How to Rent a Car for Less in Japan: Member and Web Discounts at Nine Companies

Member and Web discounts lower the basic charge of a rental car in Japan. Among the seven companies whose discounted 48-hour prices can be compared in the table below, the Nico Nico Rent a Car app price of ¥10,120 is the lowest. Among the six major companies, the lowest is the Times Car Rental member price of ¥13,420.

Before discounts, Times ranks fifth of the seven on the 48-hour listed price, but booking on its website earns 20% off. That makes it the cheapest of the six majors in the table, as of 1 November 2026. These discounts belong to the companies' Japanese domestic services. If you book through an overseas service or a travel agency, its own prices and terms apply, and some membership or app sign-ups may not be open to you.

Member and Web discounts and 48-hour charges at nine companies

• Classes are compact cars (Toyota C1, Nippon Standard, Times C-1, Orix SA, Nissan P2, JR Eki S, Sky S, Nico Nico S and Guts C-1).
• Prices before discount are listed prices including tax, for normal season at branches outside Tokyo's 23 wards. The 48-hour figure is "up to 24 hours" plus one "each further day".
• Discounted prices use the rates available just by registering as a member: Standard Member plus Web discount, 10% in total, at Orix; the 5% member rate at Sky; the maximum 10% at JR Eki; and the app price at Nico Nico. Nippon and Nissan use the member prices in their price lists.
• The collision damage waiver (CDW, ¥1,100 per day; ¥1,650 on Nissan's Standard Plan) is not discounted and is charged separately.

Discounted 48-hour prices, from lowest: Nico Nico ¥10,120, Times ¥13,420, JR Eki ¥14,058, Toyota ¥14,256, Nippon ¥14,520, Orix ¥16,038 and Nissan ¥16,615.

Among the six majors in the table, the gap between Times, the cheapest, and Nissan, the most expensive, is ¥3,195.

How to rent for less

1. Compare discounted prices for the same class and time

Company rankings change between listed and discounted prices. At 48 hours, Times' listed ¥16,775 is above JR Eki's ¥15,620, but its member price of ¥13,420 reverses the order.

When comparing, log in as a member and compare the amounts shown on the booking screen. At Times, a campaign may sometimes be cheaper than the normal member price.

2. Register as a member and book on the company's website

At Times, even the same member gets 20% off on the company's website and 10% off by telephone or at the counter.

Orix's Web discount requires you to complete the booking on its website, and does not apply to telephone bookings. Toyota's member discount also requires a booking on its website.

3. Match your return time to the rate bands

Returning a little past 24 hours adds an overtime charge. Toyota and Nissan reach the 48-hour charge at six hours over, and Times at eight hours over. Nico Nico combines 12-hour and 24-hour bands, and up to 36 hours costs ¥1,870 less than 48 hours.

4. Do not specify a model

Specifying a model costs ¥2,200 per rental at Toyota and ¥1,100 per 24 hours at Times. Booking by class alone avoids this charge.

5. If you can shift your date or branch, avoid high season and Tokyo rates

Orix's SA goes from ¥9,900 to ¥11,880 for 24 hours in high season. Times' high season is the New Year (28 December to 3 January), Golden Week (28 April to 5 May) and Obon (10–16 August).

The branch also changes the price. Toyota's branches in Tokyo's 23 wards, its Oshima branch and its Narita Airport branch use Tokyo rates, taking a C1 from ¥8,580 to ¥10,010 for 24 hours.

When discounts do not apply, and budget company conditions

• Combining discounts: Orix and JR Eki do not allow combination with other discounts or campaigns. Orix's member discount applies only when the member personally drives.
• High season: Times' member discount is taken off the season price.
• Nico Nico: if anyone has held a licence for under one year, someone with three or more years' licence must ride along from departure. Its CDW does not waive the vehicle cost of a single-vehicle accident, such as hitting a utility pole or guardrail; only the Perfect protection does. One-way rentals are generally not available.
• Guts: the charge does not include vehicle cover, and you pay vehicle damage up to ¥50,000 if the car can be driven and up to ¥100,000 if it cannot. CDW (¥1,100 per day) waives this, but the NOC (non-operation charge) is ¥30,000 even if the car can be driven. Mileage is limited to 300km per 24 hours, with ¥11 per km beyond that.

Our CDW and NOC guide compares each company's protection.

Checks before booking

• Whether the amounts you are comparing are for the same class and time, logged in as a member
• Whether you are booking on the company's website (some companies give a lower rate by telephone or at the counter)
• Whether your return time has passed the point where the charge equals 48 hours
• Whether a specified model has been added, and whether your departure date falls in high season
• Whether a budget company's protection and distance limits suit your trip

Frequently asked questions

Which rental car company is cheapest?

Among the seven companies in the table with 48-hour prices, Nico Nico Rent a Car is lowest both before and after discounts, at a listed ¥11,220 and an app price of ¥10,120. Among the six majors in the table, Times is lowest at ¥13,420 with its member price.

Guts is ¥4,070 for 24 hours, but the charge does not include vehicle cover. Check the 48-hour total for the branch you will use.

Which member discount is largest?

On the 48-hour prices in the table, Times' 20% (booking on its website) is the largest. Others include 10% at Toyota and Orix, member prices at Nippon (about 10%), up to 10% at JR Eki, and 5% at Nissan and Sky. Higher member ranks reach 20% for Toyota Gold members and 20% in total for Orix Platinum members.

Can I use a member discount in high season?

Yes at Times, where the member rate is taken off the season price. At Orix, campaign products are outside the discount.

Are CDW charges discounted too?

At Times and Orix, the discount covers the basic charge. The CDW charge is not discounted.

Related guides

• CDW and NOC in Japanese rental cars
• Compare rental-car companies in Japan
• Rental car cancellation fees in Japan