This article is an excerpt from Ski Asia's insider's guide to planning a ski trip to Japan – and saving money

Most people will tell you not to hire a vehicle in Japan as the train network is fantastic, car hire is expensive and it’s difficult to park and find your way – and snowy roads are very dangerous. Most of this is partly true, but for the reasons I outlined earlier, and if you’re confident driving on snow, it’s an option worth considering, and it can be cheaper in a group.

All the different car companies release their vehicles at different times, so it can be difficult to compare prices. Almost all, however, offer free cancellation, and with some, you don’t have to pay a deposit, so book something as soon as you can, then cancel when you find something better.

It’s best to book on the English version of the Japanese site where possible. If you book on the equivalent website in your own country, you don’t always get options such as winter tyres, 4WD, ski racks, or toll road payment cards—or the ability to pay for extra insurance or decline insurance.

CompanyHire company/platformBooking availableFree cancellation
KayakBooking platform1 year aheadYes - depends on hire company policy
KlookBooking platform1 year aheadYes - depends on hire company policy
Booking.comBooking platform1 year aheadFree 48 hours before pickup
BudgetHire company1 year aheadFree 7 days before pickup
SamuraiHire company1 year or moreFree 8 days before pickup
TabiraiBooking platform7 months aheadYes - depends on hire company policy
NipponHire company7 months aheadFree 7 days before pickup
NissanHire company6 months aheadFree 7 days before pickup
ToCooBooking platform5-6 months aheadFree 7 days before pickup
TimesHire company5 months aheadFree 7 days before pickup
ToyotaHire company3 months aheadUp to one hour before pickup

Comparing Japan’s major car hire websites

During the winter months, snowy locations offer studless winter tyres as standard. This means you don’t have to worry about snow chains. Check with individual rental companies if you’re not sure, as the times vary based on location. If picking up in Tokyo, winter tyres aren’t usually included, and you’ll have to pay extra. If it’s not an option, email them after you’ve made your booking and they can usually add it on for a charge.

Sometimes aggregator platforms like ToCoo seem cheaper, but once you add additional drivers and options, they can get more expensive. For example, Nissan allows you to add additional drivers for free, and all it took was an email to get my Nissan Serena upgraded to 4WD for free.

If you’re getting the train to then pick up a vehicle, look out for pickup locations with “Ekimae” in the name. This means “in front of the station”, so you can walk easily to your pickup (this works for hotel names too).

If you’re nervous about the drive, it helps to walk through the route on Google Maps Street View to familiarise yourself. If you live in an area where the roads get icy in winter and are a confident driver, you’ll likely be fine driving in Japan. However, road conditions can quickly change, and whiteouts, blizzards, and strong winds can come out of nowhere. Japanese drivers are generally courteous and drive safely, but accidents in the mountains do happen, even for locals. If you’re worried, start slowly by booking a car for a day or two on a ski trip to drive to a nearby resort. (Book a 4WD SUV, not a 600cc Kei car.)

The largest vehicles you can hire on a normal licence is a 7/8 seater people carrier. If you’re bringing your own skis or snowboards, then four adults will fit comfortably with all their gear by folding down the seats on one side of the back two rows and stacking up the luggage. I have done five adults in a seven-seater with equipment, but it was a massive sqeeze and not comfortable for the person in the back row. Two adults and three kids plus luggage (without any skis or snowboards) would probably be a maximum. Ski racks are available from some car hire companies (Samurai), but I’m reluctant to use them as it takes a lot of time to load up, and then you are constantly worried about the safety of your gear. It can also affect the handling in windy conditions. Also, there are a lot of car parks where a people carrier with a roof rack doesn’t fit under the maximum height. You can only rent a nine-seater van if you have a D stamp on your licence.

To drive in Japan, you need an International Driver’s Permit, which you must apply for in your country ahead of time. There seem to be many scam websites for these permits, so make sure you’ve found the official one in your country.

Parking is easy in Japan outside of the big cities. Even in places like Morioka and Sapporo, there are many car parks, and most hotels have parking. Sometimes it’s free, but it often costs ¥1,000 to park overnight. I’ve never had a situation where I couldn’t find parking. Most of the ski resorts have ridiculously big car parks that rarely get anywhere near capacity, but parking spaces are limited for some because the base is in a town. For example, Alts Bandai and Niseko Grand Hirafu can be difficult. This is rare, though.

People will tell you that you don’t need to drive in Japan, but most go to the resorts that are easy to access on public transport. By driving, you get to go to the deserted, hard-to-reach hidden gem resorts. The first few times you go to Japan, get the train and go to the famous resorts, but then if you want to explore and go on an adventure, I think a vehicle is the best way to do it.

Hire car insurance can be confusing in Japan, and translations aren’t always great. I like to get the minimum option of insurance and then buy additional coverage from a separate company. With Worldwide Insure, a one-year global policy costs £125 for unlimited rentals, and you can also get single-trip coverage.

For choosing the best vehicle, Tabirai has an excellent resource for viewing car interiors and specs.

The interior of a Honda Stepwagon. Image: Tabirai

The interior of a Honda Stepwagon. Image: Tabirai

Allow enough time to get through customs, pick up your car and drive to your first destination in daylight. Or, if you’re arriving late, stay overnight at the airport, or stay the first night in a motorway adjacent business hotel and leave the last part of the drive for the next day. When driving from Tokyo to the mountains, I usually make a plan to stop at a cheap hotel as close as I can to the resort so I’m not driving up the mountain at night. This also means you can visit a smaller resort on the way to your main destination. It may be wise to spend the first day in Tokyo or Sapporo to do some shopping for equipment and get over your jetlag rather than drive straight out to your resort.

Read Ski Asia’s insider’s guide to planning a ski trip to Japan – and saving money.

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