Traffic congestion forecast for Expressway during the Obon period [Tohoku region edition]
~ Out-bound will be up to 10km on Tohoku Expressway around noon on August 8th, and In-bound will be up to 15km on Tohoku Expressway around noon on August 15th~
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- Traffic congestion forecast for Expressway during the Obon period [Tohoku region edition]
The latest regulatory information isDraTraPlease see.
July 17, 2020
East Nippon Expressway Co., Ltd.
Tohoku Regional Head Office
NEXCO EAST Tohoku Regional Head Office (Miyagino-ku, Sendai City) is announcing its Expressway congestion forecast (traffic congestion of 5km or more) for expressways in the Tohoku region during the Obon period [August 7th (Fri) to August 16th (Sun), 2026: 10 days].
To alleviate traffic congestion, we ask for your cooperation in "distributing usage" by avoiding crowded days and times.
Additionally, there have been incidents of vehicles driving the wrong way on Expressway. Driving the wrong way is a life-threatening act. Please check your direction of travel and drive safely.
1. 1. Congestion forecast
On Expressway in the Tohoku region, we predict a total of eight traffic jams exceeding 5km in length: four on Out-bound lanes and four on the In-bound lanes.
Forecasting the longest traffic jam in the Tohoku region
[Details of the traffic congestion forecast are provided in Attachment 1 [PDF: 258KB]and Attachment 2 [PDF: 348KB].]
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Out-bound line:August 8th (Sat), 9th (Sun), 13th (Thu)
E4 Near the Fukushima Tunnel Tohoku Expressway
(Nihonmatsu IC ⇒ Fukushima Nishi IC) Maximum 10km -
In-bound line:Saturday, August 15th
E4 Near the Fukushima Tunnel Tohoku Expressway
(Fukushima Iizaka IC ⇒ Fukushima Matsukawa PA) Maximum 15km
Comparison of traffic congestion levels during the Obon period in 2026 and the same period in 2025.
| Traffic jam scale | Traffic congestion forecast for 2026: August 7th (Fri) - August 16th (Sun) | Traffic congestion data for 2025: August 8th (Fri) - August 17th (Sun) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Traffic jam prediction count | Total traffic count | Number of traffic jams due to traffic congestion * | |
| 5km or more | 8 | 13 | 4 |
* "Number of traffic jams due to traffic congestion" refers to the number of traffic jams excluding the effects of accidents, etc.
2. Information on special website for traffic congestion season, traffic jam forecast guide, etc.
The customer website "DraPla" has set up a special site for traffic congestion periods. It provides a traffic congestion forecast guide and videos explaining tips for avoiding traffic congestion.
In addition, information about Expressway is also provided through the official LINE account and the official X account, so please make use of it when you go out.
- Special site for traffic congestion period
- Drive Traffic (DraTra)
- LINE official account “NEXCO EAST ”
(@e-nexco) - X official account “NEXCO EAST (Tohoku)” (@e_nexco_tohoku)
- Road traffic information Now!!
(*Japan Road Traffic Information Center website)
3. Request to customers to drive safely and alleviate traffic congestion
When using Expressway, please review Appendix 3 [PDF: 432KB] of "Requests for Using Expressway" before departure to ensure the safe driving of all drivers and passengers.
4. Eliminate wrong-way driving –Expressway are one-way streets –
To avoid serious accidents caused by driving the wrong way, please be aware of the following:
- Please pay close attention to regulatory signs, guide signs, and road markings, and drive in the correct direction.
- U-turns and backing up on Expressway are strictly prohibited.
- If you hear or see information about wrong-way driving, slow down, maintain a sufficient distance, and keep a close eye on the movements of the vehicle ahead.
Please see below for details.
5. Holiday discounts will not be applied during the Obon period.
To avoid increased traffic congestion, holiday discounts will not be applied during this period. Please see below for details.
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.
Related Sites and Content
If you are looking for information on fares, routes, service areas and parking areas, please click here.
If you are looking for real-time traffic congestion and restriction information, click here.
NEXCO EAST (Road Disaster Prevention Information) Official X
Click here if you are looking for road information such as road closures during disasters.