Uncategorized · July 30, 2026
Why Traveling Around Japan by Car Is the Best Choice – What I Learned After Driving 7,200 km in 21 Days
Why Traveling Around Japan by Car Is the Best Choice – What I Learned After Driving 7,200 km in 21 Days Recently, my wife and I spent 21 days traveling around Japan by car. Our journey started in Nagasaki, with Fukui Prefecture as our first destination. From there, we traveled all the way around Hokkaido, […]
Why Traveling Around Japan by Car Is the Best Choice – What I Learned After Driving 7,200 km in 21 Days
Recently, my wife and I spent 21 days traveling around Japan by car.
Our journey started in Nagasaki, with Fukui Prefecture as our first destination. From there, we traveled all the way around Hokkaido, then made our way back south, finishing in Hiroshima before returning home to Nagasaki.
In total, we drove approximately 7,200 kilometers, sharing the driving between the two of us.
After completing this journey, I came to one clear conclusion:
If you want to truly experience Japan, traveling by car is the best way to do it.
We Didn’t Book a Single Hotel in Advance
One of the things that surprises people the most is that we never booked a hotel before the trip.
Every day, we simply visited the places we wanted to see, drove as far as we felt like going, and in the evening searched for a hotel using booking sites such as Agoda.
Of course, hotel prices and availability varied depending on whether it was a weekday or weekend, or whether we were in a popular tourist destination.
Even so, during all 21 days, we never had any trouble finding accommodation, nor did we have to pay outrageous prices.
This experience proved to us that even a completely spontaneous road trip is entirely possible in Japan.
The Freedom That Only a Car Can Offer
For this trip, we brought:
- One large suitcase
- Two large bags
- Two smaller bags
- My own pillow
Carrying this amount of luggage on trains or airplanes would have been extremely inconvenient.
With a car, however, everything simply stayed in the trunk throughout the trip. We never had to worry about carrying heavy luggage from station to station or through airports.
Many of Japan’s most beautiful attractions are also difficult to reach by public transportation. Some are located deep in the mountains or in rural areas where train and bus connections are limited.
Another advantage of traveling by car is flexibility.
If you’re traveling by train or plane, you often have to return to the same hotel after sightseeing because your luggage is there.
With a car, you can simply continue driving toward your next destination after sightseeing and stay wherever is most convenient that evening.
This freedom makes the journey much more efficient and enjoyable.
Great Food Everywhere
Whenever we felt hungry, we simply stopped at a nearby convenience store or searched Google Maps for highly rated local restaurants.
Japan is truly a paradise for food lovers.
Every region has its own specialties, and we enjoyed trying as many as we could.
As a result, both my wife and I gained about 2 kilograms during the trip!
I would say it was well worth it.
Comfortable in Any Weather
We traveled from July 5, covering both the end of the rainy season and the beginning of Japan’s hot summer.
Some days brought heavy rain.
Others were extremely hot.
None of that mattered.
Inside the car, we stayed dry, cool, and comfortable thanks to the air conditioning.
No matter what the weather was like outside, traveling remained relaxing.
This Wasn’t Our First Road Trip
In fact, this wasn’t our first experience traveling around Japan by car.
Previously, we completed a road trip around western Japan, and we came to exactly the same conclusion.
If you want to visit many different regions of Japan comfortably and efficiently, nothing beats traveling by car.
Of course, trains are excellent if you’re only visiting major cities like Tokyo or Osaka.
However, Japan’s real charm lies beyond the big cities—in its historic towns, breathtaking natural scenery, and incredible local cuisine.
Many of these places are much easier to explore by car.
Final Thoughts
This 21-day, 7,200-kilometer journey reminded us once again how wonderful Japan truly is.
We shared many photos and videos from our trip on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube, so feel free to check them out if you’d like to see more of our adventure.
If you’re planning to explore Japan and have enough time, I highly recommend renting a car.
The freedom to choose your own route, change your plans whenever you like, and discover hidden places at your own pace is something that public transportation simply cannot offer.
After this trip, my wife and I reached one simple conclusion:
The best way to travel around Japan is by car.
Website https://nagasakiprivatetours.com/
Youtube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1co1YtLuRnvRf8XVbdBAHg
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/nagasaki_private_tours/?hl=ja
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61580976573322&locale=ja_JP