Japan Central Alps · October 2026
Japan signs in Japanese, with almost no English outside the expressways. These are the ones that actually change what you do.
Stop and slow — both are red triangles
止まれ
tomare
STOP. A full stop, wheels stationary. Enforced hard.
徐行
jokō
Slow — walking pace, ready to stop. Common on mountain roads.
進入禁止
shinnyū kinshi
Do not enter — you are facing a one-way street.
車両通行止め
sharyō tsūkōdome
Closed to all vehicles. Often seasonal on high passes.
二輪車通行止め
nirinsha tsūkōdome
No motorcycles. Red ring means prohibited — there is no diagonal slash.
Entrance and exit
入口
iriguchi
Entrance — the on-ramp onto an expressway, or the way in to a car park or service area. Usually paired with the interchange name.
出口
deguchi
Exit. On expressways it appears well ahead with the distance, then again at the off-ramp. Watch for it — miss one and the next is often far off.
Regulatory — blue means instruction, red ring means prohibition
最高速度
saikō sokudo
Speed limit in km/h. Numerals are blue, not black.
一方通行
ippō tsūkō
One way, in the direction of the arrow.
駐車禁止
chūsha kinshi
No parking. Two diagonals means no stopping at all.
国道
kokudō
National route marker — riders call it the onigiri. R292 is your Shibu Pass road.
Warning — yellow diamonds, all of these appear on your route
落石注意
rakuseki chūi
Falling rocks. Common after rain on the volcano roads.
連続カーブ
renzoku kābu
Continuous curves ahead.
すべりやすい
suberiyasui
Slippery when wet. Sulphur deposits near Shirane make this real.
動物注意
dōbutsu chūi
Animals. Deer and monkeys on the Nikkō and Shiga Kōgen roads at dusk.
Expressway services and rest stops
サービスエリア
sābisu eria
Service area. Fuel, hot food, shop, toilets — and almost always a marked motorcycle bay. Roughly every 50 km (30 mi).
パーキングエリア
pākingu eria
Parking area. Smaller — toilets, vending machines, sometimes a kiosk. Every 15 km or so, and often no fuel.
ETC専用
ETC senyō
Purple lane at a tollgate is ETC only. Green lanes are staffed. Approach slowly — the barrier lifts late.
道の駅
michi-no-eki
Roadside station on ordinary roads. Toilets, local food, and the most reliable stop once you leave the expressway.