Category: Snow & Bad Weather

A Mini Japanese Dictionary for Snowy Roads (雪道の日本語ミニ辞典)
This is a dictionary for quickly checking, on the spot, the Japanese you often see when you rent a car and drive in Japan in winter: on booking screens, on electronic road signs and in weather notices.

It gives not just the meaning but also what to do when you’re there.

Signs and screens differ by road and by company, so if there’s guidance on site, look at that first.

The words in this dictionary

Words you see before you drive
- スタッドレスタイヤ／冬用タイヤ — studless tires / winter tires
- 4WD／四輪駆動 — 4WD / four-wheel drive
- 標準装備 — standard equipment
- 冬期シーズン料金／シーズン料金 — winter season rate / season rate
- タイヤチェーン／チェーン — tire chains / chains
- 大雪警報／大雪注意報 — heavy snow warning / heavy snow advisory
- 暴風雪警報／風雪注意報 — snowstorm warning / wind and snow advisory
- 大雪特別警報 — Special Heavy Snow Warning
- 大雪のおそれ — heavy snow possible
- 通行止めの可能性 — road closure possible
- 予防的通行止め — preventive road closure
- 冬期閉鎖 — winter closure
Words you see while you drive
- 冬用タイヤ規制／冬用タイヤ装着等 — winter tire restriction / winter tires required, etc.
- チェーン規制 — chain restriction
- チェーン装着 — fit chains
- 凍結／路面凍結 — frozen / frozen road surface
- 凍結注意 — watch for ice
- スリップ注意 — watch for slipping
- 凍結 50㌔規制／ユキ 50㌔規制 — 50 km/h limit for ice / 50 km/h limit for snow
- 低速車作業中 — slow work vehicles ahead
- チェーン着脱場 — chain fitting area
Words you see when traffic stops or roads close
- 通行止め／通行止 — road closed
- ここで出よ — exit here
- 立ち往生 — stranded
- 吹雪／地吹雪 — snowstorm / ground blizzard
Words for the road surface
- アイスバーン — icy road
- ブラックアイスバーン — black ice
Signs without words
- タイヤチェーンを取り付けていない車両通行止め (a picture of a tire with chains, in a blue circle) — no vehicles without tire chains
Words you see before you drive

スタッドレスタイヤ／冬用タイヤ

Tires for driving on snowy or icy roads (winter tires). On booking screens they appear as “スタッドレスタイヤ,” and in road restrictions and guidance as “冬用タイヤ.” If you’ll go into snowy areas, book a car with them.

4WD／四輪駆動

A car that sends power to all four wheels. It isn’t a substitute for winter tires. When you’ll face a lot of steep uphill slopes or mountain roads, get a 4WD car as well as winter tires.

標準装備

It means “fitted from the start.” If you see “スタッドレス全車標準装備,” every car already comes with winter tires, and you don’t need to request them. Which branches and which periods this covers differs by company, so check the company’s information.

冬期シーズン料金／シーズン料金

A rate added during the winter period. At branches in areas where winter tires come fitted from the start, some companies add this rate during that period.

タイヤチェーン／チェーン

An anti-slip device you wrap around the tires. Some companies don’t rent them out. When the snow is heavy enough for a “チェーン規制” (chain restriction: chains required even with winter tires), make that day a day you don’t drive.

大雪警報／大雪注意報

Heavy-snow notices issued by the Japan Meteorological Agency. A warning is issued when there’s a risk of “serious disaster,” and an advisory when there’s a risk of “disaster.” A weather warning isn’t a notice that roads will close. But a day when a heavy-snow warning or advisory looks likely is a day to check the road notices too.

暴風雪警報／風雪注意報

A warning and an advisory for strong winds with snow. They don’t mean “heavy snow plus storm winds”; they also tell you of the risk that the wind will blow snow around and make it hard to see ahead. On weather screens, they may also appear as “暴風（雪）.” On a day a snowstorm is forecast, you can plan from the start to make it a day for watching the snow from your accommodation.

大雪特別警報

A warning issued when heavy snow of a kind seen once in several decades is expected. In exceptionally heavy snow of the kind that brings this warning, a “チェーン規制” (chain restriction) may be put in place on designated sections.

大雪のおそれ

It means “there may be heavy snow.” It can appear in the titles of notices issued a few days ahead, such as “２月８日頃は大雪のおそれがあります” (Heavy snow is possible around February 8). If this notice comes out, swap that day’s mountain pass crossing with your plans for another day.

通行止めの可能性

It means “the road may close.” It hasn’t been decided yet (for example, “大雪の影響による通行止めの可能性の高い区間について” (Sections likely to be closed due to heavy snow)). As with “大雪のおそれ,” swap your pass crossing with another day.

予防的通行止め

Closing roads ahead of time on national roads and expressways when heavy snow is forecast, before cars get stuck. Roads may be closed even when there’s no snow on them. If a notice comes out, make that day a day you don’t drive.

冬期閉鎖

Keeping a road closed through the winter. If you’ll take a pass or mountain road, check before you go whether it’s a road that closes in winter. When a road that closes in winter opens in spring, the road itself becomes a destination.

Words you see while you drive

冬用タイヤ規制／冬用タイヤ装着等

A restriction meaning cars without winter tires or chains can’t get through. The mark for winter tires is written differently depending on the screen: in the legend of the Japanese map on “ドラとら” (Drive Traffic), it appears as “冬用タイヤ装着等” (on the English screen, “Winter Tires Required, etc.”). If your car has winter tires, you can keep driving as usual even on days this restriction is in place.

チェーン規制

A restriction meaning cars without chains can’t get through. Even with winter tires, and even with 4WD, you need chains. The sign for this restriction has no words (see “Signs without words” below). When the snow is heavy enough for a chain restriction, make that day a day you don’t drive.

チェーン装着

It means “fit chains.” It can appear on electronic information boards as “普通タイヤ車チェーン装着” (cars with regular tires must fit chains) or “チェーン装着確認中” (chain check in progress). Whether you need winter tires or chains is covered in “Winter Tires (Snow Tires), 4WD and Chains — Whether You Need Them Depends on Where You’re Going.”

凍結／路面凍結

The road surface being frozen. On electronic information boards, it appears as “路面　凍結,” or as “凍結” in front of a speed display (a frozen road surface is called “アイスバーン”). Before you reach bridges, tunnel entrances and exits, and shady spots, slow down ahead of time.

凍結注意

A sign meaning “the road may be frozen, so be careful.” Even when a road looks black and wet, drive as if it might be frozen.

スリップ注意

A sign meaning “it’s slippery, so be careful.” A word giving the reason can come in front, as in “雨スリップ注意” (slippery in the rain). Use the brakes, the steering wheel and the accelerator slowly.

凍結 50㌔規制／ユキ 50㌔規制

A speed display that puts a reason, a number and “規制” (restriction) side by side. “㌔” is read “kiro,” and the display means the speed limit is set at 50 km/h because of ice or snow. “ユキ” means snow, written in katakana. On snowy days, speed limits on expressways can change, so keep an eye on the speed displays as you drive.

低速車作業中

A display that appears on information boards on NEXCO CENTRAL expressways when work vehicles, such as snowplows, are driving slowly ahead (a speed restriction for safety). If you come across a snowplow on the expressway, don’t pass it; stay well back and follow behind. The vehicle in front of you is getting the road ready as it goes.

チェーン着脱場

A place for putting chains on and taking them off, found at many points on NEXCO CENTRAL expressways. If your car doesn’t have winter tires but you have chains, and a winter tire restriction comes into effect while you’re driving, put the chains on at a nearby service area or parking area, not on the road shoulder.

Words you see when traffic stops or roads close

通行止め／通行止

It means the road ahead is closed and you can’t get through. On maps and signs, it also appears as “通行止,” without the “め.” If road staff are there, follow their instructions and make a U-turn or take a detour. You can build the time spent waiting at your accommodation or a Michi no Eki (roadside station) until the road reopens into your travel plans.

ここで出よ

A display meaning “leave the expressway here.” On NEXCO EAST expressways, if an information board shows “ここで出よ！” during a road closure, always exit at that interchange. It can take hours to get off the expressway, for example when cars are stuck further ahead and you can’t get through.

立ち往生

When cars can’t move because of snow or other causes and end up stopped where they are. Even cars with winter tires can get caught in lines of stuck cars. The bigger the snowfall, the earlier it’s announced, so while you’re traveling, check two things every day: the notices for the roads to where you’re going, and the weather.

吹雪／地吹雪

吹雪 is when strong wind and snow make it hard to see ahead. 地吹雪 is when snow that has already fallen is blown up by the wind. If you feel it’s getting hard to see around you, slow down. What to do if a snowstorm leaves you unable to move is covered in “Japan Winter Road Conditions: Where to Check Road Closures in English.”

Words for the road surface

アイスバーン

A road surface that has frozen. Before you reach bridges, tunnel entrances and exits, and shady spots, slow down ahead of time.

ブラックアイスバーン

Black ice: a road that looks black, as if it were wet, but is actually frozen on the surface. Because it doesn’t look white, it’s a road surface that’s hard to notice. Even when a road looks black and wet, drive as if it might be frozen.

Signs without words

タイヤチェーンを取り付けていない車両通行止め

A sign with a white picture of a tire with chains on it, inside a blue circle. There are no words on it. It’s the sign for the “チェーン規制” (chain restriction), introduced in 2018. This picture may also appear on electronic displays. Cars without chains can’t go beyond this point.

If you’re not sure

On a day when a heavy-snow notice is out, or when you see the words “チェーン規制,” make it a day you don’t drive, and spend it enjoying the hot springs at your accommodation and watching the snow.

You can check whether roads are closed on the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism’s “道路情報提供システム” (Road Information Provision System) for national roads, and on “ドライブトラフィック（ドラとら）” (Drive Traffic, “Dora Tora”) for expressways. Both are available in English, Korean and Traditional Chinese (the Shuto Expressway, the Hanshin Expressway and roads run by local road public corporations don’t appear on either).

※ How signs are written and placed, and how restrictions and notices are issued, differ by road, company and region, and can change. When you actually drive, follow the signs on site, the instructions of the police and road staff, and the guidance of the company you rented from.

Official sources we checked (15)

・気象庁：気象警報・注意報の種類 (Japan Meteorological Agency: Types of weather warnings and advisories, in Japanese)

・NEXCO中日本：冬道の交通規制 (NEXCO CENTRAL: Traffic restrictions on winter roads, in Japanese)

・NEXCO東日本：マンモシ博士冬の高速道路ガイド (NEXCO EAST: Dr. Manmoshi’s guide to winter expressways, in Japanese)

・国土交通省：道路標識、区画線及び道路標示に関する命令の一部を改正する命令の公布について～チェーン規制に関連する改正を行います～ (Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism: Promulgation of an order partially amending the order on road signs, lane lines and road markings — amendments related to chain restrictions, 2018, in Japanese)

・国土交通省：チェーン規制について (Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism: About chain restrictions, in Japanese)

・北陸地方整備局ほか：集中的な大雪時にはタイヤチェーンの装着を！ (Hokuriku Regional Development Bureau and others: Fit tire chains during concentrated heavy snow!, 2018, PDF, in Japanese)

・三次河川国道事務所：冬用タイヤ交換はお早めに！ (Miyoshi River and National Highway Office: Change to winter tires early!, PDF, in Japanese)

・相武国道事務所：冬の道路情報 (Sobu National Highway Office: Winter road information, in Japanese)

・ニッポンレンタカー：スタッドレスタイヤオプション (Nippon Rent-A-Car: Studless tire option, in Japanese)

・トヨタレンタカー：スタッドレス全車標準装備店舗・期間 (Toyota Rent a Car: Branches and periods with studless tires fitted on all cars, in Japanese)

・近畿地方整備局ほか：２月８日頃は大雪のおそれがあります (Kinki Regional Development Bureau and others: Heavy snow is possible around February 8, 2026, PDF, in Japanese)

・近畿地方整備局ほか：大雪の影響による通行止めの可能性の高い区間について (Kinki Regional Development Bureau and others: Sections likely to be closed due to heavy snow, 2026, PDF, in Japanese)

・国土交通省：道路情報提供システム (Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism: Road Information Provision System, top page in Japanese, with a button to switch to English)

・ドライブトラフィック（ドラとら） (Drive Traffic, “Dora Tora”, in Japanese)／English
2026-09-28
Snowy Roads and Winter Driving Q&A — On Stormy Days, Make It a Day You Don’t Drive

This is based on guidance from public bodies, rental car companies and expressway companies, as of October 2026 (it isn’t an explanation of the law).

For now, just this

For the next five, the answer is the same.

・On the day, you’re told there are “no” cars with winter tires

・You’ve arrived without winter tires

・You’re told “you need chains”

・A heavy-snow notice has come out

・A typhoon or heavy rain is on its way

Make that day a day you don’t drive.

The day you were going to cross a mountain pass becomes a day of hot springs and snow-viewing at your accommodation. If it’s a typhoon, move your outdoor plans to the next day, which is often sunny. Swap your days and destinations around, and your trip can carry on as it is.

When you plan your trip

I’ve never driven on snowy roads. Right-hand drive is new to me too. Is it safe to rent in winter?

You can also rent in a way that keeps you off snowy roads.

Take the train as far as the station at the gateway to snow country, and rent there. Leave travel within snow country to trains, buses and tours, and use the car on stretches that are easy to drive. You can put it together like that. JNTO (Japan National Tourism Organization), the national tourism office, also strongly recommends avoiding driving in snow as much as possible and using trains and buses instead.

On days you drive, keep the distance short and plan to reach your accommodation before the sun goes down. If you split your days between driving and leaving it to trains and buses, you can enjoy the snowy scenery from both.

→ “Driving in Japan in Winter, Hokkaido Included — First Decide Where You’ll Rent, When You’ll Drive and What You’ll Do on Days You Don’t Drive“／”How to Drive on Snowy Roads — Nothing ‘Sudden,’ and Plenty of Space Ahead“

Can I drive this road (to Shirakawa-go, Takayama, Kusatsu and so on) in winter?

Instead of answering road by road, here are three ways to check.

①　If where you’re going gets snow, rent a car with winter tires.

②　If you’ll take a pass or mountain road, check before you go whether it’s a road that closes in winter.

③　On the day you drive, check whether it’s closed that day.

Roads that close in winter are announced prefecture by prefecture and section by section. For that day’s roads, you can check national roads on the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism’s “Road Information Provision System,” and expressways on “Drive Traffic (“Dora Tora”).” Both have entry points in English, Korean and Traditional Chinese (the Shuto Expressway, the Hanshin Expressway and roads run by local road public corporations don’t appear on either).

When a road that closes in winter opens in spring, the road itself becomes a destination. For example, the Hachimantai Aspite Line, which crosses Iwate and Akita, becomes the “Snow Corridor” when it opens in mid-April, and you can drive between walls of snow (the timing varies from year to year).

→ “Winter Tires (Snow Tires), 4WD and Chains — Whether You Need Them Depends on Where You’re Going“／”Japan Winter Road Conditions: Where to Check Road Closures in English“

Won’t the car navigation take me onto narrow, snowy mountain roads?

It can.

Car navigation systems may show the usual route without taking that day’s road conditions into account. On snowy days, avoid narrow roads and choose major highways. If the route includes a pass or mountain road, check first whether it’s a road that closes in winter.

→ “Driving in Japan in Winter, Hokkaido Included“／”Japan Winter Road Conditions: Where to Check Road Closures in English“

When you book

Do I need winter tires? Even if I rent in Tokyo, Osaka or Fukuoka?

Whether you need them depends not on where you rent, but on where you drive.

Even if you rent where there’s no snow, you need winter tires if you’ll drive in snowy areas. If you rent in Tokyo, Osaka, Fukuoka or similar places and head for snowy areas, choose winter tires on the booking screen. Nippon Rent-A-Car lists Karuizawa and Lake Kawaguchi, close to Tokyo, and Aso in Kyushu among those snowy destinations.

With winter tires on, you can take a car rented in Tokyo right into the snowy scenery of Karuizawa or Lake Kawaguchi.

→ “Winter Tires (Snow Tires), 4WD and Chains“

The forecast says sunny. Can I skip winter tires?

If where you’re going gets snow, you need them.

Even if it isn’t snowing where you pick up the car, it may snow where you’re going. Even if you can’t see any snow when you set off, the road conditions change as the place and time change. Shady curves can be icy even when they look free of snow.

In a car with winter tires, you can choose to head into the snowy scenery on sunny days too.

→ “Winter Tires (Snow Tires), 4WD and Chains“／”How to Drive on Snowy Roads“

Is it against the law to drive on snowy roads without winter tires? Will I be stopped?

The Kyushu Regional Development Bureau of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism says that driving on snowy or icy roads without any anti-slip measure, such as winter tires or chains, is a violation of the law (the details are set by each prefecture’s rules).

On NEXCO CENTRAL expressways, when a “winter tire restriction” is in place, cars with neither winter tires nor chains aren’t allowed to continue, and have to exit at the nearest interchange.

→ “Winter Tires (Snow Tires), 4WD and Chains“

Do winter tires come fitted from the start? Is there an extra charge?

At Nippon Rent-A-Car and Toyota Rent a Car, branches in snowy areas such as Hokkaido, Tohoku, Niigata, Nagano and Hokuriku have winter tires fitted on all cars from the start during winter (which branches and which periods differ by company). You don’t need to request them. Instead, a winter seasonal rate is added during that period.

If you rent outside snow country, add winter tires when you book. Take the train as far as the gateway to snow country and rent there, and you have one less thing to think about with winter tires.

→ “Winter Tires (Snow Tires), 4WD and Chains“

From which month to which month do I need winter tires? What about October or May?

It differs by company and area.

There are areas in Japan where snow falls from the end of September to May. The period when winter tires come fitted also differs by company. Even in Hokkaido, the period ends on April 20 at Nippon Rent-A-Car and on May 5 at Toyota Rent a Car.

If you rent in early spring or early winter, check on the booking screen or in the company’s information whether winter tires will be fitted.

→ “Winter Tires (Snow Tires), 4WD and Chains“

I can’t choose winter tires on the booking screen. Can I add them later?

You can sometimes ask the company.

At Nippon Rent-A-Car, book with regular tires first, then ask the English-language desk to add winter tires, giving your booking number. Depending on availability, they may not be able to fit them.

At other companies too, if the option doesn’t come up on the screen, ask the company you’re booking with.

→ “Winter Tires (Snow Tires), 4WD and Chains“／”Japan Rental Car Q&A — Booking, Pickup, Return, Accidents and More“

Do I need 4WD?

Winter tires come first. 4WD is no substitute for winter tires.

4WD helps you go uphill, not stop. If your trip has lots of steep climbs or mountain roads, adding it on top of winter tires helps on the way up.

→ “Winter Tires (Snow Tires), 4WD and Chains“

Do I need chains? Can I rent them?

The time you really need chains is when a “chain restriction” is put in place on set sections during exceptionally heavy snow. At those times, you can’t get through without chains on, even with winter tires or 4WD.

Some companies don’t rent out chains (Times Car Rental, Budget Rent a Car). At Toyota Rent a Car, it depends on the branch, so you contact the reservation center after you book.

A chain restriction comes out on days of snow heavy enough that the road would have closed anyway. On that day, instead of pushing across the pass, you can make it a day of hot springs at your accommodation and snow-viewing.

→ “Winter Tires (Snow Tires), 4WD and Chains“

On the days you drive

What if the windows are frozen in the morning? Why do people leave the wipers raised?

Take your time and melt the ice with the heater (defroster). If you pour hot water on it, the temperature difference may crack the glass, or the melted water may freeze again right away. Before you set off, also clear the snow off the roof.

You raise the wipers when you park somewhere cold because wet wipers freeze and stick to the windshield.

Head to the car a little early in the morning. While you wait for the ice on the windows to melt, you can take in the snowy morning scenery.

→ “How to Drive on Snowy Roads“

Can I still slip with winter tires? What’s “black ice”?

Yes, you can. Even with winter tires, packed snow is more slippery than an ordinary road.

A road that looks black and wet but is actually frozen on the surface is called black ice (called ブラックアイスバーン in Japanese). It doesn’t look white, so it’s a road surface that’s hard to notice.

Roads tend to freeze on bridges, at tunnel entrances and exits, and in the shade. Since you can guess where, you can slow down ahead of time, before you get there.

→ “How to Drive on Snowy Roads“

Can roads freeze at night even if it isn’t snowing?

They can.

A road that’s just wet during the day becomes slippery when the temperature drops at night. In the mornings and evenings, when the temperature drops, think of it as a completely different road from the daytime. The time when roads tend to freeze is close to sunset.

Plan to reach that day’s accommodation before the sun goes down.

→ “How to Drive on Snowy Roads“／”Driving in Japan in Winter, Hokkaido Included“

What if I can’t see ahead in a snowstorm?

Slow down.

When the weather starts getting worse, pull in somewhere you can stop, like a convenience store, a bus shelter or a roadside station (Michi no Eki), before you get stuck. Wait there until it’s safe to go back on the road.

For what to do if you get stuck, see “I can’t see ahead in a snowstorm and my car can’t move” below.

On a day when a snowstorm is forecast, you can plan from the start to make it a day for watching the snow from your accommodation.

→ “How to Drive on Snowy Roads“／”Japan Winter Road Conditions: Where to Check Road Closures in English“

When the weather turns bad

Do expressways close in heavy snow? Can I get trapped?

They can close. When heavy snow is forecast, roads may be closed ahead of time, before cars get stuck (preventive road closure). Even cars with winter tires can get caught in long lines of stuck cars.

Still, the bigger the snow, the earlier you’re told. While you’re traveling, check the notices for the roads to where you’re going and the weather every day.

If you have no choice but to go out, make sure you have fuel, take food and water, and load a blanket and a shovel before you set off.

If a notice comes out, swap that day’s pass crossing with plans for another day. If you know ahead of time, you also have time to rearrange your accommodation bookings and the order of your destinations.

→ “Driving in Japan in Winter, Hokkaido Included“／”Japan Winter Road Conditions: Where to Check Road Closures in English“／”Breakdown, Flat Tire, Dead Battery, Locked-In Key, Out of Gas — A Step Card for When Your Car Stops“

Is it OK to drive a rental car on a day with a typhoon or heavy rain?

Make it a day you don’t drive.

JNTO, the national tourism office, writes that during a typhoon you shouldn’t go outside, whether on foot or by car. Some expressway companies put out notices ahead of time when heavy rain or a typhoon looks likely to affect expressways. Where you check the expressway notices is the same as for snow, such as “Dora Tora.”

If you run into heavy rain while you’re driving, never enter areas lower than their surroundings, such as along rivers or the coast, or underpasses; take a detour. You can’t tell how deep a flooded road is just by looking.

Even after the rain stops, expressways won’t necessarily reopen right away. If you’ll move by car the next day, check the road notices before you set off.

Most typhoons pass through in less than 24 hours, and the next day is often sunny. Move your outdoor plans to that next day.

For canceling your booking, see “Japan Rental Car Q&A — Booking, Pickup, Return, Accidents and More.”

→ “Japan Rental Car Q&A“／”Japan Winter Road Conditions: Where to Check Road Closures in English“

I can’t see ahead in fog or a downpour

When fog or a downpour makes it hard to see ahead, turn on your lights and slow down.

→ “How to Drive on Snowy Roads“

When you’re in trouble

On the day, I was told there are “no” cars with winter tires

Make that day a day you don’t go onto snowy or icy roads.

At Nippon Rent-A-Car, branches outside snowy areas may not be able to provide a car with winter tires when those cars are fully booked. Budget Rent a Car also says it may not be able to provide one for the period you want if they’re fully booked, and asks you to refrain from driving while it’s snowing.

Don’t drive on snowy roads; make it a day to go see the snowy scenery by train or bus. Next time you rent, add winter tires when you book.

→ “Winter Tires (Snow Tires), 4WD and Chains“／”Driving in Japan in Winter, Hokkaido Included“

I’ve arrived without winter tires. There’s more snow than forecast. Should I go to the mountains tomorrow?

Don’t go into snowy mountains in a car without winter tires.

Budget Rent a Car doesn’t change tires at its branches during winter, and it doesn’t accept customers buying winter tires or changing tires themselves either, except in cases such as a flat tire.

Make tomorrow a day to go see the snowy scenery by train or bus. Use the car on stretches with no snow.

→ “Winter Tires (Snow Tires), 4WD and Chains“／”Driving in Japan in Winter, Hokkaido Included“

I was told “you need chains.” Where do I get them?

First, ask the company you rented from.

Some companies don’t rent out chains. At Budget Rent a Car, you would buy them at a tire shop or car accessory store, and the company can’t tell you which chains fit your tires either.

Still, a chain restriction comes out on days of snow heavy enough that the road would have closed anyway. Make that a day you don’t cross the pass.

→ “Winter Tires (Snow Tires), 4WD and Chains“

The road closed while I was driving. I was made to get off the expressway

If road staff are there, follow their instructions and make a U-turn or take a detour.

After that, your options include checking for a detour, staying at or going back to your accommodation, or changing where you’re going. National highways running alongside the expressway may close too, so you can’t count on getting there by local roads.

On some roads, you’re also told when they’re expected to reopen. You can build the time you wait at your accommodation or a roadside station until the road reopens into your travel plans.

→ “Japan Winter Road Conditions: Where to Check Road Closures in English“

I can’t see ahead in a snowstorm and my car can’t move. What about the engine?

There are four things to do.

Call for rescue right away, and wait in your car.

Clear the snow from around the muffler (tailpipe) from time to time.

After clearing the snow, let fresh air in as well.

Turn off the engine as much as possible while snow is falling.

This is guidance from the Cabinet Office (Disaster Management), the Hokkaido Regional Development Bureau and JAF. If you leave your car in a snowstorm, you may lose track of where your car is. Get out of the car only when you can see a place where you can take shelter, or a place where you can contact rescuers. If the tailpipe gets blocked by snow, exhaust fumes can get into the car and there’s a risk of carbon monoxide poisoning. Opening a window slightly isn’t enough to prevent it, so do both: clear the snow, and let fresh air in.

Ask the police or other services for rescue (110). After that, also let the rental car company know, using the number on the paperwork you got when you rented.

If your car stopped because of an accident or breakdown, the steps are different. See “If Your Car Stops on the Expressway — Don’t Wait Inside.”

Big snowfalls are announced ahead of time. If you plan from the start to make a day with a snowstorm forecast a day for watching the snow from your accommodation, you’re less likely to ever need this.

→ “Japan Winter Road Conditions: Where to Check Road Closures in English“／”If Your Car Stops on the Expressway — Don’t Wait Inside“／”Japan Emergency Numbers (110, 119) and Japanese Phrases for Accidents and Breakdowns — All on One Card“

I’m stuck in the snow and can’t move

If snow buries the area around the muffler (tailpipe), exhaust fumes can flow into the car, creating a risk of carbon monoxide poisoning. While the engine is running, clear the snow from around the muffler from time to time.

The steps are in “Breakdown, Flat Tire, Dead Battery, Locked-In Key, Out of Gas — A Step Card for When Your Car Stops.”

→ “Breakdown, Flat Tire, Dead Battery, Locked-In Key, Out of Gas“

Is roadside assistance not covered when I get stuck in snow?

It differs by company. Some companies say it isn’t covered by roadside assistance when your tires spin on a snowy road and you can’t move.

→ “Breakdown, Flat Tire, Dead Battery, Locked-In Key, Out of Gas“／”Japan Rental Car Insurance Q&A — Contact Your Rental Company First“

I hit a snow wall or something in a parking lot, and no one else was involved

Even for a small accident with no other party, call the police (110) and also let the company you rented from know.

→ “Rental Car Scratch in Japan? Call 110 Even for a Small One — The Police Report You May Need Later“

※Which branches fit winter tires and for what periods, how chains are handled, and how road closures are announced and where the notices appear differ by company, branch, region and road, and they can change. Before you book, check the latest information from the company you’re renting from. If you actually run into trouble in snow or heavy rain, follow the instructions of the police and road staff, and the guidance of the company you rented from.

Official sources we checked (28)

・Nippon Rent-A-Car: FAQ

・Nippon Rent-A-Car: Winter tires are required in areas where it snows

・ニッポンレンタカー：スタッドレスタイヤオプション (Nippon Rent-A-Car: Studless tire option, in Japanese)

・トヨタレンタカー：スタッドレス全車標準装備店舗・期間 (Toyota Rent a Car: Branches and periods with studless tires fitted on all cars, in Japanese)

・Toyota Rent a Car: ACCESSORIES AND OPTIONS

・タイムズカーレンタル：車両・オプションに関するご質問 (Times Car Rental: Questions about vehicles and options, in Japanese)

・バジェット・レンタカー：スタッドレスおよびチェーン取り扱い店舗のご案内 (Budget Rent a Car: Locations that handle studless tires and chains, in Japanese)／Budget Rent a Car: Snow Tires and Snow Chains Available Locations

・九州地方整備局：大雪による積雪・路面凍結に注意 (Kyushu Regional Development Bureau: Watch for snow and icy roads from heavy snow, 2022, in Japanese)

・NEXCO中日本：冬道の交通規制 (NEXCO CENTRAL: Traffic restrictions on winter roads, in Japanese)

・JNTO (Japan National Tourism Organization): What you Need to Know When Driving in Japan during Winter (2022)

・JNTO (Japan National Tourism Organization): Weathering Typhoons in Japan (2020)

・NEXCO中日本：大雨・台風接近時は、お出かけ前に最新の気象予測や道路交通情報をご確認ください (NEXCO CENTRAL: When heavy rain or a typhoon is approaching, check the latest weather forecasts and road traffic information before you go out, in Japanese)／NEXCO CENTRAL: English version

・NEXCO東日本：東日本の広い範囲で台風１０号による大雨・強風の影響にご注意ください (NEXCO EAST: Watch out for the effects of heavy rain and strong winds from Typhoon No. 10 across a wide area of eastern Japan, 2024, in Japanese)

・JAF：台風・大雨時のクルマに関する注意点 (JAF: Points to watch for with your car during typhoons and heavy rain, in Japanese)／JAF: How to protect yourself in a flood

・国土交通省：水深が床面を超えたら、もう危険！ (Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism: Once the water is deeper than the car’s floor, it’s already dangerous!, 2019, in Japanese)

・JAF：雪道での旋回テスト (JAF: Turning test on snowy roads, 2017, in Japanese)

・JAF：濃霧のとき、前方のクルマや歩行者はどう見える？（JAFユーザーテスト） (JAF: In dense fog, how do the cars and pedestrians ahead look? (JAF user test), 2018, in Japanese)

・JAF：豪雨のとき、前方のクルマや歩行者はどう見える？（JAFユーザーテスト） (JAF: In a downpour, how do the cars and pedestrians ahead look? (JAF user test), 2018, in Japanese)

・国土交通省：道路情報提供システム (Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism: Road Information Provision System, top page in Japanese, with a button to switch to English)

・Tohoku Tourism Promotion Organization: Hachimantai Aspite Line Snow Corridor

・NEXCO EAST: Drive Traffic (“Dora Tora”)

・内閣府（防災）：暴風雪等への対応についての国民への呼びかけ (Cabinet Office (Disaster Management): Appeal to the public on responding to snowstorms, in Japanese)

・Hokkaido Regional Development Bureau: Warnings at the time of heavy snow or blizzards (PDF)

・JAF：クルマが雪で埋まった場合、CO中毒に注意 (JAF: Beware of CO poisoning if your car is buried in snow, 2015, in Japanese)

・JAF：雪で埋まった場合の一酸化炭素中毒の危険性とは? (JAF: What is the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning if your car is buried in snow?, in Japanese)

2026-09-28
Japan Winter Road Conditions: Where to Check Road Closures in English

This site offers information based on guidance from public bodies, expressway companies and others, as a starting point for planning your trip (as of October 2026; it isn’t an explanation of the law). How road closures are announced and where the notices appear differ by region and by road, and they can change, so before you set off, check the latest details in the official information listed at the end of this article. If you actually run into trouble in the snow, follow the instructions of the police and road staff, and the guidance of the company you rented from.

On a day when a heavy-snow notice is out, swap the day you cross a mountain pass with a day you walk around town. If you go in spring, the mountain road in Hachimantai that was closed all winter opens, and you can drive between walls of snow.

Roads in Japan can close in winter. But many of the roads that may close, including roads closed ahead of time as a precaution, can be looked up in advance.

Roads close in three main situations.

Roads that stay closed all winter → If you’ll take a mountain road, check before you go

Roads closed ahead of time before heavy snow → If a notice comes out, make that day a day you don’t drive

Roads that close, or traffic that stops, while you’re driving → Get somewhere with a roof before you get stuck. If a snowstorm leaves you unable to move, wait in your car for help

1 Roads that close in winter In spring, they become “roads between walls of snow”

Some mountain and pass roads stay closed all winter.

Gunma Prefecture closes roads along its borders and in the mountains every winter, when snow or avalanches make them unsafe to use. In fiscal 2025, this covered 16 sections on 14 routes managed by the prefecture, 138 km in total. It also says the end of the closure period can change depending on the snow.

Roads that close in winter are announced prefecture by prefecture and section by section.

NEXCO CENTRAL writes on its English page that car navigation systems show routes based on normal road conditions and don’t take that day’s road conditions into account.

If you plan to take a pass or mountain road, check before you go whether it’s a road that closes in winter.

When a road that’s closed in winter opens in spring, the road itself becomes a destination.

The Hachimantai Aspite Line, which crosses Iwate and Akita, is closed in winter (from early November to around mid-April). The tourism promotion organization for Tohoku says that when it opens in mid-April, it becomes the “Snow Corridor,” where you can drive between walls of snow left by snow clearing, and you can enjoy it until around early May. The dates vary from year to year.

2 Roads closed before heavy snow The bigger the snow, the earlier you know

When heavy snow is forecast, national roads and expressways may close roads ahead of time, before cars get stuck. This is called 予防的通行止め (preventive road closure).

At these times, there are three things worth knowing so you won’t be caught off guard.

・Roads may close even when there’s no snow on them. The Chubu Regional Development Bureau of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT) and a conference of road authorities in the Tokyo metropolitan area say that roads may be closed ahead of time, including sections with no snow or only a little.

・National highways running alongside an expressway may close too. On some days, getting off the expressway and taking local roads instead isn’t an option.

・Even cars with winter tires can get caught up. The Tokyo-area road conference calls on drivers to avoid driving or change their plans, saying they could get caught in long lines of traffic caused by other cars’ accidents or by stuck cars.

Three notices issued one year

These are the notices from February 2026, when heavy snow was feared in Kinki and other regions.

On February 3, five days ahead: “Heavy snow is possible around the 8th.” On the evening of February 6: “Sections likely to be closed.” It wasn’t a decision yet; it was a notice that a closure was likely. On the morning of the 8th, notices of preventive road closures appeared as well (they weren’t necessarily about the same sections).

On heavy-snow days, roads don’t necessarily close without warning. You can sometimes pick up signs several days ahead. But it isn’t always this many days ahead; in some years, MLIT’s heavy-snow announcement came out the day before.

While you’re traveling, check the notices for the roads to where you’re going and the weather every day.

If a notice comes out, swap that day’s pass crossing with plans for another day. On its English page, the national road office in Shizuoka lists staying at or going back to your accommodation and changing your destination as what to do when roads are closed, and it ends with “enjoy your trip!” If you swap your destinations around, your trip doesn’t stop.

On days you still go out

If you have no choice but to go out, notices from national road authorities, expressway companies and others in Kinki call on you to fill up on fuel and take food and water with you. JAF (Japan Automobile Federation) says it’s also important to keep a blanket and a shovel in the car.

3 Where to check Sites you can enter in English, Korean or Traditional Chinese

Where you check what’s “closed right now” differs between national roads and expressways.

National roads → MLIT’s 道路情報提供システム (Road Information Provision System)

It shows traffic restrictions, weather and road surface information for national highways and other roads managed by the national government. You can get in through the buttons labeled “英語(English)”, “中国語(中文-繁體字)” and “韓国語(한국어)” at the bottom of the Japanese homepage.

Expressways → NEXCO EAST’s ドライブトラフィック（ドラとら） (Drive Traffic, “Dora Tora”)

It shows traffic information for most NEXCO expressways and for the Honshu-Shikoku Bridge Expressway routes. Besides English, you can also switch it to Korean or Traditional Chinese. The legend on the English map includes “Road closed” and “Chain Regulation.” You can also see what the roads look like on live cameras.

The Shuto Expressway, the Hanshin Expressway and roads run by local road public corporations don’t appear on either.

Weather → Japan Meteorological Agency warnings

The Japan Meteorological Agency also issues “heavy snow” and “snowstorm” warnings and advisories in English, Korean and Traditional Chinese. A weather warning isn’t a notice that roads will close. But a day when a heavy-snow warning looks likely is a day to check the road notices too.

Sometimes you can read just the titles of advance notices

Advance notices saying a road “might close on a certain date” sometimes have their content in Japanese.

Still, on NEXCO CENTRAL’s “News” page, when heavy snow was feared in February 2026, the notice titles could also be read in English, Traditional Chinese and Korean. In English, for example: “Heavy snow is expected around February 8th” and “Regarding sections likely to be closed due to heavy snow.” The content they opened to was in Japanese.

If you see “heavy snow” or “closed” in a title, you can mark that day as a possible day you don’t drive.

4 If a road closes while you’re driving Go back to your accommodation, or change where you’re going

Sometimes the road ahead closes while you’re driving.

If road staff are there, follow their instructions and make a U-turn or take a detour (Hokkaido Regional Development Bureau’s English guidance).

What to do after that is the same as on the Shizuoka English page in section 2. Check for a detour. Stay at or go back to your accommodation. Change where you’re going.

Stop before you’re stopped

When the weather starts getting worse, pull in somewhere you can stop on your own, before you get stuck.

In a 2022 English article, JNTO (Japan National Tourism Organization) writes that if you’re caught in a snowstorm, you should leave the road, go into a nearby place with a roof, like a convenience store or a bus shelter, and stay there until it’s safe to go back on the road.

The Hokkaido Regional Development Bureau’s English guidance says to use a 道の駅 (Michi no Eki, roadside station) if you feel heavy snow is making things dangerous. At a Michi no Eki, you can use the parking lot, restrooms and telephones 24 hours a day, and some also have shops or restaurants.

Even after a road closes, you’re told when it’s expected to reopen

On expressways in Hokkaido, NEXCO EAST’s Hokkaido branch announces when closures are expected to be lifted. The Chubu Regional Development Bureau also says it will announce the outlook for lifting closures on sections with preventive road closures.

Wait at your accommodation or a Michi no Eki until the closed road reopens. You can build that whole waiting time into your travel plans.

5 If a snowstorm leaves you stuck Wait in your car for help

What we cover here is when you can’t see ahead in a snowstorm or blizzard, and your car can’t move.

If your car stopped because of an accident or breakdown, the steps are different. See the article “If Your Car Stops on the Expressway.”

Wait in your car

If a snowstorm leaves you stuck, there are four things to do.

Call for rescue right away, and wait in your car.

Clear the snow from around the muffler (tailpipe) from time to time.

After clearing the snow, let fresh air in as well.

Turn off the engine as much as possible.

Calling for rescue right away and waiting in your car comes from the guidance of the Cabinet Office (Disaster Management). Before that, the Cabinet Office (Disaster Management) also calls on drivers to stop their car in a safe place right away if they sense danger, such as not being able to see ahead.

The Hokkaido Regional Development Bureau’s English guidance explains why you shouldn’t get out of the car. If you leave your car in a snowstorm, you may lose track of where your car is. That’s why you shouldn’t get out. It says to get out only when you can see a place where you can take shelter, or a place where you can contact rescuers.

Ask the police or other services for rescue (110). How to make the call when it’s hard to speak Japanese is in the article “Japan Emergency Numbers (110, 119) and Japanese Phrases for Accidents and Breakdowns.” After that, also let the rental car company know, using the number on the paperwork you got when you rented. JAF’s number is in the article “Japan Emergency Numbers (110, 119) and Japanese Phrases for Accidents and Breakdowns.”

What to do while you wait

You clear the snow from around the muffler because if the tailpipe gets blocked by snow, exhaust fumes can get into the car and there’s a risk of carbon monoxide poisoning (Cabinet Office (Disaster Management), Hokkaido Regional Development Bureau, Ehime Prefectural Police, JAF).

Letting fresh air in goes together with clearing the snow from around the muffler. The Hokkaido Regional Development Bureau says to open a window slightly, and Ehime Prefectural Police say to ventilate the car appropriately. In an experiment JAF carried out in Hokkaido in 2015, opening a window slightly wasn’t enough to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning. That’s why you do both: clear the snow, and let fresh air in.

JAF advises turning off the engine as much as possible while snow is falling.

Clear the snow even if you’re in an electric vehicle. JAF writes that if the area around the car gets buried in snow, the doors may not open, or you may not be able to move the car right away even once the road is passable again.

Big snowfalls are announced ahead of time. If you plan from the start to make a day with a snowstorm forecast a day for watching the snow from your accommodation, you’re less likely to ever need this section.

Related articles

・The whole picture of a winter road trip (where to rent, when to drive and what to do on days you don’t drive) → “Driving in Japan in Winter, Hokkaido Included“

・Winter tires, 4WD and chain rules → “Winter Tires (Snow Tires), 4WD and Chains“

・When your car stops on the expressway because of an accident or breakdown → “If Your Car Stops on the Expressway“

・Calling the police, the rental car company and JAF → “Japan Emergency Numbers (110, 119) and Japanese Phrases for Accidents and Breakdowns“

・How to drive on snowy roads → “How to Drive on Snowy Roads“

・Quick answers for when you’re in trouble → “Snowy Roads and Winter Driving Q&A“

・The Japanese on electronic signs and road signs → “A Mini Japanese Dictionary for Snowy Roads“

For now, just this

If you’ll take a mountain road, check before you go whether it’s a road that closes in winter.

If a heavy-snow notice comes out, make that day a day you don’t drive.

If a snowstorm leaves you stuck, wait in your car for help, and clear the snow from around the muffler.

Official sources we checked (21)

・国土交通省：道路情報提供システム (Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism: Road Information Provision System, top page in Japanese, with a button to switch to English)

・NEXCO EAST: Drive Traffic (“Dora Tora”)

・気象庁：多言語の防災気象情報 (Japan Meteorological Agency: Multilingual disaster prevention and weather information, top page in Japanese, with a button to switch to English)

・NEXCO CENTRAL: Guide for Driving on Snowy Roads

・NEXCO CENTRAL: Summary of joint press releases … February 8 (Sun) to February 9 (Mon), 2026 (2026)

・近畿地方整備局ほか：２月８日頃は大雪のおそれがあります (Kinki Regional Development Bureau and others: Heavy snow is possible around February 8, 2026, PDF, in Japanese)

・近畿地方整備局ほか：大雪の影響による通行止めの可能性の高い区間について (Kinki Regional Development Bureau and others: Sections likely to be closed due to heavy snow, 2026, PDF, in Japanese)

・中部地方整備局ほか：今冬の大雪時の道路交通確保について (Chubu Regional Development Bureau and others: Keeping roads open during heavy snow this winter, 2025, PDF, in Japanese)

・首都圏における冬季道路関係者会議：首都圏・北関東甲信地方における大雪時の対応について (Winter road conference for the Tokyo metropolitan area: Responding to heavy snow in the Tokyo metropolitan area and the northern Kanto-Koshin region, 2025, PDF, in Japanese)

・気象庁：大雪に対する国土交通省発表 (Japan Meteorological Agency: MLIT announcement on heavy snow, 2025, in Japanese)

・Numazu River and National Highway Office: Points to be aware of when traveling by car in Shizuoka in winter

・NEXCO EAST Hokkaido Branch: Expressway information transmission has evolved!! (2025)

・群馬県：群馬県管理道路の冬期閉鎖について (Gunma Prefecture: Winter closures of roads managed by Gunma Prefecture, 2025, PDF, in Japanese)

・Tohoku Tourism Promotion Organization: Hachimantai Aspite Line Snow Corridor

・JNTO (Japan National Tourism Organization): What you Need to Know When Driving in Japan during Winter (2022)

・Hokkaido Regional Development Bureau: Warnings at the time of heavy snow or blizzards (PDF)

・内閣府（防災）：暴風雪等への対応についての国民への呼びかけ (Cabinet Office (Disaster Management): Appeal to the public on responding to snowstorms, in Japanese)

・愛媛県警察：大雪、暴風雪等が予想される場合 (Ehime Prefectural Police: When heavy snow, snowstorms and similar weather are forecast, PDF, in Japanese)

・JAF：クルマが雪で埋まった場合、CO中毒に注意 (JAF: Beware of CO poisoning if your car is buried in snow, 2015, in Japanese)

・JAF：雪で埋まった場合の一酸化炭素中毒の危険性とは? (JAF: What is the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning if your car is buried in snow?, in Japanese)

・JAF：大雪による車の立ち往生～車内環境の変化～ (JAF: Cars stranded by heavy snow — changes in the conditions inside the car, 2021, in Japanese)

2026-09-28
How to Drive on Snowy Roads — Nothing “Sudden,” and Plenty of Space Ahead

This site offers information based on guidance from public bodies, expressway companies and others, as a starting point for planning your trip (as of October 2026; it isn’t an explanation of the law). Advice on driving on snowy roads can differ by region, by road and by car, so before you set off, check the official information listed at the end of this article and the guidance of the company you’re renting from. If you actually run into trouble in the snow, follow the instructions of the police and road staff, and the guidance of the company you rented from.

On a snowy morning, in the parking lot at your accommodation, you brush the snow off the roof and set off. Before a bridge, you ease off a little, leave plenty of space between you and the car ahead, and make your way slowly along the white road.

When it comes to driving on snowy roads, what the police, the expressway companies and JAF all say comes down to two things.

Nothing “sudden” → No sudden braking, sudden steering or sudden starts

Leave plenty of space → Keep more distance than usual between you and the car ahead

Along with these, there’s something worth knowing first: the places and times where roads tend to freeze.

Places and times where roads tend to freeze → On bridges, at tunnel entrances and exits, and in the shade. Mornings and evenings, and at night

1 Nothing “sudden” If you can stop without braking suddenly, that’s good driving

Use the brakes, the steering wheel and the accelerator slowly.

Sudden braking, sudden steering, sudden starts, sudden lane changes. On snowy and icy roads, avoid any move that’s “sudden.” When you start off, speed up and slow down, the watchwords are “gently” and “slowly.”

If you brake suddenly, the car keeps sliding while the tires aren’t turning, and you can no longer control it the way you want. Sudden moves cause spins and other trouble.

Even with winter tires, packed snow stays more slippery than an ordinary road. What 4WD changes is covered in “Winter Tires (Snow Tires), 4WD and Chains.”

Situation by situation

When you start off Press the accelerator gently and pull away slowly. In an automatic car, use creep (the way the car moves forward slowly even without pressing the accelerator) to ease out gently. Some cars have features such as a “snow mode” that holds back sudden starts, and the names and how they work differ by manufacturer.

Curves Slow down before you go into a curve. If you brake while turning, the tires can suddenly lock and the steering can stop responding.

Downhill Don’t rely on the foot brake alone; use engine braking along with it. In an automatic car, shift slowly from D (Drive) to S, or to 3 or 2 depending on the car, while bringing your speed down. The markings differ by car, so when you rent, ask how to shift in that particular car.

Braking Brake early and gently, and stop without locking the tires.

Even so, if you brake hard and the ABS (the system that keeps the tires from locking) kicks in, you may hear a loud noise or feel the pedal shake. That’s the ABS at work; it isn’t a fault. Don’t take your foot off the pedal in a panic; keep pressing it, and steer with the steering wheel. But on ice and similar surfaces, ABS can sometimes make your stopping distance longer, so don’t rely on ABS alone.

Going slowly is where your skill shows

JNTO (Japan National Tourism Organization) writes in an English article that “slower is safer.”

In its English guide to winter roads, Nagano Prefectural Police writes that if you can stop your car without braking suddenly, that’s good driving.

Before you get to where you want to stop, press gently, and glide to a stop. On snowy roads, driving slowly is exactly where your skill shows.

2 Leave plenty of space Much more than usual

Keep more distance than usual between you and the car ahead.

The Hokkaido Prefectural Government writes in its English guide that in winter, you should keep at least three times the following distance you’d need in summer. The reason it gives is that if you slow down early and keep your distance, you can react calmly even to something unexpected, like an oncoming car or the car ahead spinning.

Look not only at the car right in front of you, but at the brake lights of the car ahead of it too. According to the Hokkaido Police, many winter accidents happen because drivers notice too late what’s going on ahead.

Even with automatic braking

In a test JAF carried out in Hokkaido in 2017 on packed snow and on ice, the automatic braking (collision damage mitigation braking) on cars with new winter tires activated every time, but except when the car was going very slowly on the snowy road, the cars couldn’t stop in time and hit the obstacle. The results differ by car model and road surface.

Don’t rely too much on features like these; drive at a safe speed and with enough following distance.

Snowy days on the expressway

On snowy days, expressway speed limits change with the weather and the road conditions. As you drive, keep an eye on the speed signs too.

If you come across a snowplow on the expressway, don’t pass it; stay behind it with plenty of following distance.

The vehicle ahead of you isn’t just a slow car; it’s a vehicle clearing the road as it goes.

If you get too close, snow and de-icing agent thrown up behind it come flying at you. If you pass it, the road conditions change beyond it. On the expressways managed by NEXCO EAST Tohoku Branch, a green line called the “Safety Line” is projected onto the road behind the work vehicles, and you can use it as a guide for your following distance. And behind the work vehicles, the road surface has been cleared, so it’s safer to drive on than snowy or icy roads.

Stay behind it with plenty of space, and you get to drive on the road it has just cleared.

3 Places and times where roads tend to freeze Slow down early, “before you get there”

On bridges, at tunnel entrances and exits, in the shade. Slow down early, before you get there.

These are the kinds of places that tend to freeze or get slippery.

・On bridges and overpasses

・At tunnel entrances and exits

・In the shade, and on shaded curves

・Just before the stop line at intersections

Among them, bridges and overpasses exposed to the wind, and the areas around tunnel entrances and exits, are places JAF calls “the most dangerous.” It gets colder there than in other places, so slow down well before you get there.

Shaded curves can be frozen even when there seems to be no snow, so slow down well before you get to the curve.

Just before the stop line at intersections, the road surface gets polished by cars braking and starting again and again, and becomes slippery. In Hokkaido, the areas around intersections and pedestrian crossings, just before railroad crossings, and around busy streets are also listed as especially slippery.

Times Mornings and evenings, and at night

A road that’s only wet during the day becomes slippery at night, when the temperature drops. In the cold mornings and evenings, and at night, drive as if it’s a completely different road from the one you saw in the daytime.

Even if you don’t see snow when you set off, the road conditions keep changing as the place and the time change.

Roads that look black and wet (black ice)

Drive as if a road that looks black and wet might be frozen.

When the surface of the road freezes and looks black, as if it were just wet, it’s called black ice (called ブラックアイスバーン in Japanese). Because it doesn’t look white, it’s hard to notice that it’s frozen, and it’s the road surface to be most careful of on snowy roads.

In a test JAF carried out in Hokkaido in 2013, black ice looked almost the same as a wet road, but its surface was frozen, and it was just as slippery as an icy road. At night, it’s especially hard to tell apart.

The places that tend to freeze are always the same familiar faces. When you see a bridge, when a tunnel exit is getting close, before a shaded curve. If you know where to be ready, driving on snowy roads stops being something you brace yourself for the whole way, and becomes something you do while looking out for the next “before you get there.”

4 When it’s hard to see ahead Slow down, and watch the markers at the edge of the road

If you feel it’s getting hard to see around you, slow down.

Snowstorms, snow whipped up by strong winds, and snow thrown up by oncoming trucks can make it impossible to see ahead.

When visibility in a snowstorm or ground blizzard is so poor that you can’t even see the lights of the car ahead, and you’re down to almost a crawl, NEXCO CENTRAL’s guide to winter expressways says to flash your hazard lights as well as having your headlights on, to let the cars around you know where you are. This is guidance for letting others know where your car is; whether to keep driving is a separate question. What to do if a snowstorm leaves you unable to move is covered in “Japan Winter Road Conditions: Where to Check Road Closures in English.”

Markers at the edge of the road

Use the arrows and the reflector poles at the side of the road, which show where the road’s edge is, as your guide. On the Tohoku Expressway and some other roads, there are also “strip guide lights,” which light up the line of the road shoulder with green light.

Build breaks into your itinerary from the start

Winter roads take a lot of concentration, and poor visibility from snowstorms and the like can go on for a while, so your body tires easily. Take breaks early, at service areas and parking areas.

Build breaks into your itinerary from the start.

If you plan your stops ahead of time, that time becomes part of the trip too.

Sunny days are dazzling

On sunny winter days, the glare off the snow is very bright. Having sunglasses with you makes it easier.

That’s how bright a sunny day in snow country is.

5 Before you set off, and when you park In the morning, get to your car a little early

In the morning, there are three things to do before you drive off.

Clear the snow off the roof.

Brush off the snow around the tires and on the soles of your shoes.

Give yourself time to melt the ice on the windows with the heater.

At night, there’s one thing to do when you park.

Leave the wipers raised.

If you drive with snow on the roof, the snow can slide onto the windshield when you brake, and you may not be able to see ahead.

Snow stuck around the tires (the hollows in the car body where the tires sit) gets in the way of steering, and snow on the soles of your shoes can make your feet slip off the pedals while you drive, so clear it off before you set off.

In a test JAF carried out in 2014 at Sugadaira Kogen in Nagano Prefecture (one car, after being parked overnight, with a low of minus 6.3°C), when the heater blowing warm air onto the frozen windshield (the defroster) was used, it took about 10 minutes until you could see ahead. If you pour hot water on the ice to melt it, there’s a risk that the temperature difference cracks the glass, or that the melted water freezes again right away.

Wet wipers stick to the window when they freeze. When you park somewhere cold, leave the wipers raised off the window.

In the morning, get to your car a little early. While you wait for the ice on the windows to melt, it’s time to take in the snowy morning scenery.

If you’re not used to snowy roads Choose how you travel

If you’re not used to snowy roads, you can choose how you travel instead.

Driving slowly on snowy roads means everything takes longer than usual. If you keep the distance you drive each day on the short side, you can drive slowly without being chased by your schedule.

If you’ve never driven on snowy roads, another option is to leave travel within snow country to trains, buses and tours, and use the car on the stretches that are easier to drive.

For more on this in English, JAF has an English page, “What to be careful of on snow-covered and icy roads.” Nippon Rent-A-Car also points to this page in an English notice, for how to drive on snowy and icy roads.

If you split your trip into stretches you drive and stretches you leave to trains and buses, you can take in the snowy scenery both from the driver’s seat and from the train window.

Related articles

・The whole picture of a winter road trip (where to rent, when to drive, what to do on days you don’t drive) → “Driving in Japan in Winter, Hokkaido Included“

・Winter tires, 4WD and chain restrictions → “Winter Tires (Snow Tires), 4WD and Chains“

・Road closures, roads that close in winter, and what to do if a snowstorm leaves you stuck → “Japan Winter Road Conditions: Where to Check Road Closures in English“

・If you get stuck in snow, and when to fill up → “Breakdown, Flat Tire, Dead Battery, Locked-In Key, Out of Gas“

・Quick answers for when something goes wrong → “Snowy Roads and Winter Driving Q&A”

・The Japanese on electronic signs and road signs → “A Mini Japanese Dictionary for Snowy Roads”

For now, just this

No sudden braking, sudden steering or sudden starts.

Keep more distance than usual between you and the car ahead.

Slow down early, before you get to bridges, tunnel entrances and exits, and shaded spots.

Official sources we checked (15)

・JAF：雪道・アイスバーンでの運転の注意点 (JAF: Cautions for driving on snowy and icy roads, in Japanese)

・JAF: What to be careful of on snow-covered and icy roads

・JAF：路面は黒いけど、止まれない！『ブラックアイスバーン』とは…？ (JAF: The road looks black, but you can’t stop! What is “black ice”?, 2013, in Japanese)

・JAF：衝突被害軽減ブレーキ圧雪路と氷盤路で検証 (JAF: Testing collision damage mitigation braking on packed snow and on ice, 2017, in Japanese)

・JAF：雪道での旋回テスト (JAF: Turning test on snowy roads, 2017, in Japanese)

・JAF：寒冷地での駐車時は窓やドアの凍結に注意！ (JAF: When parking in cold regions, watch out for frozen windows and doors!, 2014, in Japanese)

・Hokkaido Police: Caution! Please read the following information carefully before driving. (PDF)

・Hokkaido Prefectural Government: Driving on winter roads ~Drive Hokkaido

・Nagano Prefectural Police: Not allowing sufficient distance between cars (2013)

・NEXCO中日本：冬の雪道ドライブガイド冬道運転の心構え (NEXCO CENTRAL: Guide for driving on snowy roads in winter — The right mindset for winter driving, in Japanese)

・NEXCO中日本：冬の雪道ドライブガイド冬道の注意ポイント (NEXCO CENTRAL: Guide for driving on snowy roads in winter — Points to watch on winter roads, in Japanese)

・NEXCO中日本：冬の雪道ドライブガイド冬の高速道路では雪氷作業車に注意 (NEXCO CENTRAL: Guide for driving on snowy roads in winter — Watch out for snow and ice work vehicles on winter expressways, in Japanese)

・NEXCO東日本東北支社：冬季の高速道路の安全な交通確保のため雪氷対策作業へのご理解とご協力をお願いします (NEXCO EAST Tohoku Branch: We ask for your understanding and cooperation with snow and ice work to keep winter expressway traffic safe, 2025, in Japanese)

・JNTO (Japan National Tourism Organization): What you Need to Know When Driving in Japan during Winter (2022)

・Nippon Rent-A-Car: Winter tires are required in areas where it snows

2026-09-28
Winter Tires (Snow Tires), 4WD and Chains — Whether You Need Them Depends on Where You’re Going
This site offers information based on guidance from public bodies, rental car companies and others, as a starting point for planning your trip (as of September 2026; it isn’t an explanation of the law). Where and when winter tires come already fitted, and how 4WD and chains are handled, differ by company and by branch, and they can change from year to year. Before you book, always check the official information listed at the end of this article and the latest details with the company you book with.

When you book a rental car for winter in Japan, the screen shows options for “スタッドレスタイヤ” (studless tires = winter tires) and “4WD.”

Which should you add? Do you need chains too? If you’ve never driven on snow, this is where it gets confusing.

The answer depends not on the car, but on where you’re going.

Will you go into an area where it snows? Will you drive mountain roads or over mountain passes? Once you know that, you know what to choose.

There are three answers, depending on where you’re going.

Rent in snow country and drive there → winter tires are often already fitted (depending on the company and season)

Rent outside snow country and drive into snowy areas → add winter tires when you book

Lots of steep climbs or mountain roads → add 4WD

The time you really need chains is when heavy snow brings a “チェーン規制” (chain restriction: chains required even with winter tires). We’ll sum that up at the end.

1 Winter tires If you’re heading onto snowy roads, these come first

If you’re going onto snowy or icy roads, book a car with winter tires.

What matters isn’t where you rent the car, but where you drive it.

Nippon Rent-A-Car says that even if you rent where there’s no snow, you need winter tires if you’ll drive in snowy areas. Even if it isn’t snowing where you pick up the car, it may snow where you’re going.

So where are the “snowy areas”? Nippon Rent-A-Car lists these as popular snowy destinations.

Tohoku, Hokuriku, Zao, Yuzawa, Kinugawa, Nikko, Kusatsu, Karuizawa, Manza, Alpine Route, Shirakawa-go, Lake Kawaguchi, Hakuba, Shiga Kogen, Nozawa Onsen, Tottori, Aso, and more.

Karuizawa and Lake Kawaguchi, close to Tokyo, are on it, and so is Aso in Kyushu. Take a look and see if where you’re going is on this list.

The season is longer than you might think. There are areas in Japan where snow falls from the end of September to May.

Why winter tires?

With a winter-tire car, you can head on your own into the snowy hot spring towns on the list above, or onto roads through snowy scenery, wherever you choose.

On snow, regular tires have a harder time stopping and a harder time climbing hills. In a JAF test on a snowy road, regular tires took about 1.7 times the stopping distance of winter tires. In another test, they couldn’t climb a snowy slope with a 12% grade.

There are rules, too. The Kyushu Regional Development Bureau of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism says that driving on snowy or icy roads without any anti-slip measure such as winter tires or chains is a violation of the law (the details are set by each prefecture’s rules).

Without winter tires, there are also times the rules won’t let you drive.

On NEXCO CENTRAL expressways, when a “冬用タイヤ規制” (winter tire restriction: cars must have winter tires or chains) is in place, cars with neither winter tires nor chains aren’t allowed to continue, and have to exit at the nearest interchange. Nippon Rent-A-Car says it may refuse to rent you a car if you’re heading to snowy areas without winter tires.

With winter tires on, worries like these on ordinary winter roads get much smaller.

2 Rent in snow country, and winter tires are often already fitted

The easiest way to get winter tires is to rent in snow country.

In snowy areas, some companies fit winter tires on every car throughout the winter. You don’t need to request them.
Nippon Rent-A-Car (as of April 21, 2026)

Hokkaido

Tohoku (Aomori, Akita, Iwate, Yamagata, Miyagi, Fukushima Prefectures)

Nagano, Niigata, Yamanashi Prefectures

Hokuriku (Fukui, Toyama, Ishikawa Prefectures)
Toyota Rent a Car (information for April 2026 to May 2027)

Hokkaido

Tohoku (Aomori, Iwate, Miyagi, Akita, Yamagata, Fukushima Prefectures)

Niigata, Nagano Prefectures

Hokuriku (Toyama, Ishikawa, Fukui Prefectures)

Tottori Prefecture

Gifu Prefecture: the 高山駅前店 (Takayama Station Front branch) only
During the periods when winter tires come fitted, a winter seasonal rate is added (according to both companies).

The periods differ by company.

For example, even in Hokkaido, the winter-tire period ends on April 20 at Nippon Rent-A-Car and on May 5 at Toyota Rent a Car. Toyota Rent a Car also notes that the periods may change.

If you’re renting in early spring or early winter, check on the booking screen or in the company’s information whether winter tires come fitted.

Take the train as far as the edge of snow country, and rent the car there. Plan it that way, and you have one less thing to think about with winter tires.

3 When you rent outside snow country and drive into snowy areas

If you rent in Tokyo, Osaka, Fukuoka or similar and head for the snowy mountains, choose winter tires on the booking screen.

These areas aren’t on the two companies’ lists above. Nippon Rent-A-Car says that outside the areas where winter tires come fitted, it prepares a car with regular tires unless you book winter tires. It also says the number of cars with winter tires is limited.

At Toyota Rent a Car and ORIX Rent a Car, you can choose winter tires as an option on the booking screen. Some companies handle this differently by season, area and branch (Times Car Rental). If it doesn’t come up on the screen, ask the company you’re booking with.

Aso and Kuju in Kyushu are also snowy destinations in winter. Nippon Rent-A-Car lists them among the areas where it asks you to request winter tires. The Kyushu Regional Development Bureau also warns that even areas that don’t usually get snow can suddenly get heavy snow.

Add winter tires when you book, and a car rented in Tokyo can take you into the snowy scenery of Karuizawa or Lake Kawaguchi.

4 4WD Something to add if there are lots of steep hills or mountain roads

4WD doesn’t replace winter tires.

NEXCO CENTRAL says that during a winter tire restriction, even 4WD cars aren’t allowed to continue without winter tires or chains.

So what does 4WD help with?

In a JAF test (four cars, all with new winter tires), the two 4WD cars made it up a very steep snowy slope, while the two cars without 4WD slipped partway and couldn’t climb it.

Stopping was a different story. On flat roads, there was no big difference in stopping distance, and on a downhill slope, the 4WD cars needed a longer distance to stop.

JAF says that 4WD doesn’t make your stopping distance any shorter.

In other words, 4WD helps you climb, but it doesn’t help you stop.

In the same test, all four cars made it up a gentle slope.

Winter tires come first. Then, if your trip has lots of steep hills or mountain roads, adding 4WD helps on the climbs.

You specify 4WD when you book (Toyota Rent a Car; at Nippon Rent-A-Car, you can choose it on the same screen as winter tires).

5 Chains The tool for the “chain restriction” on heavy-snow days

There are two situations where chains come in.

Ordinary winter

The “冬用タイヤ規制” (winter tire restriction) on NEXCO CENTRAL expressways lets you drive on as long as you have either winter tires or chains.

With a winter-tire car, you can keep driving even on days when this restriction is in place.

The “chain restriction” on heavy-snow days

The other one is the “チェーン規制” (chain restriction).

It may be put in place on set sections of road during exceptionally heavy snow, the kind that brings a 大雪特別警報 (Special Heavy Snow Warning) or an emergency announcement about heavy snow (Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism).

At those times, you can’t get through without chains, even with winter tires on. The same goes for 4WD. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism explains that this is because 4WD cars are heavy, and when you brake hard on a downhill slope, they need a longer distance to stop.

Chains can be unavailable to rent. Nippon Rent-A-Car and Times Car Rental don’t rent out chains. At Toyota Rent a Car, it depends on the branch, so you contact the reservation center after you book.

Those are days when the road would have closed anyway

The chain restriction is a system for letting only cars with chains through during heavy snow that, until now, would have closed the road.

In other words, the chain restriction is put in place on days of snow heavy enough that the road would have closed anyway.

On days like that, one option is not to push over the pass, and to make it a day of hot springs at your accommodation and watching the snow instead.

We’ll cover which roads tend to close, and what to do if they do, in “Japan Winter Road Conditions: Where to Check Road Closures in English,” and the Japanese on electronic signs in “A Mini Japanese Dictionary for Snowy Roads.”

If you’re not used to snowy roads

If you’ve never driven on snowy roads, you don’t have to try to get everywhere by car.

Leave the travel within snow country to trains, buses and tours, and use the car only on stretches with less snow. You can choose a mix like that, too.

We’ll cover how to drive on snowy roads in “How to Drive on Snowy Roads.”

For now, just this

If you’re going into snowy areas, book a car with winter tires.

4WD is something to add when there are lots of steep climbs.

On days of snow heavy enough for a chain restriction, make it a day you don’t drive.

Once you know where you’re going, this is all you need to choose your winter gear.

Official sources we checked (13)

・国土交通省：チェーン規制について (Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism: About chain restrictions, in Japanese)

・関東地方整備局ほか：集中的な大雪時にはタイヤチェーンの装着を！ (Kanto Regional Development Bureau and others: Fit tire chains during concentrated heavy snow!, 2018, PDF, in Japanese)

・九州地方整備局：大雪による積雪・路面凍結に注意 (Kyushu Regional Development Bureau: Watch for snow and icy roads from heavy snow, 2022, in Japanese)

・NEXCO中日本：冬道の交通規制 (NEXCO CENTRAL: Traffic restrictions on winter roads, in Japanese)

・JAF：4WDなら雪道でも安心？2WDと登坂・ブレーキ性能を比較 (JAF: Is 4WD safe on snowy roads? Comparing climbing and braking with 2WD, in Japanese)

・JAF：走れても止まれない、雪道のノーマルタイヤ (JAF: Regular tires on snowy roads can go but can’t stop, in Japanese)

・JAF：雪道での登坂テスト (JAF: Climbing test on snowy roads, in Japanese)

・ニッポンレンタカー：スタッドレスタイヤオプション (Nippon Rent-A-Car: Studless tire option, in Japanese)

・ニッポンレンタカー：Winter tires are required in areas where it snows (Nippon Rent-A-Car, in English)

・トヨタレンタカー：スタッドレス全車標準装備店舗・期間 (Toyota Rent a Car: Branches and periods with studless tires fitted on all cars, in Japanese)

・トヨタレンタカー：ACCESSORIES AND OPTIONS (Toyota Rent a Car, in English)

・タイムズカーレンタル：車両・オプションに関するご質問 (Times Car Rental: Questions about vehicles and options, in Japanese)

・オリックスレンタカー：FAQ (ORIX Rent a Car, in English)
2026-09-28
Driving in Japan in Winter, Hokkaido Included — First Decide Where You’ll Rent, When You’ll Drive and What You’ll Do on Days You Don’t Drive

This site offers information based on guidance from public bodies, rental car companies and others, as a starting point for planning your trip (as of October 2026; it isn’t an explanation of the law). Which branches have winter tires fitted and for what period, and when branches are open, differ by company and by branch, and they can change from year to year. Before you book, always check the official information listed at the end of this article and the latest details with the company you book with.

Ride the train to the station at the gateway to snow country, watching the snowy scenery from the window, and rent a car there. On a day when a heavy-snow notice is out, skip the mountain pass and make it a day of hot springs and snow-viewing where you’re staying. You can plan a winter road trip in Japan like that ahead of time.

If you’re driving through Japan in winter, there are three things to decide before you set off.

Where you’ll rent → Get a car with winter tires suited to where you’re going

When you’ll drive → Reach that night’s accommodation while it’s still light

What you’ll do on days you don’t drive → On heavy-snow days, plan ahead to make them “hot springs and snow-viewing days”

Once these three are decided, you can enjoy both: days driving through snowy scenery, and days relaxing where you’re staying and watching the snow.

1 Where you’ll rent Winter tires depend on where you’ll drive

If you’ll drive in snowy areas, get a car with winter tires (スタッドレスタイヤ, “studless tires,” meaning winter tires).

What matters isn’t where you rent, but where you drive. Nippon Rent-A-Car says that even if you rent where there’s no snow, you need winter tires if you’ll drive in snowy areas. It also says that outside the areas and sections where winter tires come standard, it gives you a car with regular tires unless you book winter tires.

Some branches put winter tires on their cars as standard. Toyota Rent a Car says that at the branches on its list (some branches in Hokkaido, Tohoku, Niigata, Nagano, Hokuriku and Tottori, plus the 高山駅前店 (Takayama Station Front branch) in Gifu Prefecture), all cars have winter tires during a set period, and you don’t need to request them. It also says the period differs by branch and can change.

When you book, check whether the car at that branch, on that day, has winter tires. If it doesn’t, request winter tires in your booking.

Take the train to the gateway to snow country

Some branches, like the Takayama Station Front branch, let you rent right at the station. If you’re traveling with JR West’s pass (JR-WEST RAIL PASS), JR West’s English page lists the station rental car branches you can use by showing your pass.

Take the train to the station at the gateway to snow country, and rent there. Plan it that way, and you’ll drive a shorter distance on snow-covered roads, and you can spend the time getting there watching the snowy scenery from the train window.

That said, check whether each branch is open in winter. JR West’s English list also includes a branch (Makino) that’s closed from December 29 to February 28.

If you’re renting at a station, check when that branch is open in winter before you book.

2 When you’ll drive Reach your accommodation while it’s still light

In winter in Japan, the sun sets early.

In Sapporo, the sun sets at 4 p.m. in December. That’s nearly 30 minutes earlier than in Tokyo.

Sunset in December 2026 (calculated by the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan; values for prefectural capitals)

Place December 1 December 15 December 31
Sapporo 16:01 16:00 16:09
Aomori 16:10 16:10 16:19
Niigata 16:25 16:26 16:34
Nagano 16:32 16:33 16:41
Kanazawa 16:38 16:39 16:47
Tokyo 16:28 16:29 16:37

JNTO (Japan National Tourism Organization) writes that roads most often freeze in the early morning and evening, and that mountain roads can stay frozen even during the day. Sunset comes close to the time when roads tend to freeze.

Plan to reach that night’s accommodation before the sun sets.

If you get there while it’s still light, you’ll have plenty of time for dinner and for the hot springs.

On driving days, allow extra time and keep to safer roads

JNTO recommends that if you drive on snowy days, you allow extra time for delays, avoid narrow lanes that can close in heavy snow, and stick to major highways. It also writes that car navigation systems may not reflect the latest road conditions, especially for roads other than main ones.

The English material on the Hokkaido Police website lists three things not to do on icy roads: sudden braking, sudden starts and sharp steering.

If you plan to visit fewer places each day, you’ll still have time to pull over along the way for the snowy scenery.

3 What you’ll do on days you don’t drive The heavier the snow, the earlier the notice

During winter, there are days when roads close because of snow.

But the heavier the snow, the earlier the notice.

Road closures aren’t all decided suddenly. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism has set out a policy of announcing, from 2 to 3 days before the expected heavy snow, that roads may be closed. NEXCO EAST also says that when snow heavy enough for a 大雪特別警報 (Special Heavy Snow Warning) is expected, it announces things like expected expressway closures from about 3 days ahead.

When snow so heavy it happens only about once every 10 years looks likely on the Sea of Japan side in winter, the Japan Meteorological Agency also issues an alert 14 to 6 days ahead.

If you keep an eye on notices a few days ahead, you may be able to change your itinerary.

Before and during your trip, check the weather forecast for where you’re going every day.

When a heavy-snow notice comes out, decide ahead of time that the day will be a “day you don’t drive.”

Change the day you’d planned to cross a mountain pass into a day of hot springs and snow-viewing where you’re staying. If you know in advance, you also have time to change your accommodation bookings or the order of your destinations.

Is it safe to drive on snowy days? Japan’s national tourism organization also recommends trains and buses

In an English article for readers in Singapore published in 2022, JNTO says that driving on snowy roads is extremely dangerous, because you can slip, get stuck, or be unable to see ahead in a whiteout from a snowstorm. It strongly recommends avoiding driving in snow as much as possible and using trains, buses or taxis instead. It also writes that if snow looks likely on the day or the day before, you should use public transportation. The English material on the Hokkaido Police website also says that if the weather is forecast to get worse, you shouldn’t go out, even if it means changing your plans. That’s because the weather can change suddenly in some places in winter, and some places have no cell phone signal.

If you’ve never driven on snowy roads, you can also choose to leave travel within snow country to trains, buses and tours. If you split your days between driving and leaving it to trains and buses, you can enjoy the snowy scenery from both.

Most notices are in Japanese

Many of these road notices come out in Japanese, and even on NEXCO EAST’s English pages, much of the text can still be in Japanese. To get at least the weather warnings in English or other languages, install the Japan Tourism Agency’s app “Safety tips.” It sends earthquake early warnings, tsunami warnings and other weather warnings in 15 languages, including English, Korean and Traditional Chinese. You can check road closures on the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism’s 道路情報提供システム (Road Information Provision System) for national highways and similar roads, and on NEXCO EAST’s ドライブトラフィック（ドラとら） (Drive Traffic, “Dora Tora”) for expressways; both can be entered in English, Korean or Traditional Chinese (the Shuto Expressway, the Hanshin Expressway and roads run by local road public corporations don’t appear on either; for more, see “Japan Winter Road Conditions: Where to Check Road Closures in English”).

Coming up next

・Which car to rent, and whether you need winter tires, 4WD or chains → “Winter Tires (Snow Tires), 4WD and Chains“

・How to drive on snowy roads → “How to Drive on Snowy Roads“

・Road closures, roads that close in winter, and what to do if you get stuck → “Japan Winter Road Conditions: Where to Check Road Closures in English“

・Quick answers for when something goes wrong → “Snowy Roads and Winter Driving Q&A“

・The Japanese on electronic signs and road signs → “A Mini Japanese Dictionary for Snowy Roads“

For now, just this

Check whether the car has winter tires before you book.

Reach your accommodation before the sun sets.

On days with a heavy-snow notice, make it a hot springs and snow-viewing day.

Official sources we checked (19)

・JNTO (Japan National Tourism Organization): What you Need to Know When Driving in Japan during Winter (2022)

・Hokkaido Police: Caution! Please read the following information carefully before driving. (PDF)

・国土交通省：大雪時の道路交通の確保に向けた取り組みについて (Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism: Measures to ensure road traffic during heavy snow, 2018, in Japanese)

・NEXCO東日本：今冬の道路交通確保に向けた取組みについて (NEXCO EAST: Measures to ensure road traffic this winter, 2018, in Japanese)

・NEXCO東日本：1月7日(日)から1月8日(月)にかけて北海道や長野県北部・新潟県で大雪・吹雪の予報が出ています (NEXCO EAST: Heavy snow and snowstorms are forecast for Hokkaido, northern Nagano Prefecture and Niigata Prefecture from Sunday, January 7 to Monday, January 8, 2024, in Japanese)

・気象庁：大雪に関する気象情報 (Japan Meteorological Agency: Weather information on heavy snow, PDF, in Japanese)

・Japan Tourism Agency: Safety tips for travelers／The “Safety tips” app

・国土交通省：道路情報提供システム (Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism: Road Information Provision System, top page in Japanese, with a button to switch to English)

・NEXCO EAST: Drive Traffic (“Dora Tora”)

・National Astronomical Observatory of Japan, Ephemeris Computation Office: Sunrise and sunset (December 2026, in Japanese)　Sapporo／Aomori／Niigata／Nagano／Kanazawa／Tokyo

・Nippon Rent-A-Car: Winter tires are required in areas where it snows

・トヨタレンタカー：スタッドレス全車標準装備店舗・期間 (Toyota Rent a Car: Branches and periods with studless tires fitted on all cars, in Japanese)

・JR West: Rent-a-Car & Rent-a-Cycle

2026-09-28

Place	December 1	December 15	December 31
Sapporo	16:01	16:00	16:09
Aomori	16:10	16:10	16:19
Niigata	16:25	16:26	16:34
Nagano	16:32	16:33	16:41
Kanazawa	16:38	16:39	16:47
Tokyo	16:28	16:29	16:37

Category: Snow & Bad Weather

A Mini Japanese Dictionary for Snowy Roads (雪道の日本語ミニ辞典)

The words in this dictionary

Words you see before you drive

Words you see while you drive

Words you see when traffic stops or roads close

Words for the road surface

Signs without words

Words you see before you drive

スタッドレスタイヤ／冬用タイヤ

4WD／四輪駆動

標準装備

冬期シーズン料金／シーズン料金

タイヤチェーン／チェーン

大雪警報／大雪注意報

暴風雪警報／風雪注意報

大雪特別警報

大雪のおそれ

通行止めの可能性

予防的通行止め

冬期閉鎖

Words you see while you drive

冬用タイヤ規制／冬用タイヤ装着等

チェーン規制

チェーン装着

凍結／路面凍結

凍結注意

スリップ注意

凍結 50㌔規制／ユキ 50㌔規制

低速車作業中

チェーン着脱場

Words you see when traffic stops or roads close

通行止め／通行止

ここで出よ

立ち往生

吹雪／地吹雪

Words for the road surface

アイスバーン

ブラックアイスバーン

Signs without words

タイヤチェーンを取り付けていない車両通行止め

If you’re not sure

Snowy Roads and Winter Driving Q&A — On Stormy Days, Make It a Day You Don’t Drive

For now, just this

When you plan your trip

I’ve never driven on snowy roads. Right-hand drive is new to me too. Is it safe to rent in winter?

Can I drive this road (to Shirakawa-go, Takayama, Kusatsu and so on) in winter?

Won’t the car navigation take me onto narrow, snowy mountain roads?

When you book

Do I need winter tires? Even if I rent in Tokyo, Osaka or Fukuoka?

The forecast says sunny. Can I skip winter tires?

Is it against the law to drive on snowy roads without winter tires? Will I be stopped?

Do winter tires come fitted from the start? Is there an extra charge?

From which month to which month do I need winter tires? What about October or May?

I can’t choose winter tires on the booking screen. Can I add them later?

Do I need 4WD?

Do I need chains? Can I rent them?

On the days you drive

What if the windows are frozen in the morning? Why do people leave the wipers raised?

Can I still slip with winter tires? What’s “black ice”?

Can roads freeze at night even if it isn’t snowing?

What if I can’t see ahead in a snowstorm?

When the weather turns bad

Do expressways close in heavy snow? Can I get trapped?

Is it OK to drive a rental car on a day with a typhoon or heavy rain?

I can’t see ahead in fog or a downpour

When you’re in trouble

On the day, I was told there are “no” cars with winter tires

I’ve arrived without winter tires. There’s more snow than forecast. Should I go to the mountains tomorrow?

I was told “you need chains.” Where do I get them?

The road closed while I was driving. I was made to get off the expressway

I can’t see ahead in a snowstorm and my car can’t move. What about the engine?

I’m stuck in the snow and can’t move

Is roadside assistance not covered when I get stuck in snow?

I hit a snow wall or something in a parking lot, and no one else was involved

Japan Winter Road Conditions: Where to Check Road Closures in English

1 Roads that close in winter In spring, they become “roads between walls of snow”

2 Roads closed before heavy snow The bigger the snow, the earlier you know

Three notices issued one year

On days you still go out