Western Honshu & Kyushu road trip by rental car, late July 2026

This is my 4th summer in a row in Japan, and my 3rd time exploring the country by rental car – loved every trip.

Last summer I drove the entire island of Honshu in a loop, skipping only the western part towards Hiroshima. This year I’m closing that gap and heading further south into Kyushu.

I’ll have a compact rental car (automatic, A/C) from Haneda Airport on July 19th and will return it on July 30th – giving me about 10 days on the road.

Planned route (rough outline, flexible):
Tokyo → Mt. Fuji area (Oshino Hakkai) → Izu Peninsula west coast → Ise-Wan Ferry → Ise Jingu → Kii Peninsula (Shirahama, Cape Shionomisaki, Nachi Waterfall) → Hiroshima / Miyajima → Kyushu: Beppu, Takachiho Gorge, Nichinan Coast, Cape Sata → Kagoshima → back to Tokyo via Nagasaki, Osaka

The focus is on coastal roads, scenic routes, and staying off highways as much as possible. Accommodation is flexible – a mix of simple guesthouses, ryokan, and budget hotels.

I’m happy for someone to join for the full trip or just part of it – even meeting up in Tokyo beforehand or somewhere along the way works for me.

Looking for someone easy-going, curious about Japan beyond the tourist trail, and comfortable with long driving days and spontaneous detours. Any gender or age welcome.