Before you go
This is based on official information from rental car companies and booking sites, as of September 2026.
From arriving at the rental car office to driving off, things go roughly in this order.
1 At the counter: paperwork and explanations
2 Around the car: checking for scratches
3 Inside the car: controls and navigation
4 Setting off
The most important part is step 2, checking for scratches.
1 At the counter: paperwork and explanations
You show your license and other documents, listen to the explanation of the contract, and sign. If anything’s unclear, it’s fine to ask the staff right there.
If more than one person will drive, some companies ask for every driver’s license and passport (Toyota Rent a Car, Times Car Rental, Nippon Rent-A-Car). At Toyota Rent a Car, the people traveling with you can drive too, at no extra charge. ORIX Rent a Car does it differently: the person who signs the contract is responsible for checking the licenses of the other drivers.
If you plan to take turns driving during the trip, bring that person to the counter with you, and you won’t be left wondering later.
The documents are covered in “Driving in Japan as a Tourist — Your Own License, Plus an International Driving Permit (IDP) or a Japanese Translation, Depending on Your Country.”
Some companies also let you add coverage when you pick up the car (Times Car Rental, Nippon Rent-A-Car). The booking site ToCoo!’s own coverage can’t be added at the office. If you’ve made a note of what you signed up for when you booked, you can choose calmly here.
2 Around the car: checking for scratches
Walk around the car with the staff and check for scratches and dents.
Some offices also check the amount of gas and the mileage along with the scratches, and record the car’s condition.
This is the step that protects you.
When you return the car, the staff check it too (Toyota Rent a Car, Times Car Rental, ORIX Rent a Car). If you and the staff looked at the existing scratches together before you set off, you can talk it through calmly at that point.
Point out anything that bothers you, even if it’s small. Some companies ask you to tell them about any scratch you find when you pick up the car, however minor (Budget Rent a Car).
3 Inside the car: controls and navigation
Before you drive off, ask about any controls you’re not sure of. Here are a few examples.
How to open the fuel door
Where the ETC card slot is
The hazard lights
The parking brake
Where the spare tire is
If you rented an ETC card, put it in now. ETC cards are covered in “ETC Card and Expressway Pass — Ask for Them When You Book Your Rental Car.”
If you rented a child seat, check for yourself that it’s firmly fixed in place.
Asking here is what saves you from scrambling to find the fuel door at your first gas station.
Navigation
The language of the navigation system differs by company and by car.
At Toyota Rent a Car, you can request navigation with English, Chinese or Korean voice guidance when you book online (some of the display is in Japanese only). But you may not always get what you asked for. At Times Car Rental, some cars don’t have navigation, so you choose navigation when you book. At ORIX Rent a Car, every car has navigation, and whether English, Chinese or Korean is available depends on the office.
Nippon Rent-A-Car says it can’t guarantee multilingual navigation. But Nippon Rent-A-Car’s Japanese navigation systems work with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Even if you end up with Japanese navigation, you can connect your own smartphone and use that.
Times Car Rental’s navigation guide includes “search by phone number” and “search by map code.” Keep a note of the phone numbers of the shops and hotels you want to go to, and you’ll have a way to enter your destination.
4 Setting off
Last of all, adjust the seat and mirrors to fit you. Fasten seat belts in both the front and back seats.
If this is your first time driving in Japan, before you set off, also look over “Japanese Road Signs and Their Meanings — Read the Shape and Color, and Learn the Two Places You Stop First.”
For driving on the left, turning right, and crosswalks, see “Your First 10 Minutes Driving in Japan.”
Once that’s done, all that’s left is to drive off.
If your flight is delayed
If it looks like you’ll be late for your pickup time, contact the office 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).
Note down the office’s contact details before your trip, and you can make that call as soon as you’re off the plane.
※ The order of the steps, the documents, coverage, the navigation language and what happens if you’re late differ by company and by office, and they can change. When you actually rent, check the latest information from the company you’re renting from and what the office tells you.
