Basic questions about car rental in Japan

going to visit japan in November for 1 month,
any good cheap car rental company suggestion?
>automatic

>sedan

>not luxurious

>don't really care about gasoline expenses

Schizophrenic Conspiracy Theorist Shirt $21.68

Homeless People Are Sexy Shirt $21.68

Schizophrenic Conspiracy Theorist Shirt $21.68

  1. 2 years ago
    Anonymous

    >mainly tokyo and surroundings

  2. 2 years ago
    Anonymous

    Unless you're going to okinawa or really far out in the boonies you must be moronic to rent a car in japan.

    • 2 years ago
      Anonymous

      renting a car in japan is pretty moronic tbh, just do a JR pass: it's cheaper, trains are clean and on time (no traffic) and you can even sleep for free in some routes.
      if you want some rental kino you should check fun2drive, it's a rental of JDM cars and they make you drive on mountain roads near mt Fuji, I'll do this when (?) I'll visit Japan

      There's plenty of rural places that would be pretty hard to reach by public transport and are totally worth it.
      Me and a bunch of friends rented a car and did a 2 night trip around mount Aso in Kyushu which was easily the best part of our vacation. Stayed in Takachiho and Kurokawa Onsen.
      Those two places are individually reachable by bus from Kumamoto but going between them is pretty much impossible. We also did a bunch of stops along the trip, checking out Mt. Aso and some sake breweries which you can't do by bus.

      Rural Japan is great and train/bus only takes you so far.

      • 2 years ago
        Anonymous

        then use public transportation like buses anon, but hey if you really want to move with a car do your thing. Just that cheap and Japan don't get along well so you either pay or use public transportation like poor people.

        • 2 years ago
          Anonymous

          >then use public transportation like buses anon,
          Taking the bus from Takachiho to Kurokawa Onsen turns a ~1hour drive into an 8 hour journey with two transfers. completely infeasible.
          I also don't understand why you act like it's super expensive. The prices for car rental and fuel were pretty much the same as in Europe.

          Anyways not OP. I just gave an example from a trip of mine where renting a car was totally worth it.

          • 2 years ago
            Anonymous

            Went to Takachiho Gorge from Fukuoka via rental car, cant imagine the nightmare of time and cost to do it on public transit. Its just too far out there.

          • 2 years ago
            Anonymous

            Just walk bro

    • 2 years ago
      Anonymous

      You aren’t visiting Kyushu without a car. Public transit from Fukuoka to Beppu, Kumamoto, Nagasaki, Hiroshima is around $80-120 one way. You either have to stay in one city or get a rental car, public transit is out of the question. Not a single one of those cities/areas around Kyushu is rural nor unpopular to visit when down there.

      • 2 years ago
        Anonymous

        >Fukuoka to Beppu
        Just take the night bus you moron.
        It's like 3000 yen.
        Always laughing my ass off when clueless weebs dont even know the most basic cheap transportation that everyone in japan uses.

        • 2 years ago
          Anonymous

          Is the bus safe to take though? or is it like the bus in the US?

          • 2 years ago
            Anonymous

            Japan is one of the safest countries in the world. It is night and day compared to the US. US might as well be fricking Baghdad by comparison. I grew up in one of the most dangerous cities in the US and Japan is so ridiculously safe that I couldn't believe it.

            Fair enough. I admit I'm a bit out of the loop with the travel situation in Japan, and it makes sense that the car is cheaper in that circumstance when you can't get a rail pass. I am surprised it's that expensive one-way from Fukuoka to other Kyushu cities though. Hiroshima I understand, but Nagasaki or Beppu? Kinda shocking. I also noticed the rail pass price had gone up when I checked a couple months ago, but maybe now I need to reconsider my own travel plans for November.

            You can't get a JR Pass unless they start allowing proper tourist visas again. How are you planning to enter the country? What type of visa will you be using?

            • 2 years ago
              Anonymous

              >You can't get a JR Pass unless they start allowing proper tourist visas again. How are you planning to enter the country? What type of visa will you be using?
              I'm aware that JR Passes are restricted to tourist visas, ergo you can't get them at the moment. They still provide pricing though, and prices have gone up tremendously since I was there in 2018-19. My November trip this year will be on a tourism visa assuming Japan has reopened for tourism by that point. If they haven't all my flights are booked on frequent flyer points so fully flexible and refundable, and all my lodging is fully refundable until 2 weeks before check-in. So no worries if I do have to postpone or cancel.

          • 2 years ago
            Anonymous

            >is a bus full of japanese housewives on their trip to the spa safe?
            lmao you're likely the most volatile element in the entire equation here.

      • 2 years ago
        Anonymous

        >You aren’t visiting Kyushu without a car.
        I literally toured Kyushu for two weeks in 2019.
        All by train.

        Is the bus safe to take though? or is it like the bus in the US?

        Unless you try to frick up some gangs, everywhere is safe in Japan. Especially for a foreigner. Except maybe that one part in Tokyo with all the Indians and black guys trying to lure you into their club.

        • 2 years ago
          Anonymous

          Japan has gangs? wtf is that true?

          • 2 years ago
            Anonymous

            You've never heard of the Yakuza?

            • 2 years ago
              Anonymous

              Those are just Japanese businessmen. I mean actual gangs like a bunch of black people.

              • 2 years ago
                Anonymous

                Isn't that just being racist?

              • 2 years ago
                Anonymous

                That's my impression

            • 2 years ago
              Anonymous

              Those are just Japanese businessmen. I mean actual gangs like a bunch of black people.

              >You aren’t visiting Kyushu without a car.
              I literally toured Kyushu for two weeks in 2019.
              All by train.

              [...]
              Unless you try to frick up some gangs, everywhere is safe in Japan. Especially for a foreigner. Except maybe that one part in Tokyo with all the Indians and black guys trying to lure you into their club.

              they are referring to the main street with the Kabukicho sign in Shinjku, Tokyo. There is a bunch of African Immigrants (Nigerian?) that will follow you down the street trying to get you to see the bars or 'girls' they are talking about, pretty much anything you fancy they will entice you in, they are relentless and you can ignore them or pretend to speak a different language but they will know it more fluently then you and still hassle you in that language. I tried to throw off a dude by asking about gay bars and he knew exactly where the district was. You can avoid them pretty easily by just not going down that mean street or being an absolute statue but even, alone, completely ignoring them I had one follow me about 25 blocks for some god forsaken reason. If it wasnt so crowded I probably would have been mugged.

  3. 2 years ago
    Anonymous

    You need an international driver's license and they drive on the left. Public transport works really well. Are you sure?

    • 2 years ago
      Anonymous

      >they drive on the left
      >he doesn't drive on the left in his own country
      Look at him! Look at him and laugh!

  4. 2 years ago
    Anonymous

    renting a car in japan is pretty moronic tbh, just do a JR pass: it's cheaper, trains are clean and on time (no traffic) and you can even sleep for free in some routes.
    if you want some rental kino you should check fun2drive, it's a rental of JDM cars and they make you drive on mountain roads near mt Fuji, I'll do this when (?) I'll visit Japan

    • 2 years ago
      Anonymous

      There are reasons to rent a car in Japan. A lot of rural places have incredibly infrequent or nearly nonexistent public transit. I had to rent a car when I went in 2018 because I wanted to go to Towada-ko and Oirase, but there were only 2 buses a day leaving from Hachinohe (closest station). A 9AM and a 1PM bus. My train from Tokyo did not get there until around 4PM.

      going to visit japan in November for 1 month,
      any good cheap car rental company suggestion?
      >automatic
      >sedan
      >not luxurious
      >don't really care about gasoline expenses

      Toyota has rental places, and Oryx is one of their really big rental companies. I rented from Toyota, I think it was around $30-$40 a day for the 2 nights I had the car. I had an international license made for the trip as a precaution, because I was planning to visit a lot of boonies places in Tohoku that had little in the way of public transit, and that was necessary for the rental. The car was automatic, basic but they provide a navigation system in it IIRC. Driving on the left wasn't hard to get used to either. The only thing that threw me was on the roads just outside of town, stop signs were not marked with an actual road sign. 止まれ was written on the road instead. I went through two of those before I remembered that 止まれ = STOP

      You aren’t visiting Kyushu without a car. Public transit from Fukuoka to Beppu, Kumamoto, Nagasaki, Hiroshima is around $80-120 one way. You either have to stay in one city or get a rental car, public transit is out of the question. Not a single one of those cities/areas around Kyushu is rural nor unpopular to visit when down there.

      Getting to Beppu or Aso or whatever might suck, but Fukuoka, Nagasaki, and IIRC Kumamoto all have decent public transit systems. The train ride from Fukuoka to Nagasaki is pretty comfy too. I'd also hate having to deal with driving and parking inside the cities in any event.

      • 2 years ago
        Anonymous

        I was not saying it was not possible, I was just pointing out that you are spending way too much money taking public transit vs renting a car. Two friends and I split a week rental car for $300, about $150 in gas and $250 in IC tolls to go to Nagasaki, Kumamoto, Beppu, Hiroshima, Motonosumi Inari Shrine and all around Fukuoka. Taking public transit we would be looking at $800 each easily and this is last August when Gaijin werent allowed as tourists so we couldn't apply for a JR pass. I am not trying to gate keep here, a week of JR pass could get you above and beyond what we did, especially if you are alone, I am just trying to pass on info, Kyushu has a lot of cool stuff but if you dont want to stick around one city, its pretty expensive to take public transit.

        On another note, just came home from Fukuoka an hour ago, It is definitely the food capital of Japan. Yatai, Gyoza and Hakata/Tonkotsu Ramen all originate from there. Nightlife isnt so bad either but I barely know any Japanese so some interactions are a bit awkward lol.

        • 2 years ago
          Anonymous

          Fair enough. I admit I'm a bit out of the loop with the travel situation in Japan, and it makes sense that the car is cheaper in that circumstance when you can't get a rail pass. I am surprised it's that expensive one-way from Fukuoka to other Kyushu cities though. Hiroshima I understand, but Nagasaki or Beppu? Kinda shocking. I also noticed the rail pass price had gone up when I checked a couple months ago, but maybe now I need to reconsider my own travel plans for November.

          • 2 years ago
            Anonymous

            Can my Benis get wet in Beppu?

          • 2 years ago
            Anonymous

            I have lived here since 2019 (guntai-jin) and taken about a dozen trips to mainland (live in Okinawa). I got to say, as weird or cringe as it is, Google maps is extremely accurate with times, prices and routes for Public Transportation, locally and far. It may be because im autistic about planning things, but I generally plan an itinerary before I go anywhere to maximize the time spent, I will literally do day by day trips, miles and cost for public transit vs car with overnight parking in mind. Osaka and Tokyo have been cheaper by transit, but Fukuoka, Hokkaido, Chubu, Nagoya and Chigoku are cheaper by car for sure.

            • 2 years ago
              Anonymous

              Good to know. I used Hyperdia to get an idea of costs for my trips in 2017-2019, but I've only been to Kyushu once. My first trip took me down to Hiroshima and Nagasaki after doing the usual tourist route, with a day trip over to Huis-Ten Bosch, but I haven't been back to see more of Kyushu yet. My second trip had me all over Tohoku, but my only car rental was out of dire need because I literally missed the 2nd of two daily buses to Towada-ko.

              I've heard good things about Google Maps, though for things like cross-platform transfers in major metro rail systems I recall reading that it didn't quite have them down prior to 2019. Honestly no idea how that's changed since then, but my blind assumption is that it's improved.

              >captcha

              • 2 years ago
                Anonymous

                Yea it gets really specific if you are in a major station like Hakata or Shinjuku, even on smaller stations with many exits, it will tell you the exact exit you need to take to end up on the side of the street most convenient to your planned route.

        • 2 years ago
          Anonymous

          You can't get a pass anyway if you're not on a tourist visa and you're obviously not on one if you're there now so what are you even talking about?

  5. 2 years ago
    Anonymous

    >going to visit japan in November
    Anon...

    • 2 years ago
      Anonymous

      he is going to be a model tourist and take his temperature and covid test daily, why can't you be like him?

      • 2 years ago
        Anonymous

        >spreading /misc/ doomporn disinformation

        • 2 years ago
          Anonymous

          >
          go back

          • 2 years ago
            Anonymous

            >greentext is reddit now

            • 2 years ago
              Anonymous

              Go back

        • 2 years ago
          Anonymous

          >disinformation

          r*ddit copium. the ironic plot twist here being Japan is actually closed off to tourists because of moronic r*ddit scum like you trying to globalize and sterilize Japan into whatever abomination you turned the West into. cry more b***h, youre never going to Japan.

  6. 2 years ago
    Anonymous

    You must be joking

  7. 2 years ago
    Anonymous

    Any cheap car rental company will be very hard to deal with if you dont speak/read fluent Japanese.
    If you dont have communication problems then look up niko niko rental car or guts rental car, they are probably the cheapest. If you cant understand Japanese use Toyota rental car or Nissan rental car, they are more likely to be able to help you out if you dont speak Japanese. Also ignore people saying you dont need a car. I live in Japan and my experience has changed completely since I bought a used car(paid in cash thanks to USA government for the coronavirus stimulus checks!)

    • 2 years ago
      Anonymous

      True, every big brand, nissanrentacar, toyotarentacar has a phone on the counter and a 24/7 interpreter line. Better service then the USA consulate, hospitals and whatnot.

      I rented a prius for about $25/day, had an IDP and no issue. Camped in yamanashi, did tons of small tours of off the beat places where no gaijin (that's foreigner in japanese tbh!) and more.

      Yes you'd be stupid to rent a car within Tokyo, Tokyo Metro / JR pass is cheaper, but I didn't want to do normal tours and I had a fluent Japanese speaker / wanted to pick up Japanese usage day to day.

      Thanks to that, I passed my N2 within 6 months of arriving in the country, I still sound moronic and not sure about all the number counters but I'm 90% understood by the general population.

      I ended up buying a car in the longrun, off a military guy who was leaving but it was locally purchased not imported - also a prius.

      t. most people on SighSee never fricking travel, I only posted this because I can relate to you and OP should have a glimmer of "truth" but that's what travel is all about - seeing what's out there.

      • 2 years ago
        Anonymous

        >most people never travel but look at me I went to the safest country in the world me so brave in so unique not like the other weeabo virgins

        • 2 years ago
          Anonymous

          Where have you been tough guy?

          • 2 years ago
            Anonymous

            >most people never travel but look at me I went to the safest country in the world me so brave in so unique not like the other weeabo virgins

            I'm from Detroit, and actual tough city.
            >verification not even needed

            • 2 years ago
              Anonymous

              >N
              Why do we care?

              • 2 years ago
                Anonymous

                please don't be racist here.

  8. 2 years ago
    Anonymous

    ITT: moronic mutts

    The rest of the civilized world isn't indoctrinated to buy cars from big oil, the rest of the world is civilized in public transportation. When I visited tokyo there was paractically no use for a car same with kyoto, even my home country of England I don't know anyone with a drivers license. Burgers are literally obsessed with cars

    • 2 years ago
      Anonymous

      Who said that every trips always have to be about big ass cities?
      I’m a European and if you don’t live in cities, cars are a must.
      All of my trips without exception use cars and without a car I wouldn’t be able to go anywhere I want, and especially to have access to nature and rural areas.
      And driving in cities is moronic anyway.

    • 2 years ago
      Anonymous

      remember to get the ETC pass if you're on the tourist visa
      all the rental car companies are pretty much the same
      get an international license.
      wait for the borders to open for free roam tourists.

      homosexual. you get to see places that you wouldn't see anywhere else otherwise if you went by train.
      try to get to the best hiking routes by bus and make your life extra uncomfortable by paying more money. good idea moron.

  9. 2 years ago
    Anonymous

    Kyoto is a nice walkable city.

    • 2 years ago
      Anonymous

      I loved their Manga library. would go again.

  10. 2 years ago
    Anonymous

    What's your budget?

    • 2 years ago
      Anonymous

      $250. I know it's not much but I really need a break from waging.

  11. 2 years ago
    Anonymous

    need an IDP

  12. 2 years ago
    Anonymous

    Just ride the train bro or get a bike

  13. 2 years ago
    Anonymous

    Whats your purpose of renting a car in Japan?

    • 2 years ago
      Anonymous

      Why not just take public transit?

      • 2 years ago
        Anonymous

        Whats your purpose of renting a car in Japan?

        Because if you visit anywhere outside of Tokyo or Osaka you are going to need one. Look at the transportation trip and costs public transit vs rental car to get around Hokkaido, Kyusu, Kagoshima, Okinawa, Niigata, Aomori or anywhere outside of major metro areas, you are spending a fortune outside of Tokyo and Osaka without a car. Just like the rest of the world, the vast majority of the country was either designed for cars (getting from city to city/prefecture) or designed with the idea that the residents would never need to leave their town, neither was designed with tourism specifically in mind, most of the world is not.

  14. 2 years ago
    Anonymous

    >going to visit japan in November for 1 month

    No youre not. Not without a controlled tour group at least. And with COVID cases likely to rise again in the winter by then, you would be lucky if you had even just that. Most likely closed off completrly once again come October/November.

  15. 2 years ago
    Anonymous

    ha ha, lrn2 drive, homosexual.

    • 2 years ago
      Anonymous

      Do those exist in Japan.?

  16. 2 years ago
    Anonymous

    You won't go now. the country is in turmoil

Leave a Reply to Anonymous Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *