Hakodate Airport Car Rental: 14 Companies Compared

Fourteen rental companies at Hakodate Airport: how to choose

Hakodate Airport, on the southern tip of Hokkaido, has 14 rental companies at 14 locations. Most branches are in Takamatsucho, in front of the airport, and most companies either check you in at a counter inside the airport and send a shuttle, or ask you to phone after landing. The Nissan counter in the arrivals lobby also handles Eki Rent-a-Car bookings.

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: most branches open at 08:00. Times and HIPS open at 08:30, and One's opens at 08:30 on weekdays.
• Landing in the evening: from November to March, Toyota, Nippon, Orix, Budget, Apple and Eki Rent-a-Car close at 19:00; the hours of Nissan, Worldnet, J-Net and J Trip Car Rentals are not confirmed. From April to October Toyota is open until 20:00, and Budget is usually open until 20:00. Times closes at 17:00.
• Returning somewhere else: Toyota accepts one-way rentals inside and outside the area. Orix accepts them within Hokkaido only. 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 ¥8,470 at Eki Rent-a-Car, ¥8,580 at Toyota and Budget, and ¥8,855 at Times. One's company-wide rate is ¥4,400 (mainly used cars, with rates that vary by branch), but the rate at this booking-only branch for air travellers is not confirmed.

Compare the 14 Hakodate Airport locations

Branch names link to their official pages. The numbers identify the locations and are not a ranking.

Reference prices: standard rates at nine 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, Apple, HIPS, HDC and J Trip Car Rentals 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.
• One's row is from its national rate table; whether it applies at its Hakodate branch is not confirmed.

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 airport counter or call for the shuttle

The routine depends on the company.

• Check in at a counter, then ride to the branch: Nippon (the counter directly opposite the arrivals exit; the branch is 3 minutes by car), Orix (the airport counter; 1 minute by car, free shuttle), Apple and HIPS (counters inside the airport; about 5 minutes). HIPS's shuttle can involve waiting or sharing.
• Counter in the domestic arrivals lobby: Times' counter has no staff, and the branch is 5–10 minutes away. Nissan's counter also handles Eki Rent-a-Car.
• Phone after landing: Budget asks you to phone the branch, and a shuttle takes about 5 minutes and takes you back after you return the car.
• Shuttle from the airport: Toyota runs a free shuttle between the terminal and the branch, and a free pickup from Yunokawa hotels and ryokan. J Trip Car Rentals runs a free shuttle bus.
• Booking-only: One's takes air travellers only, with a shuttle of about 5 minutes; give your flight number, party size and departure time beforehand. HDC is also booking-only and runs a free shuttle.
• Listed only: Worldnet and J-Net appear on the airport's list of domestic-terminal rental counters.

Work back from winter hours and New Year

Hours change by season. Toyota is open 08:00–19:00 from 5 January to 31 March and 1 November to 30 December, 08:00–20:00 from 1 April to 31 October, and 09:00–16:00 from 31 December to 4 January. Budget is normally open 08:00–20:00, 08:00–19:00 from 1 November 2026 to 31 March 2027, and 08:00–18:00 from 29 December 2026 to 3 January 2027. Nippon is open 08:00–19:00, and 08:00–17:00 on 31 December 2026.

One's has not decided its hours from 26 December 2026 to 3 January 2027 and takes no bookings for them. HDC lists 09:00–15:00 from 31 December to 3 January. Return one hour before your flight at Times, and about 1 hour 30 minutes before at Budget.

Frequently asked questions

Can I rent if I land in the evening?

In winter, the branches whose hours are confirmed close between 17:00 (Times) and 19:00. If you land late, confirm closing times and the last shuttle before you book. Toyota stays open until 20:00 from April to October.

Will a shuttle collect me at a Yunokawa hotel?

Toyota offers a free pickup from hotels and ryokan in Yunokawa (pickup only). One's branch is also in Yunokawa.

Can I rent at short notice from a booking-only branch?

One's and HDC are booking-only. One's needs your flight number, party size and departure time beforehand, so contact the branch first if you want to rent at short notice.

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, ¥21,450 at J-Net on a Japanese licence. One’s national rate table is not compared here because whether it applies at this branch is not confirmed. On a foreign licence, Toyota’s base rate is higher; see the price section above.

Guides to read before booking

• 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