guests.
From there, a short five minute drive will see you arrive at YY. This is a beautiful spot to catch the sunset and get a photo of the short drop down to the sea from the rocks.
From there onward you may want to drive through Ishigaki City. Convenience stores are virtually non-existent on the island apart from Ishigaki City, so you may want to stock up on supplies here. A quick drive through the city will see you drive past the port and if you choose to take a day elsewhere, a visit to Taketomi Island makes for a lovely trip.
Taketomi Island
A drive around the bay will then take you to the ANA intercontental hotel and the beach close by makes for a lovely spot.
When you eventually go north of the island you will discover a side to Japan unlike anywhere else. Lots of small communities and long, stunning, quiet roads all the way through the centre of the island.
At the far north of Ishigaki you will find ZZZ. A beautiful spot to take a photo or two, the cape itself also has a small mountain to climb up for an even better view.
One of the most beautiful things about Ishigaki is the chains of small roads just off of the main streets. At any time a trek down one of those roads could take you through a small village or, as I discovered on one turn off, a stunning secluded beach.
Ishigaki is a beautiful place to visit and is highly recommended for any visitor looking for a slightly different experience of Japan.
Okinawa is arguably Japan’s most popular island. Despite being well known in the press for having army bases, the region also retains plenty of beautiful beaches and sights to visit. There are an abundance of top quality hotels and city areas to enjoy; including Naha, which has some excellent options for restaurants and drinks. No visit to Okinawa would be complete without sampling the Okinawan cuisine; famous for it’s mix of sweet and sour flavours.
The best thing about Okinawa, though, is the fact that one can hire a car and drive around the island for a day or a weekend to take in most of the sights. Okinawa’s world famous aquarium can really only be reached by vehicle, so it is an ideal day trip for the kids. A travel down the northern coastline of Okinawa is not the most stunning sight, but the eventual arrival at beach resorts will delight all of the senses.
Okinawa also has a stunning reconstructed former Ryukyu royal palace at Shuri Castle, which can be visited along the way out of Nara. A must see on a visit to the island.
A trip down the coastline will give you an opportunity to really see Japan’s beach beauty and is definitely worthwhile for anyone looking to visit Japan for longer than a two week period.
Gunma, one of Japan’s central prefectures, can be reached quickly from multiple cities in Japan; including Osaka, Nagoya and Tokyo, in just a few hours by car. If traveling from Tokyo, the Kan-etsu freeway links from the capital to the prefecture directly in just under two hours.
One of the highlights of a trip to Gunma is a visit to the multiple Onsen towns. Some of Gunma’s best known hot spring towns include Kusatsu Onsen, Minakami Onsen, Isobe Onsen and Ikaho Onsen. Each town has its own distinct onsen feature, but Manza, Kusatsu and Minakami are the most popular visits for tourists.
En route to one of the northern Onsen towns, a trip along the highway will give visitors plenty of options as they travel through central Japan; with the city of Takasaki the first option. After that, a visit into Shibukawa and Ikaho is highly recommended.
As you head into Ikaho area, Ikaho Green Farm will be the first port of call. Fun for both adults and visitors, and famous for it’s Moumou Ice Cream; the farm has a vast array of animals and restaurants to enjoy. A trip along the highway will give visitors plenty of options as they travel through central Japan; with the city of Takasaki the first option. After that, a visit into Shibukawa and Ikaho is highly recommended. A trip to Ikaho would not be complete without a stop off at Mizusawaji temple (ring the bell if you can!) and then stop off at Mizusawaji’s Udon Street for a bite to eat afterwards. The Udon Street is just a minute or two away from the temple.
After that, enjoy the opportunity to experience some hot springs in your choice of town for your stay. With some of Japan’s most beautiful ryokan’s and excellent hot springs, no trip to this part of the country is complete without enjoying the real overnight ryokan experience.
If you decide to visit Takasaki, a visit to the Haruna Shrine is highly recommended. Known in Japan for being a “power temple”, Haruna-jinja has some of the most stunning nature and is most popular in the Autumn months. Word of advice, parking is short around this temple. Prepare and go there early if possible, otherwise face a lengthy hour wait in the mountains.
Another sight to look out for is to take a trip to one of Gunma’s many ropeways, to really enjoy the views over the mountains.
Fuji Five Lakes, otherwise known as Fujigoko in Japanese, is one of the nicest day trips out of Tokyo by car. There are three or four different routes to the area in Yamanashi, which is located at the base of Mount Fuji. You can choose to take the scenic and slow route, through the country roads. My GPS told me that would take 3 and a half hours from Tokyo. Alternatively, the express route can get you there in over an hour if you’re lucky. The choice was easy enough.
What makes Fuji Five Lakes so special is that each one is famous for outstanding scenery, beautiful surroundings and excellent opportunity for photographs.
Prior to your trip, it is a good idea to decide exactly which lakes you want to see (if you don’t want to see all five). Arguably, the most beautiful and famous lake to view is Lake Kawaguchiko, closely followed by Lake Yamanakako. The other three, Lake Saiko, Lake Motosuko and Lake Shojiko are considerably smaller and a visit can be enjoyed with just a short drive.
The first place that we stopped off at was Lake Kawaguchiko. The huge lake has plenty of restaurants and shops around it and several excellent places from which to take a photograph.
Mount Fuji and Lake Kawaguchiko
From Kawaguchiko, it is a short trip to the nearby Lake Saiko. From most of this lake, the view of Mount Fuji is blocked except for one small area where Fuji can be seen from distance.
A 20 minute trip away will then take you to the area of the next two mountains.
Lake Shojiko
Whilst in the area, a trip to the Chureito Pagoda is highly recommended. This is very difficult to find and you might find yourself zig-zagging across railways to eventually find the very small, thin road that leads you up to the Pagoda.
Chureito Pagoda
The Yamanashi area is certainly worth a trip. With all of the areas generally located around of Fuji-san, you can travel around easily and quickly by vehicle.
As part of my journey to complete my travels around main land Kyushu, I recently visited both Fukuoka and Saga prefectures. Getting into Fukuoka from Tokyo is no easy feat and it is recommended to take a flight as opposed to a train. Once you’re there, there are plenty of options for rent a car. The website Tocoo is highly recommended for finding the rent-a-car spot nearest to your hotel in Japan.
Fukuoka itself is a modern city with numerous interesting sights. Some of the best spots are Fukuoka Tower, Tenjin Underground for excellent shopping and Hakata Station for delicious Tonkotsu Ramen.
Ramen
Once you have picked up your car, driving around Fukuoka can be a difficult task in comparison to other cities in Japan. There are an abnormal amount of buses for public transport and often these will monopolise most of the road, thus making traveling around the city centre quite difficult. It is recommended to pay for the toll routes that your navigation recommends whilst in the city, otherwise you might end up being stuck in traffic for a long time.
Dazaifu
The journey from Fukuoka to Saga, depending on where you choose, is an easy and uncrowded ride. The most popular route is to take the expressway straight into Saga. If you take the express way, Dazaifu is along the route into Saga followed by the Yoshinogari National Park. Dazaifu is famous for its stunning temple and this is often frequented by visitors looking for good luck ahead of their exams and studies. The Yoshinogari Park is famous for a burial mound found in 1989 with history dating from the 3rd century. When in Saga, the city does not have a whole lot to offer, but it is well known for a stunning view from up top of the city.
Afterwards, you can travel back from Saga into Fukuoka through the mountains, of which there is a tunnel that goes straight through a range. This will also send you out to the coast of Fukuoka and following this route will then bring you straight into Fukuoka Tower.
Shikoku has many beautiful sights and sounds and the trip from Ehime to Takamatsu gives you the opportunity to take in most of those.
Both Ehime and Takamatsu are in the north of Shikoku island and one route highway will give you the trip between both areas.
Ehime includes the wonderful Dogo Onsen on the outskirts, and from there you might consider taking a trip to Dogo Onsen. Shimanami Kaido offers a beautiful alternative between the route between Ehime and Takamatsu.
Takamatsu has several nice areas nearby, including the famous Naoshima, Kotohira and Tashima Island.
Travel ideas and itineraries in Japan using a motor vehicle.
