Experiences · Yokohama
Daikoku PA: go on your own or book a JDM tour?
Japan's most famous car meet can only be reached by car. Here's how to choose.
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Daikoku is the most famous highway parking lot in Japan. At night, enthusiasts park their JDM cars, supercars and wildest builds there, just to hang out and show off. The catch: you can only get in by car, from the urban expressway. If you're already renting a JDM, drive there yourself: it's the most freedom for the least money. Otherwise, a passenger tour is the easiest option, from around €70.
I'll be straight with you: I couldn't make it during my trip, the weather had other plans. So I did my homework for next time: operators' websites, conditions, travelers' reviews. Everything here was checked on November 4, 2026.
In the photo: the Tokyo Drift VeilSide RX-7, spotted one night in Tokyo. Not at Daikoku, then.
So what exactly is Daikoku?
Daikoku PA ("parking area") is a rest stop sitting in the middle of a huge interchange in Yokohama, on Tokyo's urban expressway, the Shuto. By day it's an ordinary stop: restrooms, a few shops, people passing through. At night, and especially on weekends, it's a different world. Skylines, Supras, RX-7s, Lamborghinis, bosozoku builds: everyone brings their best.
One thing to get clear: it's not an event. No tickets, no schedule, no program. Some nights the lot is packed; others it rains and there's hardly anyone. That's part of the charm, and also why you should know what you're getting into before paying for a tour.
The catch: weekend closures
This is what many people only find out on the spot.
- Friday and Saturday nights
- When too many modified cars show up, the entrance is shut and everyone has to leave. According to the Japanese car press, it usually reopens between 1 and 3 a.m. One tour operator even says the lot is closed from 7:30 p.m. to 2 a.m. on those nights.
- Heavy snow
- The expressway operator closes the parking area when heavy snow is forecast: it then serves as a base for snow clearing.
- Plan B
- Don't panic: good tours have one, usually Tatsumi PA or the A PIT Autobacs store in Shinonome. Just check that yours does.
Three ways to get there
It all comes down to one question: are you already renting a car during your stay?
| How | Price | Duration | You are | Cancellation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| With a rental | ¥27,000 for 7 hours at OnlyJDM, plus fuel and tolls | 7 or 24 hours | The driver, free to roam | Depends on the agency |
| Passenger tour | From €71 | 2.5 to 4 hours | A passenger, in a small group or private | Free up to 24 hours before on GetYourGuide |
| Self-drive tour | From €467 | 4 hours | The driver, following a lead car | Depends on the offer |
With a rental
- ¥27,000 for 7 hours at OnlyJDM, plus fuel and tolls
- 7 or 24 hours
- The driver, free to roam
- Depends on the agency
Passenger tour
- From €71
- 2.5 to 4 hours
- A passenger, in a small group or private
- Free up to 24 hours before on GetYourGuide
Self-drive tour
- From €467
- 4 hours
- The driver, following a lead car
- Depends on the offer
Prices checked on November 4, 2026: they vary with the date and the option you pick.
Already renting a JDM? Go on your own
That's what I would have done with my Evo VIII from OnlyJDM if the sky had been kinder. Once you're behind the wheel, Daikoku is just an expressway exit: you show up when you want, stay as long as you want, and can hit Tatsumi or Umihotaru the same night.
Three things to plan for: the license documents your country requires (no rental without them), ideally an ETC card for tolls, and a bit of patience to find a spot on busy nights. It's all covered on my Driving in Japan page. And once there, keep it cool: no rev-limiter bouncing, no burnouts, park up and enjoy. That's also why the place still exists.
From ¥27,000 for 7 hoursPrice checked on 6 October 2026
Visit the agency's website(Rent a JDM from OnlyJDM)The easiest: a passenger tour
If you're not renting a car, this is the obvious choice. A guide takes you there, handles the driving and the tolls, and knows the fallbacks when Daikoku is closed. Three offers clearly stand out, plus a fourth I couldn't leave out.
If I were booking tomorrow for a first time, I'd go with Tokyo Turismo: rolling up to Daikoku in a GT-R is part of the dream. If budget matters, the €71 tour does the job very well for about €50 less.
Tokyo Drift III, by Tokyo Turismo
GetYourGuide · 4.8/5 from 6,300+ reviews · 3 to 4 hours
The most booked. You ride in a real sports car: their fleet includes R34 Skylines, R35 GT-Rs, Evos, a drift Chaser… Three or four people per car, and you can't pick which one, but they drop you back at your hotel in central Tokyo.
From €121Price checked on 4 November 2026
See dates on GetYourGuide(Daikoku as a passenger in a real JDM)Daikoku and Tokyo Drift vibes
GetYourGuide · 4.8/5 from 725 reviews · 3 hours
The cheapest. A small group of 10 people max, in a van or a sports car depending on the option, with a stop at A PIT Autobacs. In English.
From €71Price checked on 4 November 2026
See dates on GetYourGuide(Daikoku and Tokyo Drift vibes, in a small group)JDM night tour with a local guide
Klook · 4.9/5 from 2,300+ reviews · 2.5 to 3 hours
In a JDM car, with a standard or a VIP option.
From €119Price checked on 4 November 2026
See dates on Klook(JDM night tour with a local guide)OnlyJDM's own tour, from their agency
Klook · 3.5 hours · 2 to 9 people
The agency where I rented my Evo also runs its own tour. You meet at the agency near Haneda at 4:30 p.m., then a driver takes you to Daikoku, a Super Autobacs and across the Rainbow Bridge, before dropping you off at Tokyo Tower. The cars depend on what's available: GR86, GR Yaris, Civic Type R or Evo X. It's the priciest of the four, €182 per person with a 2-person minimum, and it has no reviews on Klook yet.
From €182 per personPrice checked on 4 November 2026
See dates on Klook(OnlyJDM's Daikoku tour)The wildest: drive a JDM to Daikoku yourself
On Klook, one offer puts you behind the wheel of a JDM for four hours, following a lead car: about 80 km, with a stop at A PIT Autobacs, the Daikoku meet, a run across the Rainbow Bridge and photos at Tokyo Tower. Fuel and tolls included.
The rules are strict: 21 or older, 3 years of driving, and your physical license with your passport and an International Driving Permit (1949 Geneva Convention), or an official Japanese translation for the few countries that need one. No copies, no digital versions.
It isn't cheap: from €467. For comparison, OnlyJDM rents the Evo VIII for ¥30,000 for 24 hours, and you keep the car all day. The real perk of the tour is not having to deal with the route or the parking.
From €467Price checked on 4 November 2026
See dates on Klook(Drive a JDM to Daikoku yourself)Traps to avoid
Closure nights
On Friday and Saturday nights, keep the closures in mind and check your tour's plan B.
Rain
The operators say it themselves: the number of cars depends on the weather. On a rainy night, the lot can be nearly empty. I'm well placed to tell you about it…
The fine print
On the platforms, some very popular offers are actually a club membership: their terms state that the ride, the car and even the stop at Daikoku aren't guaranteed. Read the description all the way through before paying.
Other people's cars
No touching, no leaning, no sitting on them. For a close-up photo, ask the owner: most of them love to talk about their car.
Your passport
Operators ask for it, so keep it on you.
FAQ
Can you get to Daikoku by train or on foot?
No. The parking area sits on the urban expressway, so you need a car: your own, a tour's, or a taxi. I wouldn't count on a taxi though: nothing guarantees you'll find one there to get back.
Which night should you go to Daikoku?
Weekends bring the most cars, but also the most closures, especially on Friday and Saturday nights. Weeknights are quieter: fewer people, but less risk of finding the entrance shut.
How much does a Daikoku tour cost?
From €71 as a passenger in a small group, around €120 to ride in a sports car, and from €467 to drive yourself. Prices checked on November 4, 2026.
Do you need a license for a tour?
Not as a passenger: your passport is enough. To drive, you need your physical license plus an International Driving Permit (1949 Geneva Convention) or an official Japanese translation, depending on your country. The self-drive tour I found also requires drivers to be 21 or older with 3 years of driving experience.
What if Daikoku is closed?
Tatsumi PA, closer to central Tokyo, and Umihotaru PA, out in the middle of the bay, are the usual fallbacks. The A PIT Autobacs store in Shinonome also stays open late. Good tours adapt on their own.
Practical info
Daikoku PA
- Where
- A rest area on the Shuto urban expressway, in Yokohama (Tsurumi ward)
- Access
- By car only, free entry
- When
- In the evening, mostly on weekends, with no schedule or program
- Closures
- Frequent on Friday and Saturday nights, and when heavy snow is forecast
- Fallbacks
- Tatsumi PA, Umihotaru PA, A PIT Autobacs Shinonome