What are the most spectacular roads in Japan?
Located along the Pacific coast of East Asia, Japan is an archipelagic country covering 377,973.89 km2 (145,936.53 sq mi). It’s the fourth-largest island country in the world. The country is known for its mountainous terrain, with about 73% of the land covered by mountains, and offers a wide range of spectacular mountain roads, being the most popular the Norikura Skyline Road, the highest public road in Japan, located in Nagano Prefecture.
Japan is part of the Pacific Ring of Fire and prone to earthquakes. The country comprises 14,125 islands and countless bridges, some of them among the most spectacular bridges in the world. Popular with viral videos, Eshima Ohashi Bridge is a roller coaster road over the Lake Nakaumi. The bridge looks more like a roller coaster than a road. Another example is the Kawazu-Nanadaru Loop Bridge, a marvel of engineering that takes drivers through a dizzying 720-degree spiral. And for the bravest drivers, the horrifying Old Inunaki Tunnel is a famous spot associated with various urban legends and rumors of being haunted or cursed, where people have been killed or burnt to death, and many murders took place here.
Eshima Ohashi Bridge: Japan's Roller Coaster Road Over Lake Nakaumi
Located in Tottori Prefecture in Western Japan, the Eshima Ohashi Bridge looks more like a roller coaster than a road. It is essentially a highway to outer space, a shortcut to inducing nausea, making driving over this thing one seriously thrilling car ride. It's one of the most spectacular bridges in the world.
The horrifying Old Inunaki Tunnel in Japan
Old Inunaki Tunnel in Japan is a famous spot associated with various urban legends and rumors of being haunted or cursed, where people have been killed or burnt to death, and many murders took place here.
Kawazu-Nanadaru Loop Bridge rotates traffic through 720 degrees
Kawazu-Nanadaru Loop Bridge, in Japan, is an example of how to build a bridge from one mountainside to another when the sides of the mountain are so steep that it is not possible to build a road at the same elevation on both sides. It's one of the most spectacular bridges in the world.
Discovering Japan's Alphabetical Ascent: The Iroha-zaka Winding Roads
Iroha-zaka is a pair of winding roads located in the mountains of Tochigi Prefecture, in Japan. They serve as the main access to connect the lower elevations around central Nikko to the higher elevations of the mountainous Okunikko region. Each corner of the road has a letter from the ancient Japanese alphabet, and you will encounter them in alphabetical order.
Fuji Subaru Line: enjoy a drive among the clouds in Japan
Mount Fuji is an active stratovolcano that last erupted in 1707–08. At 3,776m (12,389ft) above sea level it’s the highest mountain in Japan.
Norikura Skyline Road is the highest public road in Japan
Located in Nagano Prefecture, in the central Chūbu region of Japan, the paved Norikura Skyline is a great road with stunning views.
Tsugaru Iwaki Skyline: A Road So Winding, You'll Feel Dizzy Just Observing!
Located in Japan's northern Tōhoku region, the Tsugaru Iwaki Skyline is a thrilling drive with 69 hairpin turns. It’s one of the most hairpinned roads in the world.
The ultimate guide to the Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route, the roof of Japan
The Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route is one of the world's most spectacular drives. Located on the boundary between Toyama and Nagano prefectures in Japan, driving this route is a great experience.
Driving the Scenic Shigi-Ikoma Skyline through Mount Ikoma
The Shigi-Ikoma Skyline is a very scenic toll road in Japan, running along the ridge of Mount Ikoma and Mount Shigi. The route is popular for its breathtaking views of Osaka and Nara, especially at night.
Driving the highway through a building in Japan
Located in Fukushima-ku, in Japan, Gate Tower Building is a 16-storey office building famous for a highway that passes through three of its floors.
Hakusan Shirakawa-go White is a tourist toll road in Japan
Hakusan Shirakawa-go White Road is a very scenic drive located in central Japan. It's a beautiful, scenic winding mountain toll road, especially in autumn as the leaves are changing.
A winding road only for experienced drivers to Kenashi Pass
Kenashi Pass is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 1,910m (6,266ft) above sea level, located on the boundary between Gunma and Nagano prefectures in Japan.
Yamate Tunnel is a Modern Marvel in Tokyo
The Yamate Tunnel is an integral part of Tokyo's transportation infrastructure, carrying the Central Circular Route (C2) of the Shuto Expressway. It connects the Takamatsu on-ramp in Toshima to near the Ōi Junction in Shinagawa, ensuring smooth transportation within the city. It’s one of the longest tunnels in the world.
Hakone Nanamagari is the Japanese drifting paradise
Located in central Japan, the infamous Hakone Nanamagari Route was one of the most crowded drifting spots, back in the 90s. It’s said to be the birthplace of drifting.
The nuclear National Route 6 from Namie to Tomioka
Located in Fukushima Prefecture, the Japan National Route 6 is a challenging drive through the tsunami-crippled Daiichi nuclear power plant, in Japan.
Is Shimanami Kaido Japan's best cycling adventure?
The Shimanami Kaido, a true gem in Japan's travel landscape, unfolds across six picturesque islands and spans the enchanting Seto Inland Sea. Do you dare to embark on this unforgettable journey?
Driving Japan: The most spectacular and technical mountain routes
Japan is a paradise for driving enthusiasts, offering a unique blend of hyper-modern infrastructure and ancient, narrow mountain passes. Beyond the neon lights of Tokyo lies a world of "Touge" (mountain pass) culture, where engineering marvels co-exist with active volcanic roads and coastal cliffs. Navigating Japan by road requires an understanding of its strict driving etiquette, complex toll systems, and the breathtaking geometry of its alpine routes, which are among the best-engineered in the world.
Tokyo Urban Logistics: Technical Guide to the Ameyoko Viaduct Corridor
The Ameyoko corridor, situated in Tokyo’s Taito District, represents a complex logistical environment where retail infrastructure is integrated directly beneath the elevated viaducts of the JR Yamanote and Keihin-Tohoku lines. Navigating this area involves managing high-density pedestrian flow, strict delivery time windows for freight vehicles, and the technical constraints imposed by the railway’s steel and concrete support structures.
Was the natural Onbashi Bridge in Japan once a road for carriages?
Onbashi Bridge is a massive natural limestone structure spanning the Taishaku Gorge in Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan. Unlike modern steel spans, this is an ancient geological formation that, for centuries, served as a functional high-road for local transit. It is one of the few places where you can explore the physical remains of a road that runs through a cave, providing a direct link between the rugged mountain towns of Tojo and Jinsekikogen before modern engineering bypassed the gorge.
Driving Hayama 2nd Tunnel through a cave
Hayama 2nd Tunnel is located in Takahashi City, Okayama Prefecture, Japan. It sits on Prefectural Road 300, northwest of Nariwacho Hayama, along the Shimaki River in the Wazan Gorge. It’s one of the few roads in the world that runs through a cave.