Driving in Hokkaido in December
Feb 21, 2019, 1:53 am
#1
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Driving in Hokkaido in December
As per title - anyone have experience with the road and weather conditions? Assuming snow, how well ploughed will roads be, and would a road trip be a bad idea?
Feb 21, 2019, 5:21 am
#2
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most of the west part are fine. and so are the main roads/motor roads around the island.
i wouldnt exactly suggest against it, but they have the normal driving in snow headache. you’ve driven in snow before?
i wouldnt exactly suggest against it, but they have the normal driving in snow headache. you’ve driven in snow before?
Feb 21, 2019, 5:26 am
#3
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https://info-road.hdb.hkd.mlit.go.jp/en/kisei.html
I have never use this before, but after my trip in Iceland, I thought it would be a good idea
I have never use this before, but after my trip in Iceland, I thought it would be a good idea
Feb 21, 2019, 10:34 am
#4
Join Date: Oct 2014
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I went to Hokkaido a few years ago in January and rented a car. Drove from Sapporo to Otaru to Hakodate, didn't have any issues.
There's an ETC pass for foreign visitors you might want to look into, we got the pass from the car rental company at New Chitose airport.:
https://www.driveplaza.com/trip/draw...expass/en.html
The gas stations (outside of the cities) close really early... we found out the hard way and nearly ran out of gas going from Otaru to Hakodate lol.
There's an ETC pass for foreign visitors you might want to look into, we got the pass from the car rental company at New Chitose airport.:
https://www.driveplaza.com/trip/draw...expass/en.html
The gas stations (outside of the cities) close really early... we found out the hard way and nearly ran out of gas going from Otaru to Hakodate lol.
Feb 21, 2019, 11:30 am
#5
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Major roads should be fine. But give you some reference point. Ridership of JR Hokkaido increases during winter, many local people opt to take trains for inta-city travel during winter because many do not want to end up driving during bad weather.
Your profile indicate Singapore as a location. If you never drove in snow, it is worth give second thought. During my teenage years and young adult I live at Pennsylvania, New York, and Massachusetts in the U.S.A., all snow location and learned to drive in snow location. Even with large accumulation of snow, if it is not snowing then it is usually fine. However, if you ended up driving while it is snowing and if you never drove a car in snow then it is worth giving second thought.
Just my thought...
Your profile indicate Singapore as a location. If you never drove in snow, it is worth give second thought. During my teenage years and young adult I live at Pennsylvania, New York, and Massachusetts in the U.S.A., all snow location and learned to drive in snow location. Even with large accumulation of snow, if it is not snowing then it is usually fine. However, if you ended up driving while it is snowing and if you never drove a car in snow then it is worth giving second thought.
Just my thought...
Feb 21, 2019, 4:47 pm
#6
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I don’t recommend it.
I’m here now, third time in Hokkaido within the past year. Expressways are usually fine. Right now the road conditions are as good as can be, and all the major surface roads in and around cities are clear, although the outer lane on a twolane road is iffy due to snow pile blocking the lane on and off. Because the condition is so good now, I decided to rent a car just for the drive south of Sapporo to CTS and along the coast primarily using the expressway. You don’t really know what the weathers going to be like until about 5 days before, though. Even now, major mountain passes like Nakayama pass are completely covered in packed snow.
I was here 2 months ago also. The conditions were completely different. Every surface street including major surface roads and highways In and around Sapporo was snow/ice covered. Went skiing in Kiroro. It was snowing too. Locals, including our bus driver, who are experienced in snow driving will actually drive pretty fast even on mountain roads. So if you decide to drive in snow, you may feel some pressure from others if going too slow. I find there are a lot of mean and short tempered drivers in Jpn. There were people from Thailand actually driving rental cars in that condition. So I suppose it can be done, and more likely you’ll be fine. But I think it’s silly and not worth the risk. This from a guy spent years in New England.
Last spring major roads were clear as it hadn’t snowed In over a week. All the smaller city streets were covered in ice.
I’m here now, third time in Hokkaido within the past year. Expressways are usually fine. Right now the road conditions are as good as can be, and all the major surface roads in and around cities are clear, although the outer lane on a twolane road is iffy due to snow pile blocking the lane on and off. Because the condition is so good now, I decided to rent a car just for the drive south of Sapporo to CTS and along the coast primarily using the expressway. You don’t really know what the weathers going to be like until about 5 days before, though. Even now, major mountain passes like Nakayama pass are completely covered in packed snow.
I was here 2 months ago also. The conditions were completely different. Every surface street including major surface roads and highways In and around Sapporo was snow/ice covered. Went skiing in Kiroro. It was snowing too. Locals, including our bus driver, who are experienced in snow driving will actually drive pretty fast even on mountain roads. So if you decide to drive in snow, you may feel some pressure from others if going too slow. I find there are a lot of mean and short tempered drivers in Jpn. There were people from Thailand actually driving rental cars in that condition. So I suppose it can be done, and more likely you’ll be fine. But I think it’s silly and not worth the risk. This from a guy spent years in New England.
Last spring major roads were clear as it hadn’t snowed In over a week. All the smaller city streets were covered in ice.
Feb 21, 2019, 7:27 pm
#7
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I'm going to jump in and agree with several folks above. If you are inexperienced with driving in snowy conditions, please reconsider car rental. It is not the same as driving in warm, dry weather. If you choose to do it anyway, please stay on main roads and expressways. Side and mountain road can be very challenging.
Feb 21, 2019, 8:06 pm
#8
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being selfish aside if you are not an experienced snow driver (tbh my first stint was between sapporo, otaru and cts airport some 10 years ago w some members here; then another one on expressways; then it involved some local roads up to niseko) its a massive headache if you go off the expressway system, massively tiring and lots of things to worry about. i’ve also had a few near miss moments, most likely due to fatigue and distance/hours.
i have the feeling that, if you ask, ure not ready.
i have the feeling that, if you ask, ure not ready.
Feb 22, 2019, 1:43 am
#10
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Thanks everyone for your responses / views. Do have some experience driving on snow / ice covered roads, but not in snowstorm conditions. Spent a couple years in Canada but that was some time ago. Was hoping that in the early part of winter the roads would be clearer but seems like its going to be a crapshoot.
But overall it seems like taking the train / bus is a better idea.
But overall it seems like taking the train / bus is a better idea.
Feb 22, 2019, 3:22 am
#11
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Where do you want to go and what do you want to do in Hokkaido? If your plans are "mainstream" (e.g. Sapporo snow festival, side trips to Otaru and Hakodate), then I think public transport will be convenient.
Feb 22, 2019, 8:04 am
#12
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Thanks everyone for your responses / views. Do have some experience driving on snow / ice covered roads, but not in snowstorm conditions. Spent a couple years in Canada but that was some time ago. Was hoping that in the early part of winter the roads would be clearer but seems like its going to be a crapshoot.
But overall it seems like taking the train / bus is a better idea.
But overall it seems like taking the train / bus is a better idea.
was stuck in some bad snowstorm in iceland in dec - really wished i could have taken public transport then (not that its possible).
Feb 24, 2019, 7:30 pm
#13
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Snow festival won't be ongoing in December unfortunately but yes, pretty mainstream plans (first time in Hokkaido) - apart from the locations you mentioned, Noboribetsu, Lake Toya, possibly Niseko (not a skiier though but do want to go and see the place).
Feb 24, 2019, 8:31 pm
#14
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You'll most likely be fine on the expressway, but any surface street (including roads to get to the expressway) would be a crapshoot depending on the weather.
Have a look at a couple pics from last December I took. Top one is the highway heading from Otaru towards Kutchan. Bottom one is in middle of Sapporo.
If you're not going to ski/board (and assuming you choose not to drive as we have recommended), I don't see much point in going to Niseko. There's no easy means of public transport to get there, ski buses are expensive and mostly leave from Sapporo or CTS, hotels are expensive in Dec.
