Hokkaido Car Rental: Best Companies, Tips and a 2026 Snow-Country Self-Drive Guide

Renting a car in Hokkaido is one of the most flexible ways to explore the region! A rental car lets you plan your own itinerary and get between sights quickly. If you want total freedom on a trip to Japan, a self-drive road trip is definitely the way to travel deep.

This article walks you through why renting a car in Hokkaido is worth it, the documents you need, how insurance works, a comparison of online rental companies, the pickup and return process, things to watch out for and frequently asked questions. Read on for the most complete Hokkaido car rental and self-drive guide!

The most common questions before renting a car in Hokkaido:

Q: Is it safe to drive a rental car in Hokkaido when it snows?
A: Hokkaido has road facilities and vehicle equipment designed for snowy weather, so all you need to do as a driver is slow down and take it easy. It’s really not as dangerous or difficult as you might imagine!

And if you’d rather not take the risk, Hokkaido in spring and summer has flower seasons, festivals and more. It’s fun all year round!

Q: I forgot to bring the translation of my driver’s license. Can I still rent a car?
A: No! For travelers from Taiwan to rent or drive a car in Japan, you must have a Japanese translation of your driver’s license to rent legally. Without it, you can’t get on the road.

Q: Do I have to rent a car to travel around Hokkaido?
A: Hokkaido is Japan’s largest prefecture, making up 22% of the country’s total area, and not everywhere is easy to reach by JR train or bus. A rental car is a very flexible option, letting you stop wherever you like and plan your trip freely!

Q: What’s the minimum cost of renting a car in Hokkaido?
A: Book a car in Hokkaido, Japan through gogoout from just NT$1,400 a day, and basic insurance is already included in the price!

There are more hand-picked rental shops below, so keep reading to get ready for your Hokkaido trip!

Hokkaido car rental: recommended companies at a glance

Hokkaido car rental company	Highlights	Special price	Chinese-speaking service	Airport shuttle	Basic insurance	Full coverage
Hokkaido New Chitose Book now👉	Close to New Chitose Airport, with free airport shuttle for pickup	From NT$2,000 / day	⭕️	✅	✅	Add on at the counter
Nikku Rent-a-Car Book now👉	Free round-trip shuttle to New Chitose Airport and free snow tire swap	From NT$2,100 / day	⭕️	✅	✅	Add on at the counter
HDC Rent-a-Car Book now👉	Right next to Hakodate Airport, with a wide range of vehicle types	From NT$1,400 / day	⭕️	✅	✅	Add on at the counter
サーモンレンタカー 前往預訂👉	Camper van rentals in the Sapporo area	From NT$2,680 / day	❌	✅	✅	Add on at the counter

👇👇Hokkaido car rental from NT$1,400 a day👇👇

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Comparing Hokkaido car rental companies

In Hokkaido there are plenty of online booking platforms and rental chains, and each one differs in locations, vehicles and insurance amounts.
Below is a basic comparison table of fees and services, using pickup at Hakodate Airport in Hokkaido as the example — take a look!

Comparison based on a kei car with four seats:

	gogoout	Tabirai	Times CAR RENTAL	ORIX RENT-A-CAR
Airport shuttle	Depends on the store	Depends on the store	✕	○
Chinese-language support	○ (Chinese online customer service)	✕ (English online customer service)	○	✕ (English-language service)
Price (per day)	NT$1,400	About NT$2,000	About NT$2,060	About NT$2,650
GPS	Depends on the store	Depends on the store	○	○
ETC	Depends on the store	Depends on the store	About NT$80/use	About NT$80/use
Child seat	Depends on the store	About NT$250/seat	About NT$250/seat	About NT$250/seat
Business hours	(Varies by store) 8:00~19:00	(Varies by store) 8:00~20:00	8:00~19:00	9:00~18:00 8:00~20:00
CDW coverage	Add on site at pickup	About NT$250/24h	About NT$250/24h	About NT$250/24h
NOC coverage	Add-on purchased at pickup	About NT$150/time	About NT$150/24h	About NT$150/24h

Hokkaido car rental insurance explained

When renting a car in Hokkaido, we strongly recommend adding full coverage. With extreme weather and unfamiliar traffic rules, it’s better to be safe than sorry!

All rental vehicles already carry the basic insurance required by law,
including liability insurance, which provides a certain level of compensation for personal injury, property damage and vehicle damage.

Even though most of the compensation is paid by the insurance company, the renter still has to cover part of the cost — this is known as the “deductible.”

The two supplementary coverage options below cover different parts of that deductible, and customers can add them on for extra peace of mind!

1. Collision damage waiver (CDW)

(Collision Damage Waiver): a waiver that reduces the amount you owe if the vehicle is damaged or involved in a collision. It is usually included in the base rental price.

On top of the basic compulsory insurance, it also waives the deductible the renter would otherwise have to pay, so if an accident happens, this extra coverage gives you much greater peace of mind.

2. NOC (non-operation charge)

(Non-Operation Charge): compensation for the shop’s downtime — the business loss fee commonly seen in Taiwan. Rental companies offer this as an optional add-on.

NOC mainly waives the business loss fee the shop incurs while the car is being repaired after that accident.

Note | These two coverages are separate, and buying them does not necessarily mean the business loss fee is fully waived. Be sure to double-check what each rental company’s policy covers before you book!

Coverage	Basic compulsory insurance	+ CDW collision damage waiver	+ NOC coverage
Personal injury compensation (to victims)	✔️	✔️	✔️
Property damage compensation	✔️	✔️	✔️
Vehicle damage compensation	✔️	✔️	✔️
Personal injury compensation (to passengers)	✔️	✔️	✔️
Deductible waived		✔️	✔️
Business loss fee waived			✔️

Documents you need to rent a car in Hokkaido

Before you rent a car in Hokkaido, make sure you have all the essential documents ready!
They aren’t just a rental company requirement — they’re key to a trouble-free trip:

1. Passport: You’ll need it not only when picking up the car, but also for identity checks if you’re stopped by police or involved in an accident — and of course for tax refunds on your shopping!

2. Your valid home-country driver’s license: Always bring it so the shop and law enforcement can confirm you are legally licensed to drive.

3. Japanese translation of your driver’s license: Taiwanese drivers must have the Japanese translation of their license to rent a car in Japan — Japan does not accept the International Driving Permit issued in Taiwan!
(Drivers from Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, Europe and the Americas only need their passport and an International Driving Permit (IDP).)

4. The credit card used to make the booking: At pickup the staff may verify the renter’s identity and payment details, so we recommend bringing it.

Book a Hokkaido rental car in three steps

Step 1: Book a car in Hokkaido online

When booking on gogoout, choose Hokkaido as your pickup location and browse the different car models available on the platform.

Each listing shows detailed vehicle information, including real photos, specifications and user reviews, to help you pick the best fit.

Remember to book early so you’re not left without a car during peak season!

Step 2: Pick up your car at the rental company in Hokkaido

Once you arrive at the rental company in Hokkaido, have your booking confirmation, International Driving Permit (IDP), license translation and other key documents ready, then review and sign the rental agreement.

Inspect the car carefully at pickup — check the tire tread depth and whether a snow brush is provided — make sure there’s no damage, and take photos for your records.
Also confirm the return time and the fuel policy, so misunderstandings don’t lead to damage and extra charges.

Step 3: Wrap up your Hokkaido self-drive trip

When your trip is over, return the car to the rental company at the agreed time.

Confirm the mileage with the staff and settle any final charges, including ETC (electronic toll collection) expressway tolls.

Finally, hand back the key and your Hokkaido road trip is complete.

Renting with gogoout really is that fast!

From compact cars to minivans and vans, everything you need for your Hokkaido rental is sorted in one place.

gogoout shows real photos, detailed specs and user reviews to help you choose the car that suits you best — renting overseas is no longer difficult!

Hokkaido car rental: things to watch out for

1. Driving on snow in Hokkaido

Slippery roads: leave a longer following distance

It isn’t only falling snow that makes the road slippery — the scariest part is the broken ice that looks melted but has already frozen over, which can easily send you into a skid!

It’s safer to drive in the tracks left by the car ahead of you, where the snow has already been pushed aside.
Leave a longer following distance too: slippery roads lengthen your braking distance, so extra space gives you room to react in an emergency!

The sun sets early, and the road is hard to read at night

Winter days in Hokkaido are short and the nights long, and after dark it becomes much harder to make out road markings, so try to avoid driving on remote roads at night when planning your itinerary.

Because visibility is poor, slow right down on mountain curves — in an all-white landscape you may round a bend only to find the turn is tighter than expected or the road is a dead end.

Heavy snow and blizzards sharply reduce visibility

When heavy snow or a blizzard hits, your view is blocked; the blanket of white shortens how far you can see and can even leave you disoriented!
If you run into this kind of whiteout while driving, turn on your headlights and hazard lights first so other road users can spot you as early as possible.

Never slam on the brakes, or you could cause a rear-end collision that no one behind you can avoid!

For a fuller guide to Japan’s traffic rules:[Japan car rental] 2024 rental guide and price comparison — explore Japan freely!

Cleared snow often narrows the road

In Hokkaido, snowplows clear the roads after heavy snowfall, but this piles up large amounts of snow in the leftmost lane, making already narrow roads even tighter — and sometimes it’s hard to tell where the oncoming lane begins.

If you’re not used to driving in Hokkaido in winter, we suggest sticking to “wide, open roads” where visibility is better — it makes your Hokkaido car rental trip much more comfortable and safe!

Further reading on things to watch out for when renting a car in Hokkaido: Hokkaido road safety guide

Freezing temperatures mean iced-up cars

When a car sits outside for a long time, the drop in temperature can freeze the windows, the hand brake and the wipers.

So when you park overnight, don’t engage the hand brake, and never force a frozen door open — wait until it warms up and the ice melts, or you may damage the mechanism.

Remember to lift the wipers away from the glass so they don’t freeze to it, and use a snow brush to clear the snow covering the car!

Mapcode in-car navigation can be less accurate than Google Maps

In Hokkaido in winter, heavy snow often closes roads at short notice, but in-car navigation isn’t updated that quickly — so you may only discover the closure once you reach the road and have to make a long detour.

That’s why we recommend using both: check on Google Maps in advance whether the road is open, then use Mapcode to navigate to your destination!

Further reading on setting up Mapcode in Japan: How does navigation work when driving in Japan? An introduction to Mapcode

2. Traffic signs and signals in Hokkaido

Snow poles and 矢羽根 (yabane, downward arrow markers)

Along both sides of the roads in Hokkaido you’ll see poles with red-and-white downward arrows. These are 矢羽根 (yabane), used to mark the edge of the road when snow covers the lanes. When visibility is poor because of heavy snow, the 矢羽根 (yabane) show you where the lane boundary is so you can judge where the lane runs!

Snow poles are long red-and-white striped cylinders placed around the streets. They warn road users that there’s an obstacle here hidden under the snow, so walk or drive around it!

Traffic lights

Besides the usual horizontal layout, Hokkaido also has plenty of vertically arranged traffic lights, since vertical lights are less likely to be covered by snow and harder to misread. So there’s nothing to worry about — just follow the lights as usual!

Road signs

Heavy snow often covers road signs and makes them hard to read, so it’s a good idea to check the route on Google Maps before you set off. And whenever you see the downward-pointing triangle marked 「止」 (tomare, stop) at an intersection, you must come to a complete stop and make sure it’s safe before driving on — this is a very strictly enforced rule in Japan!

See a fuller guide to Japanese traffic signs:[Japan car rental] 2024 rental guide and cost comparison — explore Japan at your own pace!

3. Equipment for self-drive trips on Hokkaido’s snowy roads

Most of this equipment is chosen when you book the car, so please check in advance that your car comes with the following when you reserve online!

Snow tires and snow chains

Snow tires are different from regular road tires: they have deeper treads, which gives better water drainage and grip for driving on snow.

Snow chains are optional and come down to personal preference. In Taiwan we fit chains because our cars have regular road tires rather than snow tires, which is why you need them when you drive up Hehuanshan to see the snow.

Four-wheel-drive vehicles

With power going to all four wheels, you have a better chance of avoiding wheelspin and getting out of deep snow if you get stuck.
Compared with rear-wheel-drive cars, four-wheel drive is the better choice for a self-drive trip in Hokkaido!

Snow brush

If the car is parked outside for a while it will usually end up covered in snow, and you’ll need a snow brush to clear it off quickly and easily.

You can usually borrow a snow brush from the rental company — just remember to ask for it when you pick up the car. Otherwise you’ll have to buy one at certain gas stations or convenience stores, and why pay when you can get it for free!

4. Hokkaido car rental: the Hokkaido Expressway Pass

Hokkaido is huge, and expressway tolls are expensive — driving between regions can add up to a lot. That’s why Hokkaido offers overseas visitors the Hokkaido Expressway Pass (HEP), an all-you-can-drive pass: pay a set fee and you can get on and off Hokkaido’s expressways as many times as you like while the pass is valid!

You can click here for a Hokkaido ETC toll calculator to work out whether buying the HEP is the better deal for your road trip.

5. A guide to gas stations in Hokkaido

Gas stations in Hokkaido have both full-service and self-service pump islands. Here’s a reference table — remember to check which fuel your rental car takes when you pick it up!

Fuel type	Nozzle color	Japanese	English
Regular gasoline (95)	Red	レギコラー	Regular
Premium gasoline (98)	Yellow	ハイオク	Premium
Diesel	Green	軽油	Diesel

How to use a self-service pump:

1. Choose the fuel, the amount and the payment method:
After selecting the fuel, follow the on-screen instructions to set how much you want (by liters or by amount)
or simply choose 「満」 (man, full tank) to fill it up. You can pay by credit card, at the self-service payment machine next to the pump, or at the staffed payment booth.

2. Fill up:
Open the fuel filler, insert the nozzle and squeeze to start fueling. When you’re done, put the nozzle back, close the fuel cap tightly, and collect your receipt and change.

Hokkaido car rental: driving times between cities

Hokkaido is Japan’s largest prefecture, covering 22% of the country’s land area, and it even has three international airports — so it’s worth planning your driving times between cities in advance. Here are the self-drive travel times from Sapporo, the central hub, to other cities:

1. Sapporo to New Chitose International Airport: 50 minutes to 1 hour
2. Sapporo to Hakodate International Airport: 4 to 4.5 hours
3. Sapporo to Asahikawa International Airport: 2 to 2.5 hours
4. Sapporo to Otaru: 1 hour
5. Sapporo to Shikotsu-Toya: 50 minutes
6. Sapporo to Noboribetsu: 1 hour

Hokkaido car rental FAQ

1. Is there an age limit for renting a car in Hokkaido?

A: Most rental companies are the same as in Taiwan — you can rent as long as you are at least 18 and hold a valid driver’s license. However, quite a few companies will not rent to drivers under 20, or to drivers who have held their license for less than a year. So before you book, double-check that you meet that particular company’s requirements!

2. How are tolls calculated in Hokkaido?

A: Tolls on Hokkaido’s expressways are collected in two ways: cash-paying “general” lanes and “ETC“-only lanes. When traffic is heavy, the general lanes can back up a little, so ETC is the more convenient choice.

If your rental car doesn’t come with an ETC card, you’ll have to use the cash “general” lane; if you buy a HEP pass, you’ll also drive through the “ETC” lane!

(Remember to keep your speed under 20 km/h in the ETC lane, or the reader may fail to pick up your card!)

3. What should I do if I have an accident in a rental car in Hokkaido?

A: Heavy snow in Hokkaido can lead to unexpected accidents!
Whether you hit something on your own or collide with another vehicle, you must contact the rental company first so they can help you handle it, and also call the police.

After photographing the scene, move the car to the side of the road so you don’t block traffic. Once everything is done, be sure to get the accident report — you’ll need it to file an insurance claim!

4. How do I pay a traffic ticket I get in Hokkaido?

A: Remember that all tickets must be paid by you in person at the local police station (koban), or ask the rental company at pickup whether you should pay first yourself or settle it with them when you return the car.

Never ignore a ticket or wait to pay online after you get home — the amount will go up a lot!

Hokkaido car rental: final thoughts

Hokkaido is a travel destination rich in natural scenery and cultural heritage, and a self-drive trip lets you explore its beauty far more flexibly.

Once you understand why renting a car is a great idea, which documents you need, how insurance works, how the rental companies compare, and the pickup and return process and things to watch out for, planning and enjoying your Hokkaido road trip becomes much easier.

If you still have questions, the FAQ section above covers a few of the most common ones so you can enjoy your trip worry-free. We hope this article helps you rent a car smoothly and have a wonderful self-drive adventure in Hokkaido!

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This article was translated by AI from the original Chinese version.