Should I rent a car for my trip to Hakuba?

When coming to Hakuba with a group, you might be wondering if it is best to rent a car to get around. On this page we will explore the things to consider when deciding if you should rent a car for your trip to Hakuba, how to rent a car if you would like to, and what is required.

Why rent a car in Hakuba when there are free shuttle buses available?

The free ski shuttle buses in Hakuba are an incredible way to get around, so why spend extra money and time organising a car rental? This depends on your group and accommodation location.

Guests at Hakuba Matata Lodge are located right next to a free ski shuttle bus stop, and one of the first stops on the route, meaning there are always seats available. Our guests find the free ski shuttles work really well and are a comfortable and convenient enough experience. If your accommodation isn’t quite so close to a bus stop (think walking down a long slippery street in your ski boots while carrying your skis) or you are one of the last stops on the route, you might find that although the bus will get you there for free, it’s not such an easy or comfortable experience – or worse yet, the bus might be full, meaning you have to wait until they send another one.

What sort of groups should consider renting a car in Hakuba?

When deciding whether to rent a car for your trip to Hakuba, it’s important to factor in your group dynamic. Will you be visiting Hakuba with children? Or with somewhat-useless friends who are always leaving their gloves behind, or your father who will likely take about 18 minutes to get his ski boots on (but only allows himself 5!). If you have a group that will take a bit more organising, it might be a good idea to rent a car. Another reason is that the free ski shuttles tend to leave just once per hour, meaning that if you miss one, it’s a fair while to wait until the next bus comes along. See the free ski shuttle timetables from Hakuba Matata here.

For families with young children in particular, renting a car can be the difference between a happy ski holiday, and one filled with frustration and inflexibility. The age and stage of the children and how used to being in the snow they are will determine whether it’s worth the investment. If you have kids under 5 who are likely to throw a wobbly because they got too cold, got sick or just generally decided that they don’t want to be there anymore, having the ability to get them in the car and home to your room for some quiet time can be a life saver. The ability to easily pop into the supermarket to get food that you know they will eat can also be a game changer. Of course, you don’t need to rent a car to have this luxury, there are taxis available in Hakuba for those melt down emergencies should you encounter them.

Explore more with a rental car in Hakuba

Having a rental car in Hakuba also opens up possibilities for evening meals or activities on days that you opt not to ski.

Hakuba Matata Lodge is an easy walk to Echoland, where there are many excellent restaurants, cafes and bars, but sometimes it is nice to go further afield for dinner, or to a restaurant that a friend has recommended to you that isn’t in this area. If you have a kitchen in your accommodation (like in Hakuba Matata Apartment), it’s also handy for supermarket shopping.

If you are planning to visit the Snow Monkeys, Zenkoji Temple or Matsumoto Castle, you will actually save money by having a rental car and doing the “tour” yourself. We’re happy to help our guests figure out how to do a day trip like this without the help of a guide.

What are some reasons NOT to rent a car?

Besides the added expense, it’s a big responsibility having a rental car. You need to drive safely in a country and environment that you aren’t used to. This means that you will need a driver who is happy not to drink (Japan has ZERO tolerance for driving under the influence of alcohol). On powder days you will need to clear all the snow off the vehicle, and potentially dig your way to the road, depending on where your car is parked. You will need to navigate foreign petrol stations. You may even need to pay for parking. Most resorts have a free parking lot, but they’re not always easy to find, or super close to the ski lifts. If you are unlucky and get into an accident, it could be a real headache. Think how annoying an accident is in your home country, then add in language barrier, cultural differences etc. There’s certainly downsides to renting a car, so please do so at your own risk.

Where can I rent a car in Hakuba and how much will it cost?

There are a number of car rental businesses in Hakuba. During the season they will be very busy and we highly recommend reserving your vehicle well in advance to avoid disappointment. The following links are for local car rental businesses that communicate in English and have been used by us, or our guests in the past with good feedback. To see pricing, visit the links.

https://kibejecarrentals.com/
https://freedomhakuba.com/pricelist/
https://www.windy-kobeya.com/car-rental/

Renting a car in Hakuba (vs Tokyo or Nagano) may appear to cost more than renting from other parts of Japan, but it’s worth understanding that all rental cars in Hakuba will be appropriate vehicles for the conditions here (studless/snow tires, 4wd, ski roof racks etc.), and if anything happens to the vehicle during your trip, they will communicate in English, and are just down the road if you need them.

Should I rent a car in Tokyo and drive myself to Hakuba?

This can be a great option for the right people. If you have 3-4 people in your group it will work out more cost effective to drive together instead of taking public transport. When pricing it up, you will need to factor in about ¥8,000 in road tolls each way, and probably almost a full tank of gas each way. The journey takes about 4.5-6 hours and is mostly on high quality toll roads, or when closer to Hakuba, on smaller windy mountain roads. If you choose to hire the car from the center of Tokyo, you will find yourself in quite complicated and confusing driving conditions inside the city. If you are not a confident driver, I wouldn’t recommend doing this! You might also need to add about an hour onto your travel time to allow for traffic, or getting lost/missing turns… which is almost inevitable.

Another reason renting a vehicle in Tokyo might be appealing is that you can factor in enough space in the car to carry all your luggage as well. If you opt to get a small car, but still need to get your ski bags to Hakuba, you might opt to use Japan’s luggage forwarding service.

Car rental companies in the city aren’t going to be as user friendly for foreign tourists. Most places will not communicate well in English and their websites are much more difficult to navigate. You will need to ensure that the vehicle you rent has studless/snow tires and is 4wd. This is crucial. If you don’t, the car could be next to useless when you arrive in Hakuba due to the slippery, snowy conditions, not to mention illegal to drive due to local bylaws.

The easiest place to get a car rental in Tokyo is when you first arrive at the airport. There will be the most likelihood of English speaking staff, and a smooth check in procedure. The roads might still take a bit to get used to, but are generally wide and will take you directly to the toll road.

Here are some examples of common rental agencies in Japan. They are all pretty similar, but as mentioned, their websites are quite a bit more complicated if you don’t have Japanese language on your side.

Toyota Rent-a-Car
Orix Rent-a-Car
Nippon Rent-a-Car
Nissan Rent-a-Car

If you are spending a few days in Tokyo during your trip, I recommend that you stick to public transport for your time in Tokyo. Parking is expensive and driving is slow, plus you’ll miss the true Japanese experience of exploring Tokyo using their public transport system, which can be a joy in itself. If you opt to rent a car in Tokyo, get it right at the last minute, throw your bags in and get out of the city as soon as you can.

Can I rent a car in Nagano City then drive to Hakuba?

Yes. This is another good option, especially if the Hakuba rental cars are all booked out over your dates, or you want to skip doing the long drive from Tokyo yourself. Much of what was said about renting a car from Tokyo applies here too, but Nagano should be easier and more user friendly. Vehicles from Nagano are much more likely to come with studless/snow tires and 4wd. They are also much more likely to have English speakers, or at least be used to dealing with English speaking customers. The bus from Nagano to Hakuba costs over ¥2,000 per person, so by renting a car instead you could save yourselves even more ¥¥ by cutting out that part of your journey.

Do I need an International Drivers License to rent a car in Japan?

YES. Yes. Yes. They will not rent you one without. In fact, if you are caught driving without your IDP (International driving permit) you will be in trouble with the police and you will not be eligible for insurance. Any person who intends on driving the car should make sure they get their IDP before leaving their home country. In most places, this is as simple as ordering it online and paying a couple of dollars, or popping into the local motor association. They expire every year, so please make sure that your one is valid. You will also need to carry your actual drivers license at all times too. This is really important. If you are unsure, or want to check that your country’s license will be accepted, please contact the company you are renting your car from. They will be as eager as you to make sure you have all the right documents.

I’ve never driven in snow before. Should I be worried?

It pays to do some reading about safe snow driving before you arrive, but for most confident drivers it is not too much of a shift. The most important thing to understand is that you need to drive slower and allow much more room to come to a stop.

Here are some casual winter driving tips we stole off a Facebook post by police somewhere in North America… they may not all be relevant to you and your rental car, but still kind of funny and a good way to get the point across:

4WD does make it so you can go faster in the snow and ice. However, 4 wheel drive does not make it so you can stop any faster… Your super cool lifted truck/Jeep with all the stickers on the window that’s never been off road looks awesome as you fly by everyone in the fast lane. It does not look as cool when that Prius passes you in the ditch. Slow down.
Get better tires. Last time we posted these tips everyone got all in a tizzy because we told them to get tires that are appropriate for winter driving. If you can’t afford to replace your bald tires then you should NOT be driving that vehicle. The #1 best thing you can do for yourself is get proper tires for driving in these conditions. 5 bags of sand, a few logs and a case of Busch Light in the bed of your truck for the weight isn’t going to cut it.
Clean off your windshield! Craning your neck to peer out of a little 6 inch hole in the windshield is not safe. You aren’t a tank commander operating a tank on the front lines here. Clean off your windshield properly. I know its’ cold out and your fingers hurt and you can’t find the scraper but that’s kind of on you for not waking up 5 minutes earlier, putting gloves on and being prepared.
Clean the snow off the top of the car. There is no experience quite like driving down the highway and having a huge wall of snow and ice come crashing down on your windshield from the car in front of you. This happens more than you think and it’s very dangerous. Don’t be lazy. We know you don’t want to spend the time in the morning cleaning off the roof, but you should. It is your responsibility.
Turn your lights on when driving! It helps everyone see you. Also, when it’s snowing you don’t need to drive down the highway with your hazard lights on. That’s what your head/tail/brake lights are for. We all know it’s snowing. (we got everyone in a tizzy last time we posted that too, but it’s true)
SLOW DOWN. SLOW DOWN. SLOW DOWN. Almost every crash we go to in the winter on bad roads is due to speed. Actually, almost every crash we go to all the time is due to speed. SLOW DOWN!