Although renting a car in Japan can be slightly expensive, traveling in Japan by car can be a very cheap way to travel Japan. It can also be a good way to see the country, get to the rural areas, and travel with families or pets… just remember which side of the road your supposed to be on!
There are a lot of places with car rentals in Japan. Your hotel, friends, or someone at the local train station can help you find a rental place. There are plenty of well-known international companies with offices in Japan, but the largest Japanese car rental company is Nippon Rent-a Car.
Some information for travelers from abroad is provided on the Nippon Rent-a-Car English language page.
Simply put, you can rent a car if you have a Japanese drivers license, an International Driving Permit, or a translation of your drivers license (if you are one of the countries lucky enough to be eligible for this). I am originally from the United States so I needed to get an International Driving Permit when I came to visit.
Renting a car in Japan works basically the same way as renting one in any other country. You will want a credit card and some identification. You should be sure that you are eligible to drive in Japan (the above-mentioned licensing), and check the price on the rental car company’s website. If you don’t speak Japanese, I recommend renting from the shop rather than by phone because it’s easier to communicate in person. You should definitely do your best to check out the charges on the internet before you go as well. The English site for Nippon Rent-a-Car above has some of the basic charges listed on a chart so you can get an idea of prices.
If you are traveling with a group of people, renting a car and driving around Japan can be a very very cheap way to travel. On weekends now, there are incredible discounts on highway tolls on weekends as part of the government’s efforts to stimulate the economy here. You can travel in Japan cheaply by driving, especially if you are traveling on Japanese national holidays or weekends.
Don’t be shy to ask at hotels or train stations to find out more about inexpensive places to rent cars, but when in doubt you can use the Nippon Rent-a-Car prices or international companies with which you are familiar as a guide.
Good luck! Hope to see you on the roads this year driving around in Japan and saving money on the outrageous train fares!
How much does a normal car sedan cost a day in Japan? 🙂
Something like a four door Toyota Corolla will be around 10,000 yen depending on the company and season. For a few thousand yen more you can also rent something like a hybrid. The light bodied “K” or “Kei” cars are a bit cheaper. I’ve seen them for about 8,000 yen per day. The rates I’m quoting as per diem are listed as “24hours” on Nippon Rent-a Car’s homepage in Japanese. There are also different courses, but they don’t vary by more than a few thousand yen.