Fuji Speedway 富士スピードウェイ

Originally planned as a NASCAR oval inspired by Daytona Speedway, Fuji Speedway morphed into a more conventional but still quite challenging road course.

The track boasts the added attraction of having Mt. Fuji as its scenic backdrop, and you can drive a test car if no events are scheduled.

Fuji Speedway is about 25 minutes from Gotemba Station by bus.

Gotemba Station is on the JR Gotemba Line, which runs from Kozu in Kanagawa Prefecture to Numazu in Shizuoka Prefecture . A taxi from the station to the speedway will take 20 minutes.

Racing began here in 1966, and the track has been the scene of F1 Grand Prix, World Endurance Championship and countless other international races. It has also served as a test track for the Japanese motor industry. After a major renovation, the circuit reopened in 2005.

Along the way, the speedway added a short track and a separate drift track for that budding sport, which is highly popular in Japan. Fuji Speedway regularly hosts national championship races and events such as the Toyota Gazoo Racing Festival.

When no racing or testing events are on the schedule, you can climb into a test car, hit the track and live out the fantasy of being a race car driver where speed, nerves, and timing are vital.