ThisisbecomingmorecommonnowadaysinHakubaandisarealoption,especiallyifyouhavebookedaccommodationawayfrom theshuttlebusroutes,orhavealargefamilyforexamplesojustcan’tbebotheredwithcatchingbuses.YouneedtobookWELLin advance - there are just not enough cars to go around in Hakuba.Requirements to rentYouwillneedyourinternationaldriverslicense ANDyourhomelicense.WithoutBOTHofthoseyouaredrivingillegallyandinsurance won’tcoveryou.Thestandardinsurancepolicythatisprovidedbytherentalcompaniesstillrequiresyoutoforkoutthefirst50,000 yen in case of an accident and as usual they will take a hold against your credit card for that. Thereare3properlylicensedcarrentalcompaniescurrentlyinHakuba.Ifyouarelookingatgettingfirstliftsthenyouwillneedtorent fromthedaybeforeasyouwon’tbeabletogetthecarbefore09.00amorso. Allcarscomeare4WD,equippedwithsnowtyres,GPS andskiracks. ThecheapestcompanybyacountrymileisFreedomCarRental.Iftheydon’thaveavailablitythenthereisHakubaCar Rental,basednearthetrainstationandWindyCarRentallocatednearHappo.Pricedependsonthetypeofvehicleyouwant,and how long you want it for. Renting from somewhere other than HakubaIfthesecompanieshavenocarsleftthenanotheralternativeistogetyourselftoNagano(catchabullettrainfromTokyo)andrenta carthere-youcandosofromthislink.It’sonlyaneasyhour’sdriveawayfromHakuba.Besurethecarcomeswithsnowtyresand getatleastastationwagonsizeastheywon’thaveroofracksforskis/boards.ItisnotrecommendedtorentfromNaritaairport-it’sa long drive on icy roads and the car probably won’t come with snow tyres. Things to be careful ofSamerulesapplyasanywhereelse-checkoverthecarproperlybeforeyourentandmakesureyouhaveacopyoftheincluded insurance.Mostimportantthingistodriveslowly-iceisnottheeasiestsubstancetostopquicklyonandwhite-outconditionsare common.Remembertoliftupyourwiperswhenyouleaveyourcartopreventthemstickingtothewindscreenanddon’tputonyour handbrake as it can freeze on; instead make sure it is in gear and on a flat surface. Bewareof“carsharing”situations. AtpresentUberandanytypeoffcarsharingisillegalinHakuba.Thatmeansthatifyouarepaying moneytouseaprivatevehiclethatisn’tregisteredasarentalvehicle,anyinsuranceforthatcarwillbebenull&voidandwillnot coveryouincaseofaccidentirregardlessofwhatthevehicleownertellsyou. Allcarsthatarepropertlyregisteredasrentalvehicles will have 4 numbers prefixed by either れ or わ on the number plate.
ThisisbecomingmorecommonnowadaysinHakubaandisarealoption, especiallyifyouhavebookedaccommodationawayfromtheshuttlebusroutes, orhavealargefamilyforexamplesojustcan’tbebotheredwithcatchingbuses. YouneedtobookWELLinadvance-therearejustnotenoughcarstogoaround in Hakuba.Requirements to rentYouwillneedyourinternationaldriverslicenseANDyourhomelicense.Without BOTHofthoseyouaredrivingillegallyandinsurancewon’tcoveryou.The standardinsurancepolicythatisprovidedbytherentalcompaniesstillrequires youtoforkoutthefirst50,000yenincaseofanaccidentandasusualtheywill take a hold against your credit card for that. Thereare3properlylicensedcarrentalcompaniescurrentlyinHakuba.Ifyouare lookingatgettingfirstliftsthenyouwillneedtorentfromthedaybeforeasyou won’tbeabletogetthecarbefore09.00amorso.Allcarscomeare4WD, equippedwithsnowtyres,GPSandskiracks.Thecheapestcompanybya countrymileisFreedomCarRental.Iftheydon’thaveavailablitythenthereis HakubaCarRental,basednearthetrainstationandWindyCarRentallocated nearHappo.Pricedependsonthetypeofvehicleyouwant,andhowlongyou want it for. Renting from somewhere other than HakubaIfthesecompanieshavenocarsleftthenanotheralternativeistogetyourselfto Nagano(catchabullettrainfromTokyo)andrentacarthere-youcandosofromthislink.It’sonlyaneasyhour’sdriveawayfromHakuba.Besurethecarcomes withsnowtyresandgetatleastastationwagonsizeastheywon’thaveroof racksforskis/boards.ItisnotrecommendedtorentfromNaritaairport-it’salong drive on icy roads and the car probably won’t come with snow tyres. Things to be careful ofSamerulesapplyasanywhereelse-checkoverthecarproperlybeforeyourent andmakesureyouhaveacopyoftheincludedinsurance.Mostimportantthingis todriveslowly-iceisnottheeasiestsubstancetostopquicklyonandwhite-out conditionsarecommon.Remembertoliftupyourwiperswhenyouleaveyourcar topreventthemstickingtothewindscreenanddon’tputonyourhandbrakeasit can freeze on; instead make sure it is in gear and on a flat surface. Bewareof“carsharing”situations. AtpresentUberandanytypeoffcarsharingis illegalinHakuba.Thatmeansthatifyouarepayingmoneytouseaprivate vehiclethatisn’tregisteredasarentalvehicle,anyinsuranceforthatcarwillbe benull&voidandwillnotcoveryouincaseofaccidentirregardlessofwhatthe vehicleownertellsyou. Allcarsthatarepropertlyregisteredasrentalvehicleswill have 4 numbers prefixed by either れ or わ on the number plate.