Race Tracks in Japan
Japan's motorsport scene runs from Formula 1 and MotoGP down to grass-roots grasstrack meetings on rice-paddy land, spread across a compact but mountainous country where most circuits sit within a couple of hours of a major city. Suzuka Circuit and Fuji Speedway anchor the top tier, hosting the Japanese Grand Prix and Super GT/Super Formula rounds respectively, while Mobility Resort Motegi, Okayama, Sportsland SUGO and Autopolis fill out the national road-racing calendar. Below the international circuits sits a dense layer of regional road courses — Tsukuba, Central Circuit, Ebisu (Japan's spiritual home of drifting), Suzuka Twin, HSR Kyushu and dozens more — plus a distinct gambling-oval sport, Auto Race, run on five dedicated asphalt ovals under the Japan Keirin Autorace foundation. Motocross, enduro and kart tracks number in the hundreds, mostly small club facilities; Japan has no permanent purpose-built drag strip. Tokyo hosts a Formula E street race around Tokyo Big Sight, and several historic circuits — Mine, Sendai Hi-Land, the original street circuits at Funabashi and Tamagawa — have closed over the decades as land values and noise regulations pushed racing to purpose-built venues.
44 venues listed across 7 categories. Venues with a full RaceTrackWorld guide are linked.
Road courses in Japan
| Venue | Town | Length | Known for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Suzuka Circuit | Suzuka, Mie | 5.807 km | Honda-owned figure-eight Grand Prix circuit opened 1962, host of the Formula 1 Japanese Grand Prix and the Suzuka 8 Hours motorcycle endurance race. |
| Fuji Speedway | Oyama, Shizuoka | 4.563 km | Toyota-owned circuit beneath Mount Fuji, host of Super GT and Super Formula; its 1965-74 layout ran a banked oval turn one at 5.999 km before a fatal 1974 crash led to a redesign. |
| Mobility Resort Motegi (road course) | Motegi, Tochigi | 4.801 km | Honda's road course, opened 1997, hosts Super GT and Super Formula and shares the site with a disused oval speedway and a karting short course. |
| Sportsland SUGO | Murata, Miyagi | 3.704 km | Tohoku region's main circuit, opened 1975, with separate 3.704 km car and 3.737 km motorcycle layouts hosting Super GT and All-Japan Road Race rounds. |
| Okayama International Circuit | Mimasaka, Okayama | 3.703 km | Formerly TI Circuit Aida, opened 1990, host of Super GT, Super Formula and MotoGP-class test days; also runs a 3.747 km motorcycle layout and 1.956 km Piper short course. |
| Autopolis International Racing Course | Hita, Oita | 4.674 km | Kyushu's international circuit, opened 1990, with an elevation-heavy layout used for Super GT, Super Formula and international bike racing; a 3.022 km short layout is also available. |
| Tsukuba Circuit (TC2000) | Shimotsuma, Ibaraki | 2.045 km | Compact circuit opened 1970 near Tokyo, famous as a benchmark lap-time course for Japanese tuner and time-attack culture; hosts drift, gymkhana, car and bike racing. |
| Tsukuba Circuit (TC1000) | Shimotsuma, Ibaraki | 1 km | Shorter minibike-turned-car course on the same Tsukuba site, renovated and reopened as Course 1000 in 2001. |
| Ebisu Circuit | Nihonmatsu, Fukushima | — | Multi-course mountain complex opened 1986, internationally known as Japan's drifting mecca with several linked on- and off-road layouts plus a kart track. |
| Central Circuit | Taka, Hyogo | — | JAF-licensed regional circuit opened September 1996, used for kart, motorcycle and car club racing in the Kansai region. |
| Suzuka Twin Circuit | Suzuka, Mie | — | Separate club circuit near the main Suzuka Circuit, opened October 2005, used for minibike, motorcycle, car and cycling events. |
| Tokachi Speedway | Sarubetsu, Hokkaido | — | Hokkaido's JAF/MFJ-certified international circuit, opened 1993, continuing to host club car and motorcycle racing. |
| Nakayama Circuit | Wake, Okayama | — | Regional kart, minibike, motorcycle and car circuit opened 1971 in Okayama prefecture. |
| Meihan Sportsland | Yamazoe, Nara | — | Combined on- and off-road facility running minibike, drift, gymkhana, kart and motocross events in Nara prefecture. |
| Sportsland Yamanashi | Nirasaki, Yamanashi | — | Regional on-road circuit hosting car, motorcycle and drift events in Yamanashi prefecture. |
| Spa Nishiura Motor Park | Gamagori, Aichi | — | JAF/MFJ-certified Chubu region circuit opened June 2007, hosting car and motorcycle club racing. |
| HSR Kyushu | Ozu, Kikuchi District, Kumamoto | — | MFJ-certified combined on- and off-road facility opened March 1989, running enduro, motocross, car and motorcycle events. |
| Nihonkai Maze Circuit | Nishikan-ku, Niigata City, Niigata | — | Coastal circuit that ran from 1967 to 1978 before closing and reopening in 1987; hosts car and motorcycle club events. |
| Sodegaura Forest Raceway | Sodegaura, Chiba | — | JAF-certified circuit opened September 2009 near Tokyo Bay, used for car and motorcycle club racing and track days. |
| Mobara Twin Circuit | Mobara, Chiba | — | Chiba prefecture circuit running drift, minibike, kart, motorcycle, car and cycling events. |
| Honjo Circuit | Honjo, Saitama | — | Saitama circuit opened April 2005, used for gymkhana, kart, minibike and motorcycle events. |
| Nikko Circuit | Utsunomiya, Tochigi | — | Tochigi prefecture circuit running motorcycle, car and drift events despite its Nikko name. |
Ovals and speedways in Japan
| Venue | Town | Length | Known for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mobility Resort Motegi Oval SpeedwayDormant | Motegi, Tochigi | 2.493 km | 10-degree-banked 2.493 km oval that hosted Indy Japan 300 (CART/IndyCar) from 1998-2011; unused for racing for years and reported under demolition from 2026 for spectator and camping facilities. |
Motorcycle speedway and short ovals in Japan
| Venue | Town | Length | Known for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kawaguchi Auto Race | Kawaguchi, Saitama | — | One of five state-sanctioned Auto Race asphalt ovals where riders on 600cc motorcycles race for pari-mutuel betting, run by the Japan Keirin Autorace Foundation. |
| Isesaki Auto Race | Isesaki, Gunma | — | Gunma prefecture Auto Race gambling oval, one of the sport's five licensed venues. |
| Hamamatsu Auto Race | Hamamatsu, Shizuoka | — | Shizuoka prefecture Auto Race gambling oval, one of the sport's five licensed venues. |
| Iizuka Auto Race | Iizuka, Fukuoka | — | Kyushu's Auto Race gambling oval, one of the sport's five licensed venues. |
| Sanyo Auto Race | Akaiwa, Okayama | — | Okayama prefecture Auto Race gambling oval, one of the sport's five licensed venues. |
Motocross and off-road in Japan
| Venue | Town | Length | Known for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Off Road Village Kawagoe | Kawagoe, Saitama | — | Saitama motocross venue (also listed as West Point Off Road Village) used for club and regional motocross events. |
| Inabe Motorsport Land | Inabe, Mie | — | Mie prefecture motocross and enduro venue used for regional off-road championship rounds. |
| Chizu Site (Gondo Chalossaire) | Minamioguni, Aso District, Kumamoto | — | Kumamoto off-road park running motocross, enduro and ATV/4WD events. |
Karting in Japan
| Venue | Town | Length | Known for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mobility Resort Motegi Kart Course (North Short Course) | Motegi, Tochigi | — | Dedicated kart short course within the Motegi complex, used for club karting and Formula 4 events. |
| Rainbow Sports Kart Course | Kuwana, Mie | — | JAF/SL Kart Sports Organisation-affiliated karting circuit in Mie prefecture. |
| Takarazuka Kart Field | Takarazuka, Hyogo | — | Kansai-region kart circuit opened 1990, affiliated to JAF and the SL Kart Sports Organisation. |
| Chukyushu Kartway | Yamaga, Kumamoto | — | Kyushu regional kart circuit used for club and district karting competition. |
Street circuits and temporary in Japan
| Venue | Town | Length | Known for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tokyo Street Circuit (Tokyo Big Sight)Seasonal | Tokyo | 2.585 km | Temporary street circuit around the Tokyo Big Sight exhibition centre, host of the Formula E Tokyo E-Prix since its debut round in March 2024, Formula E's first Japanese race. |
Closed and historic in Japan
| Venue | Town | Length | Known for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mine CircuitClosed | Mine, Yamaguchi | — | Chugoku region circuit opened 1972 that closed to racing on 28 February 2006 and became Mazda's Mine Proving Ground. |
| Sendai Hi-Land RacewayClosed | Sendai, Miyagi | — | Tohoku circuit that closed to racing on 15 September 2014 after financial difficulties. |
| Sekia CircuitClosed | Nankan, Tamana District, Kumamoto | — | Kyushu circuit (also known as Sekia Hills) that closed in December 2012. |
| Speedway Hiroshima CircuitDormant | Onomichi, Hiroshima | — | Circuit that suspended operations on 28 January 2012 and has not reopened. |
| Noroyama Speed ParkClosed | Kure, Hiroshima | — | Early postwar-era circuit that closed in 1974. |
| Funabashi CircuitClosed | Funabashi, Chiba | — | Short-lived amusement-park-linked circuit that closed in July 1967 after motorcycle and car racing through the mid-1960s. |
| Tamagawa SpeedwayClosed | Kawasaki, Kanagawa | — | One of Japan's earliest purpose-built speedways, opened 1936 on the Tama River; closed by 1952, with the site now near the Tamagawa Maruko Bridge. |
| Fuji Speedway original banking (Turn 1)Closed | Oyama, Shizuoka | — | The steeply banked first corner used on Fuji Speedway's original 5.999 km layout from 1965 until a fatal 1974 crash prompted removal from the racing line; a small remnant of the banking survives on site. |
Race tracks near the big cities in Japan
Near Tokyo
- Tokyo Street Circuit (Tokyo Big Sight) · about 25 min
- Tsukuba Circuit (TC2000) · about 70 min
- Fuji Speedway · about 100 min
- Sodegaura Forest Raceway · about 75 min
- Kawaguchi Auto Race · about 40 min
Near Nagoya
- Suzuka Circuit · about 70 min
- Suzuka Twin Circuit · about 70 min
- Spa Nishiura Motor Park · about 60 min
Near Osaka/Kyoto
- Central Circuit · about 90 min
- Meihan Sportsland · about 80 min
- Nakayama Circuit · about 100 min
Near Fukuoka
- Iizuka Auto Race · about 40 min
- HSR Kyushu · about 80 min
- Autopolis International Racing Course · about 110 min
Near Sapporo
- Tokachi Speedway · about 150 min
Near Sendai
- Sportsland SUGO · about 45 min
Major race weekends in Japan
| Event | Venue | When | Series |
|---|---|---|---|
| Formula 1 Japanese Grand Prix | Suzuka Circuit | September | Formula 1 |
| Suzuka 8 Hours | Suzuka Circuit | August | FIM Endurance World Championship |
| MotoGP Japanese Grand Prix | Mobility Resort Motegi (road course) | October | MotoGP |
| Super GT / Super Formula rounds | Fuji Speedway | April-October | Super GT / Super Formula |
| Super GT round | Mobility Resort Motegi (road course) | September | Super GT |
| Formula E Tokyo E-Prix | Tokyo Street Circuit (Tokyo Big Sight) | March | Formula E |
| Super GT / All-Japan Road Race round | Sportsland SUGO | May-September | Super GT / All-Japan Road Race Championship |
| Super GT / Super Formula round | Okayama International Circuit | April/October | Super GT / Super Formula |
| Super GT / Super Taikyu round | Autopolis International Racing Course | June/August | Super GT / Super Taikyu |
| D1 Grand Prix drift rounds | Ebisu Circuit | Year-round | D1GP / drift events |
| Auto Race Kinen (grand prix meetings) | Kawaguchi, Isesaki, Hamamatsu, Iizuka, Sanyo Auto Race (rotating) | Year-round | Auto Race |
Track days and driving experiences in Japan
Suzuka Circuit, Fuji Speedway, Mobility Resort Motegi, Tsukuba Circuit and Ebisu Circuit all run public track-day calendars, typically ¥15,000-¥40,000 for a car session and less for motorcycles or karts, with manufacturer-run days (Honda, Toyota GAZOO Racing) adding premium experiences at Suzuka and Fuji. Tsukuba and Ebisu are especially popular with time-attack and drift drivers chasing benchmark lap times or practising slides on Ebisu's linked mountain courses. Regional circuits such as Central Circuit, Sportsland Yamanashi and Spa Nishiura run cheaper club-organised open-pit days, usually ¥8,000-¥20,000, bookable through local motorsport clubs rather than international operators.
Frequently asked questions
Does this list include horse racing tracks?+
No. This page covers motorsport venues only — circuit racing, ovals, karting, motocross and street circuits. Japan's extensive horse racing network, including JRA tracks like Tokyo Racecourse and Nakayama Racecourse, is a separate industry and is not listed here.
What is Auto Race and is it just gambling?+
Auto Race is a Japanese motorcycle sport run on five licensed asphalt ovals (Kawaguchi, Isesaki, Hamamatsu, Iizuka and Sanyo), where riders on standardised 600cc bikes race for pari-mutuel betting overseen by the Japan Keirin Autorace Foundation, alongside keirin cycling, boat racing and horse racing as one of Japan's four legal public-gambling sports. It is genuine wheel-to-wheel racing, not a simulated or fixed contest.
What is Japan's most famous race track?+
Suzuka Circuit, Honda's figure-eight track in Mie prefecture, is Japan's best-known circuit internationally as host of the Formula 1 Japanese Grand Prix and the Suzuka 8 Hours motorcycle endurance race.
Does Japan have a permanent drag strip?+
No. Japan has no purpose-built, permanent quarter-mile drag strip; drag-style time-attack and straight-line events are instead run on airfield taxiways or as occasional closed-road exhibitions rather than at a dedicated venue.
Where can I watch or take part in drifting in Japan?+
Ebisu Circuit in Fukushima prefecture is internationally regarded as Japan's drifting headquarters, with several linked mountain courses and regular D1 Grand Prix rounds; Tsukuba Circuit, Central Circuit and many regional tracks also run dedicated drift days.
What happened to the Twin Ring Motegi oval?+
The 2.493 km banked oval at what is now Mobility Resort Motegi hosted CART/IndyCar's Indy Japan 300 from 1998 to 2011 but has sat unused for major racing since; reports in 2026 indicated demolition work had begun to repurpose the area for spectator and camping facilities.
Is Formula E raced in Japan?+
Yes. The Tokyo E-Prix has run on a temporary 2.585 km street circuit around the Tokyo Big Sight exhibition centre since its debut round in March 2024, Formula E's first race in Japan.
Venue list checked against 21 sources. Last reviewed 2026-09-11.
Japan track guides on RaceTrackWorld
Autopolis International Racing Course
Address: １１１２-8 Kamitsuemachi Kaminoda, Hita, Oita 877-0312, Japan Website: https://autopolis.jp/ Phone Number: +81 973-55-1111 Hotels Near Autopol...
Fuji Speedway
Address: 694 Nakahinata, Oyama, Sunto District, Shizuoka 410-1307, Japan Website: https://www.fsw.tv/ Hotels Near Fuji Speedway Track History Locat...
Mine Circuit
Hotels Near Mine Circuit Track History Situated in the scenic landscape of Nara, Japan, the Mine Circuit, also known as the Meihan Sportsland, is a m...
Okayama International Circuit
Address: 1210 Takimiya, Mimasaka, Okayama 701-2612, Japan Website: http://www.okayama-international-circuit.jp/ Phone Number: +81 868-74-3311 Hotel...
Sendai Race Track
Hotels Near Sendai Race Track Track History Sendai Race Track, also known as the Sendai Hi-Land Raceway, stands as a testament to Japan's rich motors...
Sportsland Sugo
Address: ６丁目-1 Sugou, Murata, Shibata District, Miyagi 989-1301, Japan Website: http://sportsland-sugo.co.jp/ Phone Number: +81 224-83-3111 Hotels ...
Suzuka Circuit
Address: 7992 Inoucho, Suzuka, Mie 510-0295, Japan Website: https://www.suzukacircuit.jp/ Phone Number: 059-378-1100 Hotels Near Suzuka Circuit Tr...
Tokachi Speedway
Address: 477番地 Kowa, Sarabetsu, Kasai District, Hokkaido 089-1573, Japan Website: http://tokachi.msf.ne.jp/ Email: [email protected] Phone Number: +...
Tsukuba Circuit
Address: 乙１５９ Muraoka, Shimotsuma, Ibaraki 304-0824, Japan Website: https://www.tsukuba-circuit.jp/ Phone Number: +81 296-44-3146 Hotels Near Tsuku...
Twin Ring Motegi
Address: 120-1 Hiyama, Motegi, Haga District, Tochigi 321-3533, Japan Website: https://www.twinring.jp/ Phone Number: +81 285-64-0001 Hotels Near T...