Japan isn’t just the birthplace of iconic cars like the GT-R, Supra, and NSX—it’s a living, breathing automotive wonderland where car culture runs deeper than anywhere else on earth. From cutting-edge museums showcasing the latest hybrid technology to legendary parking areas where modified street machines gather under neon lights, Japan offers car enthusiasts experiences you simply can’t find anywhere else.
Whether you’re obsessed with JDM legends, fascinated by racing history, or just curious about how the world’s most reliable cars are made, Japan has something that’ll make your automotive heart skip a beat. The country that gave us drifting, tuning culture, and some of the most innovative car companies on the planet has built an entire ecosystem around four-wheeled passion.
Here is a list of 20 incredible car attractions that showcase the very best of Japan’s automotive obsession.
Toyota Automobile Museum
Located in Nagakute near Nagoya, this world-class museum doesn’t just focus on Toyota vehicles—it celebrates the entire history of automobiles worldwide. The Toyota Automobile Museum aims to highlight the evolution and culture of automobiles from around the world.
The museum prides itself on the fact that the vehicles here are pristinely maintained, and almost all of them are still in roadworthy condition. You’ll find everything from early European classics to modern supercars, all maintained in perfect running condition. Free guided tours are also available in English at the museum, making it easy for those who may not speak Japanese.
Suzuka Circuit
Suzuka, openly touted by F1 drivers and fans as one of the most enjoyable, is also one of the oldest remaining tracks of the Formula One World Championship, and has a long history of races as the venue of the Japanese Grand Prix since 1987. The legendary figure-eight layout with its famous 130R corner and challenging Esses has witnessed some of Formula 1’s most dramatic championship battles.
Motorsports fans passing through Mie won’t want to pass up the chance to visit Suzuka Circuit, a legendary Japanese racetrack where the world’s top racers in Formula 1 and other events compete. Even when races aren’t happening, you can tour the facilities and experience the Circuit Challenger go-kart track.
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Daikoku Parking Area
Daikoku is a highway parking area (PA) in Yokohama, just outside Tokyo’s boundaries. It is accessible exclusively by car. What makes it an exception is that historically, it’s been where car enthusiasts meet almost every day. This isn’t your typical tourist attraction—it’s the beating heart of Japan’s streetcar culture.
The Friday and Saturday night meets are the most popular, with hundreds of cars gathering in this large parking area, making it look like an incredible auto show. You’ll see everything from pristine GT-Rs to wild bosozoku-style rides, but remember: you need a car to get there, and respect for the scene is essential.
Honda Collection Hall
The Honda Collection Hall in Tochigi spans three floors, with sections dedicated to regular and racing motorcycles, racing cars, and car parts. Located at Twin Ring Motegi, this museum houses approximately 300 Honda vehicles and tells the story of Soichiro Honda’s remarkable journey from bicycle repair shop to global automotive powerhouse.
There’s also a reading room which has a wide variety of car-related books, videos, and pictures to peruse, and the museum shop has a host of limited edition goods that you can’t find anywhere else. The collection includes everything from Honda’s first motorcycle to championship-winning F1 cars.
Mazda Museum
The Mazda Museum values the opportunity to share our commitment to car manufacturing directly with our visitors. The Museum offers a 120-minute tour of Mazda’s 100-year history (morning tour in Japanese/afternoon tour in English). Located at Mazda’s headquarters in Hiroshima, this free tour is incredible.
Visitors can witness the precision and care that go into assembling a Mazda car through a guided tour of the actual assembly line—an experience that not many automotive museums can offer. You’ll need to book well in advance, especially for the English afternoon tour, but seeing rotary engines and watching cars being built makes it worth the planning.
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Nissan Crossing
This sleek showroom in Tokyo’s upscale Ginza district offers way more than just looking at shiny cars. Located in the upscale Ginza district of Tokyo, Nissan Crossing offers an immersive experience for Nissan fans. The showroom features an array of both current and concept vehicles, showcasing the brand’s cutting-edge technology and design.
Be sure to check out the virtual reality zone for an interactive glimpse into the future of automotive technology. The VR experiences let you test drive cars you’ll never see on regular roads, and the constantly rotating displays mean there’s always something new to discover.
Motorcar Museum Of Japan
This place is full of vintage cars & it is such a visual treat! Vintage Japanese & European cars. The complex is 3 storeys high with a mezzanine on the 1st & 2nd floors. Located in Ishikawa Prefecture, this hidden gem houses around 500 vehicles in what might be the most densely packed car museum you’ll ever visit.
The cars are so tightly crammed together you can’t get an all-round look at them – a bit frustrating. But that same cramped feeling also means you’re surrounded by automotive history from every angle—it’s like being inside a car collector’s wildest dream.
Twin Ring Motegi
Now called Mobility Resort Motegi, Honda’s facility combines two distinct racing circuits in one incredible venue. The oval was last raced on in 2010 by the IndyCar Series. In 2008, the Motegi oval gained additional publicity when Danica Patrick became the first woman to win an IndyCar race, beating Hélio Castroneves for her first and only IndyCar victory.
Today, the road course hosts MotoGP and other major racing series, while the facility offers everything from go-karting to zip lines for visitors.
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Fuji Speedway
This massive circuit at the base of Mount Fuji offers one of the most scenic racing experiences in the world. Originally built as a high-speed oval, Fuji Speedway has evolved into one of Japan’s premier racing venues. The long front straight and challenging corners make it a favorite among both professional drivers and track day enthusiasts.
When you’re not watching Super GT or other racing series, the circuit often hosts driving experiences where you can take your car or rent one to experience this legendary track.
Super Autobacs Stores
Super Autobacs is a popular chain of automotive superstores in Japan that caters to car lovers and tuners alike. With a wide variety of after market parts, accessories, and car care products, Super Autobacs is a one-stop shop for all your car needs. Don’t miss the in-store garage, where you can watch professional technicians working on custom car modifications.
These aren’t just parts stores—they’re cultural centers for Japan’s tuning scene. The flagship locations like Shinonome in Tokyo are destinations in themselves, offering everything from rare JDM parts to full vehicle customization services.
Yamaha Motor Communication Plaza
Discover a space that explains the past, present, and future of the Yamaha Motor Group at the Communication Plaza. Once entered the first floor, it will be hard to miss the eye-catching Toyota 2000GT painted in glittering gold, a car developed by both Yahama and the Toyota Motor Corporation.
Located in Shizuoka, this museum showcases Yamaha’s diverse transportation history beyond just motorcycles. Expect to see old epoch-making cars and Yamaha motor technologies as the plaza boasts an array of new and old Yamaha products, including its motorcycles, electric-assist bicycles, and marine products such as boats, yachts, and outboard motors.
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Subaru Visitor Center
At the Subaru Visitor Center, visitors to the Yajima Plant for a plant tour and other purposes will be provided with a comprehensible explanation about Subaru’s brand philosophy and identity, as well as the brand’s history and unique technologies.
This facility in Gunma Prefecture offers insight into the company that made all-wheel drive mainstream and gave us the legendary WRX STI. The visitor center includes exhibits on Subaru’s unique horizontally opposed engines, rally heritage, and safety innovations that have become industry standards.
Isuzu Plaza
Isuzu Plaza, the official Isuzu museum, was opened in 2017 in Fujisawa, Kanagawa Prefecture, next to one of the company’s oldest factories. Don’t overlook this gem just because Isuzu might not be the first name that comes to mind. The fact that the lobby area is called the Isuzu Piazza, after the Japanese name for the Impulse, which in turn got its name from the Italian word for “town square”, puts a grin on our faces.
The museum features an incredible 1:87 scale model city complete with moving Isuzu vehicles, plus historic trucks and the sporty cars that surprised the world in the ’80s and ’90s.
Toyota Technoland
Technoland provides hands-on educational experiences where you can learn about textile manufacturing and automobiles through interactive displays, simulations, and activities. Kids can enjoy pedalling the Virtual Weaving Machine or driving around the Techno Circuit. This interactive museum tells the fascinating story of Toyota’s origins as a textile machinery company before becoming an automotive giant.
There’s also fun in store for the adults with interactive demonstrations showing how steering, suspension, and gearboxes function. It’s located near the main Toyota plant and offers a unique perspective on how the company’s manufacturing expertise transferred from looms to cars.
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Shikoku Automobile Museum
Opened back in 1990, the Shikoku Automobile Museum in Kochi is home to a range of domestic and international car models, with a specific focus on race cars and classic cars. For fans of things on two wheels, there’s also a sizeable collection of motorbikes. Some of the car models on display include the likes of Ferrari, Lamborghini, Alfa Romeo, and Cobra, to name just a handful.
Located on the island of Shikoku, this museum might be off the beaten path, but it houses an impressive collection that rivals much larger institutions. The combination of exotic European supercars and Japanese classics makes for a unique viewing experience.
Honda Welcome Plaza Aoyama
Located on the first floor of Honda’s headquarters building, it is a place where Honda’s latest models, historical vehicles, and motorcycles are on display. Right in central Tokyo, this easily accessible showroom provides a great overview of Honda’s current lineup alongside historic vehicles.
ASIMO Demonstrations: Visitors can sometimes see demonstrations of Honda’s famous ASIMO biped robot. The highlight is often the chance to see Honda’s humanoid robot ASIMO in action, showing how the company’s engineering excellence extends far beyond automobiles.
Circuit Wolf Museum
Renowned manga artist, Satoshi Ikezawa, set up circuit no Ookkami (Circuit Wolf) Museum. Circuit Wolf manga is quite popular in Japan and internationally as well. The Museum features mostly Italian exotics, some Porsche cars, and a Toyota 2000GT
This unique museum combines automotive passion with manga culture, celebrating the popular racing comic series. The collection focuses on the exotic cars featured in the manga, making it a pilgrimage site for fans of both automotive culture and Japanese comics.
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Nasu Classic Car Museum
They have an incredible collection of vintage classic cars from the very earliest 1910s up to the 1990s, and they were grouped into specific years, so it was interesting to learn about the history of each model. Located in the scenic Nasu area of Tochigi, this museum offers a chronological journey through automotive history.
This museum is not like the ordinary boring place, but there is also a very reasonably priced café in the center of the exhibit, where you can see all the cars being displayed. The unique layout with a central café means you can grab a coffee and contemplate decades of automotive evolution from every era.
Kawasaki Good Times World
Kawasaki is renowned for producing diverse products covering not just land but sea and air. Kawasaki Good Times World illuminates the brand’s pioneering technologies and shows the extent of Kawasaki’s contributions to society. Located in Hyogo Prefecture, this museum showcases Kawasaki’s incredible range from motorcycles to aircraft to ships.
While motorcycles might be what most people associate with Kawasaki, seeing their aerospace and marine technology provides fascinating context for understanding their engineering philosophy across all transportation modes.
Intersect By Lexus
The showroom’s grand exhibition space, called the Garage, is both an art gallery and a peaceful spot for adults to relax and see incredible displays of Lexus cars. Featuring innovative installations, it is a must-see when you visit this exhibition. This isn’t just a car showroom—it’s an art installation in Tokyo’s fashionable Omotesando district.
For rest and space to relax, head to the Bistro where you’ll find gourmet meals created with seasonal ingredients. The space perfectly embodies Lexus’s philosophy of combining automotive engineering with artistic expression, and the café alone makes it worth a visit even for non-car people.
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Cruising culture through time
Japan’s automotive attractions tell a story that stretches from post-war innovation to cutting-edge hybrid technology, but they also capture something uniquely Japanese: the idea that cars are more than transportation—they’re expressions of craftsmanship, community, and dreams.
Whether you’re watching a perfectly choreographed factory assembly line in Hiroshima or admiring a midnight-blue Skyline GT-R surrounded by enthusiasts at Daikoku PA, you’re witnessing a culture that has elevated car appreciation to an art form. These 20 destinations represent just the beginning of Japan’s automotive wonderland, where every visit reveals new layers of passion, precision, and the endless pursuit of automotive perfection.
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