October 08, 2024

Driving in Japan in Winter: A Comprehensive Guide

Japan as a place to visit needs no introduction. From the shopping capital of Shinjuku to the culinary capital of Osaka, Japan boasts renown in every region for its attractions. For a country with a tourist industry centralised around the natural wonders for view, it’s no wonder visitors want to make the most of their experience by visiting in the winter time – what with all the Christmas festivals. Driving through Japan alone sounds daunting, never mind driving in Japan in winter.

This however is not as great an issue as you might think. Although with relatively small roads, travel via highways is entirely possible, getting you from more or less any point. By reading through the basic laws and expectations of driving in Japan in the winter season, hopefully, some of your concerns will be alleviated and maybe the trip itself will have some appeal to you in the future, even just a quick look at our ultimate winter car hire guide may help alleviate your stress.

What you’ll need to drive in Japan in winter

Naturally, the first concern when it comes to driving in Japan is the legality of it. What are the driving laws in Japan?

Can a foreigner drive in Japan? First off – yes. If for example, you’re in the UK, you’ll need to apply for a 1949 international driving permit which you must acquire before arriving in Japan.

Then there is the issue of insurance. Typically, this would be the biggest limiting factor in driving in Japan as a foreigner, however, with our car hire in Japan, all the necessary paperwork and documentation will come with the rental. You won’t have to worry or stress about any absent documentation.

If you are planning to drive in Japan in the winter, there is no question on the importance of winter tyres, being that they are even legally required when the snow is at its worst. This is of course not an issue when hiring with Indigo – as all our car hires come with winter tyres fitted when required. If your rental does not come with winter tyres, we do have options regarding them.

Equipment

It may also be worthwhile considering some of the equipment you may want to bring with you if you are planning on travelling beyond the cities. Some very basic but nonetheless important equipment, such as:

• Snow shovel
• Flashlight
• Spare batteries
• GPS / Map

Whilst you are more than likely already going to have most of what you need, a short trip in getting some of the basics can prove invaluable in an emergency situation. Be it that you’re flying into Haneda Airport to get to the centre of Tokyo or New Chitose Airport to explore the Hokkaido countryside, even if you’re young and think some forms of travel may be beyond your ability, our young driver car hire will facilitate that for you.

What car to choose

With the reputation Japan has for cars, you may find yourself overwhelmed with choices. There is, of course, no need to feel that you may make the wrong decision. With what vehicles we offer, a 4-wheel drive will generally be the most suitable for dealing with the snow and ice. A 4×4 car hire may especially be useful if you’re planning to travel with friends and family; few vehicles have the power and space of a 4×4 and SUV. Even if you’re travelling on a budget, we may offer a low-deposit car hire.

What to do

Now that you know the basics of what you’ll need for driving in Japan in winter, you’re undoubtedly tempted to explore what it has to offer. Even if you do know what you’ll need to drive, the apprehension that comes with how you’re supposed to drive is perfectly reasonable.

Whilst it is true that snow can be a difficult obstacle, Japan has infrastructure designed around facilitating these conditions, even beyond the cities the roads are more than capable of securing a safe route for road travel.

Even if you are concerned about going off the beaten path, a simple GPS system (often included in our rentals) can be that extra backup that lets you focus on enjoying your travel. If you believe winter tyres are necessary, you can often find them available, even if they aren’t legally required.

For any questions regarding what extra services we can provide; feel free to send us an enquiry.

Staying safe when driving in Japan in winter

If you have experience driving in the snow, you’ll likely already know the absolute basics. Even if this is an entirely new environment – it’s all common sense. However, you may want to be particularly mindful of some common factors that will keep you and other drivers safe:

• Black ice – With all the main roads you’ll be driving on in Japan, it is not uncommon for the roads to be frozen over. This can catch even experienced drivers off-guard, maintain control and traction when it is particularly icy.
• Visibility in fog – The more coastal regions of Japan get particularly bad seasonal fog; headlights may be necessary even during the day.
• Recognise road signs – Whilst a lot of the Japanese road signs are similar to foreign designs, most of the text is in Japanese only.

Starting your trip

Japan is on so many travel wish lists for very good reason. This guide itself comes from wanting even more people to experience such an amazing place and not be confined to just the conventional tourist attractions. If you are interested in other services we provide:

• Debit Card Car Hire
• Low Deposit Car Hire
• Young Driver Car Hire
• Senior Driver Car Hire

There isn’t a part of Japan not worth seeing, it’s just up to you to explore it. Of course, you may be unsure on what you’re eligible for – feel free to contact us or send us an email at [email protected] and call us at +44 (0)113 880 0748.