Renting a car in Tokyo: everything you need to know

Renting a car in Tokyo is not the obvious move - the trains are world-class - but for day trips to Hakone, Nikko, or the Izu coast, four wheels unlock a side of Japan most visitors never see. Here is what you actually need to know before you pick up the keys.

Do you even need a car in Tokyo?

Inside the city, no. Parking is scarce and expensive, traffic is dense, and the rail network is faster door to door. The case for renting is the day trips: mountain onsen towns and coastal roads where buses are sparse and timetables unforgiving.

What you need to drive

Foreign visitors need an International Driving Permit issued in your home country before you arrive. Bring your home licence and your passport too. Drive on the left, and note that road signs use both Japanese and English on major routes.

Insurance and the excess

Take the collision damage waiver. Standard rentals carry an excess that can run to several hundred dollars, and the optional waiver brings it down to near zero for a few dollars a day. It is almost always worth it.

The best day trips by car

• Hakone: hot springs, lake views, and Mount Fuji on a clear day
• Nikko: shrines, waterfalls, and switchback mountain roads
• The Izu Peninsula: a coastal drive with quiet beaches and seafood shacks

Set off early to beat the traffic out of the city, and you will have the roads largely to yourself by mid-morning.