Expressways

Japan's four main island and Okinawa are covered by an expressway (高速道路, kōsokudōro) network of over 10,000 kilometers. Further routes are still under construction. Below is a map showing the major operational expressways.

Foreign visitors should encounter few problems using Japanese expressways, since all important signs are written in both Japanese and English. The speed limit for passenger cars is usually 80 or 100 km/h, except on one-lane expressways where the speed limit is 70 km/h.

Below is some vocabulary useful for using Japanese expressways:

• Interchange (IC)
  In Japan, an interchange refers to an expressway entrance and exit, e.g. Tokyo IC.
• Junction (JCT)
  Like in English, a junction refers to a place where multiple expressways meet.
• Parking Area (PA)
  A parking area comes with toilets and one or more vending machines. Sometimes it also features a restaurant.
• Service Area (SA)
  Generally larger than parking areas, service areas feature toilets, shops, restaurants and a gasoline stand.

Most expressways in Japan are subject to tolls, which can be paid at manual toll gates by cash or credit card or at automatic ETC (electronic toll collection) gates. Note however that manual toll gates are gradually being phased out, and the number of interchanges equipped exclusively with ETC gates is increasing. ETC users can also benefit from discounts during certain times of the day and week. Therefore, the use of ETC is recommended.

To use ETC gates, you need an ETC card and a vehicle equipped with an ETC card reader. Residents of Japan can obtain an ETC card in combination with a Japanese credit card, while short-term visitors can rent ETC cards from some rental car outlets, although not all rental companies offer this service.

The table below shows approximate costs for regular vehicles between major cities. Lower rates apply to light vehicles and motorcycles, while higher rates apply to trucks and buses.

Approximate tolls (in yen)

	Kagoshima	Fukuoka	Hiroshima	Osaka	Kyoto	Nagoya	Aomori
Tokyo	30,000	25,000	18,000	13,500	11,500	8,500	16,500
Aomori	40,000	34,500	29,000	25,000	23,000	21,000
Nagoya	21,000	16,000	10,000	5,000	3,000
Kyoto	19,000	13,500	8,000	2,500
Osaka	18,000	13,000	7,000
Hiroshima	12,000	7,000
Fukuoka	6,500

Approximate Travel Distance

	Kagoshima	Fukuoka	Hiroshima	Osaka	Kyoto	Nagoya	Aomori
Tokyo	1350km	1050km	800km	500km	450km	300km	700km
Aomori	2050km	1800km	1500km	1200km	1150km	1050km
Nagoya	1000km	750km	450km	150km	100km
Kyoto	900km	600km	350km	50km
Osaka	900km	600km	350km
Hiroshima	550km	300km
Fukuoka	300km

Six companies are in charge of expressway construction and maintenance:

• East Nippon Expressway (Hokkaido, Tohoku, Kanto)
• Central Nippon Expressway (Kanto, Chubu)
• West Nippon Expressway (Kansai, Chugoku, Shikoku, Kyushu)
• Metropolitan Expressway (metropolitan Tokyo)
• Hanshin Expressway (Osaka and Kobe)
• Honshu-Shikoku Bridge Expressway (three bridge connections between Shikoku and Honshu)

Expressway passes

There are a few passes available to foreign visitors that grant unlimited use of designated expressways within a particular coverage area and for a set number of days. The passes are acquired along with rental cars at designated car rental outlets within the pass' coverage area. The passes work through ETC cards provided to drivers, allowing for easy travel around the expressway network.

The expressway passes can be good value for those who plan to travel long distances by car within a certain area over a relatively short time period. They are seldom good value for those merely driving from one city to another. The available expressway passes are as follows:

• Hokkaido Expressway Pass
  Price: from 7,700 yen (4 days) to 15,400 yen (8 days)
  Coverage Area: Hokkaido
• Tohoku Expressway Pass
  Price: from 8,500 yen (4 days) to 17,000 yen (8 days)
  Coverage Area: Tohoku Region
• Sanin-Setouchi-Shikoku Expressway Pass
  Price: from 10,700 yen (3 days) to 17,700 yen (10 days)
  Coverage Area: Western Honshu and Shikoku, except the bridges between Honshu and Shikoku
• Kyushu Expressway Pass
  Price: from 6,200 yen (2 days) to 23,800 yen (10 days)
  Coverage Area: Kyushu