While trains can get you out of the normal tourist destination, it’s easy to rent a car and it’ll open options for more unique travel experience. Drive the roads north of Gunma. Explore rural Saitama. Make a lap of Mt. Fuji. Get out to Fukushima or beyond. Spend a couple days on the Izu Peninsula on the Skyline roads and taking in the sights, beaches, onsen and etc.
Japan has a lot to offer the auto enthusiast and motorcyclists. Please take a look at the info below and let me know if you find this helpful.
- Le Garage – “…full of a variety of items that’ll make your car more fun than ever. From genuine racing goods used in the car racing, GRIOT’S GARAGE’s quality car-wash items, tools, car accessories and antiques from Europe, the shop is sure to satisfy car enthusiasts”.
- Crank Tokyo – “…car and lifestyle shop that CRANK offers carefully selected car goods, drivers’ goods, furniture and lighting that fits your garage from around the world.”
- PIT Autobacs – Maybe there is something here for you – downtown Tokyo near Tokyo Bay
- The Momentum by Porsche – restaurant / cafe – Minato, Tokyo
- Hypercar / Exotics
- Bingo Sports – small showroom with exceptional vehicles – Akasaka, Tokyo.
- Cornes Motors Ltd – flagship store – Shinagawa, Tokyo.
- etc. – lots of options I don’t really pursue.
Car Meet Up (Tokyo area)
- Meiji Jinju Gaien – Sundays – but some specific events like Toyota Classic Car Festival the year
- T-site Daikanyama / Tsutaya Books Daikanyama – themed events every second Sunday of the month – Jalopnik article
- Daikoku PA – yes, it’s a thing
Museums
- Toyota Museums
- Fuji Motorsports Museum – Gotemba, Shizuoka
- Toyota Automobile Museum – Aichi
- Toyota Commemorative Museum of Industry and Technology – Aichi
- Toyota Classic Car Festival – April 20, 2025
- Mobility Resort Motegi – much more than just a museum. Rent a car and go Motegi, Tochigi
- Honda Collection Hall – spectacular collection of cars and bikes at the famous Twin Rings Motegi circuit.
- Motegi – other activities.
- Ikaho Toy, Doll, and Car Museum – really fun museum in Gunma. Not far from Mt. Haruna from Initial-D fame. Rent a car and enjoy Gunma.
- Nissan Heritage Collection – Zama, Kanagawa
- Nissan Engine Museum – Yokohama, Kanagawa
- Isuzu Plaza – (get reservations) Fujisawa, Kanagawa
- Hino Auto Plaza – Hachioji City, Tokyo
- Shikoku Automobile Museum – Kochi, Shikoku
- Motorcar Museum of Japan – Ishikawa
- Mazda Museum – Hiroshima
Car Rentals – bring your AAA International Driving Permit
- Omoren – couple locations that take effort to reach, but nice cross-section of enthusiast cars for rent and the effort may make sense for multi-day rental.
- Porsche Drive / Rental – have not personally rented but looks like 6-hours to 10 days and pricing in the ¥60k range/day. Reach out to them!
- Fun2Drive – car tours and rentals in Hakone / Fuji
- Toyota Rent a Car
- Car Share – Times Car Rental is good for short trips from station to end destination.
- Japan Experience – Driving in Japan
Racing / Track Experience
- Race Tracks in Japan
- Fuji Speedway – Shizuoka
- Fuji Speedway Event Calendar
- Fuji Experience Driving – note, road-car rentals (Omoren) may be restricted
- Fuji Motorsports Museum
- Tsukuba – not far from Tokyo. Variety of automobile & motorcycle events – Gymkhana / DE / Motorcycle championship / etc.
- Twin Ring Motegi
- Home to Honda Collection Hall
- Moto GP Japan – Motegi
- Suzuka F1 2025 – Suzuka
- Suzuka Circuit offers lots of events through the year.
- Porsche Experience Center Tokyo – Kisarazu, Chiba
- Magarigawa Club – Boso Penninsula, Chiba – Exclusive race track and associated facilities for members. Hosts special events for auto mfg. and clubs throughout the year. Check out Bososai 2025
- Hakone Turnpike – connecting Odawara and Yugawara with the Izu Skyline roads.
- Hakone Skyline – good clean fun. Don’t drive too fast and watch for boar & deer.
- Ashinoko Skyline – another great road. Take your time and stop and the road-side rest-stops for a coffee and treat.
- Izu Skyline – excellent way to get out and see the Izu Peninsula with great roads and sightseeing in every direction. More info *Izu_S_here* and *Izu_S_here* and *Izu_S_here*.
- Nishiizu Skyline – nice road, but access takes some effort and limited amenities.
- Norikura Skyline Road – highest Skyline road in Japan.
- Japan Route 300 – nice road conencting East Fuji with lakes district
- Mikuni Pass – Yamanakako to Oyama (near Fuji Speedway). Watch out for hikers.
- Ashigara touge / Route 78 – Ashigara pass connecting Gotemba and Odawara – popular with drifting. Nice view of Fuji.
- Gotemba Hakone Line – route 401 – connecting Gotemba and Hakone Skyline – popular with drifting crown. South end of this road has a great view of Fuji at Nagao pass
- Gotemba Hakone line – Prefectural Route 736 – small road connecting Sengokuhara with Hakone Skyline nice view but single-lane in many places and hikers and bicyclists – not for high-speed driving!
- Prefectural Route 337 – rough road single-lane in places connecting Hakone Skyline (and Sengokuhara) w/ Susano, Shizuoka
- Togue Tours
- JDM4 all – driving roads
- Detecht – Best Motorcycling Roads Shizuoka
- Fun2Drive – car tours & rentals in Hakone / Fuji
- Round Cat Rally 2025
- Japan Driving Experience 2025
- Bikers Paradise – north of Izu Skyline
- Bikers Paradise motorcycle rentals
- Rental819 – rentals
- Eagle Rider – rentals
- Japan Bike Rentals – Motorcycle rentals and guided tours
Karting (this is just a small selection)
- City Circuit – Tokyo Bay
- F Dream – Hiratsuka, Kanagawa
- Japan Car Lovers – 5 must visit karting tracks
More info
- Japan Car Lovers
- Speed Hunters – global, however interesting Japan coverage
- Dmarge – best-roads-in-japan
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- http://megazip.net/
- helpful online parts-book
- some delay for internal-Japan order consolidation
- shipping more costly than average
Oh Kei Garage
- PNW JDM parts and information resource / Sambar specialist. Check out the tutorials and YouTube.
- https://ohkeigarage.com/
Coombs Country Auto
- General parts supplier with particularly good selection for Mitsubishi DELICA
- http://www.ccautos.ca/
-
Good Mitsubishi Delica info and some parts
- JDM Tuner Parts / Yahoo buying service
- https://jessestreeter.com/
- Large supplier but many parts not in stock / shipping delays from Japan
- http://www.rightdriveparts.com/
- https://buyee.jp/yahoo/auction
- access to auctions.Yahoo.co.jp auctions and more
- good option if you plan to buy from Japan regularly.
- http://JP-CarParts.com
- helpful online parts-book
- http://yokohamamotors.net/
- quality OEM parts
- price somewhat higher than other options
- fast shipping if in-stock – otherwise delay for inner-Japan order
- JustJapaneseGlass
- Marty in Richmond, BC is a great resource. Especially for Delica owners.
Kei Truck Parts – USA
- We’ve used them and can recommend
- quick delivery to USA
- http://www.rockymountainimports.net/
- kei truck parts
- http://fgpstore.com/
- kai truck parts / manuals
- http://buckeyeminitrucks.com/
- we’ve use them and can recommend
- Quick delivery to USA
- ebay user minitruckdotca
- http://minitruck.ca/
- http://www.japanminitruckparts.com/
- https://minitrucktalk.com/threads/need-a-part-for-your-subaru-sambar.6780/
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Forums
Parts Books
Megazip.net OEM Parts Catalogue
Service Manuals
Suzuki Carry – service manual
Honda – factory manuals FREE (Japanese) ex. 1992 Acty
– Honda Car (choose_your_model)
– Honda Motorcycle (choose_your_model)
SuperMinitrucks Service Manuals
English Service Manuals for most mini-trucks by James Danko. Buy it.
Mitsubishi Minicab (Mighty Mits)
Some states have restricted mini-trucks due to the legal importation of speed-restricted Kei trucks having been imported as off-road vehicles. In order to minimize the discrepancy between Federal rules for these <25 year old vehicles and their own state laws, they have restricted licensing for mini-trucks,
If out-of-state, please contact your local DOL regarding any legal restrictions. Here is a good write-up on Grey Market import licensing from Illinois Secretary of State.
The turn-signal and windshield wiper stalks are reversed – so you may find yourself activating the wipers for a right-hand turn until you’re used to it.
That and parking garages with ticket-booths.
Collector car and pleasure use rates at Hagerty are very reasonable and have the benefit of being for an agreed-value. If you store in a garage, check out their competitive rates.