Who can buy the Hokkaido Expressway Pass?

Visitors to Japan with a non-Japanese passport. NEXCO East says Japanese nationals with permanent residency abroad also qualify. You need to show a non-Japanese passport or a similar document.

Where do I buy the Hokkaido Expressway Pass?

Through a participating rental car company, together with your rental car. You also need to rent an ETC card from the same company.

Can I pay expressway tolls in cash?

Yes. Use a general (一般) lane. NEXCO East says cash payments must be in Japanese yen.

What happens if I enter an ETC lane without an ETC card?

The gate bar will not open. Stop, turn on your hazard lights if you are at an exit, and wait for staff. Never reverse.

Japan expressways, ETC cards and the Hokkaido Expressway Pass

Japanese expressways charge tolls. If your rental car has an ETC card in it, you pay automatically by driving slowly through an ETC lane. In Hokkaido, visitors can buy the Hokkaido Expressway Pass, which allows unlimited use of Hokkaido’s expressways for a flat price. You buy it with your rental car and also need to rent an ETC card.

How do expressway tolls work?

You pay a toll for the sections you use. There are two kinds of toll lanes:

Lane sign	Who uses it	How you pay
ETC	Cars with an ETC card inserted in the on-board unit	Automatically, without stopping
一般 (general)	Cars without ETC	Take a ticket at the entrance, then pay at the exit

Source: NEXCO East; NEXCO Central (checked on 23 October 2026)

At general lanes, NEXCO East says cash must be in Japanese yen. NEXCO Central also accepts the credit cards listed on its website.

How do I drive through an ETC lane?

Make sure the ETC card is firmly inserted in the car’s ETC unit before you set off.
Slow down to less than 20 km/h before you enter the ETC lane, and drive through slowly.
If the bar does not open, stop. Never reverse. At an exit, turn on your hazard lights and wait for staff.

Source: NEXCO East; NEXCO Central (checked on 23 October 2026)

If you forgot to insert the card at an entrance, NEXCO East says to take a ticket from the machine and use a general lane instead.

What is the Hokkaido Expressway Pass?

The Hokkaido Expressway Pass (HEP) is a flat-price pass for visitors. It allows unlimited use of Hokkaido’s expressways for the period of your car rental.

Who can use it: visitors to Japan with a non-Japanese passport. Japanese nationals with permanent residency abroad also qualify.
How to buy it: through a participating rental car company, together with your car.
What else you need: an ETC card rented with the car. The pass price does not include the car or the ETC card.

Source: NEXCO East (Drive Plaza) (checked on 23 October 2026)

How much does the Hokkaido Expressway Pass cost?

Rental days	Kei car	Standard car and larger
2–4 days	¥6,200	¥7,700
5 days	¥7,700	¥9,600
7 days	¥10,800	¥13,500
10 days	¥15,400	¥19,200
14 days	¥21,600	¥27,000

Source: Nippon Rent-A-Car, Expressway Pass price table; NEXCO East (checked on 23 October 2026). Prices for other numbers of days are on the rental company's page.

At Nippon Rent-A-Car, the pass must cover the whole rental period, cannot be extended, and is not refunded if you return the car early. Other companies may set their own conditions, so check when you book.

Is the pass worth it?

Compare the pass with the tolls for your planned route. For example, NEXCO East lists the normal one-way toll for a standard car from New Chitose Airport to Asahikawa as ¥4,810, and to Hakodate as ¥5,530. If you plan one long drive like this and back, a 2–4 day pass at ¥7,700 is cheaper.

Source: NEXCO East (Drive Plaza), Hokkaido Expressway Pass (checked on 23 October 2026)

Passes in other regions

NEXCO East also sells a Tohoku Expressway Pass for northern Honshu, and NEXCO Central lists passes for central Japan. Availability and prices change, so check the operator’s page before you travel.