Congestion prediction on Expressway during Golden Week
[NEXCO EAST version]

The peak of Out-bound travel is up to 40km on Tohoku Expressway on the morning of May 3rd, and the peak of In-bound travel is up to 40km on the Kanetsu Kan-Etsu Expressway in the evening of May 5th.

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  • Congestion prediction on Expressway during Golden Week [NEXCO EAST version]

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March 27 2024
East Nippon Expressway Co., Ltd.

NEXCO EAST (Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo) announces the traffic congestion forecast (concentrated traffic congestion of 10 km or more) on Expressway for the Golden Week period [2024 Friday, April 26 to Monday, May 6: 11 days].
Holiday discounts will not apply during Golden Week. We ask for your cooperation in avoiding congested days and times and in "spreading out" your use of the service.

Out-bound

  • Traffic jams occur mainly in the morning
  • Be especially careful on May 3rd (Friday) and May 4th (Saturday)!
  • Biggest traffic jam:
    Peaking at 8:00 on Friday, May 3rd,
    40km starting near Hanyu PA on Tohoku Expressway
  • Number of traffic jams of 10 km or more: 46 times
An image of the number of traffic jams of 10 km or more in Out-bound direction

In-bound direction

  • Traffic jams occur mainly from evening to night
  • Be especially careful on May 4th (Saturday) and May 5th (Sunday)!
  • Biggest traffic jam:
    Peak at 16:00 on Sunday, May 5th,
    40km starting near Kanetsu Kan-Etsu Expressway Takasaka SA
  • Number of traffic jams over 10km: 79 times
An image of the number of traffic jams of 10 km or more in In-bound direction

For details on traffic jams with a maximum length of 20km or more, please see the attached document [PDF: 84KB].

Comparison of number of traffic jams with last year's Golden Week period (in our jurisdiction)

The number of traffic jams this year is expected to increase compared to last year, as there were many people refraining from going out during Golden Week last year (Reiwa 5) due to stormy weather.

Traffic jam scale 2024
4/26 (Fri) - 5/6 (Mon)
Reiwa 5 traffic congestion record *
April 27th (Thursday) - May 7th (Sunday)
10km or more 125 times 97 times
  • The number of traffic jams in 2025 includes traffic jams caused by accidents, etc.

About traffic congestion season special site/traffic forecast guide

NEXCO EAST 's customer website `` DraPla'' has a special site for traffic congestion periods. In addition to posting traffic jam forecast guides, ``traffic forecasters'' from each Regional Head Office in Hokkaido, Tohoku, Kanto, and Niigata provide video explanations of points for avoiding traffic jams. Please note that the traffic jam forecast guide will also be distributed in booklet form at each rest facility, so please make use of it.

NEXCO EAST official Image image of traffic jam forecast guide by traffic jam forecaster
Congestion forecast guide GW version image

What is the main cause of traffic congestion?

NEXCO EAST Regional Head Office 8th generation traffic forecaster Yuta Tanaka
NEXCO EAST Kanto Regional Head Office
Eighth generation traffic forecaster
Yuta Tanaka (Yuta Tanaka)
  • Most of the congestion caused by concentrated traffic on Expressway occurs due to sag.
    Image of what is sag
  • NEXCO EAST is currently installing traffic congestion point signs at Sag, which is a major traffic jam point. To prevent traffic jams, please be careful to slow down if you see this sign.
Image of traffic jam point sign

Holiday discounts are not applied during Golden Week.

To avoid increased traffic congestion, holiday discounts will not be applied during this period. Please see below for details.

Image link (external link) to download page of Adobe Acrobat Reader

To view the PDF file, you need the Adobe Systems plug-in software "Acrobat Reader (Japanese version)". If you do not have​​​ Download from here (free)Please use it.