Winter Driving in Japan: 11 Precautions and Tips

Precautions and Tips to Know Before Driving in Snow

In Japan, there are many spectacular sights that can only be seen during the winter when everything is covered in snow. There are likely going to be some people who are thinking of driving in the snow with a rental car to visit such spots.

If you plan to drive in the snow, there are some things to keep in mind and tips for safe driving such as installing studless snow tires and clearing away the snow before driving.

In this article, we made a guide categorized by four situations: during the rental application process, before departure, while in motion, and when parking. Make sure to check out this article before you go driving in the snow!

Table of Contents:

1. Precautions When Applying for a Rental Car
2. Precautions Before Driving
3. Precautions While Driving
4. Parking Precautions
5. Go on a Winter Drive! 3 Gorgeous Snowy Landscape Spots

Precautions When Applying for a Rental Car

The things you should keep in mind when driving on icy roads begin from the rental car application process.

1. Select a Car with Snow Tires

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You must install snow tires (studless tires), which are non-slip even on snowy roads when driving in the snow.

Many car rental companies located in snow-heavy regions like Hokkaido, Aomori, Iwate, and Miyagi will offer free studless tire installation as a service from December to around April.

However, the time period when this service is available varies by the car rental company. If there is a car rental company you are considering, then check their official website and other platforms beforehand for this information.

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Car rental companies typically will not offer free snow tire installations if you are renting a car in a region that doesn’t get much snow. These regions include Kanto (Tokyo, Saitama, Kanagawa), Kansai (Osaka, Kyoto, Nagoya), and Kyushu (Fukuoka).

For that reason, make sure to add snow tires to the car you will be renting in the options beforehand if there is a possibility you will be driving on icy roads in these areas. But keep in mind there may be a limited number of cars with snow tires installed so we recommend making reservations early.

Additionally, MATCHA offers a 10% discount coupon for international visitors when renting a car from Nippon Rent-A-Car, one of Japan’s leading car rental companies. Please consider using this coupon if you will be renting a car to drive in the winter.

Precautions Before Driving

Now then, you were able to rent a car with snow tires without any issues. The next thing to take care of is a car inspection before leaving the car rental office.

2. Brush Off the Snow Piled Up on the Car

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The cars at car rental companies typically have the snow cleaned off before being available for rent. However, snow will continue to accumulate while it’s snowing or when the car has been parked outside for a long time, so you should brush off any snow before you leave.

Don’t forget to check the roof, windows, bonnet, headlights, taillights, blinkers, and both left and right back mirrors when removing snow.

You will especially need to be careful of the snow accumulated on the roof. Neglect to remove the snow from this part of the car and there is a risk of the snow falling and covering the front windshield in reaction to braking while in motion, which will obstruct your front visibility.

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It would be good to have a snow brush to remove the snow. Snow brushes may be available for rent at the car rental office. We recommend renting the brush together with the car if one is needed.

3. Remove Snow from Shoe Soles

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The following situations may occur when the soles of your shoes are covered in snow: the sensation when you press the brake or accelerator pedal will feel different than normal, your feet will slip, or it’ll be easier for you to lose strength in your feet. Make sure to properly remove all the snow from your shoe soles before getting into the car.

Precautions While Driving

Once all the snow has been removed, it’s now finally time to depart! The first and foremost thing to keep in mind is to drive slower than usual on icy roads. Otherwise, here are a few additional precautions to note.

4. Check the Condition of the Accelerator and Brakes First!

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Icy roads, which are wet and slippery, make cars susceptible to skidding when accelerating or erroneous operation of ABS (*1). It would be a good idea to test out the car’s movements when using the accelerator or ABS on snow when departing to check how much additional force is needed on the clutch while in motion.

*1 ABS: Anti-lock braking system

5. Pay Special Attention to Areas Susceptible to Freezing Over

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Places such as intersections, areas in the shade, bridges, and tunnel entrances are susceptible to freezing over and being slippery. To ensure your safety, make sure to reduce your speed when driving in such areas.

6. Keep Further Distance Than Normal from the Car Ahead

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Frozen, slippery roads are very easy to skid on in comparison to your everyday roads. Leave a larger distance than usual between your vehicle and the vehicles ahead and behind you when driving (twice the normal distance is recommended).

Always keep an eye on the condition of the vehicles ahead while driving and make it a habit to press your brakes as soon as possible.

7. Refrain from Changing Lanes as Much as Possible

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There is a possibility the car will skid just by changing lanes due to the snow and ice on the roads. Change lanes less frequently to prevent any accidents.

8. Keep an Eye on Gas Levels

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Fuel will deplete quicker than usual when driving on snowy roads in the winter. Always make sure to keep an eye on the remaining gas levels.

We recommend frequent refueling whenever you spot a gas station and, while you’re at it, removing the snow that has piled up on your car.

9. Turn on the Headlights Even in the Daytime

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Your field of vision becomes worse when it’s snowing. It’s essential to turn on your headlights even in the afternoon to make the existence of your vehicle known to oncoming traffic and pedestrians.

Parking Precautions

There are several precautions regarding parking as well when it’s snowing.

10. Leave the Windshield Wipers Up

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Leave your windshield wipers down while it’s snowing and there’s a possibility the rubber on the windshield wipers will freeze and stick to the glass on the front windshield. For that reason, please make sure to leave the windshield wipers up when parked.

11. Avoid Street Parking

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There’s a risk of your car tires getting stuck in street gutters when parked. This is because it’s hard to tell where the gutters are in the road when covered in snow. For that reason, make sure to do your best to avoid parking on the street.

Go on a Winter Drive! 3 Gorgeous Snowy Landscape Spots

“Winter driving sounds difficult...” Some people will probably think this way, right?

But as difficult as it is, there are spectacular sights that can only be enjoyed during the winter. Next, we introduce three gorgeous snowy landscape spots you’ll want to visit in the winter.

1. Blue Pond in Hokkaido

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The Blue Pond in Biei, Hokkaido is famous for its surreal scenery with Japanese larch trees in the middle of the pond reflected in the water’s surface.

Snow adorns the trees during the winter, which further adds to the mystical ambiance of the area. Illuminations can also be enjoyed in the evening between November to April every year.

Please refer to Biei’s official website (Japanese) for details on the illuminations.

Shirogane Blue Pond

Shirogane, Biei-cho, Kamikawa-gun, Hokkaido 071-0235

 

2. Tsurunomai Bridge in Aomori

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Tsurunomai Bridge in Aomori Prefecture is made from 150-year-old Aomori cypress in the hiba variety. It is the longest triple-arched wooden bridge in Japan.

Come winter, you can enjoy breathtaking scenery that is like a painting which consists of a frozen lake and the snow-capped Mt. Iwaki (Tsugaru Fuji) visible behind the bridge.

Tsurunomai Bridge
・Address: Aomori, Kitatsugaru, Tsuruta, Mawarizeki Osawa
・Official Website: https://aomori-tourism.com/en/spot/detail_82.html

3. Metasequoia Avenue in Shiga

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Metasequoia Avenue is formed by 500 dawn redwoods that stretch for 2.5 kilometers. It is located in Shiga Prefecture which borders Kyoto.

It is known as a famous place for the foliage in the autumn. In the winter, you can enjoy driving in a snow tunnel created by the snow-covered trees!

Metasequoia Avenue
・Address: Shiga, Takashima, Makino, Makino
・Official Website: https://takashima-kanko.jp/spot/metasequoia.html (Japanese)

Enjoy a Safe Driving Trip in Japan

Will you be driving in snow on icy roads for the first time? Please have fun on your road trip without incident while keeping the 11 precautions and tips introduced in this article in mind!