Do you love JDM cars and unique driving experiences? If the answer is yes, making your way to Shizuoka on your next Japan trip is totally worth it to drive on the fabled Fuji Speedway.
I am from the United States, thus I do not have my own car in Japan. Admittedly, staying at the Fuji Speedway Hotel (read my review here!) helped make the Fuji Speedway driving experience a reality. Here's how you can do it too!
What exactly is the Fuji Speedway driving experience?
It offers drivers the chance to take 3 laps around the famed Fuji Speedway race course, either in a rental car or their own car driven to the track. You do have to follow the official car in a single line, but how many people can say they've driven on this track?
To be frank, advance planning is highly recommended to book this very popular experience. Here are the steps I took:
1. Book your stay at Fuji Speedway Hotel
First, book your hotel room at the Fuji Speedway Hotel. (Try not to book on the same day as a race since the track will be closed for the driving experience. Or, extend your stay before/after the race when the track opens back up.) The reason I strongly recommend booking the hotel, is you can rent cars through the hotel to drive on the track (and it's a super nice 5 star hotel with a car museum, c'mon).
While my family and I rented a car ('lil bb Toyota Yaris) to drive from Tokyo to Shizuoka, I did NOT want the stress of driving a right-hand drive R34, GTR, or other legendary car for 2 hours. Driving on the opposite side of the road (than what I'm used to) would be nerve-racking enough, I didn't need to feel the pressure of babying a car.
If you have your own car you'd like to drive on the Fuji Speedway, you don't need to book at the hotel or reserve a car through their service. You do have to submit a driving experience application here.
2. Reserve your car rental
Once you have a confirmed reservation at the Fuji Speedway Hotel, you will be able to rent one of their GR Toyotas for the driving experience. This service is only available to hotel guests. You can make your reservation up to one month in advance (I set a calendar reminder for myself). Reserve rentals here.
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| Fuji Speedway Hotel car rental site |
Some days have a photographer present to take your photo with the rental car on the track.
There is a variety of Gazoo Racing Toyotas to choose from. Prices range from 7,700 yen to 13,200 yen.
- GR Yaris (automatic transmission)
- GR Yaris (manual transmission)
- GR Supra (automatic transmission)
- GR Corolla (manual transmission)
- Tom's Supra (automatic transmission)
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| GR Toyotas driven on my track experience |
Someone beat me to booking Tom's Supra (green), so I ended up with just the standard GR Supra (which was my second choice). I booked the GR Corolla for my husband. Keep in mind, if you book a manual transmission car, they will have a "skill check" day-of your experience, where you drive with an employee to make sure you can actually drive manual.
Try not to put this reservation off; all rental cars ended up being booked the day of my experience.
3. Get your international driving permit
If you want to book a Fuji Speedway driving experience but don't have a Japanese license, some pre-work is required. Once you have your driving date confirmed with a car reservation, you'll need to obtain your International Driving Permit.
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| AAA International Driving Permit |
I went through AAA to get mine and my husband's International Driving Permit. We made a reservation online and it took about 20 minutes. AAA charges $20 per driving permit, and you need to provide 2 passport-sized photos. If you don't have photos on hand, AAA can take and print them for a fee. Your International Driving Permit will be good for a full year.
Don't forget to bring your International Driving Permit AND your country's drivers license with you to Japan!
If you booked a car through the Fuji Speedway Hotel, they should confirm with you at check-in (or ask to make sure!)
The hotel will provide you with a map of how to get to the racing paddock. It's reachable by foot or by driving through the Fuji Speedway's west gate. Get there at least 15 minutes early for check-in and driving permit + license verification.
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| The white GR Supra I rented to drive on Fuji Speedway |
Our group arrived 30 minutes early just to be safe. Upon check-in and verification of my car reservation, drivers license and international driving permit, I was given the experience rules (no passing or driving aggressively), a card with my reserved car and souvenir sticker of the Fuji Speedway Driving Experience. My husband was taken out to his reserved GR Corolla for the manual transmission skill test, where an employee had him drive near the paddock (which is at minimum, checking if you can start/stop/shift).
After checking in, you'll be able to sit in the car until it's time to go. If you have travel companions who aren't driving, they are welcome to join the experience as your passenger. Otherwise, they can head to the Crane Garden cafe nearby to watch you drive around the track. If you have a chance, turn on the radio as it will guide you through the driving experience on the track!
We spent a little under 15 minutes on the race track, and despite all of the preparation it was SO worth it. I was able to hit 150KPH, and driving on a closed course was amazing. We visited in late November, and I'm so glad it didn't rain while we were on the track.
After our driving experience on Fuji Speedway, we rejoined part of our group in the cafe who watched us drive around the track. In addition to food, they also sell Fuji Speedway merchandise, like hoodies/shirts, keychains, stickers, etc. There's also a fun podium in front of the restaurant for photos!
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| at least I can pretend to win |
We were incredibly lucky in that Fuel Fest 2024 was held at Fuji Speedway and the Fuji Speedway Hotel during our stay. This meant tons of legendary cars were at the track and hotel, making our day even more special. I was in heaven.
At this point, we headed back to the Fuji Speedway Hotel and walked through the 2-floor Fuji Motorsports Museum. It's open to non-hotel guests for an 1,800 yen admission fee, and I strongly recommend visiting.
A go-kart experience is offered for drivers who are at least 145cm tall. Passengers are also allowed; they must be at least 80cm tall. This experience allows drivers to go karting on a course that's shaped like the Fuji Speedway, it's just on a smaller scale. Find more info on this experience at the Fuji Speedway Hotel's website.
Alternatively, the Fuji Speedway Hotel also has a racing simulator in the gym and Gran Turismo 7 in BAR 4563.
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