Okay, the trains are amazing, and the buses are frequent and spotless. But maximizing your Japanese experience should take you beyond the well-trodden Golden Route. Renting a car offers an unparalleled passport to Japan's hidden soul: remote mountain villages, secluded coastal towns, and landscapes that remain invisible to the typical traveler.
But perhaps you hesitate: rental logistics can be complex, the details daunting, the language barrier particularly frustrating in the rental car context. And then, unless you hail from Australia, England, India, Thailand, South Africa, or Singapore and are already familiar with driving on the left, there is the whole wrong-side-of-the-road thing.
Three Rules and Off You Go
Let’s deal with this issue first: You ask yourself, “Can I really master this challenge without wrapping us around a tree?”
The answer is yes. Transiting to left-side driving is remarkably easy, and after a few miles, the worst annoyance you’ll encounter is repeatedly switching on the wipers when trying to signal a turn. There really are only three fundamental rules:
Always keep the white line on your right side.
Be careful planning and executing turns because habit may lead you into the wrong lane. Turn slowly and deliberately; following another turning car can help you stay in the correct lane.
Drive during daylight hours if you can; nighttime driving can deprive you of valuable anticipation time and confuse you with signage.
Be forewarned that, particularly in mountainous areas, you are going to encounter a lot of tunnels, viaducts, and bridges, which can be a little daunting. Fear not: tunnels are well lit and the roadways are excellent.
That’s basically it. Relax, drive slowly (easy because Japanese speed limits are low), and enjoy the view as you journey along major highways or even narrow country roads out to novel locations. You will soon get the hang of it. Japanese drivers are polite and obey traffic laws, so you should too. Driving in Japan is easy.
But Before That…
The actual process of renting a car—especially through major vendors like Toyota, Budget, Nippon or Nissan—is pretty easy, especially since the major companies have English language sites. Your first challenge is to make sure you obtain the necessary licenses and approvals in your home country that you’ll need to rent that car in Japan―and remember to bring them with you when it’s time to travel.
International Driving Permit (IDP)
Most visitors will need an IDP issued in their home country under the September 19, 1949, Geneva Convention on road traffic.
In the United States and Australia, IDPs are issued by AAA. In other countries, clubs associated with AAA can issue IDPs. In Canada, the CAA issues them. In other countries, an official agent must issue the IDP. For example, in Spain, the IDP is issued by the Dirección General de Tráfico Provincial. Do your research and get it right.
You don't need to be a member of AAA to obtain an IDP.
IDPs issued via the internet are not valid in Japan.
Japanese Translation of Driver's License
Holders of driver's licenses from certain countries can drive with a Japanese translation of their license instead of an IDP. This applies to:
Switzerland
Germany
France
Belgium
Monaco
Taiwan
For these countries, you'll need both your original license and its Japanese translation when you step up to the rental counter.
To obtain a Japanese translation of your license, you can visit a Japan Automobile Federation (JAF) office or apply online.
Important
When renting, your IDP or translated license must be accompanied by your original, valid driver's license from your home country.
Finding the Best Car Rental Deals
When searching for a car rental in Japan, online platforms like Tabirai and ToCoo! offer convenient comparison services similar to Kayak or Europcar. These sites allow you to view available vehicles from major Japanese rental companies and compare rates across different locations.
Pro Tip: Always take the extra step to check individual company websites directly. Some rental agencies offer special rates or programs that might not be visible on comparison sites. Booking directly may help you avoid hefty fees, such as one-way drop-off charges. We rented in Kyushu (Kagoshima to Beppu) and enjoyed a reduced drop-off fee by directly booking through Nippon’s website.
Navigating Rental Car Insurance in Japan
Insurance is crucial when renting a car in Japan. Foreigners should be particularly cautious, as accident liability often defaults to the foreign driver. Take these essential insurance factors into account:
Most Japanese rental car plans include mandatory insurance coverage by law.
Credit card-based insurance may not always be applicable in Japan. Some credit cards explicitly exclude coverage in Japan, so verify your specific card's policy before relying on it.
Collision Damage Waiver (CDW) can help reduce your financial risk in case of an accident.
By carefully comparing rates and understanding insurance options, you can ensure a smoother and more secure car rental experience in Japan. For more detailed insurance information, see ToCoo! Insurance Guide.
The Choice is Yours
All major rental companies stock a variety of car brands, styles and sizes, and they are new, clean, and well-maintained. In recent years, Japan has experienced a huge shift to boxy, upright little cars that resemble refrigerators. The larger of these (by Toyota, Honda, Daihatsu, and Nissan) look a little silly, but they drive well, are comfortable and well-equipped, and have enough power to get out of their own way.
We recently rented a Suzuki Solio Bandit that was roomy and quite pleasant to drive. Even if you are extremely price-sensitive, we recommend that you avoid the tiny Kei cars that now flood the roads of Japan. These are the smallest vehicles legal for use on expressways (Japan has an astonishing array of even weirder, tinier vehicles that are for local use only). For taxation reasons, Kei cars are limited to 650cc engines and about 60 horsepower; they are slow, cramped and tinny, although incredibly fuel-efficient.
Gas is expensive in Japan—currently more than 170 yen per liter—so fuel mileage may be a serious factor. To tell one kind of square white box from another, note that Kei cars have yellow license plates; larger cars have white plates.
All About ETC
ETC is the abbreviation for Electronic Toll Collection system. ETC allows drivers to automatically pay tolls on toll roads. It looks like a little credit card that, if you order it, your rental company inserts into a device in your car. This can be an enormous time and hassle saver, saving you from having to understand Japanese, have cash available for tolls, or stop your car at toll booths. At the end of your rental, the company uses a card reader to determine the total toll charges you owe.
GPS Hints and Highway Speed Limits
Like everywhere else, GPS is invaluable in Japan, and all rental cars have monitors—but many of them are programmed in Japanese only. Be sure you have Google Maps loaded on your phone or device to serve as your GPS. Remember that Google Maps sucks a lot of juice, so have an in-car charger with you that fits into the car’s charging port or auxiliary power outlet (formerly called the cigarette lighter).
The speed limit on Japanese highways and toll roads is 100 kilometers per hour — about 60 miles per hour, and most Japanese drivers adhere to the limit. You may be tempted to hammer your mobile refrigerator to save time, but you will find that you are bucking the general tide of traffic. Best advice: stay cool, drive the limit, and enjoy the views. Local roads and towns may have lower speed limits, which will be clearly marked. Japanese road signs are clear and up-to-date, and most major ones are now written in both Japanese and English.
Oh, About Gassing Up…
In Japan, most gas stations are still full-service, meaning that attendants will fill up your tank, clean your windshield, and, if asked, check your tire pressures or oil level. When you pull into a full-service station, an attendant will direct you to a pump and ask you what kind of fuel you want “regular” or “hi-oku” (premium). They’ll also ask you whether you want a full tank “mantan” or a specific amount. You usually remain in your car during fueling, and the attendant will handle payment once you’ve filled up.
However, self-service stations are becoming more common, especially in urban areas. At these stations, you fill your tank yourself, and instructions are often available only in Japanese with pictograms to guide you.
An increasing number of stations now have an English language option on the payment terminals, but beware: even the English language terminals may not accept U.S. credit cards, and it can be confusing to figure out how to feed cash into them. Keep your translator app handy, and don’t hesitate to collar a nearby passerby and ask for a little help with navigating these modern pumps.
If you're not fluent in Japanese, a full-service station may be more convenient. Look for the signage:
Full-Service: Often says "フルサービス" (furusabisu).
Self-Service: Displays "セルフ" (serufu)
Remember that in Japan, fuel is measured in liters, not gallons. Also, things can get a bit sketchy when refueling in rural areas. For example, we got into a jam when our rental car ran low on Iki Island. The only station we could find was totally unmanned, and it did not accept American credit cards. Until a friendly soul finally helped us out, we could not figure out how to put cash into the automated payment terminal.
When driving in less-traveled areas, our advice is to fill up early and often and to keep your fuel gauge above the half-way level. Driving in Japan is wonderful, but not when you’re worried about whether you’re going to be stranded in the boonies. The good news is that gas stations often close late at night, except for those on major highways, which are open 24/7.
With all this said…
Happy travels!