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Driving from Takayama to Shirakawago 2017/12/27 18:15
Hi There,

I am planning to rent a car (with winter tire) in Takayama and drive to Shirakawago during winter light up in January 2018. This is the only option as all the bus tickets are sold out. I have 2 concerns if driving: is it safe to drive there? Do I really need an experience in winter/snow driving? I am planning to reach there around 2PM and go back to Takayama around 6PM - try to avoid peak hours. Please advice. Thank you.

Regards,
KJ
by quahkj  

Re: Driving from Takayama to Shirakawago 2017/12/27 20:48
honestly, without any snow drive experience I would not do the first try on this area.
I live in country where snow is common and winter tires obligatory, and still every year on first snow quite many drives end up in ditch:(
by girlwithpearl (guest) rate this post as useful

Re: Driving from Takayama to Shirakawago 2017/12/28 07:14
If you are cautious and don't rush through daylight hours, so may be alright on your first attempt to drive in winter snow/ice. Still practice before hand would be best practice.

But to add night time driving into the equation. Ice is black at night time and without experience to know what to look for. Things could get difficult and unsafe fast.
by hakata14 (guest) rate this post as useful

Re: Driving from Takayama to Shirakawago 2017/12/28 08:14
is taxi an option?
just thinking...
by LikeBike rate this post as useful

Re: Driving from Takayama to Shirakawago 2017/12/31 01:12
But I think the roads are closed to private cars during the light up?
by himawari13 rate this post as useful

Re: Driving from Takayama to Shirakawago 2017/12/31 08:32
But I think the roads are closed to private cars during the light up?

Just a small number of them in the village. Access by car is possible. Special parking lots are provided. All the details are here:
https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e5956.html
by Uji rate this post as useful

Re: Driving from Takayama to Shirakawago 2017/12/31 09:49
Thinking about the road from Takayama to Shirakawa-go, much of it is nice and easy to drive express-way, but, there are some pieces that include some (in snowy conditions) tricky corners and gradients. It is those pieces that are most likely to catch you out. Possibly with lots of traffic they will have cleared much of the snow from the road, but even my last trip there with a small amount of snow, people were being stopped if they did not have the correct snow tires or chains.
by JapanCustomTours rate this post as useful

Re: Driving from Takayama to Shirakawago 2017/12/31 11:40
I am planning to drive there in January. Not for the light up event but in the day. Are the roads to the viewpoint closed only during the light up or all winter? Whatfs the temperature like in late January?
by himawari13 rate this post as useful

Re: Driving from Takayama to Shirakawago 2018/1/1 08:54
Typical average Jan temps of -3C (-8C to +1C normal daily range). Those are averages for the month. Individual days get much colder, say -15C (or to around zero Fahrenheit).
by JapanCustomTours rate this post as useful

Re: Driving from Takayama to Shirakawago 2018/1/1 18:41
@JapanCustomTours thank you! I drove to the Shiroyama viewpoint in spring, looks like that road is closed now?
by himawari13 rate this post as useful

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