TokyoArea

Tokyo may be known for its train network, but it's also the natural starting point for a huge range of road trips across central Japan. Within a few hours' drive, the city puts travelers within reach of mountain scenery in Hakone and Yamanashi, coastal roads down the Izu Peninsula, and alpine routes leading toward Nagano, making it an efficient base for renting a car and exploring well beyond the city limits.

Driving out of Tokyo itself takes some planning, since city traffic and multiple expressway options can be confusing for first-time visitors. Once clear of the city, however, Japan's expressway network makes long-distance travel relatively straightforward, with clearly signed rest stops and service areas along the way. Understanding how ETC expressway passes and toll payment work in advance can make this first leg of a trip much smoother.

Many visitors use Tokyo as a round-trip base, picking up a rental car for a single loop that covers one or two nearby regions before returning to the city. Others use it as the starting point for a longer, multi-region road trip covering several weeks. Either way, a car opens up parts of the greater Tokyo area that are slow or impractical to reach by train alone.