Shin-Yamaguchi Station Car Rental: 9 Companies Compared

Nine rental branches at Shin-Yamaguchi Station: how to choose

Shin-Yamaguchi Station — the main San'yo Shinkansen stop for Yamaguchi Prefecture, served by Nozomi, Sakura and Mizuho trains — has nine rental branches from nine companies. Every single branch is on the Shinkansen Exit (South Exit) side within an 8-minute walk; none are on the North Exit (Conventional Line) side. No branch offers pick-up shuttle service from the station on arrival, while Carsta alone provides a free drop-off shuttle back to Shin-Yamaguchi Station after return (for renters at the branch, advance notice required).

This page compares exact walking access from the Shinkansen Exit, early-morning and 20:00 closing hours, one-way rentals toward Hiroshima, Hakata and Izumo, International Driving Permit (IDP) and ETC card availability, and reference prices across all nine companies.

• Collecting the car straight off the Shinkansen: Eki Rent-a-Car has its counter inside the 1st-floor Shinkansen Exit concourse. Just outside the Shinkansen Exit are Nippon and Orix (both 1 minute on foot), followed by Toyota and Nissan (2 minutes) and Times (about 3 minutes).
• Early Shinkansen arrival or returning up to 20:00: Six branches open at 08:00 — Toyota, Nippon, Orix, Nissan, Times and Eki Rent-a-Car (Budget and Carsta open at 08:30; Guts at 09:00). Five stay open until 20:00 — Toyota, Nippon, Orix, Nissan and Carsta (Monday–Saturday; 19:00 on Sundays and public holidays) — while Times, Budget, Eki Rent-a-Car and Guts close at 19:00.
• Driving one-way toward Hiroshima, Hakata or Izumo: Toyota (inside and outside Yamaguchi), Orix (except Hokkaido, Okinawa and outlying islands) and Nissan handle one-way rentals in both directions. Nippon (all classes) and Times (no vehicle restrictions) accept returns of cars rented at other branches.
• Keeping the cost down: On standard rates before discounts on a Japanese licence, low-cost branches start at ¥4,070 for 24 hours at Guts (no vehicle damage cover in the base rate, 300 km per 24 hours included) and ¥4,500 at Carsta (rate table shows no tax label). Eki Rent-a-Car is ¥8,470, and Toyota and Budget are the lowest among the major chains at ¥8,580.
• International Driving Permit and English support: Seven companies — Toyota, Nippon, Orix, Nissan, Times, Budget and Eki Rent-a-Car — rent on a 1949 Geneva Convention IDP with a passport (or a licence from the six eligible countries/territories with an official Japanese translation). Carsta Shin-Yamaguchi Station Front and Guts Shin-Yamaguchi Station Front do not rent on an International Driving Permit.

Compare the 9 Shin-Yamaguchi Station branches

Branch names link to their official pages. The numbers match the Japanese store ledger and are not a ranking.

Reference prices: standard rates at nine companies

This table takes each company's published standard rate for a compact car, with the two-day total including basic collision damage waiver (CDW). 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 schedule uses weekly/monthly tiers rather than a single additional-day fee. 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, leaving a deductible of up to ¥50,000 or ¥100,000 after an accident unless you add CDW. Its Non-Operation Charge (NOC) is ¥30,000 even when the car can still be driven, and distance is capped at 300 km per 24 hours (¥11 per extra kilometre). Its rate table sets 24-hour, one-week and one-month rates rather than an additional-day fee, and the Shin-Yamaguchi branch's class icons show kei, kei van/truck, C-1 compact and H-1 hybrid classes.
• Carsta's rate table shows no tax label. From the second day the charge is ¥2,250 per 12 hours, and new or hybrid cars cost 30% more.
• Eki Rent-a-Car offers discounts of up to 10% depending on the office.
• Toyota has member discounts of 10% and 20%.
• Budget has a web member rate at 10% off.
• 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. For the other companies that accept foreign licences, get a quote for your own licence.

There are two legal routes for visitors. With an International Driving Permit, you need the booklet-type permit issued under the 1949 Geneva Convention together with your original home licence, 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 must present your physical passport showing your landing stamp (Budget specifically notes that travellers who used automated immigration gates without a stamp should also bring their boarding pass stub). If you are registered as a resident of Japan, a re-entry within three months of leaving does not restart the one-year period. Carsta Shin-Yamaguchi Station Front and Guts Shin-Yamaguchi Station Front do not rent on an International Driving Permit. See driving in Japan on a foreign licence.

All nine branches are on the Shinkansen Exit side: North Exit access and return shuttle

Shin-Yamaguchi Station has two sides connected by the 2nd-floor North–South Free Passage: the North Exit (Conventional Line Exit) serving the San'yo Main Line, Yamaguchi Line and Ube Line platforms, and the Shinkansen Exit (South Exit) facing the San'yo Shinkansen ticket gates. Every one of the nine rental branches is on the Shinkansen Exit (South Exit) side:

• Inside the 1st-floor Shinkansen Exit concourse: Eki Rent-a-Car (Ogori-Reiwa 1-chome), allowing you to complete check-in under cover even in heavy rain.
• Right outside and west of the Shinkansen Exit rotary (Ogori-Miyukicho): Orix (1 minute on foot, 94 m from the station) and Toyota (2 minutes).
• South and south-east across from the Shinkansen Exit (Ogori-Koganecho): Nippon (1 minute), Nissan (2 minutes, with Self Check-in and Self Ride Go), Times (about 3 minutes, right next to Toyoko Inn) and Budget (5 minutes across the signalised crossing and down the lane).
• East along the road from the Shinkansen Exit (Ogori-Oecho): Turn left out of the Shinkansen Exit and follow the road past Seven-Eleven to reach Carsta inside the Apollo Station petrol station (5 minutes) and Guts further east (8 minutes).

If you arrive on a conventional JR train or stay at a North Exit hotel, walk south across the 2nd-floor North–South Free Passage to the Shinkansen Exit before heading down to street level. No branch runs a pick-up shuttle from the station; Carsta alone offers a free drop-off shuttle to Shin-Yamaguchi Station after you return the car (for customers who rented at that branch, advance contact required).

Loop routes to Akiyoshidai, Tsunoshima and Hagi, plus return timing and refuelling

Sitting near the centre of Yamaguchi Prefecture with quick access to Route 9, the Ogori-Hagi Road and the Chugoku and San'yo Expressways, Shin-Yamaguchi Station is the primary railhead for touring the prefecture by car.

• Akiyoshidai plateau and Akiyoshido Cave: Head north via Route 9 and the Ogori-Hagi Road (toward Edo IC) or the Chugoku Expressway. This fits comfortably into a half-day or full-day drive, though walking through Akiyoshido Cave and stopping along the Karst Road viewpoints easily adds extra hours. See the Tsunoshima and Akiyoshidai driving guide for route order and parking.
• Tsunoshima Bridge and Motonosumi Shrine: Combining the west-coast bridge and north-coast shrine from Shin-Yamaguchi Station in a single day involves substantial driving distance. Either split the trip into two days or book an 08:00–20:00 branch (Toyota, Nippon, Orix or Nissan) so an evening return is not squeezed by a 19:00 closing deadline. Note that Guts caps included mileage at 300 km per 24 hours (¥11/km beyond that).
• Hagi castle town and Tsuwano: The Ogori-Hagi Road provides a direct inland link to Hagi, which pairs naturally with Kasayama, Susa and Tsuwano across the Shimane border; see the Hagi and Tsuwano driving guide.

Work back from both your Shinkansen departure and your branch's closing hour. Times, Budget, Eki Rent-a-Car and Guts close at 19:00 every day, and Carsta closes at 19:00 on Sundays and public holidays (20:00 Monday–Saturday). Over New Year, hours shorten across most branches: Nippon runs 09:00–18:00 (31 Dec 2026–3 Jan 2027), Orix 08:00–18:00 (31 Dec) and 09:00–17:00 (1–3 Jan), Times 08:00–18:00 (31 Dec), 09:00–15:00 (1 Jan) and 09:00–17:00 (2–3 Jan), Eki Rent-a-Car 08:00–18:00 (31 Dec and 1 Jan), and Carsta 08:30–18:00 (27–30 Dec and 4 Jan) and 09:00–16:00 (31 Dec) while closing 1–3 Jan; Guts also closes over New Year.

Refuel at a full-service or self-service petrol station along Route 9 or in central Ogori before reaching the Shinkansen Exit streets, and keep the receipt for inspection. At Carsta, the branch itself is inside an Apollo Station forecourt and offers a discounted return fuel rate on site. Aim to reach your branch 45–60 minutes before your Shinkansen departs to allow for evening commuter traffic around Ogori, the vehicle check and walking to the platform.

One-way rentals toward Hiroshima, Hakata and Izumo: check each branch's direction

Because Shin-Yamaguchi links the San'yo Shinkansen with the Sea of Japan coast, travellers often pair it with Hiroshima Station, Hakata Station, Izumo Airport or Yamaguchi Ube Airport. Always check whether your branch supports your specific direction:

• Toyota Shin-Yamaguchi Station Front: Accepts one-way rentals in both directions, inside and outside Yamaguchi Prefecture.
• Orix Shin-Yamaguchi Station Front: Accepts one-way rentals in both directions (except Hokkaido, Okinawa and outlying islands).
• Nissan Shin-Yamaguchi Station Front: Marked for both outbound and inbound one-way rentals on Nissan's official Yamaguchi branch data. Note that this branch does not rent ETC cards, so toll booths must be paid by cash/card unless you bring your own ETC card.
• Nippon Shin-Yamaguchi Station Front: Accepts inbound one-way returns in all classes. Check on the booking screen whether your desired drop-off branch can be selected when starting here.
• Times Car Shin-Yamaguchi Station Front: Lists no special restrictions on accepting cars rented at other branches; verify outbound drop-off availability on the booking screen.
• Eki Rent-a-Car Shin-Yamaguchi: States that one-way rental is available; confirm eligible directions and drop-off offices when booking.

Cross-prefecture drop-offs incur distance-based one-way fees. Compare company policies in one-way rentals: fees and rules and comparing rental company rules.

Frequently asked questions

Are there any rental branches on the North Exit (Conventional Line) side, or a station shuttle?

No. All nine branches are on the Shinkansen Exit (South Exit) side, 1 to 8 minutes away on foot. If you arrive on a conventional JR line at the North Exit, cross the 2nd-floor North–South Free Passage to the Shinkansen Exit. No branch picks up at the station on arrival; only Carsta offers a free shuttle back to Shin-Yamaguchi Station after return (for branch renters, advance contact required).

Can I rent on an International Driving Permit?

Seven of the nine companies — Toyota, Nippon, Orix, Nissan, Times, Budget and Eki Rent-a-Car — accept a 1949 Geneva Convention International Driving Permit with a passport (or an eligible foreign licence with an official Japanese translation and passport). Carsta Shin-Yamaguchi Station Front and Guts Shin-Yamaguchi Station Front do not rent on an International Driving Permit. If you need an ETC card for expressway tolls, Toyota, Orix and Eki Rent-a-Car list ETC card rental at this station, whereas Nissan's Shin-Yamaguchi branch does not rent ETC cards.

What does a two-day rental cost?

On standard Japanese-licence rates before discounts, a compact car for 48 hours with two days of basic CDW comes to ¥18,040–¥20,790 across the five major chains (Toyota, Nippon, Orix, Times and Nissan), ¥17,820 at Eki Rent-a-Car and ¥18,480 at Budget. Among low-cost domestic-licence branches, Carsta totals ¥11,200 (its rate table shows no tax label, and hybrids/new cars add 30%), while Guts prices by 24-hour (¥4,070 + ¥1,100 CDW = ¥5,170) and weekly tiers with no vehicle cover in the base rate and a 300 km/24h limit. On a foreign licence, Toyota's published C1 rate is ¥10,340 for the first 24 hours and ¥8,690 per extra day before CDW.

Guides to read before booking

• Tsunoshima and Akiyoshidai driving guide: Tsunoshima Bridge, Motonosumi Shrine and Akiyoshido Cave
• Hagi and Tsuwano driving guide: castle towns, Kasayama and Susa
• Hiroshima Station Car Rental: 11 Branches Compared
• Hakata Station Car Rental: 16 Branches Compared
• Izumo Airport Car Rental: 5 Companies Compared
• One-way rentals: fees and rules
• Basic CDW and the NOC explained
• Refuelling and returning the car
• Comparing rental company rules: payment, extensions, one-way rentals and more
• Accidents, damage, punctures, breakdowns and parking tickets