A two-week loop from Sapporo, via the lavender fields of Furano, the Asahi-dake volcano, the wild Shiretoko peninsula, the caldera lakes of Akan and Lake Tōya. In Japan, Hokkaido is where a car makes the most sense: parks far from railway stations, easy roads and a motorway pass reserved for foreign visitors.
| Days | Stop | Drive |
|---|---|---|
| Days 1 to 2 | Sapporo | Start |
| Days 3 to 4 | Furano | 114 km · 1h35 |
| Day 5 | Sōunkyō | 190 km · 3h20 |
| Days 6 to 7 | Utoro (Shiretoko) | 217 km · 2h45 |
| Day 8 | Akanko Onsen | 215 km · 2h40 |
| Day 9 | Obihiro | 129 km · 1h40 |
| Days 10 to 11 | Tōyako Onsen (Lake Tōya) | 281 km · 3h55 |
| Days 12 to 13 | Otaru | 126 km · 2h |
| Day 14 | Back to Sapporo | 36 km · 30 min |
Road route calculated from the stops (OpenStreetMap). Driving times assume no stops and no traffic: add time for photo breaks.
June to September: lavender from late June to mid-July, Shiretoko Goko open from mid-April to mid-November. In winter, the Shiretoko Pass closes (late October to late April) and snow and ice call for winter tyres or chains.
🚗 114 km · 1h35 of driving from Sapporo
Dō-ō Expressway (E5) to Mikasa, then routes 452 and 38 through the hills; easy driving.
🚗 190 km · 3h20 of driving from Furano
Route 237, routes 966 and 213 via the Blue Pond, route 1160 towards Asahidake, then the Asahikawa-Monbetsu expressway towards Kamikawa.
🚗 217 km · 2h45 of driving from Sōunkyō
Route 39 via the Sekihoku Pass and Kitami, then Abashiri and the Sea of Okhotsk coast (routes 244 and 334).
🚗 215 km · 2h40 of driving from Utoro
Route 334 over the Shiretoko Pass (closed in winter, hairpin bends) to Rausu, then inland via Kawayu and route 391.
🚗 129 km · 1h40 of driving from Akanko Onsen
Route 241 with a detour to Lake Onnetō (route 949), then the Dōtō Expressway and routes 242 and 38.
🚗 281 km · 3h55 of driving from Obihiro
Dōtō Expressway through the Hidaka Mountains, then route 36 along the coast with a detour to Noboribetsu Onsen.
🚗 126 km · 2h of driving from Tōyako Onsen
Route 230 then routes 97 and 5 at the foot of Mount Yōtei, via Niseko and Yoichi, to Otaru.
🚗 36 km · 30 min of driving from Otaru
In 7 days, keep to the west: Sapporo (1 night), Furano and Biei (2 nights), Lake Tōya (2 nights) via the Dōtō Expressway, then Otaru (1 night). Shiretoko and Akan, about 450 km from the airport, can wait for a second trip.
| Small car, New Chitose, annual average | ≈ €33 to €40 a day (Kayak, Sept. 2026) |
|---|---|
| Mid-size car, New Chitose | ≈ €46 to €60 a day |
| SUV, New Chitose | ≈ €53 a day |
| All categories, January (most expensive month) | ≈ €64 a day |
| Excess waiver (Toyota Rent a Car) | ¥1,100 a day, + ¥550 to waive the NOC |
| Vehicle | A compact, or a kei car for a cheaper motorway pass and tolls; the route is entirely paved. |
|---|---|
| Where to pick it up | In Sapporo after visiting the city, or at New Chitose Airport; same branch on return. |
| Documents | Your licence (with a printed JAF translation for a French licence), a passport stamped on arrival and a credit card. |
| Insurance | Liability included; excess of ¥50,000 per claim, plus an NOC of ¥20,000 to ¥50,000. |
| NOC | Non-operation charge due even when insured: ¥20,000 if the car can be driven, ¥50,000 if not. |
| ETC card | Rent it with the car; essential for the Hokkaido Expressway Pass, reserved for foreign passport holders. |
| Drivers | Second driver at no extra charge with Toyota, with their own licence, translation and passport. |
⚠️ The International Driving Permit issued in France is not recognised in Japan: without an original paper JAF translation, the rental company will not hand over the car.
The French International Driving Permit (1968 Vienna model) is not recognised. JAF translation ¥6,000, valid for one year after entry. Other licences: check whether an International Driving Permit is required.
Right-hand drive. Accidents happen mostly when turning: take care at every junction.
With no sign: 60 km/h on roads, 100 km/h on motorways. Signs often impose less.
About 0.3 g/l of blood; any trace is forbidden. Passengers and whoever supplied the alcohol or the vehicle are also punished.
Stop before every railway line and look both ways, even when the barrier is not down.
The entry date proves your licence is valid: avoid the automated gates on arrival, or have your passport stamped afterwards.
Child seat compulsory for children under 6.
No phone in hand, and no handling the satnav while moving.
The barrier opens as you pass, with the ETC card inserted in the car's reader.
Encounters on the rise according to the Foreign Office; guided trails in season. Many sika deer: slow down at dawn and at night.
Compulsory in practice on snow; Shiretoko Pass closed from about late October to late April.
≈ €0.94 per litre of unleaded (¥169.90 on 21 September 2026)
Price recorded in September 2026: it changes every week, sometimes by 10 to 20 cents in a month. Check it before you go.
⛽ 1,308 km at 7 l per 100 km: about €90 at September 2026 prices, to share between passengers.
"セルフ" (self-service) stations. Red nozzle: regular, yellow: premium, green: diesel. Return the car with a full tank, or a flat fee is charged.
| Hokkaido Expressway Pass, car | 4 days ¥7,700 (≈ €43) to 8 days ¥15,400 (≈ €85) |
|---|---|
| Hokkaido Expressway Pass, kei car | 4 days ¥6,200 to 8 days ¥12,300 |
| More than 8 days | Two consecutive passes, for example 7 then 4 days |
| Standard rate in Hokkaido | ≈ ¥25 per km + ¥150 per trip; New Chitose-Sapporo ¥1,430 |
| For comparison, Tokyo-Kyoto | ≈ ¥10,070 one way |
| Blue Pond car park | ¥1,000 since 1 July 2026 (¥500 before) |
| Shiretoko Goko, ground-level trail | ¥450 with briefing; ¥4,000 to ¥7,000 for a guided tour from 10 May to 31 July |
| Shiretoko Goko, elevated boardwalk | Free; paid car park |
| Shiretoko Pass (route 334, 23.8 km) | Closed in winter, from about late October to late April |
|---|---|
| Access road to Shiretoko Goko | Open from about mid-April to mid-November |
| Shiretoko Goko ground-level trail | Guided tour compulsory from 10 May to 31 July (bears) |
| Shirogane Blue Pond | Snow-covered in winter: lit up in the evening, blue water not visible |
| Kamikōchi (Japanese Alps) | Closed to private cars since 1994: shuttle buses or taxis |
Allow 12 to 14 days for the full loop from Sapporo, about 1,500 km with the detours, in stages of 2 to 4 hours. In 7 days, stick to the west: Furano and Biei, Lake Tōya and Otaru. Shiretoko is about 450 km from New Chitose Airport.
It depends on where your licence was issued. A French licence needs an official Japanese translation: the International Driving Permit issued in France follows the 1968 Vienna Convention, which Japan does not recognise. JAF issues the translation in 2 to 3 working days for ¥6,000, on an application made from Japan; Japan Experience or Keikaku apply for it before departure. Valid for one year after entry. Other licences: check whether an International Driving Permit is required.
For 12 days of car hire, about €400 to €480 for a small car (€33 to €40 a day according to Kayak). Petrol: nearly €100 at September 2026 prices for 1,500 km at ¥170 a litre. Tolls: ¥7,700 for a 4-day Hokkaido Expressway Pass. Add the excess waiver, ¥1,100 a day with Toyota.
It opens all of Hokkaido's motorways for 4 to 8 consecutive days, for ¥7,700 to ¥15,400, with a rented ETC card. At the standard rate of about ¥25 per km, 4 days pay for themselves at around 300 km of motorway. Our loop runs mostly on national roads: compare before you buy it.
Between Tokyo and Kyoto, the train is enough and tolls cost about ¥10,070 one way. In the Japanese Alps, Kamikōchi has been closed to private cars since 1994. In Hokkaido, the national tourist office considers the car more practical, the parks are far from railway stations and there is a motorway pass for foreigners.
Partly, with winter tyres or chains. The Shiretoko Pass closes from about late October to late April, access to Shiretoko Goko from mid-November to mid-April, and snow lengthens journeys. From June to September, the roads are clear and the lavender blooms from late June to mid-July.
Driving rules, prices and closures checked in September 2026; hotels checked on OpenStreetMap and then on Booking. Rules change: read the official source before you leave, and check your own government's travel advice for the country. Stop photos: Wikimedia Commons, authors and licences under each image.
Off We Gooo road trip guide · offwegooo.com/en/road-trips/japan · by Tom, updated 1 October 2026
