Rent a car
Renting a car in Japan 🚗
Freedom to reach places trains don’t go — a full guide: should you rent, documents for Thai drivers, the steps, insurance and where to book
✅ Rent a car if you’re
- Visiting the countryside/nature — Hokkaido, Okinawa, Kyushu, Shikoku, the Fuji lakes
- Hitting several spots a day where trains/buses don’t reach or run rarely
- Travelling as a group/family with small children, older relatives or lots of luggage
- Doing a road trip for autumn leaves/flower fields/onsen
🚄 Take the train/JR Pass if you’re
- Staying in the big cities — Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto (great rail coverage, pricey parking)
- Covering long distances on main routes (the Shinkansen is far faster)
- Not comfortable driving on the left / don’t want to hunt for parking or pay tolls
- Travelling solo or as a pair on a budget (car + fuel + tolls + parking can cost more)
📄 Documents to prepare (Thai nationals)
🪪
Thai driving licence (original)
Still valid; always carry the original, used together with your IDP
🌐
1949 Geneva Convention IDP
Japan accepts 1949 only (not 1968) — apply at the Department of Land Transport, fee about THB 505
🛂
Passport
Proves your entry date (you may drive for up to 1 year from entry to Japan)
💳
Credit card + booking confirmation
The card must be in the renter’s name + show your booking (file or printout)
⚠️Minimum age 18 years but many companies require age 20+ or a licence held for 1 year · Get your IDPbefore you leave Thailand (you can’t get one in Japan)
🛠️ How renting works
1
Book online in advance
Choose pick-up (airport/station), car model, dates and times + insurance/ETC/child seat
2
Pick up the car + document check
Show licence + IDP + passport + card, sign the contract, photograph the car all round before you go
3
Set the GPS with a Map Code
The in-car GPS also takes a venue phone number or Map Code and can be switched to English
4
Drive + pay tolls with ETC
Driveon the left An ETC card lets you pass tolls without stopping (rent one with the car)
5
Return the car — fill the tank
満タン返し Fill up before returning, keep the fuel receipt, return on time
🔗 Where to book a rental car
Book direct with Japanese brands (English)
🛡️ Insurance & costs to know
🚗 Rental cost
Small cars (K-car/compact) from about¥5,000–8,000/day basic insurance (CDW) included
🛡️ Extra cover (NOC)
Worth adding NOC waiver (~¥1,000–2,000/day) — if the car is damaged and off the road you pay no compensation
🛣️ Expressway tolls (ETC)
Expensive expressways (e.g. Tokyo→Fuji ~¥3,000+) Rent an ETC card (~¥300/day + toll fees), paid in total when returning the vehicle.
⛽ Fuel + 🅿️ Parking
Fuel about ¥170/litre · city parking is pricey (¥300–600/hr); outside the cities and at most sights it’s free
⬅️Drive on the left, wheel on the right — turning right crosses oncoming traffic; take care at first and stay alert at junctions
🚫🍺Drink driving = a serious crime (0%) — very heavy penalties for driver and passengers alike; never do it
👶Children under 6 need a child seat — add one when booking (always belt up in every seat)
❄️Winter (Hokkaido/highlands) — ask for winter tyres when booking; roads get very slippery, drive slowly
🅿️Coin parking — parking in the cities is scarce and pricey; plan a spot near your hotel first
ℹ️Prices are approximate and can change with the season/car model/promotions — always check the real price and insurance terms on the booking page before you confirm