In Japan, mostly everything you do in will require you to walk a lot. Some would argue that traveling around by car, even in the big cities, is more convenient because you do not need to change stations or walk so much. For those reasons, many tourists come to Japan and despite the efficient public transportation, prefer to tour by car for the convenience, especially in the more countryside areas.
Cost of renting a car
The average rental fees are around 5000 yen for a 24-hour period if you are hiring a sub-compact car. For a compact car, it would be 7500 yen. Mid-sized cars 10,000 yen, 15,000 yen for full-sized cars and 20,000 yen for vans.
Keep in mind that rates are sometimes increased during peak seasons.
In which cases touring by car is recommended?
In Japan's main cities, a car tour or bus tour is mostly recommended for people with disabilities or people who can't walk only want to visit the main spots where cars can park near to.
Although most train stations have elevators and escalators, some smaller stations may leave you in the hand, having only regular stairs available or requiring you to walk long distances to reach its elevator exit.
But in the Japanese countryside and rural areas, cars are the most convenient transportation method. Those areas have much lower railway access if at all, making the access difficult if you don't have a car.
Cost of Hiring a car with a driver for a Tour
If you decide to hire a car with a driver for Tokyo, Kyoto or Osaka the price will vary between around $300 ~ $400 dollars, or ¥30.000 yen ~ ¥40.000.
You can see car tours in Tokyo here: https://gowithguide.com/japan/tokyo/cars
If you are going to other far away areas, the price of hiring a car with a driver could be higher, around $700 ~ 900 dollars.
That is all you need to know to decide if you need to hire a private car or if you should use public transportation while traveling to Japan. I hope this article was useful, and please do not hesitate to contact GoWithGuide for anything you may need regarding your trip to Japan.
Charted car companies in Japan
A list of the most recommended transportation companies all over Japan.
-Tokyo Chartered Cars: Cars, Vans and Buses all over Japan.
- ASKAtours: Cars in Tokyo, Yokohama and around. Airport transfers.
- VAN transportation: Vans in Tokyo and around. Also Kyoto and around.
- Tokyo Charted Cars: Cars and Vans with english-speaking drivers.
- SkyX: Cars and Vans in Hokkaido.
