You're looking to explore Japan by van or RV? Here is our advice on choosing a rental company and the perfect vehicle for your adventure.
Your general plan
The first step of planning your adventure by van in Japan will be to decide a pick-up location and date. We wrote a small guide about the best regions to visit per seasons.
NOTE: Some rental companies offer you to drop the vehicle at a different location than the pick-up with some additional charges.
Type of vehicle
Depending on your style of travel and the number of passengers you'll want to choose a different type of vehicle. While a young couple on a budget will enjoy a kei van, an older couple will prefer a full‑featured Hiace. Bigger families will require a real RV.
The type of vehicle you choose will greatly affect the price of your adventure from about 7,000 JPY per night to 50,000 JPY.
Documents and driving license
Before coming to Japan, you'll need to make sure you have the necessary paperwork to drive here. You'll need to be at least 18 years old (some companies will require the driver to be 21 years old). You'll need to have an international driving license or a translation if you're coming from one of those countries (Taiwan, Switzerland, Germany, France, Belgium, Estonia, Monaco).
You can find more information about it here and also tips on driving in Japan.
Insurance
Some rental companies offer different levels of insurance for your journey. Once you select your vehicle, check the different options and find one you're comfortable with. Most rentals include basic insurance; additional insurance will be calculated based on a daily rate.
We advise taking good insurance to have a safe trip. Vans are often bigger than normal cars and can be challenging to drive. During rentals, most accidents happen on the last days as you'll get more confident and sometimes rushed to get back.
Get a quote
Once you find one or two rental companies that you are interested in, you'll need to get a quote and see if they have availability by filling in the form on their website with the type of vehicle you want and your dates.
The rental company will generally get you the quote in less than 2 days. It's then up to you to accept it and go with their own flow (booking deposit, contract signing, etc.).
On the day of the pick up
Get to the rental company at the decided time. You'll meet the staff, sign any papers, and complete the payment. They'll show you how to operate the camper and you'll be free to get on your adventure.
