When you need it
This is based on official information from rental car companies and booking sites, as of September 2026.
When you run into trouble with a rental car in Japan, the answer is usually the same.
First, contact the office you rented from, or wherever you booked.
Check the contact details on the paperwork you get when you pick up the car and in your booking confirmation.
When you book
How far ahead can I book?
It depends on the company. As of September 2026, you can book online from 3 months before pickup at Toyota Rent a Car, from 6 months before at Times Car Rental, and online from 12 months before at ORIX Rent a Car (except for some campaigns).
I want to change my booking
It depends on where you booked.
At Toyota Rent a Car, you can change the date, office and class online up to 1 hour before pickup. On the booking site ToCoo!, you cancel and book again, and the cancellation fee applies as set out in the rules. On Tabirai, up to a week before the day your rental starts, you usually book again. At ORIX Rent a Car, once you’ve paid by card online, you can’t make changes.
I booked on a booking site. The office won’t change it for me
Contact the site you booked on.
A booking made on another site may not be something the rental car company can change on its end (Nippon Rent-A-Car, Nissan Rent a Car). Some booking sites say questions after booking should go to the rental car company or the travel agency (Tabirai).
The contact details in your booking confirmation tell you who to ask.
Which cards can I pay with?
It depends on the company and the type of card. Some companies don’t accept debit cards or prepaid cards (Toyota Rent a Car, Nissan Rent a Car), and Nippon Rent-A-Car accepts branded debit cards but not cards that don’t support 3D Secure. Depending on the type of card, it may not be accepted, so check which cards you can use before you book.
→ “Japan Rental Car Prices — Why the Same Car Has Several Prices, and How to Read the Booking Screen“
When is peak season?
Toyota Rent a Car lists late April to early May, mid-August, and the New Year holidays.
I want to cancel because of a typhoon or disaster
On the booking site ToCoo!, the cancellation fee isn’t waived even for canceled flights, bad weather or disasters.
For other companies, check the cancellation rules on the page you booked on.
When you pick up the car
I might be late for my pickup time
Contact the office right away, as soon as you know.
If you’re about an hour past your booked time, your booking may be canceled. Some companies specify “if you haven’t contacted us” as the condition (Times Car Rental, Nissan Rent a Car, Nippon Rent-A-Car, Budget Rent a Car). The booking site ToCoo! says a cancellation fee also applies in that case.
→ “Picking Up a Rental Car in Japan: The First 30 Minutes — The Scratch Check Is What Protects You“
I want to pick up the car on the night I arrive
You can’t pick up a car outside business hours (Times Car Rental, Nippon Rent-A-Car).
If you arrive outside business hours, book the car from the day after you arrive.
Can I rent without a booking?
At Times Car Rental, you can if the office has a car available.
I want to change my booking at the counter
At Times Car Rental, if you want to change your rental period, tell the staff when you pick up the car. Depending on other bookings, it may not be possible. Nissan Rent a Car asks you to talk to the office as early as you can if you want to make a change.
I forgot my license
You can’t rent without a license (Times Car Rental, Nippon Rent-A-Car). Times Car Rental also asks for your passport.
→ “Forgot Your License, or Turned Away at the Counter — What You Can Do Once You’re in Japan“
Can the people traveling with me drive too?
At Toyota Rent a Car, the people traveling with you can drive too, at no extra charge. Every driver shows their license and passport. It works differently from company to company, so check the rules of the company you’re renting from.
→ “Picking Up a Rental Car in Japan: The First 30 Minutes — The Scratch Check Is What Protects You“
When you return the car
I might be late returning it, or I want to extend
Get in touch before you return it.
If you’re late without getting in touch, you’re charged a penalty (Toyota Rent a Car, ORIX Rent a Car). Depending on other bookings, you may not be able to extend (Toyota Rent a Car, Nissan Rent a Car).
→ “Returning a Rental Car in Japan: The Hour Before — Work Back from Closing Time and Traffic“
I want to return it after closing or before opening
You can’t return a car outside business hours (Times Car Rental, Nippon Rent-A-Car). If you want to return it before the office opens, return it the day before (Nippon Rent-A-Car).
I can’t fill the tank, or there’s no gas station nearby
You can ask the staff where the nearest station is (Times Car Rental). If you don’t fill the tank, you’re charged for fuel based on the distance you drove (Toyota Rent a Car).
If I return it early, do I get money back?
Expect not to get all of it back.
At Times Car Rental, the charge for returning early is half the rate for the time you didn’t use. ORIX Rent a Car also has rules for how it’s calculated, and one-way fees aren’t included. On the booking site ToCoo!, there’s no refund if you return early.
I left something in the car, and I’ve already gone home
Contact the office you returned the car to.
At Times Car Rental, if you describe the item’s shape and features on the inquiry form, it’s sent abroad by international courier. The shipping fee is handled by the delivery company (TUMOCA Express), not by Times Car Rental. At ORIX Rent a Car, you may need ID to collect it.
→ “Returning a Rental Car in Japan: The Hour Before — Work Back from Closing Time and Traffic“
Accidents and violations
I hit something, or scratched the car
Toyota Rent a Car tells you to help anyone who’s injured, call the police (110) and get an accident certificate, and contact its reservation center or the office. Nippon Rent-A-Car treats every scratch or dent as an accident, however big or small, and whether or not another party is involved.
→ “Rental Car Scratch in Japan? Call 110 Even for a Small One — The Police Report You May Need Later” / “Japan Rental Car Insurance Q&A — Contact Your Rental Company First“
I got a parking ticket stuck on the car
Hold on to it rather than throwing it away. Times Car Rental asks you to show the ticket and the payment receipt when you return the car.
→ “Parking Ticket on Your Rental Car in Japan (Yellow Sticker) — Three Steps Before You Return It“
The car and equipment
Are there manual cars?
Some companies have only automatic cars (Times Car Rental, Nissan Rent a Car).
→ “Choosing a Rental Car Size in Japan by Your Suitcases — How Big Is That ‘One Suitcase’?“
I want the navigation in Korean or Chinese
It depends on the company and the car. At Toyota Rent a Car, you can request English, Chinese or Korean voice guidance when you book online, but you may not always get what you asked for.
→ “Picking Up a Rental Car in Japan: The First 30 Minutes — The Scratch Check Is What Protects You“
I just want to rent a child seat
Some companies only rent them if you rent a car too (Nissan Rent a Car and Nippon Rent-A-Car for all options; ORIX Rent a Car for child seats).
I want to bring a pet
It depends on the company. Toyota Rent a Car allows pets under certain conditions (check which classes when you book). ORIX Rent a Car doesn’t allow them.
I want to rent a car with a driver
You can’t. According to Nippon Rent-A-Car, the law prohibits rental car companies from providing a driver or referring you to one.
I want a one-way rental in winter
At Nippon Rent-A-Car, from December 1 to March 31, one-way rentals from regions without snow to certain regions, such as Nagano, Niigata and Amanohashidate in Kyoto, require winter tires. Some companies don’t rent out tire chains (Times Car Rental).
→ “Choosing a Rental Car Size in Japan by Your Suitcases — How Big Is That ‘One Suitcase’?“
I want to leave my luggage at the office
At Budget Rent a Car, you can’t leave luggage at the office, for safety reasons.
I want a one-way rental across Hokkaido, Okinawa or other islands
Between Hokkaido or Okinawa and other prefectures, many companies don’t allow one-way rentals (Toyota Rent a Car, Times Car Rental, ORIX Rent a Car, Nissan Rent a Car). ORIX Rent a Car also doesn’t allow one-way rentals between the mainland and outlying islands, or between outlying islands.
Nippon Rent-A-Car allows one-way rentals between Hokkaido and Honshu too, and adds ferry fares and other costs to the one-way fee. But Nippon Rent-A-Car doesn’t accept one-way returns to offices on outlying islands such as Okinawa Island, Sado Island and Tanegashima. One-way rentals within Okinawa Island are free.
Check with the company you’re renting from whether you can take the car to an island.
※ When bookings open, changes and cancellations, what happens if you’re late, refunds, left-behind items, reporting accidents, payment and how options are handled differ by company, booking site and office, and they can change. When you actually run into trouble, check the latest information from the company you rented from and wherever you booked.
