Driving in winter is a challenge anywhere the climate swings from hot and sweltering during summer to cold and blistering in winter. But few places are so challenging to drive during winter as Japan.
Not only can there be snowfall of more than one meter in a day (at the northwestern corner of Hokkaido, and the northwest coast, towards the Sea of Japan). The days are also markedly shorter than in summer, making the surroundings dark. Even where there is snow, the view is limited by the snow piles, even if it is lighter thanks to the snow reflecting the light.
1. Put On Snow Tires Or Chains
When there is snow on the road, you need snow tires. Especially since it can be slippery ice slicks under the snow, especially if the temperature has been going up and down around the zero mark. You need proper tires to make sure your car does not go off the road when you lose control. Snow chains also help keep the grip, especially if you are driving on roads where the ice has frozen under the snow.
In the snowy areas of northern Japan, snow tires is basic equipment for rental cars (as it would be dangerous to rent a car without them). But if you rent a car in Tokyo, or in any of the big cities in the southwest of Japan like Nagoya, Osaka, or Hiroshima, or the southern islands of Shikoku or Kyushu, then you will not get snow tires unless you pay extra. Even if it is snowing outside.
2. Have Emergency Provisions And Hot Water In The Car
In a famous incident in 2022, a traffic jam got stuck in the suddenly falling snow, and hundreds of people got stuck in their cars overnight. Many of them got something to eat only because a delivery driver for a rice cracker company raided his truck.
If you are making a trip that is more than a few kilometers, it may happen to you. And you do not want to walk back in freezing conditions. A rescue blanket (the one that looks like a huge sheet of aluminum foil), a thermos full of hot water, and some crackers will make it possible for you too to handle emergency conditions without freezing to death.
3. Mind The Side Of The Road
When there is a lot of snow, especially on plains where the snow drifts, it can be difficult to see where the road ends and the fields begin. The authorities place poles or markets at the roadside, and there are often snow shields along the roads to cut the drifts.
When there are guardrails, they will show you where the road is, if they have not been snowed over. In that case, you may run into them if you try to go too far to the left to avoid meeting cars. But if the snow comes before preparations have finished, it can be hard to see where the edges of the road are.
4. Mind The Tracks
Even if there are tracks of previous cars, you can not trust them – they may have run into the ditch around the next corner. Try to see where the side of the road is and make your own decision about how to drive – and take it slow so you do not run into any surprises.
Another problem with tracks is that especially if they are deep, and the snow has melted and frozen, the snow can turn very hard and it can be difficult to turn the car outside the tracks, not to speak of the bottom of the tracks being icy, becoming slippery and driving more difficult and dangerous.
It is better to wait until the roads have been plowed. The Japanese road authorities send out snow plows, but when the snowfall is heavy they may not be able to keep up with the snowfall; and anyway smaller roads with less traffic will not be as highly prioritized as bigger roads.
5. Careful In Curves
If it is hard to see where the side of the road may be when you are driving in a straight line, it will be even harder in curves. Unless the road has already been plowed, or there are marker poles along the edge of the road,
Smaller roads tend to have more curves than bigger roads, especially in the mountains. They are also more dangerous since there can be dropoffs or deep ditches at the side of the road, which are harder to see when there us plenty of snow – especially at night, when shadows can play tricks on you, making it harder to see where the road is.
6. Do Not Drive In The Mountains When The Sky Is Cloudy
Weather in Japan can change fast, especially in the mountains. A day thats starts out with high clouds can end up with heavy snowfall; but it is more uncommon that a day which begins with clear skies ends up with snowfall. As a rule of thumb, always check the weather forecast, and if it looks like precipitation or lower temperatures is likely, reconsider. You are unlikely to have a joy ride.
7. Watch Out For Slipping Pedestrians
Heavy snow is no cake walk for pedestrians either. Until the roads have been cleared, they have to trudge through up to half a meter of snow; and even though the road has been plowed, it is unlikely that the pavement has been cleared, forcing pedestrians out into the road and into traffic. Traffic which risks slipping on the snow – at the same time as pedestrians risk slipping.
8. Learn To Drive In Snow Before You Go
If you come from a country where snow is uncommon, you will find it a different driving challenge. The closest you can get is dune driving in the desert, since slipping on the snow is very similar to slipping on sand – although it is much warmer in the desert, and you will not be driving offroad on winter roads.
In some places, there are slipping tracks which is another useful way of learning to drive in winter conditions. A course paved with slick material is usually sprayed with water to provide an environment where cars will slip in the same way as an icy road.
While they help you drive in winter, they do not teach you the three-dimensional resistance of snow. To do that, it is better to take driving lessons with someone experienced in winter driving. In winter, of course. In case you are planning to drive in northern Japan from December to March, it makes sense to set off a day to learn to drive safely.
9. Careful In Whiteouts
In heavy snowfall, you can literally not see the front of your car. But it is not just the snowfall itself that blocks the sight, it is also the reflected light from your own headlights.
This can give the same effect as driving in heavy fog. The entire field of vision becomes a white field, and you can not see beyond the car.
When that happens, switch to low beam, or even switch to position lights only. Switch on the hazard lights while you are driving, since the yellow lights penetrate the whiteout better than white light; brake frequently so that the red lights from the brake lights become visible.
10. Watch Out For Wild Animals
In winter, most animals who can will hibernate. Japan even has a bat which hibernates. But monkeys, deer, wild boar, or Japanese mountain goats do not hibernate, and will search out roads since they are open spaces where it is easier to move about than in the forest with more snow. You may even find bears in forested areas in early winter, if the snow is late and their normal sources of food more scarce than usual. In some parts of the country, there are warning signs for bears. Typically, they come out in spring or fall – even in populated areas.
Did you find this useful? Then chances are that you will find my book “Driving In Japan” even more useful. You can read the table of contents here, and get the book right away here.
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