Car Rental in Hokkaido: New Chitose and Sapporo's 50 Branches Compared

Choosing a rental car in Hokkaido

Hokkaido has two main places to compare rental branches: New Chitose Airport with 34 branches and Sapporo Station with 16. Together they make 50 branches from 29 companies.

This guide shows which place suits your trip, how pickup and shuttles work at New Chitose, when branches close in winter, and how rates differ on Japanese and foreign licences.

• Flying into New Chitose: no branch is inside the terminal, and every company takes you to a branch outside the airport. Some check you in at a reception counter and then put you on a shuttle: Nippon, Toyota, Orix, Nissan, Times and Eki Rent-a-Car, among others. Others ask you to phone on arrival and wait at a pickup point: Nico Nico, Sky, One's and many local companies.
• Staying in Sapporo first: Sapporo Station has 16 branches, including Nippon, Toyota, Orix and Nissan, and many are a 1–10-minute walk from the station.
• Early or late: Nippon opens at 07:00 at both New Chitose Airport and Sapporo Ekimae. It closes at 22:00 from April to October and at 21:00 from November to March.
• Renting in winter (around November to March): many branches close earlier from November. The period when winter tyres are standard, and whether four-wheel drive is available, depend on the company and the plan you book.
• Keeping the cost down: on standard compact rates before discounts for a Japanese licence, Eki Rent-a-Car at ¥8,470 for 24 hours and Toyota at ¥8,580 are lowest among the major companies. Among smaller companies, One's lists ¥4,400, Carsta ¥4,500 and Nico Nico ¥5,610. Many local companies do not publish a rate table. Foreign-licence prices and eligibility differ; see the rates section.

New Chitose Airport and Sapporo Station compared

New Chitose branches are 5–20 minutes from the airport by car. Shuttle stops differ by company: left of the arrivals lobby beside the police box (stops 1–10), stop 30 at the far right, or on the international side. When you return, check the time of the last shuttle as well as the closing time. Times asks for returns at least 90 minutes before departure, and Honda Rent & Lease Hokkaido about 2 hours before the flight.

Sapporo Station branches are spread across the south exit, north exit and east side, and some are close to the subway's Sapporo Station or Odori. Toyota Sapporo Station North Exit Departure Counter handles departures only and closes at 14:00 (17:00 in July and August); return the car to Toyota Sapporo Station South Exit.

The first table compares the two places. The tables after it list every branch, with each name linking to the company's branch page. Hours are the regular ones; winter closing times are under "Pickup and return in Hokkaido". If you plan to rent at Asahikawa, Hakodate, Memanbetsu or Kushiro, use the branch search on each company's website.

New Chitose Airport branches

Sapporo Station branches

Rental companies in Hokkaido compared

The two places have 50 branches from 29 companies. These companies have branches at both.

New Chitose also has Times, Sky, J-net, One's, Carsta (three branches) and many Hokkaido companies. One-way fees and company rules are in the Japan rental-company comparison. The five companies below show how Hokkaido branches and cover differ.

Reference rates and cover

The table shows standard compact rates for companies with branches at New Chitose and Sapporo Station: regular season, before discounts, for a Japanese licence. Some companies use a higher Hokkaido-only rate in summer (July and August), and some add a winter charge (Toyota: ¥660 a day). The table does not include winter charges.

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 Hokkaido

Winter closing times and the last shuttle

From November at New Chitose, Nippon closes at 21:00, Toyota's two branches and Nissan at 20:00, Orix and J-net at 19:00, and Eki Rent-a-Car and Honda Rent & Lease Sapporo's Chitose branch at 18:00. At some branches the last shuttle leaves before closing, so work back from your flight to set the return time.

Winter tyres and four-wheel drive

In the snow season, do not assume a car class includes winter tyres or four-wheel drive; check that the plan you book lists them. Nissan's standard studless period at New Chitose and Sapporo runs from 16 November 2026 to 30 April 2027. In winter, keep driving distances short and plan a route where you can drop stops if the weather turns.

Moves and closures at New Chitose

Sky New Chitose Airport moves to 3-chome, Ryutsu, Chitose on 5 November 2026; the shuttle stop and telephone number stay the same. Its telephone line is out of service on the morning of 5 November. Carsta New Chitose Airport was scheduled to close on 31 October 2026, so it is not in the tables above.

One-way rentals between the airport and Sapporo

To rent at New Chitose and return in Sapporo, or the reverse, look at Nippon, Toyota, Orix and Eki Rent-a-Car, which have branches at both and accept cars rented elsewhere. 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.

Frequently asked questions

Should I rent at New Chitose Airport or Sapporo Station?

New Chitose suits you if you land and head straight for Furano, Biei or eastern Hokkaido. A Sapporo Station branch suits a trip that starts after a night in the city. Add hotel parking in Sapporo and the rental charge for days you will not drive when you compare.

Which company has the lowest rate?

On standard compact rates before discounts for a Japanese licence, One's at ¥4,400 and Carsta at ¥4,500 are lowest; both are near New Chitose and reached by shuttle. Nico Nico follows at ¥5,610, and among the major companies Eki Rent-a-Car is ¥8,470 and Toyota ¥8,580. Many local companies do not publish a rate table, so compare the total for the same dates, class and cover in each booking.

Do branches close earlier in winter?

Yes. At New Chitose, many branches close earlier from November: Nippon at 21:00, Toyota and Nissan at 20:00, and Orix and J-net at 19:00. Nippon Sapporo Ekimae also closes at 21:00 from November to March.

Where do I wait for the shuttle at New Chitose?

It depends on the company. Some wait at the permitted-vehicle pickup area beside the police box, past bus stop 1 at the far left of the arrivals lobby (stops 1–10). Others use stop 30 at the far right, and others direct you after you check in at a counter. Check the pickup point on your company's branch page before you leave arrivals.

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