Great spot · Tokyo
Where to drive in Tokyo
A few roads to enjoy behind the wheel of your JDM, day or night.
Renting a car in Tokyo is great. Knowing where to drive it is even better. Between the buildings of Odaiba, the elevated ramps of the Shutoko and a getaway to the mountains of Hakone, here are the roads that stuck with me the most during my stay.
Rainbow Bridge & Odaiba
The Rainbow Bridge links the Shibaura district to the artificial island of Odaiba, and the crossing alone is worth it. Once on the other side, you're a stone's throw from Odaiba Beach, with a superb view of the bridge, both during the day and once night falls and its lights come on. There are several parking lots on Odaiba, all of them paid.
The Shutoko expressway
The Shuto Expressway (or Shutoko) is the urban expressway network that crisscrosses Tokyo, partly elevated, partly running along the bay. It was from one of its lanes that I crossed the Rainbow Bridge at night in the Evo VIII rented from OnlyJDM, engine roaring and city lights in the background: an experience in itself. The network is huge and lets you link several neighborhoods without a single red light.
See the network on Google MapsRead the article about renting from OnlyJDM
Further from Tokyo
If you have a whole day ahead of you, two roads outside the city are worth the detour. The Tokyo Bay Aqua-Line crosses the bay for almost 15 km, first through an undersea tunnel and then over a bridge, to reach Chiba Prefecture. This is the road that leads to Umihotaru PA, an artificial rest area built right in the middle of the bay and famous for its car meets.
Even further, about 1 hour from Tokyo, the Anest Iwata Turnpike in Hakone (formerly the Hakone Turnpike) is a toll mountain road, famous among Japanese enthusiasts for its bends and its views of Mount Fuji and Sagami Bay.
More roads will be added to this list over my next trips to Japan.