What!? You're still waiting for the bus in Japan?
Renting a car for self-driving tours seems to be becoming more and more common, especially in some suburban or remote areas. It is indeed much more convenient to have a car, and the itinerary is more flexible. Let me share the process and precautions of self-driving tours in Okinawa, as well as some thunderbolts.
🇯🇵 Popular self-driving tour areas: No. 1 - Okinawa, No.2 - Hokkaido, No.3 - Tokyo suburbs
Car rental process:
🏠Car rental companies- There are large and small car rental companies, and the more well-known ones are Toyota, Nippon, Orix, etc. You can also rent a car on a travel agency website. This time I rented a car directly on the Toyota Rent-A-Car official website. Personally, I think if you are not interested in a certain brand or car model, you can compare the store location and price to make a choice.
🚗Car models- The main cars available for rent are Japanese cars, and the car rental company will divide the grades according to the vehicle category. Generally, cars will be randomly provided in the same grade, and there are also companies that can provide designated car options for free/for a fee. If you want to rent a specific model, it is recommended to apply for the designated model as soon as possible. I rented a Toyota SP1, which is in the same class as GT86, GR86 and GR Yaris, and the service for designated models was sold out three weeks ago.
Pickup process:
Bring the required documents: passport, local certified driver's license to the rental store. After confirming your identity, car model, insurance content and return date, the clerk will briefly explain the basic information such as how to use the car navigation and the type of refueling. Then the car condition will be checked. It is recommended to take a video to record the original scratches during this process to avoid disputes over the car condition when returning the car and protect your own rights.
This time I was able to pick up the car in about 20 minutes, and the clerk left after the documents were signed. I was able to slowly adjust the vehicle settings, navigation, etc. before driving away.
Driving precautions:
🚘Traffic rules
- Drivers in right-hand drive and left-hand drive areas in Japan should reserve time to adapt to the left-up and right-down mode.
- Japanese people are used to giving way to pedestrians, and some people even cross the road without paying attention to the road conditions. Please respect the local culture when driving in the local area, stay vigilant, and give way to pedestrians.
🅿️Parking
- Free parking: usually more in suburban areas or near major attractions.
- Paid parking: mainly in urban areas, with different charges and payment methods.
- Store parking: parking spaces exclusively for store guests, do not park unless you are visiting
⛽️Refueling
- Self-service gas station: you need to refuel by yourself, first choose the type of gasoline, put in cash or swipe your card, and touch the demagnetized black ball to refuel. The refill will be taken back from the refill machine after refueling.
- Service gas station: the clerk will help you refuel, you just need to tell the other party what kind of gasoline and how much, turn off the engine and wait in the car.
Car return process:
Driving before the designated time will be designated by the store. If the clerk asks you to bring certain documents when you return the car when picking up the car, please bring them, otherwise it will take more time. Gasoline cars are generally required to be returned with a full tank of gas, please keep the refueling receipt and give it to the clerk for record. The clerk will check the condition of the vehicle. If there is no new damage, you can leave after the inspection. There was a car in front of me when I returned the car this time, and I finished the queue + inspection within 20 minutes. Very efficient.
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