Car Rental in Kagoshima: Airport and Chuo Station Compared

Choosing a rental car in Kagoshima

Kagoshima Prefecture is at the southern tip of Kyushu. There are two places to compare rental branches: Kagoshima Airport with nine branches from nine companies, and Kagoshima-Chuo Station with 11 from eight. Neither has a 24-hour branch.

This guide shows which place suits your trip, how airport shuttles and station exits work, which branches take cars rented elsewhere, and how rates differ on Japanese and foreign licences.

• Arriving by air: all airport branches are outside the terminal. You can walk to Nissan (2 minutes), Orix (about 4 minutes) and Times (about 5 minutes). For the others, take a shuttle from the stop to the right as you leave the terminal.
• Arriving at Kagoshima-Chuo Station by Shinkansen: at the West Exit, Nippon's West Exit branch is just to the right of the rotary, and Toyota Shinkansen Kagoshima-Chuo Station West Exit is 2 minutes to the left. At the East Exit (Sakurajima side), Orix Kagoshima-Chuo Ekimae and Nissan are 3 minutes on foot.
• Staying in Kagoshima before heading for Kirishima or Ibusuki: you can skip a car on your arrival day and rent at Kagoshima-Chuo 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 Kagoshima-Chuo Station: Nippon, Toyota and Orix have branches at both that accept cars rented elsewhere. Nippon's West Exit branch and Times at the station do not.
• Arriving at night or returning late: the latest closing is 20:30, at Nippon and Toyota at the airport and Toyota Shinkansen Kagoshima-Chuo Station West Exit at the station. Nico Nico's airport branch serves customers arriving by air only on flights landing by 19:40.
• Keeping the cost down: on standard compact rates before discounts for a Japanese licence, Toyota and Budget are lowest among the major companies at ¥8,580 for 24 hours. Among smaller companies, Guts (station) is ¥4,070, Carsta (station) ¥4,500, Suzuki (airport) ¥5,500 and Nico Nico (airport) ¥5,610. Guts includes no vehicle damage cover and limits you to 300 km per 24 hours.

Kagoshima Airport and Kagoshima-Chuo Station compared

All Kagoshima Airport branches are outside the airport, reached by shuttle or on foot. Most companies share a shuttle stop: the rental car pickup area about 30–50 m to the right as you leave the terminal, near stop 4. Nippon runs a circulating shuttle, and most others come when you call after landing. On the way back, return the car to the branch you booked and take the shuttle to the terminal.

Kagoshima-Chuo Station has seven branches on the East (Sakurajima) side and four on the West side, all a walk from the station. Only Toyota Kagoshima-Chuo Station (09:00–17:00) collects you from the station. Choosing a branch on the same side as your hotel or next destination saves crossing the station. When returning, watch Nippon's West Exit branch, where the return point depends on the time.

The first table compares the two places. The tables after it list every branch, with each name linking to its branch page. The Kagoshima Airport comparison gives shuttle details for each airport branch. For rentals on islands such as Yakushima or Amami Oshima, use the branch search on each company's website.

Kagoshima Airport branches

Kagoshima-Chuo Station branches

Rental companies in Kagoshima compared

The two places have 20 branches from 11 companies.

One-way fees and company rules on payment and extensions are in the company rules comparison. The four companies below show how Kagoshima branches and cover differ.

Reference rates and cover

The table shows standard compact rates for companies with branches at Kagoshima Airport and Kagoshima-Chuo Station: regular season, before discounts, for a Japanese licence. A dash means the company does not publish that rate.

On a foreign licence, Toyota uses a separate rate list: C1 is ¥10,340 for the first 24 hours and ¥8,690 for each further 24 hours, against ¥8,580 and ¥7,260 in the table. To rent on a foreign licence, bring an International Driving Permit (IDP) 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 Guts generally does not rent on an IDP.

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

Pickup and return in Kagoshima

Returning at the airport for your flight

Return the car to the branch you booked, then take the shuttle to the terminal. Set your navigation to the branch's address, not the airport. Nippon's branch is about 5 minutes by car from the airport. Return to Times at least 40 minutes before your flight. Sky and Times close at 19:00, and Nippon and Toyota at 20:30.

Returning at Kagoshima-Chuo Station

Cars rented from Nippon's West Exit branch go back to the East Exit branch in the morning, and can be returned at West Exit from 12:00 to 19:00. If you return the next morning and then take a train, allow for the walk from the East Exit to the station. Return MAPCODEs are 393 575 69710 for West Exit and 393 575 37970 for East Exit.

Closing times range from 18:00 to 20:30. Orix Tenmonkan closes at 18:00, and Nippon West Exit, Times, Sky and Guts at 19:00. Some Carsta cars can be rented and returned 24 hours a day through its unstaffed Rakunori Smart service, but you must register as a member and register your licence in advance. Nissan does not handle T3–T6 or M1 classes because of its car park, and Guts closes on Wednesdays.

One-way rentals between the airport and Kagoshima-Chuo Station

To rent at the airport and return at the station, Nippon (return to East Exit), Toyota and Orix accept cars at both ends. Nippon's West Exit branch and Times at the station do not accept cars rented elsewhere. One-way fees depend on the company, distance and area, and are not always free. Name the return branch when you book and check the amount.

Winter days heading for Kirishima

If you head for Kirishima or other mountain areas in winter, check when you book whether the car has studless tyres. Budget Kagoshima Airport has normal tyres as standard and does not lend chains. At branches where they are not standard, the option costs ¥2,200 (per 24 hours or day) at Toyota (passenger cars), Times and Nissan, and some branches do not offer it.

One-way rentals to other Kyushu prefectures

Suzuki Kagoshima Airport accepts returns between participating branches, including towards Fukuoka and Kumamoto. Nico Nico accepts one-way rentals to Kagoshima Airport from two Fukuoka Airport branches and the Kumamoto Airport branch by telephone booking, but not in peak periods. Branches in neighbouring prefectures are compared in Fukuoka, Kumamoto and Miyazaki.

Frequently asked questions

Should I rent at Kagoshima Airport or Kagoshima-Chuo Station?

Kagoshima Airport suits you if you land and head straight for Kirishima or elsewhere. Kagoshima-Chuo Station suits a Shinkansen arrival or a trip that starts after a night in the city. Airport branches are outside the airport and most are reached by shuttle. Station branches are all a walk from the East or West Exit.

Which company has the lowest rate?

On standard compact rates before discounts for a Japanese licence, Guts (¥4,070) and Carsta (¥4,500) at Kagoshima-Chuo Station are lowest. Guts includes no vehicle damage cover and has a mileage limit. Carsta's rate list does not say whether tax is included. At the airport, Suzuki is ¥5,500 and Nico Nico ¥5,610. Among the major companies, Toyota and Budget are ¥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 Kagoshima Airport and return at Kagoshima-Chuo Station?

Nippon, Toyota and Orix have branches at both that accept cars rented elsewhere. With Nippon, name the East Exit branch. The West Exit branch and Times at the station do not accept cars rented elsewhere. Check the fee by naming the return branch when you book.

Can I rent or return late at night?

There is no 24-hour branch. The latest closing is 20:30, at Nippon and Toyota at the airport and Toyota Shinkansen Kagoshima-Chuo Station West Exit at the station. Nico Nico's airport branch serves flights landing by 19:40. Include check-in and transfer time when you check you can make closing.

Do all companies run a circulating shuttle at Kagoshima Airport?

Only Nippon does. At the other companies you call for a pickup after landing, and Sky also has a pickup request page. You can walk to Nissan, Orix and Times.

Guides to read before booking

• Kagoshima Airport: nine rental branches compared
• Rental company rules compared: payment, extensions and one-way rentals
• Accidents, damage, punctures, breakdowns and parking tickets
• CDW and NOC explained
• One-way rental fees and choosing a return branch
• Driving in Japan with a foreign licence
• Refuelling and returning the car