Utsunomiya Station Car Rental: 8 Companies and 13 Branches Compared

Thirteen rental branches at Utsunomiya Station: how to choose

Roughly 50 minutes north of Tokyo Station on the Tohoku Shinkansen (Yamabiko and Nasuno), JR Utsunomiya Station has 13 car rental branches across eight companies — the main gateway for skipping capital-expressway traffic on drives to Nikko and Lake Chuzenji, Irohazaka Winding Road, Oya History Museum, Nasu Highlands and Mashiko pottery town. Eight branches sit within a 1–5 minute walk of the West Exit (bus rotary and Odori side), while four walk-in branches plus one phone-shuttle branch operate on the East Exit (Utsunomiya Light Rail / Lightline LRT side).

• Early-morning Shinkansen departures: Nico Nico Utsunomiya Ekimae-dori 2-chome on the West Exit opens at 07:00 daily, and Toyota Utsunomiya Station West Exit opens at 07:30 on weekdays (08:00 on weekends, public holidays and 1–3 January). Eight more branches (Toyota East Exit, both Nippon branches, both Orix branches, Nissan West Exit, Nico Nico Utsunomiya Station and Nico Nico Shukugo) open at 08:00.
• Late-evening returns vs early cutoffs: Nico Nico Ekimae-dori 2-chome stays open until 23:00, letting you return after dinner and catch a late Shinkansen back to Tokyo. Among major brands, both Toyota branches, both Nippon branches, both Orix branches and Nico Nico Shukugo close at 20:00; Eki Rent-a-Car closes at 19:30; Nissan, Guts and Prosper close at 19:00; and Nico Nico Utsunomiya Station on the East Exit closes at 18:00 (18:00 pickups require arrival by 17:40).
• International Driving Permits (IDPs) and language rules: five companies (eight branches — Toyota x2, Nippon x2, Orix x2, Nissan and Eki Rent-a-Car) rent to visitors holding a 1949 Geneva Convention IDP and physical passport (or a licence from Switzerland, Germany, France, Belgium, Monaco or Taiwan with an official Japanese translation). Nico Nico accepts an IDP only at Ekimae-dori 2-chome (#9) and Shukugo (#11) — strictly in Japanese with no interpreter or translation app — and does not accept IDPs at Utsunomiya Station (#10). Guts (#12) and Prosper (#13) do not rent on an IDP.
• Exit choice by destination: pick the West Exit for Route 119, the Nikko-Utsunomiya Road (Utsunomiya IC) and Oya History Museum; pick the East Exit (Lightline side) to avoid the West Exit bus rotary when heading south-east to Mashiko via Kinudori and Route 123 or north up New Route 4.
• Crucial winter warning for Nikko and Nasu: central Utsunomiya sits on the Kanto plain, so branches here (including Nippon and Nissan) do not fit winter studless tyres free as standard. If you plan to climb Irohazaka to Lake Chuzenji/Oku-Nikko or drive into Nasu and Shiobara between late November and early April, you must pre-book winter studless tyres as a paid option.

Compare the 13 Utsunomiya Station branches

Branch names link to their official pages. Numbers (1–13) match the station ledger and map pins rather than a ranking. Both Toyota and Orix run separate West Exit and East Exit counters, and Nico Nico runs three separate branches around the station, so verify your exact branch name before walking out.

Reference prices: standard rates at eight companies

This table compares each company's published standard rate for a compact car, together with a 48-hour total including basic collision damage waiver (CDW). Figures are regular-season rates before member or web discounts on a Japanese driving licence.

• The 48-hour total adds the first 24 hours, one additional day and two days of cover. A dash (–) for Guts means its national rate table publishes first-24-hour, weekly and monthly rates without a single additional-day figure — and at Utsunomiya Ekimae (#12), Guts stocks only kei cars (A-1 from ¥2,200/24h, A-2 ¥2,750/24h, A-2 Premium ¥3,520/24h), kei vans and kei trucks, not compact or minivan classes.
• Prosper prices by individual model (for example March 1.2 S at ¥7,500/24h and ¥6,000 per extra day, Vitz F at ¥8,030/24h, Fit 1.3 or Note X at ¥8,140/24h, Serena Highway Star at ¥18,900/24h, plus imported and EV models) with a 10% free-member discount; its Perfect Cover (¥2,200/24h tax-inclusive) waives both the insurance excess and the Non-Operation Charge (NOC).
• Most national brands offer online or member discounts: Toyota (10% and 20% member tiers), Eki Rent-a-Car (up to 10% at participating offices), Orix (member tiers and 5% web discount) and Nippon (separate member table). Nissan's CDW column reflects its Standard Plan at ¥1,650/day. See basic CDW and the NOC explained for how excess waivers differ.

Rates can differ on a foreign licence. On Toyota's published English foreign-licence schedule, class C1 is ¥10,340 for the first 24 hours and ¥8,690 per additional 24 hours before optional cover (versus ¥8,580 and ¥7,260 on a Japanese licence). Visitors driving in Japan need a booklet-type 1949 Geneva Convention IDP or a licence from Switzerland, Germany, France, Belgium, Monaco or Taiwan accompanied by an official Japanese translation (such as from JAF), plus a physical passport — see driving in Japan with a foreign licence.

West Exit vs East Exit (Lightline LRT side) walks and pickup shuttles

A second-floor pedestrian concourse connects both sides of JR Utsunomiya Station directly from the Shinkansen and JR ticket gates.

• Immediate West Exit and Shinkansen viaduct (1–3 minutes on foot): step left out of the West Exit to reach Toyota Utsunomiya Station West Exit (1 minute, 1F Richmond Hotel) and Prosper Utsunomiya Ekimae (1 minute, 3-4-19 Ekimae-dori). From the 1F south doors of the West Exit, Eki Rent-a-Car Utsunomiya Station sits 30 m south of the police box right under the Shinkansen viaduct. Turn left at Miyanohashi crossing and walk ~70 m for Nico Nico Utsunomiya Ekimae-dori 2-chome (~3 minutes, USH Bldg 1F, open 07:00–23:00).
• West Exit Miyanohashi and Odori corridor (4–5 minutes on foot): Nippon Utsunomiya West Exit Ekimae relocated on 1 December 2025 to 1-2-6 Ekimae-dori behind Tonarie — walk straight from the West Exit, cross Miyanohashi intersection and turn right ~80 m (4 minutes). Watch out if you booked Nippon's app-only unattended Self Rent-A-Car: that pickup bay sits at a separate address (4-2-10 Minami-Odori, 3 minutes from the West Exit). Heading right from the West Exit toward Toyoko Inn brings you to Nissan Utsunomiya Station West Exit (5 minutes), while walking west past Miyanohashi along Odori leads to Orix Utsunomiya Station West Exit (5 minutes, 371 m) and Guts Utsunomiya Ekimae (5 minutes).
• East Exit / Lightline LRT side (1–15 minutes on foot, plus 1 phone-shuttle branch): outside the East Exit where the yellow-and-black Utsunomiya Light Rail trams depart, Toyota Utsunomiya Station East Exit is 1 minute north-east and Orix Utsunomiya Station East Exit is 2 minutes south-east (331 m). South of the East Exit sit Nico Nico Utsunomiya Station (~4 minutes, closes 18:00, domestic licences only) and Nico Nico Utsunomiya Shukugo (~10–15 minutes via Kinudori, open until 20:00). Nippon Utsunomiya (#4) lies 1.5 km east next to Kanseki home centre; call 050-1712-2815 after arriving at JR Utsunomiya Station and staff will pick you up at the station (closed 31 Dec 2026–3 Jan 2027, when West Exit Ekimae handles bookings).

Routes to Nikko, Irohazaka, Oya, Nasu and Mashiko, plus autumn crowds and winter tyres

Choosing the right side of the station shaves 10–15 minutes off city-centre traffic, and checking seasonal mountain rules prevents getting turned back at snow gates.

• Nikko Toshogu, Irohazaka and Lake Chuzenji / Oku-Nikko (best from the West Exit): follow Route 119 or join the Nikko-Utsunomiya Road at Utsunomiya IC to reach Nikko IC (for Toshogu Shrine, ~35–45 minutes) and Kiyotaki IC at the foot of Irohazaka Winding Road for Kegon Falls, Lake Chuzenji, Senjogahara and Yumoto Onsen in the Nikko and Oku-Nikko area. From mid-October to mid-November, weekend leaf-viewing queues build on the Second Irohazaka climb and around Toshogu from 08:00; picking up at 07:00 (Nico Nico #9), 07:30 on weekdays (Toyota West #1) or sharp at 08:00 helps clear Kiyotaki before peak gridlock.
• Oya History Museum (~25–30 minutes west): the underground Oya-stone quarry museum lies 8 km (~12 minutes) from Tohoku Expressway Utsunomiya IC or ~25–30 minutes west along Oya Kaido from the West Exit. Sat-nav warning from the museum's official page: do not enter its street address (909 Oyamachi), which routes cars into surrounding hills — search by phone number (028-652-1232) or facility name instead. Passenger cars park free in Car Parks 2–4 (Car Park 1 at the entrance is reserved for tour buses and visitors with mobility permits).
• Nasu Highlands and Shiobara Onsen (north via Tohoku Expressway): join the Tohoku Expressway at Utsunomiya IC and run 50–70 minutes north to Nishinasuno-Shiobara IC, Kuroiso-Itamuro IC, Nasu IC or the ETC-only Nasu Kogen Smart IC for Mount Chausu, Sesshoseki and onsen valleys in the Nasu area. Autumn weekends (October–November) back up along Prefectural Route 17 (Nasu Kaido) above Nasu IC.
• Mashiko pottery town (~45–55 minutes south-east, best from the East Exit): East Exit branches feed cleanly onto Kinudori, New Route 4 and Route 123 toward Mashiko without crossing West Exit bus lanes. During the twice-yearly Mashiko Pottery Fair (Golden Week and around 3 November, drawing roughly 200,000–300,000 visitors), town car parks fill early in the morning.
• Winter closures and mandatory winter tyre bookings (late November–April): in Nasu and Shiobara, Enna Road closes from 11:00 on 27 November 2026, the Shiobara–Yaita mountain section from 11:00 on 1 December 2026, and upper Nasu Kogen Line (Omaru to Toge-no-Chaya) from 11:00 on 14 December 2026; in Oku-Nikko, the Chuzenji Lake Skyline and Konsei Pass Road (Route 120 toward Gunma) also close for winter (see the 2026–2027 winter road closures calendar). Irohazaka, Kirifuri Kogen Road and Nichien Momiji Line stay open in winter only with winter tyres or chains. Because Utsunomiya city branches do not include free winter tyres as standard, reserve studless tyres explicitly when booking any December–March mountain drive.

Allow extra time for evening traffic around Miyanohashi and Kinudori and for refuelling before return (see refuelling and returning the car). Published return MAPCODEs are 39482568\*42 (Toyota West Exit), 39483795\*48 (Toyota East Exit), 39 482 868\*70 (Nippon West Exit Ekimae) and 39 484 644\*47 (Nippon Utsunomiya).

One-way drops toward Koriyama, Sendai or Tokyo, and ETC cards

Travellers linking Nikko and Nasu with southern Tohoku often drop their car northward at Koriyama Station or Sendai Station, or return southward to Tokyo Station. Five companies (eight branches) support one-way rentals — check distance-based drop-off charges in one-way rentals: fees and rules:

• Toyota (West Exit & East Exit): one-way departures and returns available inside and outside Tochigi Prefecture (excluding class 1 and 2 commercial vehicles).
• Orix (West Exit & East Exit): one-way departures and returns available nationwide except Hokkaido, Okinawa and outlying islands.
• Nippon (West Exit Ekimae & Utsunomiya): both branches allow outgoing one-way rentals (excluding microbuses and trucks 3 tonnes or over). For incoming one-way returns into Utsunomiya, West Exit Ekimae accepts kei, passenger, wagon, van and kei-truck classes, whereas Nippon Utsunomiya (1.5 km east) accepts all classes.
• Nissan (West Exit) and Eki Rent-a-Car (Utsunomiya Station): both support one-way rentals; verify that your target return branch can be selected on the booking screen.
• Return-to-origin only: Guts (#12) and Prosper (#13) require return to the pickup counter, and Nico Nico's three branches do not advertise one-way drops.

For tolls on the Nikko-Utsunomiya Road and Tohoku Expressway — including ETC-only Smart ICs such as Kamikawachi Smart IC and Nasu Kogen Smart IC — seven branches (Toyota x2, Nippon x2, Orix x2 and Nissan West Exit) offer ETC card rental. Nico Nico, Guts and Prosper do not rent out ETC cards.

Frequently asked questions

Are Times Car or Budget available at Utsunomiya Station?

Times Car Utsunomiya ended web rental bookings and changed its store format on 1 November 2023; around JR Utsunomiya Station today, Times operates member-only car-share bays rather than a staffed rental counter. Budget Rent a Car has no branches in Tochigi Prefecture. Choose from the eight companies and 13 branches compared on this page.

Should I book on the West Exit or East Exit side for Nikko, Oya, Mashiko or Nasu?

Book a West Exit branch (Toyota West Exit, Nippon West Exit Ekimae, Orix West Exit, Nissan West Exit, Eki Rent-a-Car, Nico Nico Ekimae-dori 2-chome or Prosper) if you are heading west to Nikko Toshogu, Irohazaka, Lake Chuzenji or Oya History Museum via Route 119 and the Nikko-Utsunomiya Road. Book an East Exit (Lightline side) branch (Toyota East Exit, Orix East Exit, Nico Nico's two east-side counters or Nippon Utsunomiya with station pickup) to bypass West Exit bus congestion when driving south-east to Mashiko or joining New Route 4.

Can I rent on an International Driving Permit?

Yes at five companies (eight branches) — Toyota (West & East), Nippon (West Exit Ekimae & Utsunomiya), Orix (West & East), Nissan (West Exit) and Eki Rent-a-Car — with a 1949 Geneva Convention IDP and your physical passport (or a licence from Switzerland, Germany, France, Belgium, Monaco or Taiwan plus an official Japanese translation and passport). Toyota provides an English phone desk (0800-7000-815, 08:00–20:00) and Eki Rent-a-Car publishes English, Traditional Chinese and Korean guide pages. Nico Nico accepts an IDP only at Ekimae-dori 2-chome (#9) and Shukugo (#11) if you can complete the entire contract in Japanese without an interpreter or translation app and provide an address in Japan and a voice-capable mobile number. Nico Nico Utsunomiya Station (#10), Guts (#12) and Prosper (#13) do not accept IDPs.

What does a two-day rental cost with cover included?

On published regular-season Japanese-licence rates before discounts, a 48-hour compact car with basic CDW totals ¥13,420 at Nico Nico, ¥17,820 at Eki Rent-a-Car, ¥17,900 at Prosper (including NOC-waiving Perfect Cover), ¥18,040 at Toyota, ¥18,260 at Nippon, ¥20,020 at Orix and ¥20,790 at Nissan. On a foreign licence, Toyota's C1 base rate starts at ¥10,340 for the first 24 hours before cover. Add expressway tolls, fuel, optional winter studless tyres (for December–March mountain trips) and any one-way drop-off fee — see comparing rental company rules.

Guides to read before booking

• Nikko driving guide: Irohazaka, Lake Chuzenji and Oku-Nikko routes and parking
• Irohazaka autumn leaves drive: beating congestion and Akechidaira parking
• Nasu driving guide: Mount Chausu, Nasu Yumoto and Shiobara Onsen
• Winter road closures calendar 2026–2027: Nasu, Oku-Nikko and mountain roads
• Tokyo Station car rental branches compared
• Sendai Station car rental: 17 branches compared
• One-way rentals: fees and rules
• ETC cards for rental cars: where to borrow one and how tolls are settled
• Oya and Mashiko driving guide: Oya History Museum underground quarry and Mashiko pottery town
• Basic CDW and the NOC explained
• Refuelling and returning the car
• Comparing rental company rules: payment, extensions, one-way rentals and more
• Driving in Japan with a foreign licence