Taking a rental car on a ferry in Japan: rules, routes and fares

You can take a rental car on a car ferry in Japan in many cases, but ask the rental company first. The rental terms we read from Toyota Rent a Car, Nippon Rent-A-Car, Times Car Rental and ORIX Rent-A-Car do not ban ferries, yet none of them publishes general ferry rules. The bigger limit is the return: Toyota, Times and ORIX do not offer normal one-way rentals between Hokkaido and the rest of Japan, so a car you take to Hokkaido must come back with you. Many visitors return the car at the port, cross on foot and rent a new car on the other side.

Can I take a rental car on a ferry in Japan?

A car ferry (カーフェリー) is a ship that carries cars as well as passengers. What each rental company says on the pages we read:

Company	What its official pages say
Toyota Rent a Car	One-way rentals are not available between Hokkaido and Honshu, Shikoku or Kyushu, or between Okinawa and other prefectures. We could not read a Toyota page on ferries.
Nippon Rent-A-Car	One-way rentals between Hokkaido and Honshu are possible: ferry fares and other travel costs are added to the distance-based drop-off fee. No one-way rentals to remote islands such as Okinawa Main Island, Sado, Tanegashima, Yakushima, Ishigaki or Miyako.
Times Car Rental	One-way rentals are not available between Hokkaido or Okinawa and other prefectures. Between Honshu or Kyushu and Shikoku, ¥6,600 (tax included) is added to the drop-off fee, and ferry fares you pay on the way are not included.
ORIX Rent-A-Car	Its rental terms (in force from 1 November 2022) ban taking the car out of Japan but do not mention ferries. Normal one-way rentals are not available between Hokkaido or Okinawa and other prefectures, or between the mainland and remote islands.

Source: Toyota Rent a Car, One-Way Rentals; Nippon Rent-A-Car, One-way rental; Times Car Rental, One-way; ORIX Rent-A-Car, One-way charge and Rental terms (checked on 26 October 2026)

None of these pages says whether the insurance and damage waiver cover the car while it is on the ship. Before you book the ferry:

1. Tell the pick-up office which ferry you plan to take and ask whether it is allowed for your car.
2. Ask whether the insurance, CDW and NOC options apply on the ferry. See rental car insurance.
3. Ask for the car’s length, height and plate number. The ferry booking needs them.
4. Ask where the car’s vehicle registration certificate (車検証, shaken-shō) is. Ferry companies ask to see it at check-in.

Is there a plan that lets me take a rental car from Aomori to Hakodate?

Yes, one. Tsugaru Kaikyo Ferry and ORIX Rent-A-Car sell the Aomori–Hakodate One-Way Plan. You book an ORIX car under this plan on ORIX’s website, drive it onto the ferry, and return it on the other side.

Item	Details
Period	16 October 2026 to 31 March 2027 (not 25 December 2026 to 2 January 2027)
Routes	Hakodate–Aomori and Hakodate–Oma
Ferry discount	20% off the normal fare, once per crossing. Show ORIX’s usage certificate; the car must match its vehicle registration certificate
Car classes	Compact cars (such as Fit, Yaris, Swift), hybrids (such as Prius) and minivans (such as Serena, Noah)
Booking	Book the car with ORIX under this plan, and the ferry by phone or at the counter. Other ORIX plans do not qualify

Source: Tsugaru Kaikyo Ferry, Aomori–Hakodate One-Way Plan (checked on 26 October 2026)

Which car ferries do visitors use, and how much do they cost?

These are examples only. Fares change by season and some change by date, so check the ferry company’s fare page for your date.

Route (ferry company)	Crossing time	Car fare (example)	Check-in
Hakodate–Aomori (Tsugaru Kaikyo Ferry)	About 3 h 35 min to 3 h 45 min; 6 sailings each way per day	Under 6 m: ¥21,260 (1 Oct–26 Dec 2026 and 4 Jan–31 Mar 2027); kei car ¥17,900	40 min before departure (70 min from 20 Jul to 20 Aug)
Hakodate–Aomori (Seikan Ferry)	About 3 h 50 min to 4 h; 8 round trips per day	Under 4 m: ¥17,200; under 5 m: ¥19,100 (October–May)	30 min before departure
Hakodate–Oma (Tsugaru Kaikyo Ferry)	1 h 30 min; 2 sailings each way per day	Under 6 m: ¥17,000 (1 Oct–26 Dec 2026 and 4 Jan–31 Mar 2027)	40 min before departure (70 min from 20 Jul to 20 Aug)
Osaka–Beppu (Ferry Sunflower)	Overnight: Osaka 19:05 → Beppu 6:55 next day (Sun–Thu)	Under 4 m: ¥36,990 to ¥48,490, depending on the date (Oct–Dec 2026)	60 min before departure (90 min in busy periods)
Osaka Nanko–Toyo, Ehime (Orange Ferry)	Evening sailing; cars board from about 20:30	Under 5 m: ¥21,500 (Oct–Dec 2026)	30 min before departure at the latest
Tokyo–Tokushima (Ocean Tokyu Ferry)	See the monthly schedule	Under 5 m: ¥41,140 (Oct–31 Dec 2026)	Arrive 1 h before (about 90 min in busy periods)

Source: Tsugaru Kaikyo Ferry, fares, timetables and boarding procedure; Seikan Ferry, fares, timetable and FAQ; Ferry Sunflower, Osaka–Beppu fares and timetable, FAQ; Orange Ferry, Toyo–Osaka fares and FAQ; Ocean Tokyu Ferry, fares and FAQ (checked on 26 October 2026)

• The car fare includes the driver on all six routes, in the basic class (a private bed on Ferry Sunflower). Other passengers pay a passenger fare. For example, an adult Standard ticket on Tsugaru Kaikyo Ferry’s Hakodate–Aomori route is ¥3,160 in the same period.
• Ferry Sunflower’s car fare includes the fuel surcharge. Tsugaru Kaikyo Ferry and Seikan Ferry add a fuel surcharge only for vehicles of 6 m and over.
• Orange Ferry says sailings from Osaka to Toyo are suspended from 20 October to 2 November 2026 for dock work. Check each company’s notices before you travel.

How do I book a ferry for a rental car?

1. Agree the plan with the rental company (see the checklist above).
2. Book the ferry. Seikan Ferry takes phone bookings from 9:00 on the same date two months before sailing.
3. If you do not know the plate number yet, Tsugaru Kaikyo Ferry says to enter 0000, check the car’s length and height with the rental company, and change the booking when you know the number. Ocean Tokyu Ferry also accepts bookings without a plate number. Orange Ferry says to enter 9999 on its online booking.
4. On the day, arrive before check-in closes. Bring your booking number and the vehicle registration certificate.

Source: Tsugaru Kaikyo Ferry, Booking with a rental car and Boarding procedure; Seikan Ferry, FAQ; Ocean Tokyu Ferry, FAQ; Orange Ferry, Toyo–Osaka FAQ (checked on 26 October 2026)

Tsugaru Kaikyo Ferry says a booking may be cancelled if you have not checked in by the deadline.

Should I return the car and rent another one across the water?

Often, yes. It avoids the one-way limits and the question of cover on board, and a passenger ticket costs much less than a car fare. You return the car near the port, take the ferry on foot, and pick up a new car on the other side. See one-way rentals for drop-off fees.

Where	What the official pages say
Hakodate, Aomori and Oma terminals (Tsugaru Kaikyo Ferry)	Ferrypon Rent-a-Car: show a Tsugaru Kaikyo Ferry ticket at ORIX’s Hakodate terminal, Aomori terminal counter or Oma pier office for 20% off the normal rental rate (within 7 days of sailing). The ORIX usage certificate gives foot passengers 20% off the ferry (within 7 days). Sales period: 17 April 2026 to 31 March 2027.
Tomakomai West Port Ferry Terminal (Hokkaido)	Only three companies may hand over cars at the terminal: Toyota Rent-a-Lease Sapporo (Tomakomai), Toyota Rent-a-Lease Shin-Sapporo (Tomakomai) and Nippon Rent-A-Car (Tomakomai). Book in advance, then go to the information desk on the 2nd floor. You cannot rent without a booking.

Source: Tsugaru Kaikyo Ferry, Ferrypon Rent-a-Car; Tomakomai West Port Ferry Terminal, Rental cars (checked on 26 October 2026)

For driving in Hokkaido after you land, see the Hokkaido road trip guide. For Shikoku and Kyushu, see the Shikoku and Kyushu guides.