Renting a Car for a Japan Ski Trip: IDP, Winter Tyres, 4WD and Road Rules

David

To rent a car in Japan with a foreign licence, you need your home licence plus an International Driving Permit issued under the 1949 Geneva Convention. Licences from Switzerland, Germany, France, Belgium, Monaco and Taiwan use an official Japanese translation from JAF instead (JAF). Rental counters will not hand over the keys without the right document, and a photo of it on your phone does not count. In winter, snowy roads legally require winter tyres or chains; 4WD is useful but not required.

What documents do you need to rent a car in Japan?

An IDP is a booklet that translates your licence into a standard format. It is not a licence on its own, so it only counts together with the original card it was issued from. Japan accepts only the 1949 Geneva version: JAF states that permits under other treaties, such as the 1968 Vienna Convention, are not valid (JAF). Some countries issue the 1968 version by default or issue both, so check the cover of your booklet. The UK government's country table, for example, lists Japan under the 1949 type (GOV.UK).

Korea is not one of the six places that use the JAF translation, so Korean drivers need a Korean-issued IDP, which uses the 1949 format (Tokyo Metropolitan Police, Korean, Kyoto Prefectural Police).

For the six JAF-translation places, JAF says applications are accepted online only, not at the counter or by mail, and that the translation is valid for one year from entry. Some travel guides report that the online system only works from inside Japan, which would leave you without a valid document for your first days. JAF's page does not say either way, so check the current process with JAF or the Japanese embassy in your country well before the trip.

Where do you get an IDP?

You have to get it in the country that issued your licence, before you travel. Japan does not issue IDPs to visitors.

AAA says it cannot issue a permit more than six months before the date you want it to start. Korean IDPs are valid for one year from issue. Allow time for postage if you apply by mail or online.

Be wary of websites selling an "International Driver's Document" or a digital IDP. Japan's rules name the 1949 Geneva Convention permit and the JAF translation, and a document from a private website is neither.

How long is an IDP valid, and what if you drive without one?

Japan's Road Traffic Act allows a visitor with a valid IDP to drive for one year from the day of landing (Road Traffic Act, Art. 107-2). The permit itself also has to be in date, so whichever ends first applies. Residents registered in Japan who leave and come back within three months do not get a new one-year period on landing, so a working-holiday skier who has been in Japan for more than a year needs a Japanese licence.

Driving without a valid permit counts as unlicensed driving: up to three years' imprisonment or a fine of up to ¥500,000 (Road Traffic Act, Art. 117-2-2). A 1968 Vienna permit, an expired permit, or a permit without the original licence all count as not having one, and rental car insurance is unlikely to cover a driver who was not legally allowed to drive.

Is a rental car worth it for a ski trip?

It depends on where you stay. In a ski-in, ski-out hotel or a village with free shuttles, such as Hakuba with the Hakuba Valley ticket, a car mostly sits under snow. A car is worth it when:

• You want to ski several resorts. From Niseko, Rusutsu and Kiroro are realistic day trips by car.
• Your accommodation is outside the village, or restaurants are spread out.
• You are a group of three or four with ski bags. One car can cost less than four sets of bus tickets, but compare actual prices for your dates.
• You are touring a region with poor bus links, such as Myoko or central Hokkaido.

Do you need 4WD in Japan in winter?

No law requires it, but it helps. A front-wheel-drive car on good studless tyres brakes about as well as a 4WD; the difference is starting and climbing on icy slopes, such as hotel driveways and the last climb to a car park. Rental companies in Hokkaido and Nagano commonly offer 4WD at a higher rate. Our winter tyres guide explains the trade-off.

Do rental cars come with snow tyres?

In snowy regions in winter, rental cars are normally fitted with studless tyres (スタッドレスタイヤ). Every prefecture except Okinawa requires winter tyres or chains on snow- or ice-covered roads, with a ¥6,000 penalty for a standard car (Hiroshima Prefectural Police). If you pick up the car in a city without snow, such as Tokyo, confirm studless tyres when you book. Chains are needed only on sections under a chain control during very heavy snow; ask for a set if your route crosses a mountain pass.

Which road rules catch visitors out?

Japan drives on the left, and the indicator stalk is usually on the right of the wheel, so most visitors switch on the wipers instead of the indicator at least once. Right turns, which cross oncoming traffic, are where drivers used to the right-hand side make mistakes: you must end up in the left lane of the new road.

The stop sign is a red, upside-down triangle marked 止まれ (tomare), usually with a white stop line on the road. Stop at the line until the wheels are not moving, then go when it is clear. The law sets no number of seconds, but a rolling stop is a violation. The other sign to learn is 徐行 (jokō), meaning slow down enough to stop at once.

There is no turning on a red light in any direction. You may only move on red when a green arrow shows for your direction (JAF traffic rules). Drivers from the US, Canada and Korea, where turning on red is allowed, need to unlearn this. A flashing red light means stop, then proceed carefully; a flashing yellow means proceed with care. Pedestrians at crossings have priority, including when you turn into a side road.

At a railway crossing, Article 33 of the Road Traffic Act says you must stop just before the crossing, or before the stop line if there is one, and check it is safe. The only exception is a crossing with its own traffic signal (Road Traffic Act, Art. 33). Almost none have one, so stop every time, even when the barriers are up.

A solid yellow centre line means no crossing into the opposite lane to overtake. Mountain roads to ski resorts often have long yellow sections because of bends, so stay behind snowploughs and buses until the line changes and the road ahead is clear.

Posted signs always take priority, and many towns and mountain roads are signed at 40 or 50 km/h. The 30 km/h default took effect on 1 September 2026 (National Police Agency), and many village streets near ski areas fall into that group. In snow, expressway operators lower limits to 80 or 50 km/h.

Everyone in the car must wear a seatbelt, front and back, and children under 6 need a child seat. Handheld phone use while driving is banned, so set up the navigation before you move. Japan's drink-driving limit is very low and passengers can be penalised too; read drink-driving laws in Japan before après-ski. By custom, a short flash of the hazard lights says thank you when another driver lets you merge. It is not a legal requirement.

How do you book a ski-trip rental car?

1. Book early for New Year, Chinese New Year and February weekends. 4WD cars in ski areas are limited.
2. Pick up near the snow if you can, such as New Chitose Airport for Hokkaido or Nagano Station for Hakuba, rather than driving out of Tokyo.
3. Ask for studless tyres, 4WD if wanted, a ski rack or large enough boot, English navigation and an ETC card for expressway tolls. Many companies offer English navigation and some offer Korean.
4. Check insurance and the non-operation charge (NOC), which is the fee charged if the car is damaged and off the road.
5. Bring passport, licence and IDP to the counter. Before you leave, ask the staff to switch the navigation to English and enter your hotel by phone number, which most Japanese navigation systems accept.

FAQ

Can I rent a car in Japan with only my home licence?

No, except for licences from the six places that use the JAF translation. Everyone else, Korean drivers included, needs a 1949 Geneva IDP as well.

How long is an IDP valid in Japan?

One year from the date you land, or until the IDP expires if that is sooner.

Can I get an IDP after arriving in Japan?

No. An IDP is issued by the country that issued your licence. Japan issues IDPs only to holders of Japanese licences, for driving abroad.

Do I really have to stop at a railway crossing with the gates up?

Yes, unless the crossing has its own traffic signal. Stop, look and listen, then cross.

Can I check road conditions before driving to a resort?

Yes. Our live cameras show conditions at many resorts.