One-way car rental in Japan: drop-off fees and rules by company
Key points
- A one-way rental (乗り捨て, norisute) means you return the car at a different office from where you picked it up. Most companies charge a drop-off fee based on the distance between the two offices.
- Nippon Rent-A-Car charges ¥880 per 10 km for passenger cars and nothing under 20 km. Times Car Rental charges ¥3,300 up to 20 km and ¥11,440 up to 100 km for a general vehicle. Both are tax included.
- TOYOTA Rent a Car, ORIX and Times do not allow one-way rentals between Hokkaido and the rest of Japan, or between Okinawa and other prefectures.
- Inside Hokkaido and Shikoku, Nippon Rent-A-Car does not charge within the same area or prefecture. In Kyushu it uses its own rate of ¥1,100 per 10 km for bookings from 15 July 2026.
- Book the one-way rental in advance and check the fee on the booking screen. Changing the return office after pick-up costs extra.
A one-way rental (乗り捨て, norisute) means you pick up the car at one office and return it at another. TOYOTA Rent a Car, Nippon Rent-A-Car, Times Car Rental and ORIX all offer it, but most of them charge a drop-off fee based on the distance between the two offices. For example, Times Car Rental charges ¥3,300 up to 20 km and ¥11,440 up to 100 km for a general vehicle. You cannot drive one way between Hokkaido or Okinawa and the rest of Japan with TOYOTA Rent a Car, ORIX or Times.
How does the one-way drop-off fee work?
The drop-off fee is added to the normal rental fee. Each company measures the distance between the pick-up and return offices in its own way, so it may differ from the road distance on your map. The fee is shown when you choose both offices on the booking screen.
| How the fee is set | Where you see the amount | |
|---|---|---|
| TOYOTA Rent a Car | Not explained on its English page | One-way fee simulation on its website |
| Nippon Rent-A-Car | Distance: ¥880 per 10 km (passenger cars), ¥1,100 per 10 km (wagons and trucks). Free under 20 km. Hokkaido, Shikoku, Kyushu and Okinawa have their own rules | Booking screen (simulator) |
| Times Car Rental | Distance bands (table below) | Booking screen |
| ORIX Rent-A-Car | Not explained. It includes tolls needed to bring the car back, such as the Nishiseto Expressway and Kanmon Tunnel | Booking screen when you choose the offices |
Source: TOYOTA Rent a Car, One-Way System; Nippon Rent-A-Car, One-way rental; Times Car Rental, One-way fee; ORIX Rent-A-Car, One-way charge (checked on 26 October 2026). All amounts include tax.
At Nippon Rent-A-Car, “passenger cars” include kei cars, 5-seaters and compact minivans. “Wagons” include minivans and full-size wagons.
How much is the drop-off fee at Times Car Rental?
Times Car Rental publishes a full table on its English site:
| Distance | General vehicle | Wagon |
|---|---|---|
| Up to 20 km | ¥3,300 | ¥4,125 |
| Up to 50 km | ¥5,720 | ¥7,150 |
| Up to 100 km | ¥11,440 | ¥14,300 |
| Up to 150 km | ¥17,160 | ¥21,450 |
| Up to 200 km | ¥22,880 | ¥28,600 |
| Up to 250 km | ¥28,600 | ¥35,750 |
| Up to 300 km | ¥34,320 | ¥42,900 |
| Up to 350 km | ¥40,040 | ¥50,050 |
| Up to 400 km | ¥45,760 | ¥57,200 |
| Up to 450 km | ¥59,400 | ¥74,250 |
| Each extra 50 km | ¥6,600 | ¥8,250 |
Source: Times Car Rental, One-way fee (checked on 26 October 2026). Tax included.
- Between Honshu or Kyushu and Shikoku, Times adds ¥6,600 to the table fee.
- Times says one-way use between Hokkaido and other prefectures, and between Okinawa and other prefectures, is not available.
For comparison, Nippon Rent-A-Car’s standard rate of ¥880 per 10 km works out to about ¥8,800 for 100 km for a passenger car (our calculation from the published rate).
Is a one-way rental free inside the same area?
Only at some companies and in some regions. Nippon Rent-A-Car has special rules by region:
| Region | Nippon Rent-A-Car rule |
|---|---|
| Most of Japan | ¥880 per 10 km (passenger cars). Free under 20 km |
| Hokkaido | Free within the same area. A fee applies when you cross areas. New fee table for bookings from 27 May 2026 |
| Shikoku | Free within the same prefecture. A fee applies when you cross prefectures. Ehime has separate rates for Matsuyama and Niihama |
| Kyushu | For bookings from 15 July 2026: ¥1,100 per 10 km (passenger cars), ¥1,320 per 10 km (wagons and trucks) inside Kyushu. The English page says trips under 20 km are not free here. Kyushu to outside Kyushu uses the standard rate |
| Okinawa | Free within Okinawa Main Island |
| Noto Airport | ¥7,700 added to the fee for pick-up or return at Noto Airport (from 15 July 2026) |
Source: Nippon Rent-A-Car, One-way rental (English and Japanese pages) (checked on 26 October 2026)
Nippon Rent-A-Car’s Hokkaido areas are: Hakodate, Muroran, Chitose and Tomakomai, Sapporo, Asahikawa, Wakkanai, Monbetsu, Memanbetsu (Kitami and Abashiri), Obihiro, Kushiro and Nakashibetsu. New Chitose Airport is in Chitose, so a trip from the airport to Sapporo crosses areas. The Hokkaido and Shikoku fee tables are images on the website, so check the amount on the booking screen.
Times Car Rental’s table starts at ¥3,300 even for short trips. TOYOTA Rent a Car and ORIX do not mention free one-way rentals on their English pages.
Can I drive one way between Hokkaido, Honshu, Kyushu, Shikoku and Okinawa?
| Route | TOYOTA Rent a Car | Nippon Rent-A-Car | Times Car Rental | ORIX Rent-A-Car |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hokkaido ⇄ the rest of Japan | Not available | Mentioned with ferry and other travel costs added. Ask the company | Not available | Not available |
| Okinawa ⇄ other prefectures | Not available | Not available (Okinawa Main Island is listed with the remote islands) | Not available | Not available |
| Honshu or Kyushu ⇄ Shikoku | Not listed as restricted | Ferry costs added where needed | ¥6,600 added | Not listed as restricted |
| Honshu ⇄ Kyushu | Not listed as restricted | Standard rate | Table fee | Not listed as restricted. The fee includes tolls such as the Kanmon Tunnel |
| Mainland ⇄ remote islands | Not mentioned | Not available (for example Sado, Tanegashima, Yakushima, Ishigaki, Miyako) | Not mentioned | Not available (for example Okinawa Main Island ⇄ Miyako, Kagoshima ⇄ Tanegashima) |
Source: TOYOTA Rent a Car, One-Way System; Nippon Rent-A-Car, One-way rental; Times Car Rental, One-way fee; ORIX Rent-A-Car, One-way charge (checked on 26 October 2026)
“Not listed as restricted” means the company’s page does not name the route as unavailable. It does not mean every office accepts it. All four companies say one-way rentals may not be possible at some offices, for some car classes or in some campaigns.
For Okinawa, see Driving in Okinawa.
How do I book a one-way rental?
- Choose different pick-up and return offices on the booking screen. ORIX and Nippon Rent-A-Car ask you to choose the prefecture and then the office.
- Check the drop-off fee shown on the screen before you confirm. TOYOTA Rent a Car has a separate one-way fee simulation.
- Check the return office’s opening hours. ORIX says one-way returns must be made during business hours, 8:00–20:00, except in Hokkaido and Okinawa.
- Book it in advance. TOYOTA Rent a Car and ORIX say one-way rentals must be arranged in advance.
- Do not change the return office later if you can avoid it. At Nippon Rent-A-Car this needs approval from the pick-up office and costs a handling fee of ¥3,300 (passenger cars), ¥5,500 (wagons) or ¥6,600 (trucks), on top of the drop-off fee.
Source: TOYOTA Rent a Car, One-Way System; Nippon Rent-A-Car, One-way rental; ORIX Rent-A-Car, One-way charge (checked on 26 October 2026)
Buses, microbuses and trucks usually cannot be rented one way: TOYOTA Rent a Car excludes buses, ORIX excludes trucks and minibuses, and Nippon Rent-A-Car excludes microbuses, trucks over 3 tonnes and specially equipped vehicles. For the rest of the booking process, see How to book a rental car in Japan.
Should I plan a loop or a one-way trip in Hokkaido?
A loop that starts and ends at the same office, such as New Chitose Airport, has no drop-off fee. A one-way trip, for example from New Chitose Airport to Hakodate or to eastern Hokkaido, saves the long drive back but adds a fee.
- At Nippon Rent-A-Car, a one-way trip is free only inside the same area. New Chitose Airport (Chitose and Tomakomai area) to Sapporo or Hakodate crosses areas, so a fee applies.
- At ORIX, the Hokkaido Expressway Pass (HEP) can be used with a one-way rental inside Hokkaido.
- Check the return office’s opening hours, especially for an evening flight.
Source: Nippon Rent-A-Car, One-way rental; ORIX Rent-A-Car, Expressway Pass (checked on 26 October 2026)
Driving times between the main cities are in the Hokkaido road trip planner.
Should I plan a loop or a one-way trip in Kyushu?
If you start at Fukuoka Airport, a loop back to the same office has no drop-off fee. A one-way trip, for example ending in Kagoshima or Nagasaki, avoids driving back but adds a fee.
- At Nippon Rent-A-Car, one-way trips inside Kyushu use the Kyushu rate of ¥1,100 per 10 km for passenger cars (bookings from 15 July 2026). This is higher than its standard rate of ¥880.
- At Times Car Rental, the table above applies. For example, a trip that Times counts as 150 km costs ¥17,160 for a general vehicle.
- At ORIX, the Kyushu Expressway Pass (KEP) cannot be used with a one-way rental. If you want the pass, plan a loop.
Source: Nippon Rent-A-Car, One-way rental; Times Car Rental, One-way fee; ORIX Rent-A-Car, Expressway Pass (checked on 26 October 2026)
Compare the drop-off fee with the time and tolls of driving back. Routes and driving times are in the Kyushu road trip planner.
FAQ
- How much is the one-way drop-off fee in Japan?
- It depends on the company and the distance. Nippon Rent-A-Car charges ¥880 per 10 km for passenger cars, free under 20 km. Times Car Rental charges ¥3,300 up to 20 km, ¥5,720 up to 50 km and ¥11,440 up to 100 km for a general vehicle. TOYOTA Rent a Car and ORIX show the fee on their booking or simulation screen.
- Can I pick up a car in Hokkaido and return it in Tokyo?
- Not with TOYOTA Rent a Car, ORIX or Times Car Rental: all three say one-way rentals between Hokkaido and other regions are not available. Nippon Rent-A-Car's one-way page mentions Hokkaido–Honshu trips with ferry and other travel costs added, so ask Nippon Rent-A-Car directly.
- Is a one-way rental free within the same prefecture?
- Not in general. Nippon Rent-A-Car is free under 20 km in most areas, free within the same area in Hokkaido, free within the same prefecture in Shikoku and free within Okinawa Main Island. Times Car Rental charges from ¥3,300 even for short distances.
- Can I use an expressway pass with a one-way rental?
- At ORIX, expressway passes cannot be used with one-way rentals except in Hokkaido. So the Kyushu Expressway Pass (KEP) from ORIX needs a round trip.
- Can I change the return office after I pick up the car?
- At Nippon Rent-A-Car, you need approval from the pick-up office. You pay the drop-off fee plus a handling fee of ¥3,300 for a passenger car, even if the drop-off fee itself is free.
Sources
Update history
- Published.