Kochi Station Car Rental: 7 Branches Compared

Kochi Station has seven rental branches: how to choose

Kochi Station, in central Kochi City on the island of Shikoku, has seven rental branches from seven companies. Nippon is in front of the north exit, and Toyota, Orix, Nissan, Times and Nico Nico are on the south side. You can walk to all of them from the station. Eki Rent-a-Car Kochi Station, inside the station, has been closed for now since 22 September 2026.

This page compares the walking routes by exit, closing times and New Year hours, returns and one-way rentals, and the reference price at each company.

• Right by the station: Nippon is diagonally ahead on the left from the north exit, Toyota and Orix are 1 minute on foot from the station, and Guts is within 1 minute.
• Renting early or late: Nico Nico Kochi Kitahonmachi opens 07:00–22:00 (book by the day before for a 07:00 departure). The other branches close between 18:00 and 20:00.
• Returning somewhere else: Nippon, Toyota and Orix handle returns at other branches.
• Keeping the cost down: on standard rates before discounts on a Japanese licence, Toyota is the cheapest larger company at ¥8,580 for a compact for 24 hours. Among smaller companies, Guts is ¥4,070 and Nico Nico ¥5,610. Guts includes no vehicle damage cover and limits distance to 300 km per 24 hours.
• Renting for a large group: Times Kochi Ekimae handles everything from kei cars (Japan's smallest class) to microbuses and commercial vehicles.

Compare the seven Kochi Station branches

Branch names link to their official pages. The numbers identify the branches and are not a ranking.

Reference prices: standard rates at seven companies

This table takes each company's published standard rate for a compact car, with the total including basic collision damage waiver (CDW). The total changes with the number of days and the cover you choose. These are regular-season rates before discounts on a Japanese licence, unless a row says otherwise.

• The 48-hour total is the first 24 hours, one additional day and two days of basic CDW. A dash means the company's rate table does not list that fee. Where basic CDW shows "Included", the rate already contains it. Extra hours, fuel, one-way fees and options such as child seats are not included.
• Most companies offer member or online discounts, so the booking screen is often cheaper than this table. Peak periods such as Golden Week, Obon and New Year cost more. Enter your dates and class for the actual price.
• Guts's base rate does not include vehicle damage cover, so you pay up to ¥50,000 or ¥100,000 after an accident (waived if you take basic CDW). The NOC is ¥30,000 even if the car can be driven.
• Guts includes 300 km per 24 hours, and each extra kilometre costs ¥11. Its table does not list a daily rate from the second day.
• Nico Nico's basic CDW does not waive the vehicle excess after a single-car accident.
• Toyota has member discounts of 10% and 20%.
• Times has member rates of up to 20% off.
• Nippon has a separate member rate table.
• Nissan's basic CDW is calculated on the Standard Plan at ¥1,650 a day.
• Orix has member discounts and a 5% web discount.

Prices differ by licence. The table uses the Japanese-licence rate. On a foreign licence, Toyota C1 is ¥10,340 for the first 24 hours and ¥8,690 for each additional 24 hours, before optional cover; the Toyota row above uses the separate Japanese-licence rates of ¥8,580 and ¥7,260. The other companies in the table publish no separate foreign-licence rate here, so get a quote for your own licence.

A foreign licence needs the original licence, a 1949 Geneva Convention International Driving Permit (or an official Japanese translation for licences from Switzerland, Germany, France, Belgium, Monaco and Taiwan) and your passport. See driving in Japan on a foreign licence. Nico Nico accepts an International Driving Permit only at some branches, requires the renter to complete the contract in Japanese without an interpreter or translation app, and asks for an address in Japan and a phone number that can take calls. Guts does not normally rent on an International Driving Permit.

Choose the branch near your station exit

The nearest branch depends on whether you leave by the north or south exit.

• North exit: Nippon Kochi Station North Exit (diagonally ahead on the left).
• Close to the south exit: Toyota Kochi Ekimae (to the right, directly opposite the station, 1 minute), Orix Kochi Ekimae (1 minute), Nissan Kochi Ekimae (2 minutes south from the main south exit) and Times Kochi Ekimae (about 3 minutes).
• A short walk from the south exit: Nico Nico Kochi Kitahonmachi (10 minutes). Leave the south exit, go east along Ekimae-dori (towards Kohnan and K's Denki), past five signals and about 600 m to the ENEOS petrol station.
• Check on a map: Guts Kochi Ekimae is within 1 minute on foot of the station, at an address in Shinhonmachi 2-chome. Check on a map which exit is closest.

The Kitahonmachi address means the south side, despite "kita" (north) in the name. Orix, Nissan, Times and Nico Nico are all in Kitahonmachi, so do not leave by the north exit. Toyota's shuttle runs only to and from partner hotels in the city.

Choose your return day by closing times and New Year hours

Normally Nissan and Times close at 18:00, Nippon and Guts at 19:00, Toyota and Orix at 20:00, and Nico Nico at 22:00. Even within Nippon, the Kochi Airport branch opens until 20:00 and Kochi Station North Exit until 19:00.

Branches close earlier at New Year. Nippon closes at 18:00 on 31 December 2026 and 1 January 2027, and Times at 17:00 from 31 December to 2 January. Nissan opens 09:00–18:00 from 26 December 2026 to 3 January 2027. Toyota closes at 17:00 from 30 December to 2 January and 15:00 on 3 January, but its stated times for this period differ between notices, so ask the branch.

If you rent at the airport and return at the station, name the rental and return branches when you book. Nippon Kochi Station North Exit accepts only kei cars, passenger cars, wagons, vans and kei trucks from other branches.

Leave your Kochi City days out and plan wider drives

If you eat and stay in central Kochi before heading out, you can compare renting at the station the next morning. Weigh the charge for unused nights and parking against the fare from the airport to the city and the walk to the branch. On days with a lot of luggage, check first how much fits in the car.

If you go further afield, such as towards Shimanto, packing the round trip into your last day leaves little time for the return. Decide your hotel and last stop first, and include refuelling, the return and the walk to the station. Do not choose your train by the shortest journey time alone.

Kochi Station rental car FAQ

Can I use Eki Rent-a-Car Kochi Station?

It has been closed for now since 22 September 2026. No reopening date has been announced, so choose another branch.

Which rental branch is closest to Kochi Station?

At the north exit, Nippon (diagonally ahead on the left). On the south side, Toyota and Orix (1 minute on foot). Guts is also within 1 minute of the station.

Which branches can I rent from early or late?

Nico Nico Kochi Kitahonmachi opens 07:00–22:00 and is 10 minutes on foot from the station. Book by the day before for a 07:00 departure. The other branches close between 18:00 and 20:00.

What does one night and two days cost?

On standard rates before discounts and a Japanese licence, a compact with basic CDW for two days comes to ¥18,040–¥20,790 at the five larger companies. Toyota is lowest at ¥18,040, and Nico Nico is ¥13,420. Guts does not list a daily rate from the second day in its table. On a foreign licence, Toyota's base rate is higher; see the price section above.

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

Nippon, Toyota and Orix handle returns at other branches. Nippon Kochi Station North Exit accepts kei cars, passenger cars, wagons, vans and kei trucks.

Guides to read before booking

• Rental companies, prices and cover in Japan
• Basic CDW and the NOC explained
• Refuelling and returning the car
• Accidents, damage, punctures, breakdowns and parking tickets