An Ode To Roads - Getaway Driving in Japan

[GetawayDriving]

Hello!

Starting this thread from the Ode to Roads thread at the recommendation of @virtualmacho ! This year I am traveling to a different destination around the globe each month to drive epic roads, a hobby I call Getaway Driving. I'm planning on visiting Japan in October. The reason I was going to target October was because of the foliage and the Tokyo Auto Show, but if this group has any strong opinions otherwise I'd consider different dates. I have been to Tokyo/Kyoto/Osaka and the auto show in October before, so not a first-timer but when it comes to getting behind the wheel, I'm currently under-researched.

My current list of roads is not terribly refined, but includes:

• Hakone Turnpike Pass
• Iroha Slope
• Nagao Pass
• Tsubaki Line
• Sadamine Pass
• Enna Skyline
• happogahara
• Usui Pass
• Yabitsu Pass

Would love to know if you guys think this is the right list, if there's anything missing, anything here that shouldn't be, etc. Meeting up or potentially joining a drive with folks from this forum would be amazing.

Cheers!

 

[virtualmacho]

Tweaked list grouped by general area in order of proximity from central Tokyo. Some of us should be able to meet up and join you.
(the YouTube files need a few more minutes to complete upload)

Shutoko Metropolitan Expressway (首都高) - late night to dawn is best

• C1 clockwise
• C2 counter-clockwise

Hakone area (箱根) - many forum members frequently visit this area from dawn to noon.

• Hakone Turnpike (箱根ターンパイク＠神奈川県)
• Tsubaki Line (椿ライン＠神奈川県)
• Nagao Pass (長尾峠＠神奈川県・静岡県)
• Yabitsu Pass (ヤビツ峠＠神奈川県)

Chichibu area (秩父) - not as famous/popular so weekend daytime traffic wasn't so bad

• Sadamine Pass (定峰峠＠埼玉県)
  dashcam footage from 2024/06/22 trip ==>

Nikko area (日光) - spectacular autumn foliage in Oct-Nov time frame results in Los Angeles like traffic in midday - dawn to early morning should be better.

• Iroha Slope (いろは坂＠栃木県)
• Momiji Line (もみじライン＠栃木県)
  dashcam footage from 2024/11/23 trip ==>
• Enna Skyline (塩那スカイライン＠栃木県) - maybe more of a cyclist road?
• Happogahara (八方ヶ原＠栃木県)

Northern Kanto area (北関東)

• Usui Pass (碓氷峠＠群馬県)
• Shiga-Kusatsu Road (志賀草津道路＠群馬県・長野県)
• Mt. Haruna (榛名山＠群馬県) - bring tofu and a water-filled paper cup
• Mt. Akagi (赤城山＠群馬県)
• Mt. Myogi (妙義山＠群馬県)

 

[GetawayDriving]

Amazing. Thank you! As we get closer I’ll pick this back up and propose some specifics.