Car Rental in Kochi: Airport and Kochi Station Compared

Choosing a rental car in Kochi

Kochi Prefecture is on the Pacific side of Shikoku, with Kochi City at its centre. There are two main places to rent: Kochi Airport (Kochi Ryoma Airport) with eight branches and Kochi Station with seven, 15 branches from eight companies in all.

This guide shows which place suits your trip, how pickup works at each, which branches take cars rented elsewhere, and how rates differ on Japanese and foreign licences.

Arriving by air: all Kochi Airport branches are outside the airport. Nippon, Toyota, Orix, Nissan, Times and Sky check you in at a counter inside the airport, then take you by shuttle. Branches with a counter close at 19:00 or 20:00, and Nippon no longer handles last flights arriving outside opening hours.
Arriving by train: all seven Kochi Station branches are a walk away. Nippon is in front of the North Exit, and Toyota and Orix are 1 minute from the station. Eki Rent-a-Car, inside the station, has been closed for now since 22 September 2026.
Staying in Kochi first: the candidates are the station branches. Toyota Kochi Ekimae runs a shuttle to contracted hotels in the city.
Renting early or returning late: Nico Nico Kochi Kitahonmachi (10 minutes on foot from Kochi Station) opens 07:00–22:00, and Nico Nico Kochi Gomen (about 4 km from the airport) 08:00–22:00. Other branches close between 18:00 and 20:00.
Renting at the airport and returning at the station: Nippon, Toyota and Orix have branches at both and take returns at other branches.
Keeping the cost down: on standard compact rates before discounts for a Japanese licence, the lowest for 24 hours are Guts at Kochi Station (¥4,070) and Nico Nico (¥5,610). Guts includes no vehicle damage cover and limits you to 300 km per 24 hours. Among the major companies, Toyota is ¥8,580.

Kochi Airport and Kochi Station compared

The two places differ in how you reach the branch and in closing times.

Kochi Airport: you check in at a counter inside the airport and take a shuttle to the branch (about 1–4 minutes). Nippon's and Nissan's branches are 3 minutes on foot from the airport, and Sky's is about 500 m from the main entrance (about 7 minutes on foot). Orix has two branches near the airport, each with its own counter inside. Nico Nico Kochi Gomen has no airport counter; call after booking to arrange a pickup.
Kochi Station: you can walk with no shuttle. Nippon is in front of the North Exit, Toyota, Orix, Nissan and Times are on the South Exit side, and Guts is within 1 minute of the station. Nico Nico Kochi Kitahonmachi is a petrol station about 600 m east of the South Exit.

Airport branches with a counter close at 19:00 or 20:00, and Kochi Station branches between 18:00 and 20:00. Only the two Nico Nico branches stay open until 22:00. The first table below compares the two places. The tables after it list every branch, with each name linking to its branch page.

Pickup place	Branches	Earliest opening and latest closing	Branches offering one-way rentals	Lowest compact reference rate
Kochi Airport	8 (7 companies)	08:00–22:00	5	Nico Nico: ¥5,610
Kochi Station	7 (7 companies)	07:00–22:00	4	Guts: ¥4,070

Kochi Airport branches

Branch	Regular hours	One-way rental
Nippon Kochi Airport	08:00–20:00	Offered, with conditions
Toyota Kochi Airport	08:00–20:00	Offered, with conditions
Orix Kochi Ryoma Airport Terminal	08:00–20:00	Offered, with conditions
Orix Kochi Airport	08:00–19:00	Offered, with conditions
Nissan Kochi Ryoma Airport	08:00–19:00	Check when you book
Times Kochi Ryoma Airport	08:00–19:00	Offered, with conditions
Sky Kochi Airport	09:00–19:00	Check when you book
Nico Nico Kochi Gomen	08:00–22:00	Check when you book

Kochi Station branches

Branch	Regular hours	One-way rental
Nippon Kochi Station North Exit	08:00–19:00	Offered, with conditions
Toyota Kochi Ekimae	08:00–20:00	Offered, with conditions
Orix Kochi Ekimae	08:00–20:00	Offered, with conditions
Nissan Kochi Ekimae	08:00–18:00	Check when you book
Times Kochi Ekimae	08:00–18:00	Offered, with conditions
Guts Kochi Ekimae	09:00–19:00	Check when you book
Nico Nico Kochi Kitahonmachi	07:00–22:00	Check when you book

Rental companies in Kochi compared

The table groups the 15 branches by company. Toyota, Nippon, Orix, Nissan, Times and Nico Nico have branches at both places. Sky is at the airport only, and Guts at the station only.

Company	Kochi Airport	Kochi Station	Return to another branch
Toyota Rent a Car	Kochi Airport 08:00–20:00	Kochi Ekimae 08:00–20:00	Available inside and outside the prefecture
Nippon Rent-A-Car	Kochi Airport 08:00–20:00	Kochi Station North Exit 08:00–19:00	Available (class limits at North Exit)
Orix Rent a Car	Kochi Ryoma Airport Terminal 08:00–20:00; Kochi Airport 08:00–19:00	Kochi Ekimae 08:00–20:00	Available, except Hokkaido, Okinawa and outlying islands
Nissan Rent a Car	Kochi Ryoma Airport 08:00–19:00	Kochi Ekimae 08:00–18:00	Check when you book
Times Car Rental	Kochi Ryoma Airport 08:00–19:00	Kochi Ekimae 08:00–18:00	Check when you book
Sky Rent a Car	Kochi Airport 09:00–19:00	—	Check when you book
Nico Nico Rent a Car	Kochi Gomen 08:00–22:00	Kochi Kitahonmachi 07:00–22:00	Generally not available (company rule)
Guts Rent a Car	—	Kochi Ekimae 09:00–19:00	Not available (company rule)

Some branches close earlier over New Year; check the date with your branch.

Rental service

Toyota Rent a Car

Kochi Airport and Kochi Ekimae

Image: Toyota Rent a Car official website

Compare plans by branch, vehicle class and the conditions of your trip.

Location in this guide: Toyota Kochi Airport

View official location and service information

Vehicles and service: Passenger cars, minivans and SUVs; check the model and equipment in your booking.
Coverage: The Anshin W plan combines the deductible waiver with an NOC waiver.

Toyota Kochi Airport checks you in at a dedicated counter ahead and to the left as you leave the arrivals lobby, then takes you to the branch by free shuttle. Kochi Ekimae is ahead and to the right of the station, 1 minute on foot. Its shuttle runs only to contracted hotels in the city.

Both normally open 08:00–20:00. Over New Year, closing is listed as 17:00 from 30 December to 2 January and 15:00 on 3 January, but the times differ between Toyota's listings, so ask the branch for those dates. Both accept returns from inside and outside the prefecture.

The standard compact rate (C1) is ¥8,580 for 24 hours on a Japanese licence. Basic collision damage waiver (CDW) still leaves the non-operation charge (NOC) of ¥20,000 or ¥50,000. The Anshin W Plan waives the NOC and also covers tyre repair or replacement after a puncture.

Company sources and verification dates

rent.toyota.co.jp · 2026-09-21
rent.toyota.co.jp · 2026-09-21

Rental service

Nippon Rent-A-Car

Kochi Airport and Kochi Station North Exit

Image: Nippon Rent-A-Car official website

Choose a vehicle class around your passengers, luggage and pickup location.

Location in this guide: Nippon Kochi Airport

View official location and service information

Vehicles and service: Passenger cars, SUVs and minivans; availability varies by location and date.
Coverage: CDW and ECO are separate options for the accident excess and non-operation charge.

Nippon Kochi Airport checks you in at the counter opposite the arrivals gate and takes you 1 minute by car to the branch. If you have a booking, staff are at the counter, and you can also walk straight to the branch, 3 minutes from the airport. After you return the car, staff take you to the airport. Kochi Station North Exit is diagonally to the left as you leave the North Exit.

The airport branch opens 08:00–20:00 and North Exit 08:00–19:00. On 31 December 2026 and 1 January 2027, the airport closes at 19:00 and North Exit at 18:00. The airport branch no longer handles last flights arriving outside opening hours. Cars from other branches are accepted in all classes at the airport, and in kei and passenger car, wagon, van and kei truck classes at North Exit.

The standard compact rate (N-B) is ¥8,910 for 24 hours. CDW does not remove the NOC; a separate scheme called ECO waives it.

Company sources and verification dates

Rental service

Orix Rent a Car

two at the airport and Kochi Ekimae

Image: Orix Rent a Car official website

Compare vehicle classes, locations and coverage for your itinerary.

Location in this guide: Orix Kochi Ryoma Airport Terminal

View official location and service information

Vehicles and service: Compact cars, minivans and other classes; vehicles and equipment depend on the branch and plan.
Coverage: Check the deductible waiver and Rental Car Anshin Pack (RAP) for NOC and other benefits.

Near the airport are Kochi Ryoma Airport Terminal (08:00–20:00) and Kochi Airport (08:00–19:00), and the airport has separate counters for them: Kochi Ryoma Airport Counter and Kochi Airport Counter. Check in at the counter with the same name as your branch, then take the shuttle (about 1 minute to Terminal, about 3 minutes to Kochi Airport). At Terminal, ask the branch directly about special arrangements if you land on the last flight.

Kochi Ekimae is 1 minute from the station and opens 08:00–20:00. All three handle departures to and returns from other branches, except Hokkaido, Okinawa and outlying islands.

The standard compact rate (SA) is ¥9,900 for 24 hours. The Rent-a-Car Anshin Pack (RAP) waives the NOC and covers puncture tyre costs up to ¥20,000. If you call at least 1 hour before your due time, an extension of up to 1 hour costs nothing extra.

Company sources and verification dates

car.orix.co.jp · 2026-09-21
car.orix.co.jp · 2026-09-21

Rental service

Nico Nico Rent a Car

Gomen and Kitahonmachi, open until 22:00

Image: Nico Nico Rent a Car official website

Compare standard, member and app rates for a short rental or day trip.

View official location and service information

Vehicles and service: Available classes vary by branch. Check the vehicle and collection and return times.
Coverage: The deductible waiver, Plus and Perfect plans have different coverage scopes.

Kochi Gomen is at a petrol station on the Nankoku Bypass, about 4 km from the airport. It has no airport counter, so call the branch after booking to arrange a pickup. Kochi Kitahonmachi is a petrol station about 600 m east of the South Exit of Kochi Station.

Gomen opens 08:00–22:00 and Kitahonmachi 07:00–22:00, the latest of the airport and station branches in the prefecture. To leave Kitahonmachi at 07:00, book by the day before.

The S class is ¥5,610 for 24 hours and ¥5,610 for each further day. Basic CDW (¥1,100 a day) leaves the vehicle excess after a single-car accident; Perfect cover removes it. One-way rentals to other branches are generally not accepted.

Company sources and verification dates

www.2525r.com · 2026-09-21
www.2525r.com · 2026-09-21

Reference rates and cover

The table shows standard compact rates at the eight companies: regular season, before discounts, tax included, for a Japanese licence. A dash means the company does not publish that rate.

Company and class	First 24 hours	Each further 24 hours	Basic CDW per day	48 hours with basic CDW	Minivan (7–8 seats), 24 hours	Note
Guts C-1 (Vitz, March, Fit)	¥4,070	—	¥1,100	—	¥8,580	No vehicle damage cover in the rate; 300 km per 24 hours
Nico Nico S (Aqua, Yaris, Roomy)	¥5,610	¥5,610	¥1,100	¥13,420	¥15,180	Basic CDW leaves the vehicle excess after a single-car accident
Toyota C1 (Yaris, Passo)	¥8,580	¥7,260	¥1,100	¥18,040	¥20,900	—
Sky S (Yaris, Fit)	¥8,800	¥7,480	¥1,100	¥18,480	¥22,000	—
Times C-1 (Mazda2, Note e-POWER)	¥8,855	¥7,920	¥1,100	¥18,975	¥22,770	—
Nippon N-B (Fit, Corolla)	¥8,910	¥7,150	¥1,100	¥18,260	¥22,550	—
Nissan P2 (March, Note)	¥9,790	¥7,700	¥1,650	¥20,790	¥24,090	—
Orix SA (Fit, Note 1.2)	¥9,900	¥7,920	¥1,100	¥20,020	¥22,660	—

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 Kochi

Returning at the airport

Return the car to the branch you booked and take the shuttle to the airport. Set your navigation to the branch, not the airport. Times asks you to return at least 1 hour before your flight. The shuttle ride may be only 1–4 minutes, but refuelling, the return check and the wait for the shuttle take extra time.

Renting at the airport and returning at Kochi Station

Name the pickup and return branches separately when you book. Nippon Kochi Station North Exit accepts kei and passenger cars, wagons, vans and kei trucks from other branches. One-way fees differ by company; Nippon and Orix charge nothing when branches are less than 20 km apart. Company rules are in the company rules comparison.

Renting and returning over New Year

Some branches close earlier. Nippon closes at 19:00 at the airport and 18:00 at North Exit on 31 December 2026 and 1 January 2027. Times closes at 17:00 from 31 December to 2 January (the airport branch at 18:00 on 3 January). Nissan Kochi Ekimae opens 09:00–18:00 from 26 December 2026 to 3 January 2027.

Days in the city and days heading for Shimanto

If you spend your arrival day in Kochi City and drive from the next day, you can compare renting at Kochi Station the next morning. Count the overnight rental charge and parking on unused nights, and the transfer from the airport to the city. For areas further away such as Shimanto, do not leave the long drive back until just before your flight or train, and include refuelling and the return in your plan.

Frequently asked questions

Should I rent at Kochi Airport or Kochi Station?

Kochi Airport suits you if you land and tour the prefecture straight away. Station branches suit a train arrival or the day after a night in Kochi City. Airport branches are outside the airport and reached by shuttle after check-in. Station branches are a walk.

Which company has the lowest rate?

On standard compact rates before discounts for a Japanese licence, the lowest for 24 hours are Guts at Kochi Station (¥4,070) and Nico Nico at the airport and station (¥5,610). Guts includes no vehicle damage cover and limits you to 300 km per 24 hours. Among the major companies, Toyota is ¥8,580. Member and online discounts change the booking price, so compare the same dates, class and cover.

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

Nippon, Toyota and Orix have branches at both and take returns at other branches. Nippon Kochi Station North Exit accepts limited classes. A one-way option is not always free, so name the return branch when you book and check the amount.

Can I rent if I land on the last flight?

Airport branches with a counter close at 19:00 or 20:00. Nippon no longer handles last flights arriving outside opening hours, and Nissan does not help outside opening hours if your flight is delayed, dealing with it on the next business day. At Orix Kochi Ryoma Airport Terminal, ask the branch directly about special arrangements for the last flight. Nico Nico Kochi Gomen is open until 22:00, but its pickup must be booked.

Why does Orix have two counters at Kochi Airport?

Orix has two branches near the airport, Kochi Ryoma Airport Terminal and Kochi Airport, each with its own counter. Go to the counter with the same name as the branch on your booking confirmation.