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CS Japan Car Hire
Find the best deals in Japan
With a massive choice from the biggest brands, Enjoy the best way to find the best prices for car hire in Japan.
- Huge choice of cars to suit every budget
- Save up to 70% compared to buying on the day
- 10 years experience in car hire
Compare Car Hire in Japan
- Japan has a fascinating history, including long periods as a mystery to the western world. Since the 19th Century Japanese culture has become more widely known, particularly its art, poetry, food and animation, leading to an increase of tourist desire to visit this remarkable country.
- Although public transport in Japan’s big cities is renowned for its efficiency, you’d be mistaken for thinking it will show you the best of the country. Quite simply, Japan is an amazing place to drive, with some of the most stunning routes anywhere in the world. By hiring a car, you will have the opportunity to see and experiences places other tourists will miss.
- We could recommend literally dozens of scenic routes, but a favourite is the trip across the Tsunoshima Bridge. The bridge takes you from the Japanese mainland to the remote island of Tsunoshima and makes you feel as though you’re actually driving on the water.
- Speed Limits in Japan are lower than many other countries and it’s important to pay attention and adhere to local signage. On national highways the limit is 100 km/h and 60 km/h on other roads. Unless otherwise signalled urban speed, limits are generally 40 km/h.
- Temporary visitors from most countries, including the UK require an International Driving Permit. These are valid for one year, after which you would need to acquire a Japanese driving license. UK License holders click here for more information on obtaining an International Driving Permit.
Guide to Japan
Japan is an archipelago nation consisting of almost 7000 individual islands though 97% of the country is made up by only five of these. To the east is the Pacific Ocean and to the West, the Sea of Japan. It is one of the world’s most densely populated countries with urban areas home to over 90% of the country’s population. Tokyo is the nation’s capital city and has a metropolitan area home to some 38 million people.
Early Japanese History
Archaeological evidence suggests parts of the Japanese archipelago were inhabited around 32,000 years ago followed by further habitation by a variety of peoples over the following 15-20,000 years. However, it wasn’t until the first century BC that Japan appeared in recorded history when it was mentioned in the Chinese history Book of Han as 倭 ( from the Chinesse Wō or Wa for Japan). During the classical era Japan was heavily influenced by China including in Buddhism and later Confucian philosophies.
World War II
During the second world war Japan was one of the Axis powers along with Germany and Italy. The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbour led to a devastating response from the United States which included the dropping of atomic weapons on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Japan surrendered unconditionally in August 1945 and the nation renounced its right to declare war.
The Land of the Rising Sun
This popular nickname comes from Japan’s location being so close to where the sun first rises (from a Chinese perspective). By chance this name reflects the elements of Japanese culture deeply connected to nature and the environment, including its poetry, costume and tradition of gardening. Haiku poetry, often inspired by nature, originates in Japan usually consists of three lines, made up of a specific syllable content for each line.
Only Mount Fuji
is left unburied
by young leaves.
(Yosa Buson, 1716 – 1784)
Where to go
Places to visit in Japan
Kenroku-en Garden
This spectacularly beautiful garden demonstrates the traditional Japanese garden in all its glory. Located close to Japan’s west coast it is around four hours from Nagoya and six from Tokyo, so you may wish to consider a stopover visit to the area. Developed between the 17th and 19th Centuries Kenroku-en is known as one of the Three Great Gardens of Japan and contains the nation’s oldest fountain. The garden is located beside Kanazawa Castle, also worth a visit. Click here for information on admission and car parking.
Mount Fuji
At 3,776 metres Mount Fuji is the highest point in Japan. It is an active volcano but hasn’t erupted since 1707. The mountain and surrounding area is one of significant natural beauty and comes top on the to-do list of most tourists to Japan. For the best views of Mount Fuji alongside other activities we recommend a visit to the Fuji Five Lakes region. As you might guess from its name this region contains five lakes at the base of Fuji. It’s an excellent place to enjoy the views, the water as well as hiking and relaxation. All of this is within a 90 minute drive from Tokyo.
The Hakone Open-Air Museum
Opened in 1969 this was Japan’s first open-air museum and features artworks from some of the world’s most renowned artists. The open-air element of the museum features over a hundred permanently displayed sculptures spread across the park. Buildings containing works by Picasso, Hepworth and Moore are a key attraction. You can’t buy tickets in advance outside of Japan so wait until you arrive where it will be possible to book online or at the museum itself. Be sure to check out opening times. The museum is located approximately a 90 minute drive from Tokyo.
The City of Nara
Of course, if you can, you should visit Tokyo, Osaka and Kyoto but don’t neglect Nara. Once the capital of Japan, this UNESCO World Heritage Site boasts some of the most beautiful temples and monuments as well as the Nara National Museum. Only a 40-minute drive from Osaka, on the route to Kyoto, this is a must stop location for tourists wishing to take in as much of Japan’s rich history as possible.
Transport in Japan
Getting to and from Japan
Japanese Airlines (JAL) is Japan’s flagship carrier flying from both Tokyo and Osaka and offers routes both domestically and internationally. There are regular flights to Tokyo and Osaka from most major European, North American and Asian airports. Other major airlines with routes to Japan include British Airways, American Airlines and Iberia.
Popular Japanese airlines
Some rules of the Japanese road
- Drive on the left side of the road.
- Drivers must be 18 or older.
- It is a legal requirement for drivers and passengers to wear a seatbelt in both the front and back of vehicle.
- Drink driving is strictly prohibited in Japan and the blood alcohol limit is 0.03%. We recommend avoiding any alcohol when driving in Japan.
Car hire in Japanese airports
Japan is one of the world’s and most important regions for trade, business and culture, as such it is served by four international airports. These airports are located close to the cities of Tokyo (Narita and Haneda), Osaka (Kansai) and Nagoya (Chubu). Narita is Japan’s busiest international airport, handling just under 40 million, whereas Haneda is the busiest for domestic travel, handling 85 million passengers in 2017.
Although it may be possible to arrange car hire on arrival in Japan it will save you time, money and stress to book in advance through Enjoy. We partner with local hire car providers throughout the world to bring you the best deals. Hire costs start from around £315 p/w depending on vehicle selection.
Car Hire Reviews
| Name | Review | Rating |
|---|---|---|
Park Hwa-Young | Rented a Honda Fit on a recent business trip to Japan in October. While Tokyo is a very busy city, the Honda Fit was small enough to make navigating through the busy streets really quite simple. | |
Lee Ji-Yoo | Visited Japan in March and rented a Honda Stepwagon. The car was perfect for both me and my wife, and we shared driving duties. We were able to drive further out from the cities and explore rural Japan which was excellent – this would have been very difficult to do without a car. | |
Maya Honda | Hired a car for a road trip from Tokyo to Nagasaki in June, and managed to explore many hidden sites of Japan along the way. The journey was made even better thanks to the Toyota Sienta that we hired which was very spacious and comfortable. | |
Daichi Yoshida | Visited family in Japan in February and hired a Toyota Corolla for the trip. It was ready for me to pick up at the airport, and saved me having to board crowded trains at rush hour, and then fork out for a taxi as my family live in a fairly rural area with minimal public transport connections. | |
Jess Brooker | In May, we visited Japan for the first time and hired a car for the duration of our holiday. My partner is into nighttime photography, so being able to stay out until the early hours of the morning and not have to worry about missing the last bus home was the best part of hiring a car. | |
Melanie Bernard | When we arrived in Japan in June for a holiday, the Toyota Prius was waiting for us and ready at Hiroshima Airport. The rental process was so simple, and we were able to hop into the hire car straight away and begin exploring. | |
Hannah Wright | Went to Japan in January and was so glad we hired a Toyota Aqua. Icy roads weren’t an issue, and we also didn’t have to wait in the cold for a train or bus to show up – or not show up. |