Daikoku PA: How to Get There, Weekend Closures & Alternatives

What Daikoku PA actually is: a rest stop inside the expressway

Daikoku PA (Daikoku Parking Area) sits on Daikoku Pier in Yokohama and belongs to the Shutoko (Metropolitan Expressway) network. It is located where the Bayshore Route (Wangan Line) joins the Kanagawa No. 5 Daikoku Route, and it has toilets, a shop and food outlets. Abroad it is famous as the place where modified cars and sports cars gather at night, and more and more visitors to Japan want to go and see the cars.

But Daikoku PA is not a tourist attraction. It is a rest area for vehicles that are already driving on the Shutoko. Keep these points in mind first.

Closure practices and times can change. Check Shutoko's notices before you go, and plan on the assumption that it may not be open.

Why Daikoku PA closes on weekend nights, and when

According to Japanese media reports, the decision to close the entrance is made on the day by the Kanagawa Prefectural Police expressway traffic unit, which has a post inside the PA. The reason given is that illegally modified or noisy cars stay for long periods and ordinary drivers who just want a toilet break or a meal cannot find a space.

• Days: Most often Saturday nights. Friday-night closures have also been reported. It is not every week; it depends on the situation that day.
• Typical hours: Reports say the entrance is often closed around 20:00-21:00 and reopened around 01:00-03:00 the next morning.
• During a closure: The entrance is blocked and vehicles inside are asked to leave. This applies to ordinary users too.
• New Year: Closures on New Year's Eve have also been reported, reportedly to prevent group driving toward first-sunrise spots.
• Officially announced closures: Shutoko announces closures for roadworks (for example, 2 August and 30 August 2026, 21:00 to 06:00 the next day) and closures when heavy snow is forecast.

In short, Shutoko gives advance notice only for roadworks and snow; weekend night closures are decided on the spot. You may drive there and find you cannot get in.

What not to do

• Walking in or climbing fences: Reports say around 10 cases a month of foreign tourists climbing the fences have been observed. Walking onto expressway property is extremely dangerous and prohibited. Do not park on a nearby street and walk over either.
• Parking on the street to watch: Parking on ordinary roads around Daikoku Pier or watching from the roadside is a nuisance and a hazard.
• Revving, noise and long stays: The PA is for taking a break. Do not idle for long periods or drive in a way that makes noise.
• Street racing or hard acceleration: Obey the legal and posted speed limits on the Shutoko too. Japanese traffic rules are summarized in our road rules guide for visitors.

The Go on Rent-a-Car vehicle is a Volkswagen Golf Variant (automatic, 5 seats). It is not a Japanese (JDM) car. Use it to drop by Daikoku PA as a rest stop and enjoy the scene within the rules.

Alternatives when it is closed, or when you want a sure thing

You will not know whether Daikoku PA is open until the night itself. If you want to be sure of seeing Japanese car culture, combine it with venues and events that have fixed bookings or dates.

Route from Haneda to Daikoku PA

1. Pick up the car on the 8th floor of the P5 car park at Haneda Terminal 3 (handover 9:00-20:00).
2. Join the Shutoko Bayshore Route toward Yokohama. Setting "Daikoku PA" as a waypoint in the navigation system makes it easy.
3. Follow the signs into the PA near Daikoku JCT. It is about 20 km, roughly 20-30 minutes without traffic.
4. After your break, continue on the Shutoko to your next stop. There is no exit from the PA to ordinary roads; you can carry on toward Yokohama or central Tokyo.

Shutoko tolls are distance-based. If you want to use an ETC card, contact us before departure. See our expressway tolls and ETC guide for how tolls work. From December to February the PA may close when heavy snow is forecast, and driving on snowy roads requires winter tyres and our prior consent (winter driving guide). Handover ends at 20:00, so if you want to visit Daikoku PA at night, plan to collect the car by the day before.

Check availability and prices on Book at Haneda.