Can You Drive to Hokkaido Jingu for Hatsumode? Parking, Crowds, and Where to Park and Walk [2027]

Hokkaido Jingu Shrine does have parking for hatsumode (the first shrine visit of the New Year). But capacity is small: 100 spaces at the Kita 1-jo parking lot, 80 at the Minami 1-jo parking lot, and 300 at the Maruyama Park No. 1 parking lot (January 1–3 only). The shrine itself urges visitors: “Hokkaido Jingu’s parking lots are small and crowded, so please use public transportation” (confirmed October 14, 2026, from the December 2025 traffic restriction notice). We do not recommend driving a rented campervan there over the New Year.

The traffic restrictions and parking guidance for 2026-27 (hatsumode in 2027) had not appeared on the official site as of October 14, 2026. This article lays out, with the year attached, the guidance the shrine issued for the previous New Year period (December 2025 to January 2026), so campervan travelers can decide where to park and how to visit. Once the new notice is published, check the shrine’s official site.

Have the 2027 hatsumode parking and traffic restrictions been announced yet?

Not yet. As of October 14, 2026, the newest hatsumode items in the news section of the Hokkaido Jingu official site are still the December 2025 “Hatsumode traffic restriction notice” and “Guide to the visitor route.” These are normally posted from early to mid December: in 2025, the “Notice on visiting during the January 2026 New Year period” came out on December 9 and the traffic restriction notice on December 16 (Hokkaido Jingu official site, confirmed October 14, 2026).

The figures below are actuals for December 31, 2025 through January 2026 (the 2025-26 season). 2026-27 may differ. Times and capacities can change, so reopen the official site once December arrives.

How do parking, restrictions, and gate times differ day by day over the New Year?

Here is the overview first. The figures in the table are 2025-26 actuals. The sources are the shrine’s official Hatsumode traffic restriction notice (PDF), Notice on changes to gate closing times during the New Year period, and Notice on visiting during the January 2026 New Year period, all confirmed on October 14, 2026.

Day (2025-26)	Gates open – gates close	Traffic restrictions	Parking
December 31	7:00–17:00	Restrictions start at 23:00	Parking fee (called a “seiri-ryo”) of ¥500 (up to 2 hours) from after the gates close
January 1	0:00–18:00	Restrictions until 18:00 (sections with road closures, one-way traffic, and no stopping or parking are shown on a map)	Seiri-ryo of ¥500 (up to 2 hours, then ¥500 per additional hour)
January 2–3	6:00–18:00	8:00–18:00 one-way restricted sections	Same as above. Maruyama Park No. 1 parking lot (300 spaces) is open January 1–3
January 4	6:00–16:00	8:00–18:00 one-way restricted sections	Same as above
January 5–7	6:00–16:00	Restrictions are listed only through January 4	Seiri-ryo applies through January 7

Until what day and time do the traffic restrictions last?

In the shrine’s 2025-26 notice, the restrictions ran “between December 31 and January 4.” In detail: from 23:00 on December 31 to 18:00 on January 1, a combination of road closures, one-way traffic, and no stopping or parking; and from 8:00 to 18:00 on January 2–4, one-way restricted sections (traffic restriction notice, confirmed October 14, 2026). The sections are shown on a map and include the area around Kita 1-jo-dori and Sanroku-dori.

The same document says, “Restriction times may change depending on traffic conditions” and “Please follow the instructions of police officers and security staff on site.” The shrine’s map is the surest way to see the latest restricted sections. We could not retrieve individual pages from the City of Sapporo or the Hokkaido Prefectural Police for this check.

How many parking spaces does the shrine have, and how much does it cost?

The official traffic restriction map shows three paid parking lots: Kita 1-jo parking lot with 100 spaces, Minami 1-jo parking lot with 80, and Maruyama Park No. 1 parking lot with 300 (January 1–3). From after the gates close on December 31 through January 7, the parking fee (a “seiri-ryo”) is ¥500 per vehicle for up to 2 hours, then ¥500 for each additional hour. The payment machines do not accept bills other than ¥1,000 notes, and a lost parking ticket costs ¥5,000, according to the notices (January 2026 New Year period notice, visitor route and parking fee notice, confirmed October 14, 2026).

The Minami 1-jo parking lot has an entry restriction for “tour buses”: they could not enter from after the gates closed on December 31, 2025 through January 14, 2026, among other dates, and no alternative parking was offered (Notice on entry restrictions for tour buses at the Minami 1-jo parking lot, confirmed October 14, 2026). Before going in a large vehicle, call the shrine (011-611-0261, as listed in the official notice) before going in a large vehicle.

Does the official site say which days and times are crowded?

What the official materials show is that restrictions and the parking fee run from December 31 through January 4 and January 7, centered on New Year’s Day; that the gates open from 0:00 on January 1; and that gates close late, at 18:00, on January 1–3, but early, at 16:00, from January 4.

To turn this into action, plan on cars moving slowly during the restricted hours (8:00–18:00 on January 2–4) and during the daytime on New Year’s Day. The gates open at 6:00 from January 2, so if you go early by public transportation, you can finish your visit before the restrictions begin.

How can I combine the subway and the bus most easily?

The shrine’s official access guide gives two routes: a 15-minute walk from Maruyama Koen Station on the Tozai Line subway, or a 1-minute walk from the “Hokkaido Jingu” stop of the JR Hokkaido Bus. From JR Sapporo Station, take the subway to Odori Station and transfer to the Tozai Line (Access and grounds guide, confirmed October 14, 2026).

On New Year’s Day 2025-26, JR Hokkaido Bus ran from Maruyama Koen Station to Jingu-mae between 9:07 and 16:55, and Bankei Bus between 8:40 and 18:40. Both leave from Platform 4 of the Maruyama Bus Terminal. The subway ran the weekend/holiday timetable from December 29 to January 3 (the shrine’s visitor route notice, confirmed October 14, 2026). The Sapporo City Transportation Bureau’s 2024-25 guide also used the Saturday/Sunday/holiday timetable for the same period (Sapporo City Transportation Bureau, confirmed October 14, 2026). The 2026-27 timetable has not been announced.

Taxis can use the Jingu taxi stand at the Kita 1-jo parking lot from December 31 to January 4. The shrine says that taxis can enter without queuing via the taxi-only lane at the entrance of the Kita 1-jo parking lot.

Where should I park a campervan and how do I get to the shrine?

The approach for driving a large vehicle into central Sapporo is the same as for the Snow Festival: leave the vehicle at a base on the outskirts and commute by subway or bus. For concrete tips on the Snow Festival, see Sapporo Snow Festival by campervan: a parking guide. To find a place to stay overnight, browse RV parks in Sapporo. Winter operation and booking conditions differ by facility, so check with each one before booking to see whether it is available over the New Year.

For height and width cautions when driving in the city, see the campervan parking and navigation guide. If you are still deciding where to rent, Sapporo campervan rental comparison is the place to start.

Over the New Year, you may also be driving on New Year’s Day. The fewer vehicles that drive within the restrictions, the safer it is. The shrine’s materials say “Do not drink and drive, do not let others drink and drive, and do not tolerate drunk driving.” On days when you plan to have omiki (sacred sake) or a New Year party, planning not to move the vehicle keeps things simple.

What time do the gates open and close at New Year?

Day (2025-26)	Gates open	Amulet and charm counter opens	Gates close
December 31	7:00	9:00	17:00
January 1	0:00	0:00	18:00
January 2–3	6:00	6:30	18:00
January 4–7	6:00	7:00	16:00
January 8 onward	7:00	9:00	16:00

The text of the official page also gives the amulet and charm counter times: from 6:30 on January 2–3 and from 7:00 on January 4–7. With the change in December 2025, closing time on New Year’s Eve moved earlier from 18:00 to 17:00, and on New Year’s Day from 19:00 to 18:00. These differ from the times in articles from a few years ago or older notices, so check the latest official information.

The Hokkaido Jingu Festival (Sapporo Festival) is a separate event held in June. We cover how to get around for it in Going to the Hokkaido Jingu Festival by campervan.

What should I check before departing?

• Once December arrives, check the shrine’s official site for the 2026-27 “Hatsumode traffic restriction notice” and the gate opening and closing times
• Call the shrine to ask whether there is a parking lot a campervan can enter
• Plan to leave the vehicle at an RV park or similar in Sapporo or nearby, and walk from Maruyama Koen Station on the Tozai Line subway
• Set your outbound and return times assuming the 9:07 first bus on New Year’s Day (2025-26 actual) and the subway’s weekend/holiday timetable
• Prepare a plan to finish your visit before the restricted hours (in 2025-26, 8:00–18:00 on January 2–4)
• For cold-weather preparation, see the article on temperatures and clothing (Hokkaido temperatures and what to wear over the New Year holiday)

Pages to read next

• Hokkaido New Year campervan travel guide
• RV parks in Sapporo
• Can you drive around Hokkaido in winter? Model courses from New Chitose Airport
• Hokkaido temperatures and what to wear over the New Year holiday
• Sapporo Snow Festival by campervan: a parking guide