Japan by van
Few people see Japan by van, yet it works well: well-kept mountain roads, rest stops with onsen, cedar forests between big cities. You rent small kei vans and sleep at campgrounds or RV Parks.
Our itineraries
Travelling in Japan by van
Starts in Tokyo
Classic Japan Van Road Trip: 12 days from Tokyo to Kyoto
Temples, bamboo forests and mountain roads
12 jours1 100 kmModerate level
From 770 to 1,400 €: rental, fuel and nights
Starts in Chiba
Japan Surf Van Road Trip: 12 days on the Pacific coast
The best waves of the Japanese Pacific by van
12 jours1 300 kmModerate level
From 780 to 1,420 €: rental, fuel and nights
Starts in Sapporo
Hokkaido Ski Van Road Trip: 8 days in Japanese powder
Niseko, Furano and Rusutsu, the resorts to ski from a van
8 jours800 kmModerate level
From 890 to 2,010 €: rental, fuel and nights
On the road
Stops not to miss
Where to sleep
The rules for sleeping in a van
From the itinerary “Classic Japan Van Road Trip: 12 days from Tokyo to Kyoto” →- Roadside stations (michi-no-eki): Japan's transport ministry says a nap in your vehicle to recover from fatigue is fine, but it generally asks visitors not to stay overnight. Some stations have spaces set aside for the night: check each station's own site (Hokkaido Campingcar, 23/10/2026). Never set up a table, chairs or a stove outside.
- Expressway service areas: NEXCO West Japan's rules ban long stays, camping and living in a vehicle (same source).
- Public roads: the law bans leaving a vehicle in the same spot for 8 hours in a row overnight, even with no sign; fine up to ¥200,000 (same source).
- The simple option: a campground or an RV Park (a paid car park set up for vans, ¥2,000 to ¥5,000 a night, Hokkaido Campingcar). This is what our budget counts.
- At Lake Kawaguchi: sleep at one of the lakeside campgrounds, not in a car park.
When to go
Japan month by month
March to May (cherry blossoms), October and November (autumn), December to March (skiing)
- Jan : Best time
- Feb : Best time
- Mar : Best time
- Apr : Best time
- May : Best time
- Jun : Outside the best time
- Jul : Outside the best time
- Aug : Outside the best time
- Sep : Outside the best time
- Oct : Best time
- Nov : Best time
- Dec : Best time
Elsewhere
