Japan: Hokkaido - Driving in Hokkaido in November

[Oregon]

Hi

 

Anybody got experience driving in Hokkaido in Nov? Do I need international driving licence to rent a car and any recommendation for car rental company?

 

Any useful advice would be appreciated!

 

Thanks!

[Rubberstamp]

Hi

 

Anybody got experience driving in Hokkaido in Nov? Do I need international driving licence to rent a car and any recommendation for car rental company?

 

Any useful advice would be appreciated!

 

Thanks!

 

i am going in Nov too! and will be driving.

Yes you need to apply for international driving license. About 20 bucks.

Go to toyota-rent-a-car...google that

[Oregon]

Hi Rubberstamp

 

Thanks for the advice. Any interesting highlights you are going for in Nov that you care to share? My wife is doing the main research - I also pretend to "research" - by using MyCar Forum - I told her more effective HAHA!

[Yattokame]

More info found on japan-guide.com.

 

Very informative; especially when I go to those very ulu places. Bound to have someone who can answer your queries.

[Rubberstamp]

Hi Rubberstamp

 

Thanks for the advice. Any interesting highlights you are going for in Nov that you care to share? My wife is doing the main research - I also pretend to "research" - by using MyCar Forum - I told her more effective HAHA!

 

Hi, i will be spending

1.5 days in Hakodate

2 days in Sapporo

1 day in Niseko

1 day in Asahikawa

1 day in Wakkanai

[Oregon]

That looks like a lot of driving. You think there will be snow in Niseko?

 

We will be in Chitose as we fly in there.

Lake Toya

Noboribetsu

Otaru

Sapporo

 

Rest of the holiday will be in Tokyo.

Do you know the winter driving conditions there?

[Rubberstamp]

That looks like a lot of driving. You think there will be snow in Niseko?

 

We will be in Chitose as we fly in there.

Lake Toya

Noboribetsu

Otaru

Sapporo

 

Rest of the holiday will be in Tokyo.

Do you know the winter driving conditions there?

 

yea quite a fair bit of driving but not too bad

Maybe in the 2nd half of nov snow may fall in Niseko.

Asahikawa is coldest place in Hokkaido so that is the best place to catch snow on ground level.

 

Rental companies will provide snow tyres during snow

[Cklasse]

Hi, i will be spending

1.5 days in Hakodate

2 days in Sapporo

1 day in Niseko

1 day in Asahikawa

1 day in Wakkanai

 

I think you are pushing too much for this driving part. I would suggest skipping Hakodate (Hakodate to Sapporo is far) and focus on the rest for a more relaxing drive. Bear in mind that the days are shorter near to winter and if it ever snows, the icy roads are not recommended to drive fast.

 

It snows in early part of December, so Niseko should get some snow in late November. Since you are doing Sapporo and Niseko, then should use the driving time from Sapporo to Hakodate for Lake Toya.

 

 

[Karkey]

am planning a self-drive trip to Kyushu too in Nov. first time driving in Japan. am looking for Prime Travel's instructional booklet which apparently has very helpful mapcodes and directions. can anyone share pls?

 

[Corgan]

I think you are pushing too much for this driving part. I would suggest skipping Hakodate (Hakodate to Sapporo is far) and focus on the rest for a more relaxing drive. Bear in mind that the days are shorter near to winter and if it ever snows, the icy roads are not recommended to drive fast.

 

It snows in early part of December, so Niseko should get some snow in late November. Since you are doing Sapporo and Niseko, then should use the driving time from Sapporo to Hakodate for Lake Toya.

 

I agree with bro Cklasse here. Days will be short and based on your itinenary, you gonna be driving at least 4 hrs every day assuming you take the Hokkaido Expressway. Wont be able to enjoy much if you have to rush from point to point.

 

You'll need english speaking GPS so make sure you let the car rental company know. I used Nissan when I was there, it easy to use. And if you intend to drive from Hakodate to Wakannai, make sure the rental company allows that and they have an outlet at your intended return point. Prepare your international driving permit in advance, can get from AA in SG.

 

Make a list of locations you want to go, make sure you get the mapcode, or the telephone number of the place so you can search on the on-board GPS.

 

Driving in Sapporo will be a killer. I left Sapparo to the end as the traffic can be bad. So I took a JR express train to New Chitose Airport instead.

 

Dont plan too aggressively and make sure you enjoy the trip!

[Dice]

am planning a self-drive trip to Kyushu too in Nov. first time driving in Japan. am looking for Prime Travel's instructional booklet which apparently has very helpful mapcodes and directions. can anyone share pls?

 

bro it will prolly be easier if you get the Telephone number of the places you wanna go like hotel, place of interest etc unless that place has no phone then u will need mapcode. When selecting routes, i like to choose the "no-toll" option coz i dunno how much and the procedure like maybe their cashless system etc so taking a slightly longer trip...

 

for car rental, u can use www2.tocoo.jp, allows u to choose where to rent/return, whether english GPS is needed, child seat etc. Should be cheaper too.

 

i drove in Hokkaido Apr last year and didnt prep anything special for driving, i felt that their road signs pretty clear. GPS is also very clear. planning to go to Osaka and will drive too for a few days this coming Nov.

Edited October 12, 2011 by Dice

[Luck5]

Hi, i will be spending

1.5 days in Hakodate

2 days in Sapporo

1 day in Niseko

1 day in Asahikawa

1 day in Wakkanai

 

 

hi rubberstamp, u should spend 2days in hakodate..a beautiful town w alot of things to eat and sight seeing (in the jap drama show)..sapporo like tokyo (1day is enough by walking near the central area)

[2BDriver]

i am going in Nov too! and will be driving.

Yes you need to apply for international driving license. About 20 bucks.

Go to toyota-rent-a-car...google that

Mushi,mushi, Rubberstamp San, my daughter is having her JC holidays in NOV.2011, wife & I is about to plan driving tour in Hokkaido too, any possibility to share taking part in this expedition ?

 

[Luck5]

That looks like a lot of driving. You think there will be snow in Niseko?

 

We will be in Chitose as we fly in there.

Lake Toya

Noboribetsu

Otaru

Sapporo

 

Rest of the holiday will be in Tokyo.

Do you know the winter driving conditions there?

 

hi oregon, if u fly in from chitose, u should take the train to sapporo (sight seeing and eating in central area 1 day enough) then take train to OTARU (1day walking around the town area) ..

 

after OTARU till evening, take rain back to sapporo to stay one night, next day pick up a rental car drive to Noribetsu..then to lake toya then back chitose return car.

 

then u can save on rental in sapporro and otaru... before leaving sapporo to noribestu..drive to the fish market to eat the fresh sashmi for brunch.

u need to buy a few hokkidao magazines to get the phone number of the famous eating place

[Kiadaw]

You may also want to check th etemperature there, if it will be below 7 deg C, its recommended to have winter tires.

[Presea]

We're headed to Hokkaido around mid-December. We were also there last year from 2nd to 12th December (Niseko 4 nights, Sapporo 6 nights) and it only snowed in the second week (no skiing at Niseko/Hirafu for us)... didn't drive that time, but it looked pretty easy to drive, as the Japanese drivers are couteous, conscientious and look out for one another...

 

This time around we are only arriving on the 14th and we're driving from Sapporo onwards

Our trip will be from Sapporo, Otaru, Hakodate, Hirafu, Niseko (last leg will pass Lake Toya on the way back to Chitose) staying a night or two in each location.

 

Regarding Snow Driving

I realised from Toyota Rentacar (which we also used in June for Kyushu) that ALL their cars come with 4WD (except Prius), and snow tyres will be fitted as standard.

All I know from previous snow driving experiences is to brake gently (and early) and with 4WD, you can almost use the throttle to "get away" from a corner, but you need the car to be pointed in the correct direction first... a little flick should help in slippery conditions!

 

And although in November there might little to no snow, enjoy the Onsens!

 

Have a safe trip!

[Rubberstamp]

I agree with bro Cklasse here. Days will be short and based on your itinenary, you gonna be driving at least 4 hrs every day assuming you take the Hokkaido Expressway. Wont be able to enjoy much if you have to rush from point to point.

 

You'll need english speaking GPS so make sure you let the car rental company know. I used Nissan when I was there, it easy to use. And if you intend to drive from Hakodate to Wakannai, make sure the rental company allows that and they have an outlet at your intended return point. Prepare your international driving permit in advance, can get from AA in SG.

 

Make a list of locations you want to go, make sure you get the mapcode, or the telephone number of the place so you can search on the on-board GPS.

 

Driving in Sapporo will be a killer. I left Sapparo to the end as the traffic can be bad. So I took a JR express train to New Chitose Airport instead.

 

Dont plan too aggressively and make sure you enjoy the trip!

 

 

Hey, its months later now but i managed to follow my itinenary.

Except for Wakkanai. I skipped that and spent more time elsewhere.

Driving wasnt as long and bad as in NZ or Australia

[Presea]

Realised that you were asking about Kyushu, and having drove there in June this year, it is actually pretty easy (Except that traffic in Fukuoka can be quite slow, lots of traffic lights and cars...) I couldn't find mapcodes for most places, but for 99% of the locations I visited, telephone numbers were dead accurate, including some remote Ryokans (like takefue).

 

I drove a Prius and my journey included lots of mountain driving around Unzen and Aso, as well as highways and even a ferry boat (Shimabara to Kumamoto). Covered almost 700km and the Prius didn't need refueling at all!

 

Word of caution... don't bet on getting to see Aso's volcano as it could be "active" and you won't be able to get closer than the ropeway station... But do enjoy the scenic drives and Yatai in Fukuoka!

 

cheers