DRIVE SCAPE JAPAN
Planning & rental advice
Get answers about booking, prices, coverage and equipment before collection and return.
6 guides
Best Car Rental Companies in Japan: 9 Compared by Price, Full Cover and Airport
Nine Japanese rental companies compared on compact-car rates for 12 and 24 hours and the total with cover that removes the excess and NOC, with the best pick for the cheapest rental, full cover, airport pickup and new drivers, plus IDP, English booking and ETC notes for visitors.
Japan Winter Road Closures 2026–27: Mountain Road Closing and Reopening Dates
Closing and planned reopening dates for Japan's mountain roads in winter 2026–27, earliest first: Mt. Norikura, Shiga-Kusatsu Road, Zao Echo Line, Bandai-Azuma Skyline, Kamikochi, Venus Line and more, with roads whose dates are not yet announced.
Renting a Car at Haneda, Narita or Kansai Airport: Pickup and Return
Where the Toyota, Nippon, ORIX, Times and Nissan counters are at Haneda, Narita and Kansai airports, how long the shuttle to the store takes, closing times, documents, ETC cards, child seats and how early to return the car.
JDM Car Rental in Tokyo: 7 Places to Rent a GT-R or Supra
Seven companies that let visitors drive a Japanese performance car in or near Tokyo, from day rentals to lead-car tours, with published prices, age limits, deposits, pickup points and what your license needs.
Driving in Japan on a Foreign License: IDP or Translation
Can you drive in Japan on a US, UK or Australian license? Only with a 1949 Geneva international driving permit. Licenses from Switzerland, Germany, France, Belgium, Monaco and Taiwan need an official Japanese translation instead. How long each lasts, where to get it and what to carry.
JDM Self-Drive and Daikoku Tours in Tokyo: 7 Compared
Seven Daikoku PA and JDM car tours from Tokyo, booked on the operators' own sites and grouped as passenger rides, self-drive tours and a van tour, with per-car or per-person prices, cars, start points, durations and what each operator says if Daikoku is closed.