We recommend one of the biggest rent-a-car company Nippon Rent-A-Car. www.nipponrentacar.co.jp
We can make bookings and give you good advices and routes to the birdwatching sites and to your accommodations
with a very little booking fee.
· A wide range of cars available nationwide
· Competitive rental rates and discounts· Comprehensive insurance
There are two types of car in Japan: those with yellow and those with white license plates. White plate cars are of a normal engine size. Explanations of the contract are available at the office in English when you rent a car.
Some of our guides may be able to drive you in their own vehicles for the duration of your tour, but in most cases a rented car is the best option:
Driving is on the left side of the road: good news for UK drivers, but not so good for European or US visitors. Many hire cars are automatic and come with satnav systems.
To drive a hire car in Japan you must take two documents with you and have them on you at all times while you are driving:
· Valid International Driver's License· Valid Driver's License from your home country
Driving is safe, but can be rather slower in Japan than what you are used to. Getting to some sites will take longer than you expect by road.
All road signs are given in English and Japanese. Distances are given in kilometres.
Speed limits are strictly enforced, and there is zero tolerance of drinking and driving.
The typical speed limits are 80 to 100 km/h on expressways, 40 km/h in urban areas, 30 km/h in side streets and 50 to 60 km/h elsewhere, however, it is quite usual for drivers to exceed the speed limits by about 10 km/h.
Most roads in Japan are toll free with the exception of expressways and some scenic driving routes. Road conditions tend to be good, although side streets in the cities can be rather narrow. Traffic congestions are a frequent problem in and around urban centers.
Drivers generally tend to be well mannered and considerate. One difference you should be aware of is drivers taking a turning off the road: it is customary to slow down almost to a stop before executing this move. In addition, indicators are often turned on at the last second, so be careful of cars ahead of you.
Convenience stores sell road maps and atlases. The best of these for birding purposes are the Mapple range of atlases, as they show topographical features and small tracks. Larger town names are given in English. Each atlas costs around 1000 yen.
Gasoline stands in Japan are almost all serviced by staff- there are very few self-service stands. Useful language:
Fill the tank up please: mantan de onegai-shimasu (or just "mantan")
Where is there a gas station?: gasorin-stando wa doko desuka?
Where am I?: koko wa doko desuka?
Note: this last question is quite a useful one to learn!
We can make bookings and give you good advices and routes to the birdwatching sites and to your accommodations
with a very little booking fee.
· A wide range of cars available nationwide
· Competitive rental rates and discounts· Comprehensive insurance
There are two types of car in Japan: those with yellow and those with white license plates. White plate cars are of a normal engine size. Explanations of the contract are available at the office in English when you rent a car.
Some of our guides may be able to drive you in their own vehicles for the duration of your tour, but in most cases a rented car is the best option:
Driving is on the left side of the road: good news for UK drivers, but not so good for European or US visitors. Many hire cars are automatic and come with satnav systems.
To drive a hire car in Japan you must take two documents with you and have them on you at all times while you are driving:
· Valid International Driver's License· Valid Driver's License from your home country
Driving is safe, but can be rather slower in Japan than what you are used to. Getting to some sites will take longer than you expect by road.
All road signs are given in English and Japanese. Distances are given in kilometres.
Speed limits are strictly enforced, and there is zero tolerance of drinking and driving.
The typical speed limits are 80 to 100 km/h on expressways, 40 km/h in urban areas, 30 km/h in side streets and 50 to 60 km/h elsewhere, however, it is quite usual for drivers to exceed the speed limits by about 10 km/h.
Most roads in Japan are toll free with the exception of expressways and some scenic driving routes. Road conditions tend to be good, although side streets in the cities can be rather narrow. Traffic congestions are a frequent problem in and around urban centers.
Drivers generally tend to be well mannered and considerate. One difference you should be aware of is drivers taking a turning off the road: it is customary to slow down almost to a stop before executing this move. In addition, indicators are often turned on at the last second, so be careful of cars ahead of you.
Convenience stores sell road maps and atlases. The best of these for birding purposes are the Mapple range of atlases, as they show topographical features and small tracks. Larger town names are given in English. Each atlas costs around 1000 yen.
Gasoline stands in Japan are almost all serviced by staff- there are very few self-service stands. Useful language:
Fill the tank up please: mantan de onegai-shimasu (or just "mantan")
Where is there a gas station?: gasorin-stando wa doko desuka?
Where am I?: koko wa doko desuka?
Note: this last question is quite a useful one to learn!