Car Rental in Hiroshima: Airport and Station's 18 Branches Compared

Choosing a rental car in Hiroshima

Hiroshima Prefecture has two main places to compare rental branches: Hiroshima Airport with seven branches from seven companies, and Hiroshima Station with 11 from seven. Neither has a 24-hour branch.

This guide shows which place suits your trip, how pickup works at the airport's Rent a Car Port and at the station, closing times, one-way returns, and rates on Japanese and foreign licences.

• Flying in: Nippon, Toyota, Orix, Nissan, Times and Mazda are inside the Rent a Car Port, across the car-park bridge from the second floor of the passenger terminal. It is about 3 minutes on foot from the terminal building, with no wait for a shuttle.
• Arriving at Hiroshima Station by Shinkansen: Eki Rent-a-Car is about 80 m to the right after you leave the Shinkansen gates, go down to the first floor and exit the station. Orix, Times and Nico Nico on the Shinkansen side (north) and Nippon and Nico Nico on the south side are about 3 minutes on foot.
• Staying in Hiroshima city first: you can spend your arrival day in the city without a car and rent at the station on the morning you leave. Compare the rental charge and hotel parking for unused days against renting at the airport from day one.
• Renting at the airport and returning at the station: Nippon, Toyota and Orix accept cars rented elsewhere at both places.
• Renting or returning in the evening: the latest closing is 21:00, at Nippon Hiroshima Station South Exit and Nico Nico Hiroshima Higashikaniya-cho. Airport branches close by 20:00, and Times and J-net close at 19:00.
• Keeping the cost down: on standard compact rates before discounts for a Japanese licence, Eki Rent-a-Car at the station (¥8,470 for 24 hours) and Toyota (¥8,580) are lowest among the major companies. Nico Nico at the station is ¥5,610. At the airport, Toyota is lowest at ¥8,580. Foreign-licence prices and eligibility differ; see the rates section.

Hiroshima Airport and Hiroshima Station compared

At Hiroshima Airport, take the escalator straight ahead from the arrivals exit to the second floor, then cross the car-park bridge from in front of the departures-lobby information desk. At the far end, the Rent a Car Port holds six companies' counters, and each handles its own check-in. Only J-net is elsewhere, in Kochi-cho, Higashihiroshima, about 7 minutes by car from the airport; ask the branch about a pickup.

Hiroshima Station has eight branches on the Shinkansen side (north) and two on the south side, and Eki Rent-a-Car is right by the Shinkansen gates. All can be reached on foot. Note that Nippon's and Toyota's Shinkansen-side branches separate the check-in point from the place you collect and return the car.

The first table compares the two places. The tables after it list every branch, with each name linking to its branch page. Hours are the regular ones. For rentals in eastern Hiroshima, such as Fukuyama or Onomichi, use the branch search on each company's website.

Hiroshima Airport branches

Hiroshima Station branches

Rental companies in Hiroshima compared

The two places have 18 branches from nine companies.

One-way fees and company rules are in the Japan rental-company comparison. The four companies below show how Hiroshima branches and cover differ.

Reference rates and cover

The table shows standard compact rates for companies with branches at Hiroshima Airport and Hiroshima Station: regular season, before discounts, for a Japanese licence.

On a foreign licence, Toyota uses a separate rate list: C1 is ¥10,340 for the first 24 hours and ¥8,690 for each additional 24 hours, against ¥8,580 and ¥7,260 in the table. To rent on a foreign licence, bring an International Driving Permit issued under the 1949 Geneva Convention and your passport, or, for licences from Switzerland, Germany, France, Belgium, Monaco or Taiwan, the licence with a Japanese translation and your passport.

Nico Nico requires the renter to complete the contract in Japanese, without an interpreter or translation app, and some branches do not accept an IDP.

The cover names and prices that remove the NOC are compared in CDW and NOC.

Pickup and return in Hiroshima

Returning at the airport for your flight

On the way back, drive to your company's return point, not the terminal drop-off. Nippon, Toyota, Orix, Nissan and Mazda close at 20:00, and Times and J-net at 19:00. Return Times cars at least 1 hour before the flight. Allow time for the inspection and the walk to the terminal.

Returning at Hiroshima Station

Nippon Hiroshima Station Shinkansen Exit takes returns at its dedicated branch at 19-3 Wakakusa-cho, with return MAPCODE 22 223 212*55. Toyota takes returns at Hiroshima Shinkansen Exit, 22-9 Wakakusa-cho, not at the Sheraton counter. Times takes returns in an underground car park. If you rent a large vehicle, check the limits first at Toyota (vehicles on number 1 or 2 plates, W4 class), Nissan (T4–T6 and M1 classes) and Times (tall and long vehicles).

One-way rentals between the airport and Hiroshima Station

To rent at the airport and return at the station, look at Nippon, Toyota and Orix, which accept cars rented elsewhere at both ends. You cannot choose Orix's Safety Plaza Atago counter as a return branch. One-way fees depend on the company, distance and area, and are not always free. Name the return branch in the booking and check the amount.

Heading into the mountains in winter

If you drive on snowy roads in winter, such as in northern Hiroshima, check when booking that the car has studless tyres. Where they are not standard, the option costs ¥2,200 (for 24 hours or a day) at Toyota (passenger cars), Times and Nissan, and some branches do not offer them. Nico Nico Hiroshima Station South Exit offers free studless tyres in limited numbers.

Frequently asked questions

Should I rent at Hiroshima Airport or Hiroshima Station?

Hiroshima Airport suits you if you land and head straight out of the city. Hiroshima Station suits a Shinkansen arrival or a trip that starts after a night in the city. At the airport, six companies are in the Rent a Car Port, within walking distance of the terminal. The station has branches on both the Shinkansen and south sides, and Nico Nico and Eki Rent-a-Car are also options.

Which company has the lowest rate?

On standard compact rates before discounts for a Japanese licence, Nico Nico at the station is lowest at ¥5,610 for 24 hours. Among the major companies, Eki Rent-a-Car at the station is ¥8,470 and Toyota ¥8,580, and Toyota is lowest at the airport at ¥8,580. Member and online discounts change the price, so narrow your choice to two or three companies and compare them in the booking.

Can I rent at Hiroshima Airport and return at Hiroshima Station?

Nippon, Toyota and Orix accept cars rented elsewhere at both places. Nippon's Shinkansen Exit takes back kei cars, passenger cars, wagons, vans and light trucks only, and with Orix you return to Hiroshima Station Shinkansen Exit. Name the return branch in the booking to check the fee.

Can I rent or return late at night?

There is no 24-hour branch. The latest closing is 21:00, at Nippon Hiroshima Station South Exit and Nico Nico Hiroshima Higashikaniya-cho. Airport branches close by 20:00, and Nissan does not help outside opening hours when flights are delayed; it deals with you on the next business day.

Do I take a shuttle to Hiroshima Airport's rental branches?

The six companies in the Rent a Car Port have no shuttle; you walk across the bridge from the second floor of the terminal, about 3 minutes. Only J-net is elsewhere, about 7 minutes by car from the airport; ask the branch about a pickup.

Guides to read before booking

• Rental companies, rates and cover in Japan
• Driving in Japan with a foreign licence
• Accidents, scratches, punctures, breakdowns and parking fines
• CDW and NOC
• Refuelling and returning the car