Iseshi Station Car Rental: 9 Companies and 11 Branches Compared

Eleven rental branches at Iseshi and Ujiyamada Stations: how to choose

Iseshi Station — the joint JR Sangu Line (Rapid Mie from Nagoya) and Kintetsu Yamada Line gateway facing Ise Jingu's Outer Shrine (Geku) — forms a single walkable rental zone with neighbouring Kintetsu Ujiyamada Station, just 600 m (a 7–8 minute walk) east and one stop further on all Kintetsu Limited Expresses (Shimakaze, Ise-Shima Liner and regular expresses from Nagoya, Kyoto and Osaka Namba). Across both stations and two free-shuttle counters, nine companies operate 11 staffed branches (Toyota and Orix each run two branches).

This page compares the exit split between Iseshi Station's JR South Exit and Kintetsu North Exit, Ujiyamada Station counters, early 18:00 return cutoffs, walking Geku before driving to Naiku, Toba and Ago Bay, peak-season traffic restrictions, one-way drops, IDP eligibility and reference rates.

• Choose your exit before tapping out at Iseshi Station: Iseshi Station has no free non-ticketed pedestrian passage between the JR South Exit (the big torii gate and Geku Sando side: Orix Iseshi Ekimae, Guts, J-Net and Aby) and the Kintetsu North Exit (Times Car Ise and Toyota Ise). Inside the gates, JR and Kintetsu share a footbridge with no intermediate ticket gate, so rail passengers on either company can exit South or North freely before leaving the turnstiles; once outside, crossing requires buying a platform ticket or walking 400–500 m around an exterior level crossing. If you arrive by Kintetsu Limited Express and book branches 6–10, stay on the train one extra minute to Ujiyamada Station.
• Watch the early evening closing times (18:00 vs 19:00 vs 20:00): both Orix branches and Nippon close at 18:00 year-round. Times, J-Net, Toyota Ise Ujiyamada Ekimae, Guts and Carsta close at 19:00. Only three branches stay open until 20:00: Toyota Ise (7 min walk from the Kintetsu North Exit), EV specialist Aby Rent a Car, and Nico Nico Ise Iwabuchi.
• Morning openings and walking Geku first: eight branches — Orix (both), Times, Toyota (both), J-Net, Aby and Nico Nico — open at 08:00, whereas Guts and Nippon open at 09:00 (Carsta opens at 10:00 on weekdays and 09:00 on weekends/holidays, closed Wednesdays and 2nd/3rd Tuesdays). Because Ise Jingu Geku opens at 05:00 and stands a flat 5–7 minute walk down Geku Sando from the JR South Exit, visiting Geku on foot before collecting your car saves both rental hours and morning Geku car-park queues.
• International Driving Permits: five companies (seven branches) — Toyota (both), Orix (both), Times, Nippon and J-Net (staffed counter) — accept a 1949 Geneva Convention IDP with your physical passport (or an eligible licence with an official Japanese translation) without requiring fluent Japanese. Nico Nico Ise Iwabuchi accepts an IDP only if you complete the entire counter procedure in Japanese without interpreters or translation apps, Aby Rent a Car recognises Geneva IDPs in its terms under Japanese-language procedures, and Guts and Carsta require a Japanese driving licence (no IDP).
• One-way drops to Nagoya, Centrair, Kyoto, Osaka or Shirahama: Toyota (both), Orix (both) and Nippon support both outgoing and incoming cross-prefecture one-way rentals. Times Car Ise allows outgoing one-way drops (except Hokkaido/Okinawa) but prohibits incoming one-way returns from other branches. Guts, Aby and Nico Nico do not allow one-way rentals.

Compare the 11 Iseshi and Ujiyamada Station branches

Branch names link to their official pages. Numbers 1–11 match the station data ledger (1–5 around Iseshi Station, 6 midway between both stations, 7–10 around Ujiyamada Station, and 11 by free advance shuttle) and are not a ranking.

Reference prices: standard rates at nine companies

This table compares each company's published standard rate for a compact car, together with a 48-hour total including basic collision damage waiver (CDW). Figures are regular-season rates before member or web discounts on a Japanese driving licence.

• The 48-hour total adds the first 24 hours, one additional day and two days of basic CDW. A dash (–) means Guts omits an additional-day rate in its national table (and Guts Iseshi Ekimae specialises in used 4-seat kei cars starting at ¥3,190/24h for A2, requires a Japanese licence, excludes vehicle cover from its base fare, and caps distance at 300 km per 24h) while EV-only Aby Rent a Car does not stock minivans (Nico Nico Ise Iwabuchi likewise stocks K, S and T1 classes only, with no minivans).
• At Aby Rent a Car, standard rates are ¥15,000 first 24h / ¥11,000 extra day for the 5-seat Nissan Leaf (20% campaign through 31 December 2026 lowers this to ¥12,000 / ¥8,800, or ¥23,000 for 48h with CDW), ¥9,300 first 24h / ¥7,500 extra day for the 4-seat kei EV Nissan Sakura (campaign ¥7,500 / ¥7,000), and ¥7,150/24h for the 2-seat Toyota C+pod (campaign ¥2,900/6h or ¥3,500/12h; max 60 km/h, no expressways). Note that Aby's non-operation charge (NOC) in its rental terms is ¥100,000 if drivable and ¥150,000 if non-drivable.
• Major chains offer member or web discounts: Toyota (10% and 20% member discounts), Times (up to 20% member discount), Orix (member discounts and 5% web discount), and Nippon (separate member rate table).

Prices can differ on a foreign licence. Toyota publishes a separate foreign-licence schedule where C1 is ¥10,340 for the first 24 hours and ¥8,690 for each additional 24 hours before optional cover, compared with ¥8,580 and ¥7,260 on a Japanese licence, and operates an English reservation line (0800-7000-815, 08:00–20:00).

To rent as a visitor at Toyota, Orix, Times, Nippon or J-Net's staffed counter, bring a booklet-type International Driving Permit issued under the 1949 Geneva Convention, or a licence from Switzerland, Germany, France, Belgium, Monaco or Taiwan (plus Slovenia at J-Net) paired with an official Japanese translation (for example from JAF), together with your physical passport (Times specifies a passport bearing your Japanese landing entry stamp; photocopies are refused). See driving in Japan with a foreign licence.

JR South Exit vs Kintetsu North Exit, Ujiyamada Station walks, and shuttles

Iseshi Station places JR Sangu Line platforms 1–3 on the south side and Kintetsu Yamada Line platforms 4–5 on the north side, linked by an inside-gate pedestrian footbridge with no intermediate ticket barrier. Crucially, there is no free public walkway connecting south and north outside the ticket gates. Once you tap out, switching sides requires either buying a platform admission ticket (入場券) or walking 400–500 m around an exterior level crossing. Always check your branch's side before exiting the turnstiles:

• Iseshi Station JR South Exit (Geku side — branches 1, 4, 5, 6): this main forecourt opens onto the wooden torii gate, baggage storage / coin lockers, bus stops and Geku Sando. Both JR Rapid Mie passengers (~95 min from Nagoya) and Kintetsu passengers (by crossing the inside-gate footbridge) can exit here. Turning right (west) reaches Orix Iseshi Ekimae (本町2-17, 2 min, closes 18:00) and EV specialist Aby Rent a Car (大世古1-1-16, ~8 min walk west, or ~5 min free pickup by calling after pre-booking). Turning left (east) reaches kei specialist Guts Iseshi Ekimae (吹上1-8-39, 1 min, Japanese licence only) and J-Net Ise Ujiyamada Ekimae (吹上1-10-10, 5–6 min).
• Iseshi Station Kintetsu North Exit (branches 2, 3): facing the quieter residential side directly off the Kintetsu platforms (JR passengers can also cross the inside-gate footbridge to exit North). Times Car Ise (宮後2-25-26, credit card only) stands 1 minute from the North Exit, and Toyota Ise (河崎2-11-6) is a 7-minute (500 m) walk north-east toward historic Kawasaki — rewarding the slightly longer walk with a 20:00 closing time (versus 19:00 at Toyota Ujiyamada). Do not confuse staffed Times Car Ise with unmanned Times Car share bays around the station.
• Neighbouring Kintetsu Ujiyamada Station (~600 m east — branches 6, 7, 8, 9, 10): every Kintetsu Limited Express from Nagoya (~80–85 min), Kyoto (~2h10m) and Osaka Namba (~1h50m), including the sightseeing Shimakaze, stops at both Iseshi and Ujiyamada Station one minute further east. If you book Orix Ise Kintetsu Ujiyamada Station (#8, right inside the station building, 1 min, closes 18:00), Toyota Ise Ujiyamada Ekimae (#7, beside the forecourt rotary, 1 min, closes 19:00), J-Net (#6, 2 min west), Nippon Ise Ujiyamada (#9, 3 min south-west, 09:00–18:00) or Nico Nico Ise Iwabuchi (#10, 8–10 min east inside apollostation Self Ise, 08:00–20:00), alight at Ujiyamada Station rather than walking 7–15 minutes from Iseshi Station. Note that J-Net's address also houses a camper desk and an unmanned Smart Counter (IDPs ineligible).
• Advance-booking shuttle (Japanese licence holders — branch 11): despite its name, Carsta Iseshi-eki Minami (宇治浦田3-25-55) sits about 2.5 km south near Ise-Nishi IC and Naiku. Its free shuttle from Iseshi Station (South or North Exit) must be reserved at least two days in advance and runs 10:00–19:00 on weekdays or 09:00–19:00 on weekends/holidays (closed Wednesdays, 2nd/3rd Tuesdays, and 29 Dec 2026–5 Jan 2027).

Geku on foot first, Ise Jingu Naiku parking, Ise-Shima Skyline, and peak restrictions

Tradition visits Ise Jingu Geku (Outer Shrine) before Naiku (Inner Shrine). Because Geku's entrance bridge lies a flat 5–7 minute walk down Geku Sando from Iseshi Station's JR South Exit — and Geku opens at 05:00 — stowing bags in a station coin locker, walking Geku first, and picking up your rental car at 08:00 or 09:00 skips morning queues at Geku's free 2-hour car parks and trims rental hours before heading out along the Ise-Shima driving route:

• Parking at Naiku and the 20% Ise-Shima Skyline toll discount: Oharai-machi and Okage-yokocho have no dedicated car parks; follow signs from Urata intersection into Uji Municipal Car Parks A or B (市営宇治駐車場; entering 07:00–17:00 gives the first hour free, up to 2 hours ¥500, then ¥100 per 30 minutes; Car Park A closest to Uji Bridge fills first from mid-morning). Keep your municipal parking receipt: showing it at the Ise-Shima Skyline toll gate (3 minutes from Naiku; 16.3 km over Mt Asama to Toba, standard car ¥1,270, open 07:00–19:00 or 20:00 in August and all night on New Year's Eve — cash/non-ETC toll gate) gives a 20% toll discount.
• Toba, Pearl Road, Yokoyama Observatory roadworks and EV limits: the Pearl Road (23.8 km), Daini Ise Road and Ise-Futami-Toba Line are toll-free, though when returning westbound from Futami (Meoto-iwa) or Toba on the Ise-Futami-Toba Line you cannot exit at Ise-Nishi IC. On 22 November 2026 (09:00–15:00), the outbound Ise-Nishi IC exit closes (use Tamaki IC or Ise IC), and from 24 November 2026 to 1 March 2027 roadworks close the access road to Yokoyama Observatory's upper P2 car park, requiring a 15–20 minute uphill trail walk from lower Car Park P1. If renting from Aby Rent a Car, remember the 2-seat Toyota C+pod is limited to 60 km/h, prohibited on expressways and motor-vehicle-only roads, and restricted to ~50–60 km within Ise and Toba — choose the Nissan Sakura or Nissan Leaf for Shima (Yokoyama, Kashikojima, Daiozaki) or expressway trips.
• New Year and Golden Week Park & Bus Ride: during New Year (early to mid-January holidays) and Golden Week, private and rental cars are restricted around Naiku and Ise-Nishi / Ise IC exits, with mandatory Park & Bus Ride routing cars to temporary parking at Mie Prefectural Sun Arena (¥1,000 per car) for a ~15-minute shuttle bus to Naiku. On restriction days, visit Naiku by local bus from Iseshi/Ujiyamada Station or budget extra time via Sun Arena.
• Evening cutoffs, refuelling and winter tyres: build margin for Route 23 congestion before 18:00 (Orix #1 and #8, Nippon #9), 19:00 (Times, J-Net, Toyota Ujiyamada, Guts, Carsta) or 20:00 (Toyota Ise, Aby, Nico Nico; see refuelling and returning the car). Return MAPCODEs are 118551840*76 (Toyota Ise), 118550209*33 (Toyota Ujiyamada) and 118 550 056*05 (Nippon Ujiyamada). Mie Prefecture is outside standard winter-tyre regions at Toyota and Nippon, so reserve paid studless snow tyres in advance if driving into snowy Kii mountain passes or central Japan in winter.

One-way drops to Nagoya, Centrair, Kyoto, Osaka and Kumano, plus ETC cards

Iseshi and Ujiyamada Stations anchor classic open-jaw drives: arriving by Kintetsu Limited Express, touring Ise-Shima and dropping off at Nagoya Station or Chubu Centrair International Airport, crossing west to Kyoto Station, Shin-Osaka Station or Kansai International Airport, or driving south down the E42 Kisei Expressway and coastal Route 42 through Kumano Kodo, Nachi Falls, Kushimoto and Shirahama in Nanki and Kumano to Nanki-Shirahama Airport. Compare one-way rental fees with each branch's rules:

• Three companies (five branches) allow both outgoing and incoming one-way rentals: Toyota (#3 Ise and #7 Ise Ujiyamada Ekimae; excludes 1- and 2-number plates), Orix (#1 Iseshi Ekimae and #8 Kintetsu Ujiyamada; nationwide except Hokkaido, Okinawa and islands, excluding vehicles ≥484 cm long, ≥188 cm wide, ≥210 cm high or class WD+), and Nippon (#9 Ise Ujiyamada; distance-based fee excluding microbuses and 3t+ trucks; incoming returns limited to kei, passenger, wagon, van and kei-truck classes).
• Times Car Ise (#2) allows outgoing drops only — no incoming returns: you can pick up at Times Car Ise and drop off at another Times branch on Honshu/Shikoku/Kyushu, but you cannot return a car rented at Nagoya, Kyoto, Osaka or Centrair to Times Car Ise. For inbound one-way trips ending at Ise, book Toyota, Orix or Nippon.
• No one-way rentals at Guts, Aby or Nico Nico: all three require returning to the pickup branch (confirm one-way terms when booking J-Net or Carsta).

For Ise Expressway (E23) and Kisei Expressway (E42) tolls, four companies (six branches) — Orix (both), Toyota (both, ¥550 per rental by phone), Nippon (¥330 up to 7 days by phone after booking) and Aby Rent a Car (¥330 on Leaf/Sakura only) — offer ETC card rental. Times, J-Net (outside J-Net's ETC card list), Nico Nico and Carsta fit ETC units for your own card, while Guts treats the ETC unit itself as a paid option. Keep cash handy for the Ise-Shima Skyline (¥1,270).

Frequently asked questions

Are Eki Rent-a-Car, Nissan, Budget or One's available at Iseshi Station?

No. Eki Rent-a-Car has no office at Iseshi Station, Nissan Rent a Car's Mie branches go only as far south as Matsusaka (Yokkaichi, Tsu and Matsusaka), Budget Rent a Car operates only in Kuwana and Nabari, and One's Rent a Car has zero branches in Mie Prefecture. Choose from the nine companies (11 branches) compared above.

Can I rent on an International Driving Permit?

Yes without language restrictions at five companies (seven branches) — Toyota (#3, #7), Orix (#1, #8), Times (#2), Nippon (#9) and J-Net's staffed counter (#6) — with a booklet-type 1949 Geneva Convention IDP and your physical passport (or a licence from Switzerland, Germany, France, Belgium, Monaco or Taiwan — plus Slovenia at J-Net — paired with an official Japanese translation and physical passport). J-Net's co-located unmanned Smart Counter, Guts and Carsta do not accept IDPs; Nico Nico Ise Iwabuchi requires completing all counter procedures strictly in Japanese without interpreters or translation apps; and Aby Rent a Car's contracts are in Japanese.

What does a two-day rental cost?

On standard Japanese-licence rates before discounts, a compact car with basic CDW for 48 hours comes to ¥18,040 at Toyota, ¥18,260 at Nippon, ¥18,975 at Times, ¥20,020 at Orix and ¥21,450 at J-Net (budget options are ¥11,200 at Japanese-licence-only Carsta where tax display is omitted and new/hybrid cars add 30%, ¥13,420 at Japanese-speaking Nico Nico, and ¥28,200 standard / ¥23,000 campaign through 31 Dec 2026 on a 5-seat Nissan Leaf EV at Aby, or ¥19,000 standard / ¥16,700 campaign on a 4-seat Sakura kei EV). On a foreign licence, Toyota's C1 base rate starts at ¥10,340 for the first 24 hours before cover. Compare deductibles and NOC exposure in basic CDW and the NOC explained and comparing rental company rules.

Guides to read before booking

• Ise-Shima driving guide: Ise Jingu, Toba and Ago Bay route with map
• Nanki and Kumano driving guide: Shirahama, Cape Shionomisaki, Nachi and Kumano Sanzan
• Nagoya Station car rental: branches and rates compared
• Chubu Centrair International Airport car rental: counters and rates compared
• Kyoto Station car rental: branches and rates compared
• Shin-Osaka Station car rental: branches and rates compared
• Kansai International Airport car rental: counters and rates compared
• Nanki-Shirahama Airport car rental: branches and rates compared
• One-way rentals: fees and rules
• ETC cards for rental cars: where to borrow one and how tolls are settled
• Basic CDW and the NOC explained
• Refuelling and returning the car
• Comparing rental company rules: payment, extensions, one-way rentals and more
• Driving in Japan with a foreign licence