[2025 Japan Car Rental Guide] Automobile Rental Firm Suggestions | Self-driving Course of

Japan is the preferred vacationer vacation spot for Hong Kong folks. Yearly, many vacationers select self-driving tours, freely shuttle between bustling downtown and exploring hidden secrets and techniques. So what must you take note of when renting a automobile in Japan? The best way to cope with traffic accidents? Kwiksure compiled a information for renting a automobile for a self-driving tour in Japan, together with the detailed rental course of, automobile rental firm suggestions, the best way to cope with site visitors accidents, and Japanese driving guidelines, that can assist you simply get pleasure from your self-driving journey.

Abroad automobile leases will need to have a global license plate

To lease a automobile in Japan, the driving force will need to have a global license. Vacationers who haven’t but utilized for a global driving allow can apply in particular person on the counter, by mail or on-line. Vacationers may select to make an appointment at an International Driving Permit Self-Service Kiosk, you may get a global license plate in as quick as one hour, and the worldwide license plate is legitimate for one 12 months. For detailed application procedures through different channels, please refer to the special topic on international license plates of Kwiksure.

When renting a automobile in Japan, along with the worldwide license plate, additionally, you will have to convey your journey passport, bank card, and authentic driver’s license. Some rental automobile corporations might require the driving force to carry a proper driver’s license for one 12 months or extra.

Japan Automobile Rental｜Level-of-care Rental Firm

Upon getting determined in your vacation spot, you can begin planning your self-driving tour route, together with the variety of days you’ll lease a automobile, the place you’ll decide up and return the automobile, and many others. When contemplating which Japanese automobile rental firm to patronize, you may contemplate the next 4 elements:

1. Enterprise scope of automobile rental corporations

If the rental automobile firm has sufficient branches, it will likely be simpler for the driving force to hunt assist and help. Massive rental automobile corporations often have enterprise protection all through Japan, whereas smaller rental automobile corporations solely present regional providers.

2. Variety of automobile fashions

If the automobile rental firm is opened by a Japanese automobile producer, it would solely present vehicles of its personal model, however the fashions might be extra full; whereas automobile rental corporations specializing in automobile rental enterprise can have a richer number of manufacturers to select from.

3. Automobile rental and different bills price range

The price of renting a automobile is affected by a number of elements, akin to:

• Time interval (whether or not it’s vacationer peak season)
• Area (extra distant areas typically have fewer vehicles in inventory)
• Automobile mannequin (the upper the mannequin, the upper the fee)
• Insurance coverage (relying on the kind of insurance coverage)

The next are provided by Japan Tourism Agency. Common worth reference for twenty-four hours with no mileage restrict:

Different frequent self-driving bills embrace:

• Gas value: Based mostly on Global Petrol Price. In line with the newest figures, the price of driving a automobile in Japan is about ¥174 per liter.
• Freeway charges: For some highways, you should buy a fixed-rate toll cross, which lets you use the freeway inside a selected vary limitless occasions inside a specified time period.
• Parking price: Parking charges are often greater in cities, whereas most suburban areas provide free parking. Additionally take note of whether or not the lodge will cost parking charges.

4. Service high quality and assist

Bigger automobile rental corporations can present extra complete assist, akin to:

• Present on-line or phone reserving providers, eliminating the trouble of prompt reserving
• Some corporations don’t cost extra charges if the delay is lower than one hour
• Employees can communicate completely different languages akin to Chinese language and English

Japan Automobile Rental | 5 Japanese Automobile Rental Corporations Advisable

Japan Automobile Rental | Self-driving Journey Insurance coverage Information

Obligatory Insurance coverage

Japanese regulation requires that each one vehicles on the highway should buy obligatory insurance coverage to guard legal responsibility compensation within the occasion of third-party damage or demise. Automobile rental corporations often present such a obligatory insurance coverage, together with compensation for third-party demise and damage, compensation for third-party property injury, automobile compensation, and compensation for passenger demise and damage.

Nonetheless, please word that even when the rental automobile firm has bought such a insurance coverage for you, within the occasion of an accident, the driving force nonetheless must pay the insurance coverage deductible to cowl the price of property loss to 3rd events and injury to the rental automobile, which is 50,000 yen every, with a most complete of 100,000 yen.

Collision Injury Waiver (CDW)

Drivers can select to buy this insurance coverage when renting a automobile. If CDW insurance coverage is bought individually when renting a automobile, the above deductible may be waived as much as a complete of 100,000 yen.

It is usually value mentioning that some Hong Kong journey insurance coverage insurance policies already cowl the deductible within the occasion of a automobile rental accident, so you may verify whether or not the journey insurance coverage you bought already covers this loss. If that’s the case, there isn’t a have to buy CDW.

Non-Operation Expenses (NOC)

After an accident, the driving force may additionally must pay compensation to the rental firm for the working losses attributable to not with the ability to lease out the automobile. Drivers can select to buy this insurance coverage when renting a automobile, which is able to exempt them from paying this quantity. Often, if the driving force can drive the automobile to a delegated rental retailer after an accident, they solely have to pay 20,000 yen in compensation; if they can’t drive the automobile themselves and have to name a tow truck, they should pay 50,000 yen.

Japan automobile rental | Japan self-driving tour automobile rental, pick-up and return course of

1. Hire a automobile

1. Determine in your vacation spot and route
2. Choose the automobile rental firm, pick-up and drop-off location, date and time
3. Choose automobile mannequin and extra providers
4. You should purchase insurance coverage as wanted
5. Fill within the driver’s data, contact quantity, fee methodology, and many others.
6. Affirm order and fee

2. Decide up your automobile

• It’s good to convey alongside while you decide up your automobile

• Reservation electronic mail affirmation
• Authentic passport, Hong Kong driver’s license and worldwide license plate
• bank card
• Rental automobile retailer membership card (if relevant)

• Rigorously learn the contents and laws of the automobile rental contract, such because the automobile return laws and gas varieties, and signal it solely after confirming it.
• Pay for automobile rental and extra insurance coverage prices (if any)

• Rigorously verify the situation of the automobile, akin to any indicators of collision or scratches, and make sure that the tires, headlights, water splashes, and anti-theft locks are functioning correctly. Take pictures and report them. Solely signal the ‘Car Injury Affirmation Type’ after understanding the situation of the automobile.
• Declare different drivers (if any) and perceive the best way to use the in-car tools. If you’re uncertain, ask the employees to exhibit
• Get supplier contact data and foreigner-specific driving indicators

Automobile rental add-ons

• ETC card: Most Japanese highways use ETC playing cards as a substitute of parking funds. Merely insert the ETC card into the automobile’s ETC machine and the automobile might be robotically charged when it passes via the toll sales space. Some freeway tolls will even be discounted, just like Hong Kong’s EasyPass.

• GPS: If you’re going to a distant space, GPS could also be extra handy than cellphone navigation. You’ll be able to lease a Chinese language GPS navigation system.

3. Return the automobile

• Refill the tank earlier than returning the automobile and preserve the receipt for the employees to substantiate.
• Return the automobile to the designated location on time and present the rental settlement and automobile keys
• Verify the situation of the automobile: take note of any scratches and take pictures for report
• Settle toll highway (ETC) charges: In case you lease an ETC, the freeway charges might be settled while you return the automobile

Automobile rental in Japan | What to do for those who encounter an accident?

Regardless of how cautious you might be when driving, there may be all the time an opportunity that you’re going to get right into a site visitors accident. Listed below are some recommendations on the best way to cope with an accident:

1. Keep calm

After an accident, don’t let panic take over; settle down as rapidly as attainable and deal with the state of affairs calmly.

2. Give precedence to serving to the injured

If somebody is injured in a site visitors accident, first rescue the injured. Transfer the injured to a secure place, such because the shoulder of the highway. If crucial, name 119 for an ambulance and supply first help as a lot as attainable.

3. Contact the police instantly

After serving to the injured, it’s best to name 110 to report the incident and ask the police to return to the scene. Nonetheless, please word that the native police might not perceive overseas languages, so you may attempt to discover close by passers-by for assist. If it includes emergency notification, public telephones may also be used freed from cost.

4. Contact the automobile rental firm and insurance coverage firm

After calling the emergency quantity, you’ll need to contact the automobile rental firm and the insurance coverage firm. The automobile rental firm will compensate and deal with the accident follow-up based on the phrases of the automobile rental contract. In case you have bought extra insurance coverage, additionally, you will have to contact the insurance coverage firm to report the incident and make a declare.

Japan Automobile Rental｜Should-Study Driving Guidelines to Keep away from Visitors Accidents

To keep away from site visitors accidents, along with driving rigorously, you need to even be accustomed to Japanese site visitors guidelines and site visitors indicators. Like Hong Kong, Japan has drivers on the suitable and drives on the left. Different driving guidelines are just like these of different nations, however the next are extra particular:

• The site visitors signal ‘止まれ’ implies that the driving force should come to an entire cease earlier than the cease line and ensure there are not any oncoming automobiles earlier than persevering with.
• ‘徐行’ means driving slowly, and can be a typical site visitors check in Japan
• Kids beneath 6 years previous should sit in a baby security seat
• The velocity restrict in most areas is 60 km/h, and on motorways it’s 100 km/h.
• Earlier than crossing the railway tracks, you need to cease on the cease line to verify if there are any trains coming from both aspect.
• No parking is allowed on the roadside. You’ll be able to solely park in parking areas. Autos have to be parked in devoted parking heaps.
• Autos can flip proper when the site visitors gentle is inexperienced, however they need to let the automobiles going straight forward go first. They’ll solely flip proper when there are not any automobiles.
• Pedestrians are given precedence. You could give precedence to pedestrians at zebra crossings with out site visitors lights.

Incessantly requested questions

How a lot does it value to lease a automobile in Japan?

In line with Japan Tourism Agency, the every day rental price for a typical small automobile (1,500 – 1,800 cc) is roughly ¥9,000 – ¥13,500, or roughly HK$475 – HK$712 per day.

What ought to I put together for driving in Japan?

When driving in Japan, vacationers should convey a sound worldwide license plate, the unique driver’s license, a vacationer passport, and a bank card to pay for the rental automobile.