Japan · Toll road · Fast sweepers · Car culture
Hakone Turnpike
Anest Iwata Turnpike Hakone
- Length
- 15.8 km10 miles
- High point
- 1,011 m3,317 ft
- Driving time
- 20 minutes
- Season
- Year-round (snow possible January to February)
- Toll
- Toll road
- Country
- Japan
The Hakone Turnpike is a privately run toll road climbing from sea level at Odawara to about 1,000 m at Daikanzan, roughly an hour and a half from central Tokyo. It is Japan's best-known driving road, a favourite of the motoring magazines and the place where car clubs gather on Sunday mornings.
The drive
The climb is wide, smooth and fast, with long uphill sweepers through forest and cherry trees, quite unlike the tight mountain passes elsewhere in the area. At the top, the Daikanzan lounge has a large car park with a view of Mount Fuji and Lake Ashi.
From there the Ashinoko Skyline and Hakone Skyline toll roads continue along the ridge above the lake and are tighter and more technical. The Izu Skyline carries on south down the peninsula for another 40 km.
In your Lotus
Japan has one of the largest Lotus communities outside Europe, and the Elise and Exige in particular have a devoted following there. On a Sunday morning the Daikanzan car park is the place to see them. Arrive early; the road is quiet before eight.
Watch out for
- The toll road has opening hours and closes overnight.
- Police patrol at weekends, and limits are low by European standards.
- Fog and ice near the summit in winter.
