Traffic Suggestion--STOP at Stop Signs
The easiest way to move around Hokkaido is by rental car. Fun, super flexible, a great trip.
A very important part of driving in another country is knowing the local traffic signs. The "STOP" sign, for example, would be a good one to know, right?
Unfortunately, a recurring problem here in Japan is that the Japanese "STOP" sign is a different shape than in most countries. Instead of the octagon used in most countries, it is a red triangle. This is often used as "Yield" or "Give Way" in many countries, so many people assume that's what it means. Not so. Even though it's full red, says "STOP" in kanji and often English, and is hanging right in front of the driver with flashing red lights in key intersections, I have seen many rental cars just drive straight through stop signs without even slowing down. This causes some serious accidents, as you can imagine.
So, as a public service, here are the current versions of the Japanese stop sign. Study them. Learn them. And please stop at the appropriate place. The older versions have only kanji. A slight hindrance, but the shape and color are the important part. Red triangle means Stop. The newer versions have "STOP" written in English along with the kanji. No excuse to not understand.
See you in Furano.