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SuperJujuAwesome | Posted: Feb 2 2014, 08:02 PM |
Shmuck Group: Members Posts: 2 Member No.: 42,922 Joined: Feb 2nd 2014 Location: Pittsburgh | Hi everyone, Not sure if I'm posting this in the correct place, please let me know. I'll be traveling to Japan from the US in May, specifically Tokyo and Kyoto. While in Tokyo I'm toying with the idea of renting a car and driving out to Mt. Haruna (real life Mt. Akina) for a day trip. I'm wondering, has anyone done something similar? Any suggestions? I found this topic which has info about the tofu shop: idforums.net/index.php?act=ST&f=57&t=46399 And this one with a sweet google map of locations: idforums.net/index.php?act=ST&f=2&t=46093 Definitely awesome places to start, I guess I'm most interested in advice from people who have done this, rented cars in Japan, etc... I speak no Japanese : / Thanks! This post has been edited by SuperJujuAwesome on Feb 2 2014, 10:38 PM |
Perry | Posted: Feb 2 2014, 10:01 PM |
Like an eagle! Group: SITE OWNER Posts: 8,014 Member No.: 1 Joined: Sep 15th 2002 Location: San Leandro, California | Man, I am super jealous... I have made it a point that I must visit Mt. Haruna at least once before I die. It's something I must do! |
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Vortrex | Posted: Feb 3 2014, 01:33 PM |
1988 Toyota MR2 AW11, My Go-Kart AE86 Group: Advanced Members Posts: 559 Member No.: 38,745 Joined: Jul 2nd 2012 Location: Huizen, The Netherlands | I go to Japan at the end of July. I know a site that can really help you, I think you already know that website: http://www.japan-guide.com/ And since you wanna visit Mt. Haruna, you can rent a car here: (http://www2.tocoo.jp/en/index?) Here you can get an English GPS, which is very handy if you really can't read Japanese. If you have some specific questions, you can ask me. I have done a lot of research with Japan-travelling. |
EscapeArtist | Posted: Feb 6 2014, 08:08 PM |
IDW Member Group: Members Posts: 21 Member No.: 40,880 Joined: Mar 18th 2013 Location: Update Profile | I spent a week in Tokyo and considered doing the same, but I ended up settling for the Joypolis Initial D cars. I got an international driver's license from AAA before I left, but I never used it. I was warned that you need to be aware of tolls when you head out that way, and that it's easy to accrue an absurdly high cost from traveling on certain roads. So you may want to factor that in when planning a route. |
THE_HONDA_CG2 | Posted: Feb 6 2014, 08:23 PM |
Patient Zero Group: Advanced Members Posts: 4,279 Member No.: 37,947 Joined: Oct 1st 2011 Location: Update Profile | I'm considering going abroad for a year to teach English or something. Japan is on the top of my list of places where I want to teach! I'm sure you're not the only person who has thought of moving to Japan and touring all things Initial D related! Because I have the same idea! Although I'd probably take the more layman's approach and just take public transit there or something, I wouldn't have enough money for anything after going to Akihabara. |
Vortrex | Posted: Feb 7 2014, 01:48 AM | ||
1988 Toyota MR2 AW11, My Go-Kart AE86 Group: Advanced Members Posts: 559 Member No.: 38,745 Joined: Jul 2nd 2012 Location: Huizen, The Netherlands |
It is about 4000 Yen toll to go from central Tokyo to Mt.Haruna. 40 dollars is much, but affordable. This post has been edited by Vortrex on Feb 7 2014, 01:49 AM | ||
Dr.Ift | Posted: Feb 7 2014, 02:23 AM |
Request Title - PM Mods Group: Members Posts: 438 Member No.: 6,105 Joined: Mar 11th 2005 Location: Ankara/Turkey | You might want to consider Fun2Drive, a car rental shop which has Japanese sports cars. http://fun2drive.co.jp/ They also are quite close to Mt.Hakone, so maybe you can go to Hakone with a train, then rent your car there? |
Banken | Posted: Feb 7 2014, 05:05 PM |
IDW Goldmember Group: Advanced Members Posts: 1,110 Member No.: 22,465 Joined: Dec 17th 2006 Location: Japan | Either way you go, Haruna is a lot further away than you think it is, and it's going to cost you a lot more than you expect to get there. Fun2Drive sounds like fun but the prices are veeeeery high and you have to be 26 to rent from them. |
Vortrex | Posted: Feb 8 2014, 04:00 AM | ||
1988 Toyota MR2 AW11, My Go-Kart AE86 Group: Advanced Members Posts: 559 Member No.: 38,745 Joined: Jul 2nd 2012 Location: Huizen, The Netherlands |
Fun to drive is like 10 dollar an hour. So only suited to short trips on touge's. But Banken, what do you think is the best way to travel from Tokyo to Haruna? And what do you estimate of costs like gas and toll etc? | ||
Banken | Posted: Feb 8 2014, 06:38 AM |
IDW Goldmember Group: Advanced Members Posts: 1,110 Member No.: 22,465 Joined: Dec 17th 2006 Location: Japan | The only way to go to the Initial D locations that makes sense is by car. The fastest and easiest way to get to the general area is bullet train train, but you'd have to walk miles and miles just to get to the roads... But if you can rent a car after you can get their by train (bullet train and then local train to Shibukawa station), that might be the best way. I have been meaning to go to the Haruna since it's a four-hour drive from here, but I'd just assume spend that time/money going to the track. Between the car rental, gas, and tolls it would probably cost a few hundred dollars to get to Haruna and back if you drove their from Tokyo. This post has been edited by Banken on Feb 8 2014, 06:39 AM |
Jezza_HR | Posted: Feb 8 2014, 03:56 PM |
IDW Regular Member Group: Members Posts: 245 Member No.: 8,289 Joined: Jun 19th 2005 Location: Update Profile | I've already got this in place for September for my 30th. I'll be staying in Shibukawa after renting a car from Toyota outside Shibukawa station. I'll be staying at a hotel towards the bottom of Haruna. Just be sure to give the rental company a month or two notice before heading over and get your international driving permitted sorted out before you go. |
Vortrex | Posted: Feb 10 2014, 05:32 AM |
1988 Toyota MR2 AW11, My Go-Kart AE86 Group: Advanced Members Posts: 559 Member No.: 38,745 Joined: Jul 2nd 2012 Location: Huizen, The Netherlands | Okay, thanks for the advices! I think to rent a car in Shibukawa is the best thing to do. And before that with the Shinkansen. Btw, we go on another trip. To Mt. Hakone and Mt. Fuji on the 10th of August. Because then there is JGTC on Fuji Speedway. And I believe no buses go from the nearest station to Fuji Speedway... This post has been edited by Vortrex on Feb 10 2014, 05:36 AM |
awddrifter | Posted: Apr 8 2014, 05:23 PM | ||
なんでやねん Group: Advanced Members Posts: 836 Member No.: 377 Joined: Apr 25th 2003 Location: Yokohama, Japan | Some good advice in this thread. I'll add a bit more: I live in the Kanto area and have visited (almost) all of the courses in Initial D. As others have suggested, you should probably rent after getting to Gunma, as the tollways (and gasoline) are extremely expensive in Japan, especially the Kanto area. Note that, you probably will _not_ see anyone drifting on any of the touge's late at night. Most of the mountain roads in Gunma are covered with cat's eyes, so they aren't very driftable anymore. Most of the roads in the Kanagawa area (from 5th stage) don't have cat's eyes and are very smooth, so you do see people drifting on them sometimes at night. Most people in Kanto drift at Tokai/Ota-ku pier, Daikoku, Odarumi pass, or Owakudani nowadays. Also, if you have access to mixi, join the group ¡”ӂ̃hƒŠƒtƒg‚Ç‚±‚Å‚â‚é‚ÌH It's where most people vote and decide where to go drifting as a group for the weekend. Please... don't try and drift on the touge though!!! It is very dangerous If you want to have some more fun, I would suggest heading over to Ebisu Circuit in Fukushima prefecture (it's not too far from Gunma), and rent a drift car from powervehicles at Ebisu circuit to drift on the circuit (or at the skidpad/kurukuru land if you are a newb) there. The powervehicles staff are all foreigners, and speak English. I think there are other drift-rental shops that have English speaking staff near some other circuits, but I can't recall the name of them right now... Also, be cafeful of speeding in Japan. If you go over 120km/h on the highways, (speed limit is 80km/h) it is ~ 80,000yen ($800) fine. If you go over 80km/h on a regular road (which are usually a speed limit of 40km/h or 50 km/h), it is also a 80,000yen ($800) fine. The speed limits are very low here.... Here are the fines in detail: http://page.freett.com/membrane/speed.html You can even get a ticket for doing only a few km/h over the limit. I got a 9000yen ticket for doing 42km/h in a 40km/h zone... :/ Also, there are speed cameras and very sneaky cops everywhere, and many police stations set up speed traps on weekends near their station. For tolls, you can check the tolls here: http://www.navitime.co.jp/ The site is in Japanese, but their mobile versions of the site (apps) have an English version. For example, here is the toll from Narita Airport to Shibukawa in Gunma. 6100yen!! http://www.navitime.co.jp/drive/map/result...09T11%3A33%3A00 EDIT:
So THAT is what that is! I was wondering why there was always a bunch of sportscars and a Fujwara Tofu-ten decaled AE86 always parked next to the road going to and from Hakone. Thanks for solving my mystery, Dr.Ift http://fun2drive.co.jp/cars/86_ae86.html You can drive this AE86 on Nanamagari, Nagao, Toyo Turnpike and Tsubaki Line all within 1.5hrs for 3,980yen (~$40 USD) Image size reduced, original size: 850 x 410. Click here to view the image in its original dimension. This post has been edited by awddrifter on Apr 9 2014, 05:08 PM | ||
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SuperJujuAwesome | Posted: May 22 2014, 01:34 AM |
Shmuck Group: Members Posts: 2 Member No.: 42,922 Joined: Feb 2nd 2014 Location: Pittsburgh | Thanks for all the advice! I've been in Japan for almost two weeks, on Saturday I head to Mt Haruma. I'm taking the Shinkansen to Takasaki and then renting a car from Times Car Rental. I'll post pics when I'm done. The fun2drive option was appealing as I was near Hakone, but driving on the left will be hard enough without having to shift left handed, so I figure an automatic is the way to go. |
Banken | Posted: May 22 2014, 02:51 AM |
IDW Goldmember Group: Advanced Members Posts: 1,110 Member No.: 22,465 Joined: Dec 17th 2006 Location: Japan | Driving on the left is not hard, and shifting with the right hand is not a problem. |
Grappler | Posted: May 22 2014, 05:38 AM |
IDW Regular Member Group: Members Posts: 218 Member No.: 38,805 Joined: Jul 27th 2012 Location: Twin Cities | I've driven a friends 97 STI its not that bad all the pedals are the same. Shifting is a bit wierd but after driving around the block a couple times it wasn't bad at all. This post has been edited by Grappler on May 22 2014, 05:39 AM |