Mountaintop vistas and an absence of patrol cars make for a slice of motoring heaven.
Though it's a major producer of cars, Japan has never been regarded as a driver's country. Many people here live comfortably without one — relying instead on public transport. There are some rewards of ownership, however, if you venture out of the congested cities. Among these are the privately run scenic toll roads. Practical public road construction follows the path of least resistance — on easy to build, cheap property. Not so with scenic roads.
Take the Ashinoko Skyline, southwest of Tokyo. A civil engineer's nightmare, it starts and ends in the middle of nowhere — built high up on the west side of a ridge of the Hakone mountains. Traversing it from its southern end, however, instantly reveals its appeal — a stunning view of Mount Fuji accompanies you the whole way. Being Japan, it is short and expensive — ¥600 to drive a little more than 10 km (more like an amusement park ride than a toll road).