Kyoto Station Car Rental: 6 Companies Compared

Seven rental branches at Kyoto Station: how to choose

Kyoto Station has seven rental branches from six companies. Toyota, Times, Orix's Station Front branch and Nippon's counter are on the Hachijo (south) side of the station, and Eki Rent-a-Car is on 1F of the station building car park, to the left of the Karasuma central exit. Nippon runs a shuttle from its counter to its branch; Toyota and Times have no shuttle from the station.

This page compares which side each branch is on, opening hours, one-way rentals, and the reference price at each company on Japanese and foreign licences.

Collecting the car quickly: Eki Rent-a-Car is to the left of the Karasuma central exit. On the Hachijo side, Orix Kyoto Station Front is 3 minutes on foot, Times about 5 minutes from the Hachijo west exit, and Toyota 200 m south of the Hachijo exit.
Early morning or late evening: Toyota, Orix's two branches and Eki Rent-a-Car are open 08:00–20:00. Nippon's branch is open 07:00–21:00, but the counter and shuttle run only 08:00–18:00. Times and MK close at 18:00.
Returning somewhere else: Toyota and Orix accept returns at other branches (Orix except Hokkaido, Okinawa and outlying islands). Nippon takes cars rented elsewhere in every class, and Times takes them except tall or long cars.
Keeping the cost down: on standard rates before discounts on a Japanese licence, Eki Rent-a-Car is cheapest at ¥8,470 for a compact for 24 hours, then Toyota at ¥8,580.

Compare the seven Kyoto Station branches

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

No. and branch	Address and phone	Hours	Access	Returns, ETC card and notes
1. Toyota Kyoto Station Shinkansen Exit	31-1 Higashikujo Kamidonocho, Minami-ku, Kyoto 601-8002 (京都市南区東九条上殿田町31-1); 075-682-0800	08:00–20:00 all year, no closing days	200 m south of the Hachijo exit of JR Kyoto Station, 90 m south of Avanti. No shuttle	One-way rentals in both directions, inside and outside the prefecture; 1-, 2- and 8-number vehicles excluded. ETC card rental available. Does not keep customers' own cars
2. Nippon Shinkansen Kyoto Station Hachijo Exit	9 Higashikujo Nakadonocho, Minami-ku, Kyoto 601-8048 (京都市南区東九条中殿田町9); 050-1712-2492	07:00–21:00 daily; the counter and shuttle run 08:00–18:00	7 minutes on foot from the Hachijo exit. Check in at the counter at 64 Higashikujo Muromachi, in front of the exit, and a shuttle takes you to the branch (about 5 minutes; you may wait at busy times)	Accepts cars rented at other branches in every class; one-way from here not confirmed
3. Times Car Kyoto Shinkansen Exit	23-3 Higashikujo Kamidonocho, Minami-ku, Kyoto 601-8002 (京都市南区東九条上殿田町23-3); 075-681-7779	09:00–18:00; closed 1–3 January	About 5 minutes on foot from the Hachijo west exit. No shuttle from the station	Cars rented at other branches cannot be returned here if tall or long; one-way from here not confirmed
4. Orix Kyoto Station Front Shinkansen Exit	WAKATO Building B1F, 13-1 Nishikujo Kitanouchicho, Minami-ku, Kyoto (京都市南区西九条北ノ内町13-1); 075-681-0543	08:00–20:00 daily; check the business calendar for New Year and public holidays	3 minutes on foot from the Hachijo exit of JR Kyoto, Shinkansen and Kintetsu stations, west of Miyako Hotel and north of AEON Mall Kyoto	One-way rentals in both directions except Hokkaido, Okinawa and outlying islands; none for cars 469 cm or longer, 169 cm or wider, 198 cm or taller, or WD class and above. ETC card rental available
5. Orix Kyoto Station Shichijo-Horikawa	389 Bunkakucho, Shichijo-agaru, Higashinakasuji-dori, Shimogyo-ku, Kyoto (京都市下京区東中筋通七条上ル文覚町389); 075-744-6153	08:00–20:00 daily; check the business calendar for New Year and public holidays	8 minutes on foot from Kyoto Station (537 m on the official page)	One-way rentals in both directions except Hokkaido, Okinawa and outlying islands; none for cars 155 cm or taller, G class and above, or WA class and above. ETC card rental available
6. Eki Rent-a-Car Kyoto Station	940 Higashishiokojicho, Nishinotoin-dori Shiokoji-sagaru, Shimogyo-ku, Kyoto (京都市下京区西洞院通塩小路下東塩小路町940); 075-371-3020	08:00–20:00 all year	Leave by the Karasuma central exit and turn left; it is on 1F of the station building car park	The official page says one-way is possible but does not give the directions. ETC card rental available
7. MK Rent-a-Car Kyoto Station	Ibis Styles Kyoto Station 1F, 47 Higashikujo Kamidonocho, Minami-ku, Kyoto 601-8002 (京都市南区東九条上殿田町47); 075-585-8252	09:00–18:00, open all year	On 1F of Ibis Styles Kyoto Station, in front of the station. Walking time and shuttle are not stated	One-way terms not stated

Reference prices: standard rates at five companies

This table takes each company's standard rate for a compact car, with the total for two days including basic collision damage waiver (CDW). These are regular-season, tax-inclusive rates before discounts, on a Japanese licence. MK is not in the table.

Company and class	First 24 hours	Additional day	Basic CDW per day	48 hours with basic CDW	Minivan (7–8 seats), 24 hours
Eki Rent-a-Car S (Fit, Yaris)	¥8,470	¥7,150	¥1,100	¥17,820	¥22,550
Toyota C1 (Yaris, Passo)	¥8,580	¥7,260	¥1,100	¥18,040	¥20,900
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
Orix SA (Fit, Note 1.2)	¥9,900	¥7,920	¥1,100	¥20,020	¥22,660

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.
Toyota has member discounts of 10% and 20%.
Times has member rates of up to 20% off.
Nippon has a separate member rate table.
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. For the other companies, get a quote for your own licence.

There are two routes. With an International Driving Permit, you need the booklet-type permit issued under the 1949 Geneva Convention, and you may drive for one year from the day you land in Japan or until one year after the permit was issued, whichever is earlier. With a licence from Switzerland, Germany, France, Belgium, Monaco or Taiwan, you need the original licence with an official Japanese translation (for example from JAF), and you may drive for one year from the day you land or until the licence itself expires, whichever is earlier. On either route you need your passport, and it must show your landing date. If you are registered as a resident of Japan, a re-entry within three months of leaving does not start the period again. See driving in Japan on a foreign licence.

Choose a branch by the Hachijo or Karasuma side

Which branch is closest depends on the exit you use. The Hachijo side is nearer if you arrive by Shinkansen or Kintetsu; the Karasuma side suits a stay in the station complex.

Hachijo side: Orix Station Front (3 minutes, under the WAKATO Building), Toyota (200 m south of the exit), Times (about 5 minutes), Nippon (check in at the counter in front of the exit; the branch is 7 minutes on foot or a shuttle of about 5 minutes) and Orix Shichijo-Horikawa (8 minutes).
Karasuma side: Eki Rent-a-Car, on 1F of the station building car park.
On 1F of Ibis Styles Kyoto Station: MK Rent-a-Car.

Work back from closing times and New Year closures

Closing times run from 18:00 to 21:00: Times and MK at 18:00; Toyota, Orix's two branches and Eki Rent-a-Car at 20:00; Nippon's branch at 21:00. Nippon's counter in front of the Hachijo exit and its shuttle run 08:00–18:00, separately from the branch's 07:00–21:00 hours; the official page does not say how a direct visit to the branch is handled. Times is closed from 1 to 3 January. Check Orix's business calendar for New Year hours.

Frequently asked questions

Does any company send a shuttle to the station?

Nippon does: check in at the counter in front of the Hachijo exit and a shuttle takes you to the branch. Toyota and Times have no shuttle, and Eki Rent-a-Car and Orix are a walk from the station. MK's page does not give a walking time.

What are the one-way limits?

Toyota excludes 1-, 2- and 8-number vehicles. Orix's Station Front branch excludes cars 469 cm or longer, 169 cm or wider, 198 cm or taller, or WD class and above; the Shichijo-Horikawa branch excludes cars 155 cm or taller, G class and above, or WA class and above. Eki Rent-a-Car does not give directions, so check on the booking screen whether you can choose a return branch.

What does a two-day rental cost?

On standard rates before discounts, a compact with basic CDW for two days comes to ¥18,040–¥20,020 across the 4 major companies, ¥17,820 at Eki Rent-a-Car on a Japanese licence. On a foreign licence, Toyota’s base rate is higher; see the price section above.