LarryOne 0 Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 I have some general questions regarding driving during the winter in Minakami. I went up for the long weekend (January 9th) from Tokyo only to find myself to have enormous difficulties to get to the hotel, Minakami Hotel 200, where I was going to stay with my family. I have a Honda Odyssey with snow tires (only front two wheel drive) and similar to many other guests I got stuck on the way up to the hotel (the last part up the hill when you get off the main road through Minakami). It was on Thursday and the day when it came down about 50-70 cm over night so there were issues with keeping the road plowed. Do people that travel in this areas on a regular basis have 4 wheel drive and do you need to carry chains to put on top of the snow tires to make sure one can get around. I really love the area but before I go back I want to ensure that I am as prepared as I possibly can. Any advise would be appreciated. Link to post Share on other sites
muikabochi 208 Posted January 12, 2012 Share Posted January 12, 2012 Hi LarryOne. I'm not in Minakami but the other side of the mountain and we usually get more snow than Minakami. Anyone who lives in these parts has snow tyres. Perhaps if you got a set, it would encourage you more to go more often as well! But I know a number of people who live in these parts that do not have 4 wheel drive. Definitely better to have that as well though. What difference would having 4 snow tyres have I wonder? Link to post Share on other sites
yamabushi 3 Posted January 12, 2012 Share Posted January 12, 2012 For the first half of this season the 4 wheel drive on my Suzuki Jimny wasn't working. Going to Hakkoda was like playing a video game with stages; if I didn't make it to the next save stage, I have to go back to the last flat spot before I could attempt to fish tail my way up the moutain. After the second time I got stuck on the bloody parking lot I took the time to have it fixed. Keep a shovel and a bag of sand on the trunk. The extra weight helps and you can use the sand when you get stuck. Your next car should have 4x4 Link to post Share on other sites
Chriselle 158 Posted January 12, 2012 Share Posted January 12, 2012 For your car rubber chains are cheap. Snow tires will do you most of the time but if not you could just whip out the chains and have them on in 10 minutes or so....maybe a little longer. However, a 4x4 is the bomb. Link to post Share on other sites
dyna8800 3 Posted January 12, 2012 Share Posted January 12, 2012 Four wheel drive (or AWD) is an absolute must. I used to drive to Minakami every other weekend last season since I had a season pass. For many trips, I drove a Honda Odyssey, and it is front wheel drive with very good traction control, and snow tires (of course on all four wheels). After driving the flats, I put on non metallic chains (rubber chains with metal grip). The absolute best that I have found in Japan is the Carmate Biathalon Athelete. I have put on a lot of chains in my day, including the old metal type, and these are fantastic. You do not even need to drive over them to position, you slide them under the tire, fasten the bottom and 2 other points, connect, then use the special wrench to tighten. There is no loosening or slippage. In the States, I use Security Chain Company Z-555 Z-Chain Extreme Performance Cable Tire Traction Chain, can't afford the Thule K-Summit ones... My friends who live up there have 4WD or AWD with snow tires. Even with snow tires, I always carry chains, a metal shovel, a bag of kitty litter, blankets, food, water, torch, extra batteries, etc. Link to post Share on other sites
hellyer 216 Posted January 12, 2012 Share Posted January 12, 2012 "A bag of kitty litter" ?? Link to post Share on other sites
Chriselle 158 Posted January 12, 2012 Share Posted January 12, 2012 "A bag of kitty litter" ?? For the pee silly.... Link to post Share on other sites
hellyer 216 Posted January 12, 2012 Share Posted January 12, 2012 ha ha -of course Link to post Share on other sites
Tubby Beaver 209 Posted January 12, 2012 Share Posted January 12, 2012 "A bag of kitty litter" ?? For the pee silly.... haha....I was gonna say in case he got caught short! Link to post Share on other sites
Metabo Oyaji 71 Posted January 12, 2012 Share Posted January 12, 2012 Brilliant idea. Happen to even have an old half-bag of kitty litter taking up closet space -- into the back of the car it will go for the rest of the season. For the pee, of course. Link to post Share on other sites
tokabochi 9 Posted January 12, 2012 Share Posted January 12, 2012 Four wheel drive (or AWD) is an absolute must. Well, actually, it isn't. My car is now 4WD. I have snow tyres. Yes there have been one or two times when I have wanted borderline needed 4WD, but I can live perfectly well in full on snow country without it. Link to post Share on other sites
snowdude 44 Posted January 12, 2012 Share Posted January 12, 2012 Well my car is 4WD with winter tyres so no problem getting up even steep snowy roads. When I first came to Japan I only had a 2wd car and got stuck in the snow easily, even with chains on, so after that I vowed to buy a 4WD and have had ever since, just takes the hassle and worry out of driving in the snow. Places like Niigata, Toyama, Ishikawa where they gets bucket loads of snow tend to bulldoze the roads more so than such as Minakami in Gunma where they get lots of snow but not Niigata heavy. I have been to Minakami and those areas many times in winter and a lot of the smaller roads and roads leading up to the hotels and resorts have had 20+ cm's of snow on them. Here in Yamanashi is the same, on the few occasions that is does snow heavy, they dont bulldoze the roads at all, I have driven through 30+ cm's of snow before, so would be easy to get stuck with 2WD. The other day when I went to Toyama, the roads where bulldozed but they had hard compacted snow on them and quite deep around the villages, I think a 2WD would have struggled to get up the hills there. Depends on where you live or where you are traveliing to as to whether or not a 2WD is sufficient. Link to post Share on other sites
mina2 6 Posted January 13, 2012 Share Posted January 13, 2012 I have a few friends round here that don't have 4WD and have found themselves in a few hairy situations from time to time. But they don't usual go to skijo. I wouldn't like to be driving up to Tenjin or some places when the roads are icy without 4WD. Link to post Share on other sites
stemik 14 Posted January 13, 2012 Share Posted January 13, 2012 I am very surprised the taxi drivers here in Hakuba only drive 2WD Link to post Share on other sites
dyna8800 3 Posted January 13, 2012 Share Posted January 13, 2012 "A bag of kitty litter" ?? Alternatively you can use sand or gravel. My sister has a 100 lb. bag of sand in the back, not only to give extra traction to the rear wheels of the truck, but to use if she gets stuck, just as yamabushi suggested. Link to post Share on other sites
Tubby Beaver 209 Posted January 14, 2012 Share Posted January 14, 2012 I am very surprised the taxi drivers here in Hakuba only drive 2WD they don't hang around either!! Rallying round the snow-canyon like roads! Link to post Share on other sites
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