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

November 7, 2025

Destination: Tokyo

10Excellent

Hassle-free and efficient service, really great.

Destination: Osaka

Extremely satisfied, absolutely fantastic!

November 4, 2025

Destination: Naha

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

Destination: Nagoya

Pretty good overall.

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

Destination: Fukuoka

Very satisfied

October 22, 2025

Destination: Chitose

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

8Very good

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

Oswald Norris

October 13, 2025

An excellent car rental company with convenient pickup and drop-off, very friendly service, and great vehicle condition. Highly recommended!

Clare Catharine

Destination: Nankoku

The staff were friendly and efficient.

Janet Webster

October 12, 2025

The rental company is quite efficient.

Molly Ann

The service was excellent, and the vehicle was in good condition.

Carr Marshall

October 11, 2025

Excellent service! Mr. Guo provided outstanding assistance, everything went smoothly, and it was great value for money! I will definitely rent from AMB again and hope for long-term cooperation!

Eugene Priestley

October 10, 2025

The process was very convenient and fast, and the car was in good condition.

Theresa Crane

This rental company is located about 2-3 minutes away from the outlet, which is quite convenient. They provide a shuttle to the airport and also offer pick-up services. One small suggestion: the car we got wasn't very new. Next time, please provide a newer car.

Gail Benjamin

This experience exceeded expectations, with none of the concerns I had before. 1. Got a free upgrade from Noah to Alphard. 2. The rental company staff delivered the car directly to the airport, eliminating the need to go to the store for processing. The process was smooth and fast, with no upselling. 3. The vehicle's condition met expectations—it was older but well-maintained and fully functional. 4. Returning the car was quick and simple—it took just 5 minutes without needing to queue.

Bradley Commons

October 9, 2025

The service was attentive and prompt. Great experience!

Taylor Cook(e)

October 6, 2025

It was an excellent car rental experience. Xiaolong was very welcoming, provided detailed explanations, and offered exceptional service. Five-star review!

Ralap Fast

Direct delivery and pickup, very convenient.

Ogden Bill

Highly recommended.

Paul Jerome

October 5, 2025

This is the third time I've rented a car from this company. Their service remains thorough, attentive, and friendly. Pricing is reasonable and transparent. Due to unforeseen circumstances, I needed to request a last-minute change of vehicle model, and their staff actively coordinated the process. In the end, the switch was successfully completed.

Kent Stephens

Be Kobe's service is excellent. All the staff are friendly Chinese guys and girls. The airport pickup is efficient, and then you head directly to the store to pick up the car. Xiao Zheng was especially enthusiastic, introducing tourist attractions in Shirahama and offering some useful tips.

Quintion Noel

This is my second time renting a car from them. The service is excellent and communication is smooth. Since I needed to take a ferry, I requested the vehicle inspection certificate, and they arranged it for me. I'm very satisfied!

AnthonyT

9A Pleasant Autumn Tokyo Trio - IXRENTAL

Thanks to the support of the IXRental staff, picking up our Toyota Aqua near Asakusabashi Station was very convenient and efficient. After the fifth day, I returned the car to JDM, which is near Narita Airport. The young staff helped me the ETC payment and drove us to Narita Terminal 1. Thank you very much for their excellent service. I will definitely rent a car with IXRENTAL on my next winter trip to Tokyo.

Tony Barrett

October 4, 2025

Excellent service, timely communication, with a warm and positive attitude.

George Anthony

Mabel Fielding

October 3, 2025

Satisfied

Bennett Mill

October 1, 2025

Communication via WhatsApp was simple and straightforward. Pickup required waiting for a shuttle (on the 14th). The return location was at Hello, accessible via a small road, and following GPS directions is essential. Ensure to return the car with a full tank and keep the receipt.

Sid Lindsay

Very satisfied! The car is relatively new.

Osborn Nico(l)

September 30, 2025

Very satisfied! Experienced high-quality service firsthand. After interacting with 'Wang Zilong' and 'Du Zedong', I would recommend this company to my friends.

Sally Austin

Good.

Lennon Jimmy

September 29, 2025

The procedures are standardized, and the service attitude is excellent.

Firdhaus

September 26, 2025

10Seamless and quick.

Great check in and out service.

Hayden Johnson

Destination: Toyama

Renting cars in Japan has always been satisfactory; picking up and returning the car is very convenient, and the service attitude is excellent!

Japan Car Rentals