Renting a car in Japan: prices, agencies, pitfalls to avoid
· 6 min read
The documents every rental company requires
Three documents, no exceptions: your original driving licence, its official JAF translation and your passport. Without the JAF translation, no serious agency will hand you the keys — it's a legal requirement, not an option. Plan ahead: order your translation before departure.
Which agency to choose?
Toyota Rent a Car (the largest network), Nippon Rent-A-Car, Times Car Rental, Orix and Nissan Rent a Car cover the whole country with high quality standards. Local comparison sites like ToCoo! or Rakuten Travel often beat international booking sites on price.
How much does it cost?
Expect roughly ¥6,000–10,000 per day for a city car (kei or compact), ¥10,000–15,000 for an estate or small SUV. Add optional insurance (about ¥1,000–2,000/day, strongly recommended) and the ETC card for expressway tolls.
Pitfalls to avoid
Returning the car without a full tank (penalty), underestimating tolls (Tokyo–Kyoto ≈ ¥10,000), forgetting that the GPS may be Japanese-only (request English at booking, or use your phone), and above all showing up at the counter without a JAF translation. That last one ruins holidays every single week — don't be that traveller.