Self-Drive to a Shogun-approved Onsen Town #JRstoriesTokai

GulaCockaigne
Dec 11, 2020
3 min read

Updated: Dec 12, 2020

Travelling in Japan is now no longer only exclusive to tour groups. It is now easy to travel as a free independent traveller. Getting around is also easy with the many safe, affordable options such as subways, overnight buses, Shinkansen… and renting cars! Though one may desire the authentic experience of travelling on local transportation, driving a rental car may still be cheaper overall and move convenient even if you are travelling in a small group. Travelling in a rental car also allows you to make unscheduled pit stops and get the authentic touge experience.

Random touge pass, listening to City-pop

Initially, we planned to rent a cheap car to get to Atami. (More on this shogun-approved onsen town here) and separately go for a joy ride in local sports cars. Sure, you can even get a discount from JR Rent-a-car if you have a JR Pass , like how we rented our Shinkansen-branded hatchback

But why pay more for an on-rails joy ride for only a few hours, when you can rent a JDM for an omakase 2 day drive and cheaper overall??

Pre-handover checks

Their fleet varies, depending on the shop you are picking up the car from. We were fortunate that we had the MITSUOKA Rock Star available at the shop we picked for our onsen trip to Atami. It was unnerving during the briefing as we learnt that the MITSUOKA Rock Star was a limited edition model. So rare that they had no spare parts to replace the front bumper damaged by an earlier driver. It wasn’t even an issue of money or insurance!

Along the way, we made a scheduled stop at Hakone for lunch at day onsen at Yumoto onsen, Hotel Nanpuso (湯本温泉, ホテル南風荘) for only 1,100 yen.

A simple onsen (単純温泉), Yumoto onsen contains amounts of dissolved gaes 1,000 mg/lg or below. Those with pH 8.5 or higher are called "Simple alkaline Onsen". Simple alkaline onsens like Yumoto onsen gives us a soothing feeling.

Therapeutic properties include curing: [Indications by spring type] Autonomic instability, insomnia, depression, [General indications] Chronic pain or stiffness of muscles or joints (rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, low back pain, neuralgia, Chronic phase such as fifty shoulders, bruising, sprain), muscle stiffness in motor paralysis, coldness, peripheral circulatory disorder, decreased gastrointestinal function (stomach leaning, gas buildup in the intestine, etc.), mild hypertension, abnormal glucose tolerance (diabetes) , Mild hypercholesterolemia, mild asthma or pulmonary emphysema, pain of hemorrhoids, autonomic instability, various symptoms due to stress (sleep disorder, depression, etc.), post-illness recovery period, recovery from fatigue, promotion of health

Leisure drive around Lake Ashinoko (芦ノ湖, Ashinoko), followed by a lovely lunch at Hakone Karaage Karatto (箱根唐揚げ Karatto). Read more here.

Fully rejuvenated, we continued our way to Atami.

Safety first

Read more about our stay in Atami here

Driving around Atami.

Notice how Atami is a coastal town and you get an awesome insta-worthy background almost everywhere you go.

Leaving Atami for Tokyo

When travelling between Atami and Tokyo, you MUST take the coastal Atami Beach Line. On the way to Atami, we had forgotten to uncheck 'avoid toll roads' on our GPS, and we missed the coastal drive. Thankfully, we remembered to uncheck on the way back. There are some tolls along the coastal route, but it was only 3 toll gates, amounting to less than 1000 yen.

Make sure that you do not check 'Avoid toll roads'.

Feeling like a beach-boy, listening to Takashi Sorimachi's Forever

Panaromic view of Sagami Bay (相模湾, Sagami-wan)

GTA code activated

On the way back to Tokyo, we made a deliberate detour to swing by Kamakurakōkōmae Station (鎌倉高校前駅, Kamakurakōkōmae-eki) in Kamakura, Kanagawa Prefecture. Any self-respecting otaku should instantly recognise this station from the cult-classic Slam Dunk (スラムダンク). You can be sure to find this train station on the bucket list of most anime pilgrims. While we did not exactly take the Enoden, we dedicated a drive-past in our rented Mitsuoka Rock Star.