Great spot · Mount Fuji

Fuji Motor Sports Museum

Next to Fuji Speedway, one of the finest collections of race cars in Japan.

A few minutes from Fuji Speedway, the Fuji Motor Sports Museum wasn't part of my itinerary, and yet it turned out to be one of the best surprises of my time at Mount Fuji. Between Le Mans prototypes, historic single-seaters and rally cars, the collection has nothing to envy the biggest car museums. Here's how to get there and what to expect.

How to get there?

From Kawaguchiko, allow about 30 to 35 minutes by road. The drive is very pleasant, a real change from cities like Tokyo or Osaka, where red lights and traffic jams are part of the deal. You'll drive along the track and take small forest roads, perfect for testing your rental car if you've decided to treat yourself, or simply to visit and take great photos.

Once you arrive, a free, easy-to-access parking lot awaits. Admission to the museum is around €10.

Fuji Motor Sports Museum

Free, easy-to-access parking, about 20 meters from the museum entrance.

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Google Maps screenshot of the driving route between Kawaguchiko and the museum, 35 minutes via the E68 — The drive from Kawaguchiko: 35 minutes, between lake and forest.

White Corvette C7 Stingray parked in the museum's free parking lot, in the rain — My Corvette C7, parked in the museum's free parking lot.

Want the same one? Here's how I rented it from MFJ Rental Cars

What to expect

Without spoiling too much: the museum is spread over 2 floors. Rally cars, vintage Formula 1 cars and many other models await you. Guides and an audio guide are also available to tell you the story of each car. The atmosphere is really great, any enthusiast will have a blast.

Museum hall with several Toyota prototypes and race cars on display — Under a soaring glass roof, the prototypes line up hall after hall.

Bird's-eye view of a cream-colored Toyota race prototype, from an upper floor of the museum — Looking down on a prototype, between two floors linked by escalators.

Toyota TS050 Hybrid #8, winner of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, displayed with its hybrid powertrain — The TS050 Hybrid, winner at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, still covered in race dust.

Toyota IndyCar in Marlboro Team Penske colors, displayed next to another black Toyota IndyCar — A Toyota IndyCar in Marlboro Team Penske colors, parked next to its FedEx rival.

Mitsubishi Lancer Evo rally car in Marlboro colors, rear view from the museum's mezzanine — A Mitsubishi Lancer Evo rally car in Marlboro colors, in the upstairs gallery.

White Toyota GTP race prototype displayed in a dark hall of the museum — Another hall, another atmosphere: this prototype keeps all its presence in the half-light.

On the top floor, a gift shop sells miniature race cars, mugs, T-shirts, etc. (on the pricey side), plenty to treat yourself. There's also a café overlooking the track, a must if you've already driven it in a sim. And finally, a little surprise awaits the biggest Formula 1 fans ;)

As for me, in September, the weather was bad and I couldn't see the whole track. The museum experience was great, though.

The road leading to the track is superb, it reminds me of the one leading to the Spa-Francorchamps circuit in Belgium. The track is surrounded by dense forest, with an impressive view of Mount Fuji!

View of the Fuji Speedway track in the fog, with a corner and Panasonic Automotive signs visible — The Fuji Speedway track in the mist, right next to the museum.

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