Tokyo → Fuji Five Lakes → Matsumoto → Kiso Valley → Kyoto → Nara → Hakone → Tokyo

Tokyo → Fuji Five Lakes Distance: 130 km Driving time: ~2 hr 30 min Leave Tokyo via the Chūō Expressway, soon trading city skylines for green valleys and tunnelled mountain roads. Your first base sits beneath Mount Fuji, at the Fuji Five Lakes region — a network of clear volcanic lakes surrounded by walking paths, shrines and small museums. Spend the afternoon at Lake Kawaguchi, visiting the Kubota Itchiku Kimono Museum or the Mt. Fuji Panoramic Ropeway for wide views of the mountain. In good weather, take a short cycle or drive around Lake Saiko, or visit Oshino Hakkai, a cluster of natural spring ponds formed from Fuji’s snowmelt. Overnight stop: Michi-no-Eki Katsuyama – 4 km from Lake Kawaguchi. Facilities: 24-hour toilets, café, local market, Fuji views, no on-site showers (public baths nearby). Nearby onsen: Fuji-Yama Onsen (6 km) – large modern bathhouse with open-air pools. Fuji → Matsumoto Distance: 170 km Driving time: ~3 hr Heading north through the fruit-growing Kōfu Valley, vineyards line the hills and roadside fruit stands appear in summer. As the road climbs towards the Japan Alps, the air cools and the scenery opens out to river terraces and mountain peaks. Matsumoto is your next base — home to one of Japan’s oldest castles, surrounded by the small merchant streets of Nakamachi and Nawate-dōri, both ideal for a walk and lunch at local soba cafés. Nearby, Azumino is known for its wasabi farms and art galleries such as the Rokuzan Art Museum. Overnight stop: Michi-no-Eki Alps Azumino Horigane no Sato – 12 km from Matsumoto Castle. Facilities: 24-hour toilets, restaurant, souvenir shop, coin showers (06:00–22:00), local produce market. Nearby onsen: Asama Onsen (10.7 km) – traditional wooden bathhouses with both indoor and outdoor tubs. Matsumoto → Kiso Valley Distance: 100 km Driving time: ~2 hr 15 min The drive south follows quiet mountain roads through cedar forests and tunnels. This is the Kiso Valley, where travellers once journeyed between Kyoto and Edo (Tokyo) along the Nakasendō Trail. Today, the route is lined with preserved post towns such as Narai, Tsumago, and Magome, where traditional inns and sake shops still line cobbled streets. Park at either end and walk a few kilometres of the historic trail between Magome and Tsumago — one of Japan’s most charming short hikes. Overnight stop: Michi-no-Eki Kisofukushima – 3 km from Kiso-Fukushima town. Facilities: 24-hour toilets, small restaurant, local craft shop, information counter, coin showers (08:00–21:00). Nearby onsen: Kiso no Sato Onsen (2 km) – open-air baths overlooking forested hills. Kiso → Kyoto Distance: 230 km Driving time: ~4 hr Descend from the mountains into the plains of Gifu and Shiga. The road crosses quiet farmland and small lakes before reaching the outer suburbs of Kyoto, the old imperial capital. Avoid driving into central Kyoto — base yourself just outside the city for easy access by train. Spend your days exploring Kinkaku-ji (Golden Pavilion), Nijō Castle, Fushimi Inari Taisha’s red torii gates, and the old wooden houses of Gion. Early morning walks along the Philosopher’s Path are peaceful before the crowds. Overnight stop: Michi-no-Eki Kusatsu (Shiga) – 16 km east of Kyoto Station. Facilities: 24-hour toilets, restaurant, shop, EV chargers, no on-site showers (bathhouses and sentō nearby). Nearby onsen: Ogoto Onsen (13 km) – lakeside hot-spring hotels open for day use. Kyoto → Nara Distance: 50 km Driving time: ~1 hr 30 min Follow the expressway south past Lake Biwa, Japan’s largest lake. The route offers views of open water on one side and low hills on the other. Nara is smaller and more relaxed than Kyoto, yet filled with early temples, gardens and museums. Visit Tōdai-ji Temple (with its 15-metre Buddha), Kasuga Taisha, and Isuien Garden, or simply wander through Nara Park among its friendly deer. Overnight stop: Michi-no-Eki Aishō (Shiga) – 35 km from Nara via Meishin Expressway. Facilities: 24-hour toilets, café, shop, picnic area, no showers. Nearby onsen: Yōkaichi Onsen Yura-no-Sato (14 km). Nara → Hakone Distance: 340 km Driving time: ~5 hr 30 min A longer driving day brings you back towards the Pacific coast and into the volcanic valleys of Hakone National Park. Visit Ōwakudani Valley, where sulphur vents rise from the rock, then take the Ropeway over Lake Ashi and see the red Heiwa Torii Gate of Hakone Shrine reflected in the water. Art lovers can stop at the Hakone Open-Air Museum or Polà Museum of Art, both accessible by local road. Overnight stop: Michi-no-Eki Itō Marine Town – 27 km from Hakone. Facilities: 24-hour toilets, restaurants, Wi-Fi, shops, large public bathhouse with showers and sea-view onsen (on site). Nearby onsen: Hakone Yuryō (9.6 km). Hakone → Tokyo Distance: 120 km Driving time: ~2 hr 30 min Follow the coast north through Odawara and Enoshima, or take a short detour to Kamakura, a seaside temple town with a 13-metre bronze Buddha at Kōtoku-in Temple. Return your camper-van to Tokyo Campers, completing the loop.

Tokyo → Fuji Five Lakes Approx. 170 km · 3½–4 hours Leaving the Tokyo area, the drive gradually opens out into more rural scenery, with views of Mount Fuji appearing as you approach the lakes. Fuji Five Lakes → Matsumoto Approx. 200 km · 4–5 hours A scenic mountain drive through highland areas and wide valleys, with opportunities to stop at roadside stations and viewpoints. Matsumoto → Kiso Valley Approx. 90 km · 2–2½ hours A shorter driving day through wooded terrain, ideal for visiting preserved post towns such as Magome and Tsumago. Kiso Valley → Kyoto Approx. 230 km · 4½–5 hours A longer transit day combining expressway driving with quieter regional roads as the route moves west into Kansai. Kyoto → Nara Approx. 45 km · 1–1½ hours An easy, low-stress drive that suits a half-day excursion or overnight stop. Nara → Hakone Approx. 350 km · 5½–6½ hours The longest driving leg of the route, best approached at a relaxed pace with rest stops along the way. Hakone → Tokyo Approx. 120 km · 2½–3 hours A comfortable final drive using expressways and coastal routes, returning to Tokyo and completing the loop.