If you are thinking of renting a car in Kanazawa there are a number of reputable car rental companies with offices in the immediate vicinity of Kanazawa Station.
You can compare the rates and book a car rental online through our search engine, it’s easy and fast to use!
Around Kanazawa Station you will find several major rental car companies. On or near the Kenrokuen Gate / East Exit side there are offices for Toyota Rent a Car, ORIX Rent a Car, and Nissan Rent-A-Car.
ORIX Rent a Car has a Kanazawa Station East Exit site close to the station
On or near the Kanazawa Port Gate / West Exit side of Kanazawa Station, Toyota Rent a Car and ORIX Rent a Car also have offices. Other useful west-side options include Nippon Rent-A-Car, Times Car Rental, Budget Rent a Car, and JR Rent-A-Car / Ekiren. Check each company website for the latest office location and pickup instructions.
Many of the companies linked above have English websites or English booking pages. Before deciding whether or not to rent a car though, there are a number of things you need to consider.
Toyota have an office on the east side of Kanazawa Station on the ground floor of the Porte skyscraper
Toyota also have an office behind the bus terminal on the west side of the station
What are the legal requirements?
To rent and drive a car in Japan, most short-term visitors need a valid driver’s license from their home country, their passport, and an International Driving Permit issued under the 1949 Geneva Convention. The IDP must be obtained before traveling to Japan, because these permits are not issued in Japan.
Drivers with licenses issued in Switzerland, Germany, France, Belgium, Monaco, or Taiwan cannot use an IDP for Japan in the same way. They need their original license together with an official Japanese translation issued by JAF or another authorized body. Check the JAF website and the National Police Agency guidance before booking, because rental companies will refuse a car if your documents do not meet Japanese rules.
Nissan Rent-A-Car is among the car rental companies serving the Kanazawa Station area
Nissan Rent-A-Car is among the car rental companies serving the Kanazawa Station area
Do you need to rent a car?
Renting a car might be a worthwhile option if you intend to explore rural parts of Japan that are less accessible by train or bus. Renting a car may also be an economical option if you are traveling with a group of people who can share the cost. Within Kanazawa city itself, a car doesn’t really seem necessary because the city has such an excellent public transport system and most of the main tourist locations are within easy walking or cycling distance from each other. However, a car might be useful for exploring more remote areas in the Hokuriku area around Kanazawa.
The Nippon office is right beside Kanazawa Station’s West Gate bus terminal
Is it expensive?
Rental prices vary by company, car class, season, insurance options, and whether you return the car to the same office. As a rough guide, a small five-seat car from a major rental company is likely to cost around 10,000 yen or more for 24 hours before fuel, optional coverage, and one-way fees. Fuel prices change weekly, so check pump prices when you travel. Rental cars are normally supplied with a full tank and should be returned full.
Times Car Rental can be found behind the Hiraoka Shrine on the station’s west side
Finding your way around
Major roads, towns and cities have English signage but more rural areas do not. However, almost all rental cars are fitted with GPS satellite navigation systems. The GPS might have English on the menu, but in case it does not, ask your car rental company to show you how to use it before your departure. They can also program the navigation system for you with your destination’s address or telephone number. Also, just to be on the safe side, it might be a good idea to buy an English-Japanese road atlas in advance.
JR Ekiren runs the official Kanazawa Station rental car shop. You can find it attached to the station building’s west side just across from the Hiraoka Shrine
The Rules of the Road
The Japan Automobile Federation (JAF) publishes a foreign-language guide to Japan’s traffic rules called Rules of the Road. JAF also provides a free online overview of basic traffic rules, road signs, expressway driving, and safe-driving tips on its Traffic Rules in Japan page.
And remember the first rule of the road in Japan: driving is on the left!
Article and original photos by Michael Lambe. All rights reserved. Last updated 22-May-2026.
