Car rental offices are centrally located in the Aeroplaza building, situated next to the railway station and opposite the Hotel Nikko Kansai. This area is easily accessible on foot from Terminal 1 (a 3-minute walk via the second-floor pedestrian bridge) or by means of a free shuttle bus service from Terminal 2 (journey time of approximately 7 minutes).
Car Hire Companies
The following companies operate at the airport, generally between 8:00 am and 8:00 pm (some extend their opening hours until 9:00 pm):
To ensure availability and access better rates, it is advisable to make a reservation in advance through specialised platforms such as DiscoverCars.
Requirements for Hiring a Vehicle
To drive in Japan as a foreign visitor, you must meet the following legal requirements at the rental agency counter:
- International Driving Permit: This must be a document issued under the 1949 Geneva Convention. Japan is extremely strict in this regard and will not accept international driving permits issued under other conventions (such as the 1968 Vienna Convention) or foreign driving licences without this additional document (except for specific exemptions for certain countries with an official translation).
- Passport: Original and valid identity document.
- Credit Card: Required to provide the vehicle security deposit.
- Minimum age: You must be at least 18 years old (the legal driving age in Japan), although some companies may require drivers to be at least 21 or 25 years old for certain vehicle categories.