Even for longtime Hokkaido residents, driving in winter on snowy, icy roads can be frightening. This is true for cars, and even more so for motorcycles. But there are people who ride their motorcycles without a day off, even in heavy snow or blizzards: the postal workers.

Are their bikes special? Are their driving skills incredible? We'll uncover the answers to these simple questions about how Hokkaido's postal workers ride their motorcycles.

We Visited a Post Office to Uncover the Mystery

A long line of postal bikes. What a sight!

To find out how they can ride their motorcycles on snowy roads every day, we visited the Sapporo Minami Post Office in Sapporo's Minami Ward. Its delivery area covers all of Minami Ward except for the Jozankei district. It's a vast area, stretching from the urban center around Makomanai Station to mountainous regions that include Koganeyu Onsen and Takino Suzuran Hillside Park.

We spoke with Yuta Mori, an employee at the Sapporo Minami Post Office. He taught us about the realities of riding a postal bike in a snowy region. The first thing we were curious about was the bike's construction. What kind of features are unique to these snow-country bikes?

Mr. Mori, a mail carrier for six years.

Postal Bike Secret #1: The Tires

Tire performance is crucial for driving.

There are three major differences between Hokkaido's postal bikes and standard motorcycles. The first is an essential measure for driving in a snowy region.

In Hokkaido, it's standard practice to switch car tires to studless winter tires for the season. You'd think it would be the same for motorcycles.

Since two-wheeled vehicles are less stable than four-wheeled ones, studded tires, which offer more reliable grip, provide greater peace of mind. The timing for changing tires varies slightly depending on the post office's location. The Sapporo Minami Post Office's delivery area includes mountainous regions with long periods of snowfall, so they typically use studded tires from late October until just before the Golden Week holidays in early May.

Postal Bike Secret #2: The Heater

It has a hood for winter, and what's more...?!

The second secret is a measure against the cold. Mr. Mori told us something surprising.

He turned on the heater switch for us.

Amazingly, the handlebars are heated. What's more, they also have a hood, so even in the severe cold of midwinter, your hands stay surprisingly warm and toasty. The hood is detachable and is installed around the same time the tires are changed.

These heated postal bikes are apparently also used in other snowy regions of Japan besides Hokkaido.

Postal Bike Secret #3: The Reflectors

The long, orange-ish parts are the reflectors.

The third secret is a safety feature. Mr. Mori showed us the back of the bike.

Two reflectors are attached to prevent rear-end collisions. Thanks to these, it's easier to alert following vehicles to the bike's presence, even on dark nights or during whiteout blizzards, which helps prevent traffic accidents. This seems like a good idea not just for snowy regions, but for everywhere in the country.