Asahikawa Airport Car Rental: 12 Companies Compared

Twelve rental companies at Asahikawa Airport: how to choose

Asahikawa Airport, in Higashikagura in central Hokkaido, has 12 rental companies at 12 locations. A rental counter area sits next to the general information desk on 1F of the domestic arrivals lobby. Some companies check you in at a counter and send a shuttle, and others ask you to phone after landing. Nissan and Eki Rent-a-Car share one counter.

This page compares how each company handles check-in and the shuttle, opening hours (which change by season), one-way rentals, and the reference price at each company on Japanese and foreign licences.

• Landing early: Toyota (1 April–31 October), Orix and Nico Nico open at 08:00. In winter (1 November–31 March), Toyota, Nippon, Worldnet, One's and Eki Rent-a-Car open at 08:30, and Times, Honda and Budget at 09:00.
• Landing in the evening: among the branches whose hours are known, the latest closing time is 20:00, at Toyota, Nippon, Nico Nico and Eki Rent-a-Car. Orix, Worldnet, One's and Budget (winter) close at 19:00, and Honda (winter) and Times at 18:00.
• Returning somewhere else: Toyota accepts one-way rentals inside and outside the area. Orix accepts them within Hokkaido only. Worldnet lists combinations with New Chitose Airport, Sapporo Station and Hakodate Airport. Nippon and Times accept cars rented at other branches.
• Keeping the cost down: on standard rates before discounts on a Japanese licence, a compact for 24 hours is ¥4,500 at Carsta, ¥5,610 at Nico Nico, ¥8,470 at Eki Rent-a-Car, ¥8,580 at Toyota and Budget, and ¥8,855 at Times. One's national rate table gives ¥4,400, but its rates vary by branch, so it is left out of this comparison.

Compare the 12 Asahikawa Airport locations

Branch names link to their official pages. The numbers identify the locations and are not a ranking. The Nissan counter is the same place as Eki Rent-a-Car.

Reference prices: standard rates at ten companies

This table takes each company's standard rate for a compact car, with the total for two days including basic collision damage waiver (CDW). These are regular-season, tax-inclusive rates before discounts, on a Japanese licence. Worldnet and Honda are not in the table.

• The 48-hour total is the first 24 hours, one additional day and two days of basic CDW. A dash means the company's rate table does not list that fee. Where basic CDW shows "Included", the rate already contains it. Extra hours, fuel, one-way fees and options such as child seats are not included.
• Most companies offer member or online discounts, so the booking screen is often cheaper than this table. Peak periods such as Golden Week, Obon and New Year cost more. Enter your dates and class for the actual price.
• Toyota has member discounts of 10% and 20%.
• Budget has a web member rate at 10% off.
• Times has member rates of up to 20% off.
• Nippon has a separate member rate table.
• Nissan's basic CDW is calculated on the Standard Plan at ¥1,650 a day.
• Orix has member discounts and a 5% web discount.
• Nico Nico's basic CDW does not waive the vehicle excess after a single-car accident.
• One's row is from its national rate table.

Prices differ by licence. The table uses the Japanese-licence rate. On a foreign licence, Toyota C1 is ¥10,340 for the first 24 hours and ¥8,690 for each additional 24 hours, before optional cover; the Toyota row above uses the separate Japanese-licence rates of ¥8,580 and ¥7,260. For the other companies, get a quote for your own licence.

There are two routes. With an International Driving Permit, you need the booklet-type permit issued under the 1949 Geneva Convention, and you may drive for one year from the day you land in Japan or until one year after the permit was issued, whichever is earlier. With a licence from Switzerland, Germany, France, Belgium, Monaco or Taiwan, you need the original licence with an official Japanese translation (for example from JAF), and you may drive for one year from the day you land or until the licence itself expires, whichever is earlier. On either route you need your passport, and it must show your landing date. If you are registered as a resident of Japan, a re-entry within three months of leaving does not start the period again. See driving in Japan on a foreign licence.

Check in at the arrivals lobby and call for the shuttle

The routine depends on the company.

• Check in at a counter, then ride to the branch: Toyota (a free shuttle wagon, about 10 minutes, longer when busy), Nippon (the counter in the middle of the lobby; the branch is about 3 minutes by car and a shuttle takes you back), Orix (free shuttle, 3–4 minutes), Budget (the counter between arrival exits A and B; about 10 minutes, with a return shuttle), Worldnet (its own counter; about 10 minutes, and phone the branch if no one is there) and Honda (check in at the airport counter and collect the car at its Asahikawa Airport branch).
• Counter in the arrivals lobby: Times' counter has no resident staff, and the branch is 3–5 minutes away. Nissan and Eki Rent-a-Car check you in at the Nissan counter.
• Phone after landing: Carsta runs a free shuttle for customers renting at the branch, and you must contact it beforehand (shuttle service 08:30–18:30). One's runs a free shuttle of about 2 minutes: wait under the sign to the left of the taxi rank outside arrivals exit 3; departures run 08:30–18:30 and you may wait about 15 minutes when busy.
• Booking-required shuttle: Nico Nico Higashikagura Kita 1-jo runs a free shuttle by booking. Meet the staff member with a shop-name card in front of the arrivals exit; if you gave your flight in advance, you need not phone.

Worldnet cannot hand over or take back cars inside the airport. Return 1 hour before a domestic flight and 1 hour 30 minutes before an international one.

Work back from winter hours and New Year

Hours change by season. Toyota is open 08:00–20:00 from 1 April to 31 October, 08:30–20:00 from 1 November to 30 December and 5 January to 31 March, and 10:00–16:00 from 31 December to 4 January. Budget is normally open 08:00–20:00, 09:00–19:00 from 1 November 2026 to 15 April 2027, and 09:00–17:00 from 31 December 2026 to 3 January 2027. Honda is open 09:00–19:00 from 1 April to 31 October and 09:00–18:00 from 1 November to 31 March.

At New Year, Nippon is open 08:30–17:00 on 31 December 2026, Worldnet is closed on 31 December and 1 January, and Honda on 1 January. One's has not decided its New Year hours. Times is open all year and asks for returns one hour before your flight. Honda can arrange rentals and returns outside opening hours to match flights, but only with a prior booking.

Frequently asked questions

Can I collect the car at the counter in the airport?

Worldnet cannot hand over or take back cars inside the airport. For the other companies, the counter is a check-in desk and you usually collect the car at the branch after a shuttle ride.

Can I rent if I land in the evening or in winter?

In winter, the branches whose hours are confirmed close between 18:00 (Times and Honda) and 20:00 (Toyota, Nippon, Nico Nico and Eki Rent-a-Car). Honda can arrange out-of-hours service if you book in advance. If you land late, confirm closing times and the last shuttle before you book.

What does a two-day rental cost?

On standard rates before discounts, a compact with basic CDW for two days comes to ¥18,040–¥20,790 across the 6 major companies, ¥17,820 at Eki Rent-a-Car, ¥13,420 at Nico Nico, ¥11,200 at Carsta on a Japanese licence. On a foreign licence, Toyota’s base rate is higher; see the price section above.

Are winter snow tires fitted as standard in winter?

Yes — Hokkaido branches fit studless winter tires across the fleet during the snow season. Standard periods at the major brands are 1 November–5 May at Toyota (seasonal rate), 1 November–20 April at Nippon (¥660/day winter fee), 1 November–15 April at Times (¥660 per 24 hours), and 16 November–30 April at Nissan (winter rate); Orix lists winter-tire cars under its "studless" plans (from ¥2,640 per 24 hours). Frost and black ice can appear on Biei, Furano, Asahidake and Sounkyo in late October and late April, so request winter tires explicitly if your dates fall just outside those windows.

What are the rules for International Driving Permits, foreign licences and ETC cards?

Toyota, Nippon, Times, Orix, Nissan, JR Ekiren and Sky accept an International Driving Permit issued under the 1949 Geneva Convention together with your passport and home licence. Drivers holding a licence from Switzerland, Germany, France, Belgium, Monaco or Taiwan can rent from those major brands with an official Japanese translation (from JAF or an embassy/consulate), the original licence and a passport — see driving in Japan on an IDP and company rules compared. Nico Nico accepts IDPs only at participating branches with counter procedures in Japanese, while Guts does not rent on IDPs. For expressway tolls, Toyota (¥550/rental), Nippon (¥330 up to 7 days, phone after booking), Orix (¥550/rental) and Nissan (¥220/day) rent ETC cards subject to branch stock, whereas Times and Guts do not rent ETC cards and JR Ekiren depends on the regional JR operator and office (unavailable at JR Hokkaido and JR East offices; available at selected JR West offices — see the ETC card guide).

Guides to read before booking

• Picking up a rental car at a Japanese airport
• Renting a car in Hokkaido
• Driving in Hokkaido: distances, winter roads and deer
• Basic CDW and the NOC explained
• Refuelling and returning the car
• Comparing rental company rules: payment, extensions, one-way rentals and more
• Accidents, damage, punctures, breakdowns and parking tickets