I just did the best Japan road trip — and I can’t wait to share all the details with you.
My brief was simple: I wanted nature, culture, incredible food, and, most importantly, to venture off the beaten path.
I also wanted my Japanese road trip to start or end in Tokyo.
After mapping out the country, I found the perfect route that took me through the Japanese Alps.
I did this trip in March 2025 with my husband and our 10-month-old baby. We loved every minute of it and are looking forward to planning our next adventure in Japan.
This blog post covers everything you need to know, from the best cities to visit, car rental options, and how to plan the best road trip in Japan.
Quick Navigation
Overview: Japan Road Trip Itinerary
Route: Tokyo to Kanazawa
Duration: 5 – 10 days
Stops: Tokyo → Hakone → Mt Fuji (Fujikawaguchiko) → Matsumoto → Takayama → Kanazawa
Note: I actually did the route in reverse, starting in Kanazawa and ending in Tokyo. But since most travelers arrive in Tokyo, I’ll start from there.
Suggested overnight stays
- Hakone (1 night)
- Mt Fuji / Fujikawaguchiko (1 night)
- Matsumoto (1 night)
- Takayama (2 nights)
- Kanazawa (2 nights)
At the end of the road trip, we took the Shinkansen Bullet Train from Kanazawa to Kyoto and flew out internationally from Osaka.
If you need to return to Tokyo, you can easily take the bullet train from Kyoto back to the capital.
How Many Days Do You Need
We rented a car for 8 days, which felt like the perfect amount of time. I recommend returning your car when you arrive in Kanazawa – you won’t need it to explore the city.
We were traveling with a baby, so we allowed a few extra days in each location. If you’re traveling with kids, I highly recommend doing the same.
At a minimum, you’ll need 5 days to cover this route. But if you’re a slow traveler (like me), stretch it out to 10 days or more as there’s lots to do and see.
Renting a Car in Japan
Renting a car was the best decision we made. We booked here and used Nissan Rent a Car. They were great and I highly recommend them.
Driving in Japan was much easier than I expected. Google Maps works great, and the moment we left Tokyo, it was smooth sailing with no hectic traffic.
Things to know before renting a car in Japan:
- Japan drives on the left side (same as Australia and the UK)
- Request an ETC card for tolls — it’ll save you time and hassle
- You’ll need an International Driving Permit (IDP)
- Book your car at least 2 months in advance for the best rates (We tried to extend last-minute, and the price shot up)
One-way drop-off
This itinerary involves picking up the car in Tokyo and dropping it off in Kanazawa. You’ll pay a one-way fee, but it’s absolutely worth it.
Japan by car itinerary
Day 1: Tokyo to Hakone
Distance: 85 km | Drive time: 1.5 hours
Where I stayed: Gran Giorno Hakone
Hakone is a mountain town 90 minutes south of Tokyo. It’s home to natural hot springs, or onsens, tucked away in the forests. We visited in winter, and the experience was incredible.
Hakone is often overlooked in favour of places closer to Mt Fuji. But with its stunning views of the iconic peak and beautiful natural surroundings, it’s the perfect spot to spend the first night of your road trip.
Top tip: Spend two nights in the Mt Fuji region — one in Hakone, and one in Fujikawaguchiko. Mt Fuji is famously shy and is often hidden behind clouds. The more time you spend, the better your chances of seeing it. We stayed for three days and only saw the mountain on one of those days.
Things to do in Hakone
- Stay in an onsen hotel
- Visit Lake Ashi (crater lake with Mt Fuji views)
- See the Hakone Shrine
- Explore the Hakone Open-Air Museum
Day 2: Fujikawaguchiko (Mt Fuji)
Distance: 70 km | Drive time: 1.5 hours
Where I stayed: Onsen Konansou Hotel
Fujikawaguchiko is one of the main tourist towns that sits at the foothills of Mt Fuji.
Here’s where you’ll find iconic viewpoints, scenic lakes, and onsen hotels with jaw-dropping views of the mountain.
We stayed at Konansou Onsen and had a room with a private onsen bath. It was a bit of a splurge, but the experience was worth it. You can read my review of Konansou Hotel here.
Things to do in Fujikawaguchiko
- Drive the Ashinoko Skyline (route here)
- Stay in an onsen hotel with Mt Fuji views
- Walk around Lake Yamanaka
- Visit Chureito Pagoda
- Eat ramen at Renge Ramen
Driving Route Tip
The drive from Hakone to Fujikawaguchiko takes you past the best views of Mt Fuji (if you follow my suggested route)
Don’t follow the quickest route recommended by Google Maps, else you’ll miss it.
Take the Ashinoko Skyline (here) instead. It’s a toll road (cash only) but has multiple observation decks for Fuji views.
Make a stop at Lake Yamanaka (here) for a scenic walk with unspoiled views of the mountain.
Day 3: Matsumoto
Distance: 140 km | Drive time: 2 hours
Where I stayed: Onyado Nono Onsen Hotel
Matsumoto is best known for its stunning black-and-white castle. I visited a few castles in Japan, and this was by far the most spectacular.
Things to do in Matsumoto
- Visit Matsumoto Castle
- Explore Nakamachi Dori and Nawate Street
- Eat fresh soba noodles
Read my guide to Matsumoto here.
Driving tips
If the weather is good, it’s best to spend the morning exploring the Mt Fuji viewpoints. You can then drive the 2 hours to reach Matsumoto.
An afternoon is enough time to explore Matsumoto, so try to get here by 1 pm. It’s a walkable city, so you can easily park your car at your hotel and explore on foot.
Days 4 & 5: Takayama
Distance: 151 km | Drive time: 3.5 hours
Where I stayed: Hotel Wood
Takayama was one of the highlights of our road trip. This is where I met the friendliest locals and discovered the most beautiful walking route through several temples.
The city is not well connected by train, so having a rental car makes it much easier to get to.
Things to do in Takayama
- Stop at Narai-juku (old post town)
- Visit Kuzo Pass Observatory on your drive to Takayama
- Wander Sanmachi Suji (Old Town)
- Walk the Higashiyama Temple Trail
- Eat Takayama Ramen and Hida beef
Driving route
To get from Matsumoto to Takayama, we’re going to take a detour route via Narai-juku, a beautifully preserved post town.
From there, continue south before taking route 361 (here) through the Japanese Alps. It’s a longer, more scenic option with spectacular views.
Top tip: Want a nature fix instead? Skip Narai-juku and go via Kamikochi National Park. It’s closed in winter but worth considering in warmer months. This is the more direct route, but it’s also the busier option.
Day 6: Kanazawa
Distance: 120 km | Drive time: 2.5 hours
Where I stayed: Koko Hotel Premier
Kanazawa is a historic city on the west coast of Japan. It’s often referred to as “Little Kyoto” because of its well-preserved traditional districts and rich cultural heritage.
You can return your rental car here, as Kanazawa is a walkable city and a car isn’t needed to get around.
Things to do in Kanazawa
- Visit Shirakawa-go (UNESCO heritage site)
- Explore Ainokura Gassho-zukuri Village
- Stroll Kenroku-en Garden and Kanazawa Castle
- Try sushi at Omicho Market
- Visit the Nagamachi Samurai District and Higashi Chaya District
Here’s my complete guide to Kanazawa.
Driving Route Tip
Make time to stop at both Shirakawa-go and Ainokura on your way to Kanazawa.
Shirakawa-go is Insta-famous, but Ainokura is lesser-known and beautifully quiet — we loved both.
After the Road Trip
From Kanazawa, you can take the Shinkansen directly to Kyoto or Osaka. It’s a smooth and scenic ride — the perfect way to end your journey.
Should you explore Japan by car
Yes! I recommend renting a car for half of your trip and using public transport for the other half.
This will allow you the freedom to explore lesser-known destinations (like Takayama and Matsumoto) while still being able to visit the main tourist areas.
We kept our road trip itinerary to 8 days and then spent another 10 days visiting Tokyo, Osaka, and Kyoto. If you have any questions about our Japanese road trip, please drop me a message in the comments section below.
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Hello, I was planning on taking this route with my wife from December 26, 2025, to January 3, 2026. Do you think driving is doable in the snowy weather conditions during this time of the year? I would also be a first-time driver in Japan, coming from the United States, and have never driven internationally. Thanks.
Hey David,
I expect there will be quite a bit of snowfall during that time. You might need to take the larger highways from Matsumoto to Takayama (instead of the smaller, more scenic route via Narai Juku), and potentially make a few other detours along the way. But I found that they were really good with clearing the snow off the road though.
I had a look and day tours still operate to Shirakawa/Takayama in December so the roads should be open for you to drive. You will definitely need to get snow chains for your car tires (you add these as an optional extra when hiring the car) and drive cautiously as the roads might be icy.
Driving in Japan wasn’t a problem for us and we used Google Maps to get around. The roads are in great condition and people don’t drive recklessly. So that shouldn’t be a problem for you. But you will need to have a bit of flexibility to your itinerary in case there is heavy snowfall, especially between Takayama and Kanazawa, via Shirakawa.
Good luck with the travel planning.
Carryn
Hi Carryn, I am Patricia. Would like to know whether there have any snow / skiing during 9 to 21st Dec along ur road trip?
Hi Patricia,
My trip was at the end of February so I can’t confirm whether there was snowfall in December (January has the highest amounts of snow). But I assume there will be as the ski parks are open so you will be able to ski during that time.
Carryn
Can you elaborate on the parking situation in each of the towns you visited?
Hi Ravi,
One or two of our accommodations had free onsite parking (message them to confirm availability).
For the other places that didn’t offer parking, we parked our car overnight in the designated public parking lots nearby. You need to pay for this but it wasn’t expensive for 24 hour parking. I simply typed into Google “Parking” and went to the one closest to my accommodation.
For shorter stops, there is paid parking available at all the main sites and it’s clearly marked. I also used Google to find these parking areas.
Have fun!
Carryn
We’re looking at doing this trip Kanazawa to Tokyo direction in April 2026.
Family of 4, did you prebook all your accommodation along the way? Im wondering if it is possible to “wing it” so we can have more flexibility
Hi Claire,
Because we were traveling out of season (Feb/March), we book our accommodation a few days before arriving in each town and we didn’t have issues with availability. But we also weren’t fussy about what accommodation we stayed in. However, for the Mt Fuji part, we booked a few months in advance because I wanted to stay in an Onsen hotel with Mt Fuji Views.
April is a busy time in Japan – school holidays, Easter – and while I’m sure you’ll find accommodation on the whim, it will most likely be more expensive and it can add more stress to your trip if there are limited options, especially if you’re looking for 4 people. I recommend booking your accommodation at least a month in advance and try to find something with free cancellation.
Happy planning!
Carryn
Hi guys! Inspired by your story and love the fact you’ve taken great stuff on with the baby in tow.
We have an 8 month old girl who will be 1 by the time we go on our trip to Japan.
We love it there and visit from Sydney every years sometimes twice but this time I want to get off the beaten track and see more, mt fuji up close etc.
Love the sound of your trip there and you pretty much covered all of the questions I would ask.
The only thing im quite concerned with is – What was the drive like? icy? dangerous ? am I over thinking?
People mentioning we may need spikes for tyres etc.
Just thought id ask someone who has been there and done it!
Appreciate you reply in advance and keep up the great work.
Jack, Gemma and baby Wren x
Hi Jack,
So glad you found this post helpful. It seems you’ll do the trip in January? We went in late Feb and the roads were all in good condition. No spikes for tires needed. There was light snowfall for a small section of the drive, but we drove very slowly with our lights on and we didn’t feel unsafe at all. There was lots of snow on the sides of the roads, but it was clear that they sweep the roads to ensure they’re safe.
However, because you’re traveling in January (peak of winter), there might be lots of snowfall and certain sections may be closed. This can include the part between Kanazawa – Ainokura/Shirakawa-go – Takayama. But this is a popular part of Japan in winter with many tours going to Shirakawa-go so I’d think they’d clear the roads more frequently.
For our drive from Takayama to Matsumoto, we followed a quieter road which took us to Narai-juku. This might also have a lot of snow. If that’s the case, there is an alternative route that’s more direct and follows the highway from Takayama to Matsumoto that you can take. It just means you might have to skip Narai-juku.
I’d definitely recommend getting spikes for your tires of you’re traveling in January (rental car companies have those as an added extra). You might not use them, but at least you have them in case. Also opt for a bigger car when making your reservation. We had the Nissan Note and it felt safe and secure on the road. There are cheaper options but the cars/tires are tiny and I don’t know how they would handle wet conditions.
Japan is an extremely safe country and if the roads are too icy and deemed not safe to drive on, they will be closed. Google maps is also updated frequently so if you follow the route using the app, you should be notified if there are any road closures.
Enjoy your trip!
Carryn