What is an insurance excess?

The excess is the amount you'll only be liable for in case of damage (under Collision Damage Waiver) or theft (under Theft Protection) of the vehicle. Information about the excess will be clearly stated in the price inclusion when you reserve a car on QEEQ.

How can I add an additional driver?

You are advised to make a request upon your arrival at the rental counter. Additional charge per day will incur unless '1 Additional Driver Included' is stipulated on the rental. Please note that the same licence and age requirement applies to the additional driver. The additional driver is supposed to present the required licence document along with the main driver at pickup.

Japan traffic rules and self driving car rental tips

The Complete Japan Driving and Rental Guide

Although Japan has prided itself as having the most efficient public transportation systems around large metropolitan areas around Tokyo, Osaka and Nagoya, less known sceneries are definitely worth and handy exploring by car. Here is a brief guide aiming at helping you drive comfortably on Japanese roads.

Speed Limit and Traffic Signs

Driving is on the left-hand side of the road in Japan. Even though Japanese drivers are renowned for their respect of the driving rules, you should pay attention to cyclists, some of whom happen to ride on the wrong side of the road.

Speed Limit

The speed limits in Japan are between 80 and 100 km/h on expressways, 30 km/h in side streets, 40 km/h in urban areas, and between 50 and 60 km/h elsewhere unless states otherwise.

Traffic Signs

There are mainly four types of traffic signs in Japan: regulatory signs, warning signs, information and direction signs. For each type, you can find below several signs that you may not familiar with.

A typical Japanese regulatory sign generally features a red circle with a white background and blue pictograms.

Speed Limit (90 km/h)

Minimum Speed Limit (50 km/h)

No Overtaking

Road Closed to Toll

Road Closed to Vehicles

Slow down (In Japanese and English)

Japanese warning signs feature a diamond shape and yellow background.

Crossroads

Bumpy Road

Wild Animals Crossing (Deer)

Succession of More Than Two Curves to the Right

Japan_Traffic_Sign_Railway_Crossing_Ahead

Railroad Crossing Ahead

Tram Crossing Ahead

Japanese information signs feature a green background.

Emergency Telephone

Rest Area/Parking Fuel Stand, Etc.

Direction signs in Japan feature a rectangular shape with a blue or green background.

Expressway Entrance

Destination & Direction

To read more about Japanese road signs, here is a more detailed booklet.

Seatbelt and Child Safety

Seatbelt Laws

Drivers and all the passengers are required by law to wear a seatbelt. Failure to fasten your seatbelt may result in a fine.

Booster Seat Laws

Children under 6 years of age must be seated in child seats.

Parking, Fuel and Toll

Parking

· Permitted Parking

In Japan, parking cost normally depends on the size of the city and the distance from the city centre. Parking in small towns and cities is usually free.

Paid parking can be expensive in big cities, costing several hundreds of yen per hour. Parking lots in national parks or near tourist attractions sometimes charge a flat fee (typically 200 to 500 yen per use). Urban hotels usually provide parking for their guests at a flat rate (typically 1000 yen per night), while hotels outside the large cities usually offer free parking.

· Forbidden Parking

Please do not park your car indicated with the “No Parking” signs.

Japan-Traffic-Sign-No-Stopping

Also do not park the rental vehicle in a place only allowed to use by renting on a monthly basis, marked by the “Kanji” of “月極 ” or “月極駐車場”.

Japan Monthly Parking Lot

In addition, it is against the law to park a vehicle in the following places in Japan:

- In a tunnel

- On, or within five metres of the edge of an intersection

- Within three metres of the automobile entrance of a garage, car-park or similar

- On pedestrian or cycle crossings and railway lines

- Within ten metres of a bus stop or a bus stop sign

- Within five metres of the edge of an area of road works

- Within five metres of a fire hydrant, water tank or other fire safety equipment

Forbidden parking in Japan will lead to a hefty fine.

Fuel Prices

The average gasoline price in Japan in January 2018 was 141.50 Japanese Yen per litre, while the diesel price was 118.40 over the same period of time.

Toll

Most of the expressways in Japan are toll roads and you must pass through the automatic ETC (Electric Toll Collection) gate or manual gate with ticketing machine. It is highly common to rent an ETC system with the car hire company when taking a self-driving tour in Japan, and it allows you to drive through the ETC gate without stopping. ETC gate feature white “ETC 專用” characters on a purple background.5

Japan ETC Lane (Image from takingflights.com)

Japan ETC Device (Image from demflyers.com)

Alternative to ETC tolling, you may proceed to the manual gate, which is recognized by the“一般” characters written with a green background. Cash or bank cards can be used to pay the toll fee before entering the road.

Traffic Violation

DUI Laws

The alcohol limit in Japan is BAC 0.03%. Drink driving above the limit can result in a maximum prison sentence of 3 years or a fine of about $480,000 Japanese Yen.

Traffic Fines

Speed cameras and speed traps are used to monitor driving speed in Japan. Drivers who exceed the speed limits up to 40km/h over can be fined from 9000 Japanese Yen to 35,000 Japanese Yen, and a 50km/h excess or more over will be viewed as criminal infringement and can result in a prison sentence up to 6 months, or up to 100,000 Japanese Yen fine.

Parking in the prohibitive areas will usually cause a fine from 10,000 to 20,000 Japanese Yen.

Driving Licence and Age Requirements

Japanese law requires that all drivers who do not hold a Japanese driver’s license must hold a country of origin driver's license and an International Driving Permit issued under the 1949 Convention on International Road Traffic. Driver’s licence must be held for at least 1 or 2 years (according to different car hire company).

The minimum driver age for renting a car at a Japanese rental office is 18 years old. This age may vary according to the state and car category rented.

Guest reviews

1 /

Anonymous

January 28, 2026

Destination: Osaka

10Excellent

The staff were really professional and friendly.

January 25, 2026

The guy was really attentive and took everything seriously,

Overall really happy with everything, the car was smooth and easy to drive.

January 20, 2026

Super happy with the whole experience. The staff explained everything patiently and even shared key driving tips that helped us avoid fines. The car ran great, was very clean inside, had plenty of power, good AC and heating, and both the interior and exterior felt really new. The price was quite reasonable too, definitely worth recommending.

January 19, 2026

Destination: Fukuoka

Really good experience.

January 5, 2026

Destination: Chitose

Pretty good overall.

January 2, 2026

Service was great and they responded really quickly on WhatsApp.

December 29, 2025

Super satisfied with everything.

Ken

December 22, 2025

Destination: Hokkaido

10Easy and great service

Friendly service and prompt replies to whatsapp. Very flexible with additional items, pick up and drop of times, unlike other japanese car rental companies I have used.

December 20, 2025

Destination: Nagoya

8Very good

Customer service was really responsive. There were six of us, and they originally gave us an Alphard. With two separate seats in the middle and one seat folded down in the third row for luggage, it basically only had five usable seats so we couldn’t all fit. The staff at the counter immediately swapped it for a Vellfire next door, which had a three-seat second row, so we could do a 2-3-1 setup and everyone fit comfortably. That deserves a big thumbs up! The only downside is that the cars at this branch are quite old, the model and condition both feel dated, and probably because of that, there was a bit of a smell inside.

December 19, 2025

Super happy with everything.

Destination: Naha

Super convenient and really fast.

Destination: izumi sano

Even though the rental office is about a 20-minute drive from the airport, they arrange shuttle service both ways and the staff are all really friendly and helpful. When I swapped cars, there was a gas station right next door, which made refueling and returning the car super convenient.

December 18, 2025

Destination: Tokyo

The owner was absolutely wonderful to work with.

December 15, 2025

It was okay overall, but the staff were a bit too enthusiastic and kept reminding us about things over and over.

December 14, 2025

Really friendly, professional service, the car was in great condition, and the paperwork was handled super fast. All the reminders and info were clear and timely, overall a great experience.

December 13, 2025

My third time renting here and it’s just as smooth and hassle-free as always. Definitely make sure you add the ETC option, it’s super useful!

Absolutely amazing car rental experience. The owner was super warm and thoughtful, and they even offer pick-up and drop-off for both getting and returning the car. They explained very clearly what to watch out for when driving in Japan, and all the staff were really friendly and kind. I’ll definitely rent from them again next time. If you’re coming to Okinawa, I really recommend their cars – they’re not only new but also very fuel-efficient. Drove for four days and only spent about 100 on gas. Totally awesome! ^O^

December 10, 2025

5Tiring to find

Had a lot of trouble finding the shuttle bus to send me to the pick up location, the store did not wait for me and i had to pick up the next day instead. disappointing service

November 30, 2025

The overall process of picking up and dropping off the car went smoothly.

November 26, 2025

Destination: Okayama

The pickup process took quite a while, but the staff was friendly.

November 25, 2025

Everything was convenient, but the shuttle bus pickup location was unclear.

November 21, 2025

Early this morning, the staff came to pick up the car at the hotel entrance, and they were super polite. I didn’t have any cash on me at the time, but they even helped me exchange yen so I could use it for parking. Personally, I’d suggest that if you’re used to driving in Hong Kong, there’s no need to pay extra for anything. I’ll definitely choose this rental company again next time I’m in Japan. The rental protection is solid, plus driving in Japan is incredibly easy with well-marked roads and clear traffic lights.

November 17, 2025

I had such a great experience renting a car this time! The vehicle was clean and well-maintained, and everything was in excellent condition. The pick-up and drop-off process went smoothly without any hassles. The staff were incredibly polite, patient, and professional, and they kindly explained all the details about how to use the car. The pricing was transparent with no hidden fees, which made me feel really at ease. I'll definitely choose their service again in the future and recommend them to my friends!

November 15, 2025

They deliver the car to your door, no need to visit the store—it would be a wasted trip.

November 10, 2025

The service was excellent, responses were prompt, instructions were clear, ETC rental was convenient, and the driver was great. I'll definitely choose this again next time.

November 7, 2025

Hassle-free and efficient service, really great.

Extremely satisfied, absolutely fantastic!

November 4, 2025

Awesome car rental service! The car condition and service were both top-notch. As discussed earlier, Mr. Peng picked us up from the airport and took us to the rental location, which was just about a ten-minute drive away. The process was super quick. Definitely choosing them again next time and highly recommend!

November 3, 2025

November 2, 2025

Not bad.

Rosalind Black

October 28, 2025

The insurance was purchased from the car rental company, affordable.

John Bellamy

October 26, 2025

Good service

Tobey Crichton

The service provided by Zilong was excellent; they even took us to the outlet.

October 24, 2025

Destination: Tokyo(Chiba)

10Inexpensive and solid staff support throughout the trip rental. I would use them again.

Did not get the car we had reserved. Other than that, it was fine.staff did their best to be helpful and supportive.

Dave Winifred

October 23, 2025

Very satisfied

October 22, 2025

9Good rental and drop off experience. Good communication via WhatsApp and service

Be Kobe was efficient and Whatsapp communication feature was a plus. They suggested changes in time pickup and dropoff.

9Great.

Staffs are great! Very accommodating, helpful. Japanese/Chinese speaking. Reliable, no hassle.

Dana Haywood

Great attitude and excellent service.

Kyle Amelia

October 21, 2025

It was my first time renting a car in Japan, and choosing this local Japanese rental company was surprisingly great. Highly recommended!

Ternence Theresa

This car rental experience was amazing! The staff was incredibly friendly and enthusiastic, patiently explaining the vehicle features and even offering to help with luggage. The car was as well-maintained as a new one, with a clean and tidy interior.

Joseph Pater

This is the fourth time I've rented from this company.

Omar Hazlitt

October 19, 2025

The entire process of picking up and returning the car was very smooth.

Lillian Scripps

Destination: Takamatsu

The car rental process is very standard and convenient.

Herbert Ted

October 18, 2025

The car rental company offers more competitive rates compared to others, and their service and information are sufficient. Picking up the car during business hours is very convenient. The shuttle service is punctual.

Darlene Leopold

October 17, 2025

Excellent car rental company with Chinese-speaking staff who provide thorough reminders about important details.

Nelson Jerry

October 16, 2025

I've always rented cars from them in Japan. Their service is excellent.

Diana Bert

October 15, 2025

Very good.

Vivian Ezekiel

October 14, 2025

The service was excellent, quick-paced, and highly efficient.

Xaviera Eden

The service attitude was great, and they did their best to meet requests, such as providing a phone holder.

Japan Car Rentals