日本自駕初體驗：從香港申請國際駕駛許可證，到日本官網租車攻略

這一趟日本之旅，我終於完成了一直想嘗試的「日本自駕遊」體驗。這個體驗絕對不難實踐呢！由在香港申請國際駕駛許可證、透過 Nissan Rent a Car 日本版官網預約租車，以至到當地辦理取車及實際上路，整個過程既緊張又興奮，因此特別記錄下來，讓之後有意在日本自駕的你也可作參考。

出發前準備：香港申請國際駕駛許可證

以香港居民的身份前往日本自駕，基本上需要同時備妥三項文件：香港正式駕駛執照、國際駕駛許可證，以及護照。國際駕駛許可證一般有效期為一年，因此申請時間不宜過早，但亦要預留數天至一星期的處理時間。

我自己的準備步驟大致如下：

確認手上的駕駛執照為正式牌照，而非暫准駕駛執照（P 牌）。

預先拍攝符合規格的證件相片。

準備身份證及住址證明等所需文件，並遞交申請。

領取國際駕駛許可證後，立即拍照或掃描備份，儲存在手機及雲端。

臨出發前，我會再進行一次「自駕文件檢查」，確保以下文件全部在身：

❶ 香港正式駕駛執照正本

❷ 國際駕駛許可證正本 (「透過智方便」申請，費用$80）

❸ 護照

❹ 租車確認電郵／截圖

❺ 信用卡

所有實體文件我都會放在同一個文件夾，方便在機場或租車櫃檯時快速取出。

為何選擇 Nissan Rent a Car 日本版官網？

這次我選擇透過 Nissan Rent a Car 日本版官網預約，主要原因有幾點：

1.行程所到的區域剛好有多間 Nissan 分店，位置鄰近車站或機場，取還車較為方便。

2.日本版官網提供的方案及車型選擇較多，部分優惠及專案在其他比價平台未必可見。

3.希望藉此嘗試使用日本本地原生預約系統，了解整體流程及操作體驗。

雖然網站介面主要為日文，但配合瀏覽器自動翻譯，整體操作並不算太困難。需要特別留意的是保險名稱、車型分類、租用日本ETC卡、冬季地區的雪胎或雪鏈等等細節，機械翻譯有時會出現較奇怪的用語，我中途亦有多次對照日文原文，以免理解錯誤。

小貼士：建議選擇還車時間接近門市關門時間（例如晚上 8 點），因為提早還車通常不會收取額外費用，反而遲還車則會按小時計算罰款，這樣能最大化租車時間的靈活性。

第一步：輸入個人資料

需要填寫姓名（一般建議與護照英文拼寫一致）、聯絡電話及電郵地址。雖然是日文介面，但實際輸入個人資料時使用英文並無問題。

第二步：確認訂單及付款方式

最後頁面會列出租金總額及所有已選項目。我這次選擇了（此處可填寫：網上預付／到店付款），完成交易後便會收到確認電郵。我個人習慣會截圖保存，並下載至手機作離線備用，以防在日本當地上網不穩定時仍可查閱。

第三步：預約過程中，有一項特別值得留意的是「駕照相關注意事項」。一般而言，外國旅客並不需要預先上載日本駕照，只需在取車當日攜同本國駕照及國際駕駛許可證到店出示即可。我亦有特別確認相關條款，確保以香港駕照＋國際駕照的組合可以正常租車，避免臨到取車時才出現問題。

辦理取車手續與文件核對

職員通常會將上述文件影印或掃描存檔。如有多位駕駛者輪流駕駛，所有駕駛者都需一併出示駕照及國際駕駛許可證，並在相關文件上簽名。

之後職員會帶你前往停車區，一同檢查車身外觀，並在車身圖上標示已存在的刮痕或凹痕。我會建議同時用手機拍照或拍短片，將車身四角、車頭車尾、輪圈，以及儀錶板上的里程及油量一併紀錄下來，日後還車時會更安心。

當真正坐上駕駛席、手握方向盤的那一刻，會非常真實地感受到「自己真的要在日本開車了」，既有責任感，也有一點小小的興奮！

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還車流程：加滿油、最後檢查及結算 ETC

來到旅程尾聲，還車的步驟雖然不複雜，但仍然有幾點值得注意：

還車前加滿燃油

大部分租車條款都採用「滿油取車、滿油還車」的方式，因此我會預先在 Google Maps 搜尋附近的油站，挑選一間靠近還車分店的加油站，先把油箱加滿再開往分店。加油收據建議保留，以備職員要求查閱。但很驚險的說，我們為了可以趕及航班，最終還未來得及滿油還車，租車公司直接結算汽油錢，但費用會比加油站加油的費用還高出許多，強烈建議還車時請將油量補滿

車輛檢查與交還車匙

把車泊回指定位置後，到櫃檯交還車匙。職員通常會再檢查車身外觀、車內情況及油量，有時亦會查看里程數是否異常。這時我會心中對照一下之前拍下的照片及影片，確認沒有新增損傷。

費用結算及收據

若使用了 ETC，高速公路的通行費會在還車時一併結算。職員會列出相關明細，加上未支付的租金餘額，以信用卡一次結清。最後取得正式收據，整個租車流程便宣告完成。

First‑Time Driving in Japan: From Applying for an International Driving Permit in Hong Kong to Booking via the Official Japanese Car Rental Website

This Japan trip finally allowed me to fulfil something I had always wanted to try – a road trip in Japan. The whole experience is actually very achievable! From applying for an International Driving Permit in Hong Kong, to booking a car through the Japanese‑language Nissan Rent a Car official site, all the way to picking up the car and driving on local roads, the process was both nerve‑racking and exciting. I’m documenting it here so that if you’re also thinking about driving in Japan, you can use this as a reference.

Pre‑departure preparations: Applying for an International Driving Permit in Hong Kong

As a Hong Kong resident planning to drive in Japan, you basically need to have three documents ready at the same time: a valid Hong Kong full driving licence, an International Driving Permit, and your passport. The International Driving Permit is usually valid for one year, so it’s best not to apply too early, but you should still allow a few days to about a week for processing.

My preparation steps were roughly as follows:

Confirm that my licence is a full licence, not a provisional (P‑plate) licence.

Take passport photos that meet the required specifications.

Prepare my identity card and proof of address, and submit the application.

Once I received the International Driving Permit, I immediately took photos or scanned copies and saved them on my phone and in the cloud.

Before departure, I also do a final “self‑drive document check” to make sure I have everything with me:

• Original Hong Kong full driving licence

• Original International Driving Permit (applied via the “iAM Smart” system, fee: HK$80)

• Passport

• Rental car confirmation email / screenshots

• Credit card

I keep all the physical documents together in one folder so I can quickly take them out at the airport or rental counter.

Why I chose the Japanese Nissan Rent a Car official site

For this trip, I used the Japanese‑language Nissan Rent a Car official website to make my booking, mainly for these reasons:

The areas in my itinerary happened to have several Nissan branches conveniently located near train stations or airports, which made pick‑up and return more convenient.

The Japanese site offers more plans and vehicle options; some promotions and packages don’t appear on third‑party comparison platforms.

I wanted to experience using the original Japanese booking system and understand the flow and user experience.

Although the interface is mainly in Japanese, using a browser’s auto‑translate function makes it manageable overall. What you do need to pay attention to are details such as insurance types, vehicle classes, the option to rent an ETC card, and winter tyres or snow chains in cold regions. Machine translation can produce some odd wording, so I often checked the original Japanese text to avoid misunderstandings.

Tip

When choosing your return time, it’s a good idea to set it close to the branch’s closing time (for example, 8 p.m.). Returning the car early usually doesn’t incur extra charges, whereas returning it late will generally be charged by the hour. This gives you more flexibility and helps maximise your usable rental time.

Step 1: Entering personal information

You will need to enter your name (it’s best to use the exact spelling shown on your passport), contact phone number, and email address. Even though the interface is in Japanese, it’s completely fine to fill in your personal details in English.

Step 2: Confirming the booking and payment method

On the final page, the system will show the total rental fee and all selected options. For this booking, I chose (you can fill in here: online prepayment / pay at counter). Once payment is confirmed, a confirmation email will be sent to you. I personally like to take screenshots and also save a copy on my phone for offline access, in case the internet connection in Japan is unstable.

Step 3: A special note on licence‑related requirements

During the booking process, one important section to pay attention to is “licence‑related information”. Generally, foreign visitors are not required to upload a Japanese driving licence in advance. As long as you bring your home‑country licence together with your International Driving Permit and present them at the counter when picking up the car, it’s usually sufficient. I made a point of double‑checking these terms to ensure that a Hong Kong licence plus an International Driving Permit would be accepted, so I wouldn’t run into any unpleasant surprises at pick‑up.

Pick‑up procedures and document verification

At the counter, staff will usually photocopy or scan your documents for record‑keeping. If multiple people will be sharing the driving, all drivers need to present their licences and International Driving Permits and sign the relevant forms.

After that, the staff member will take you to the parking area to inspect the car’s exterior together, marking any existing scratches or dents on a diagram. I recommend also taking photos or short videos with your phone, covering all four corners of the car, the front and rear, the wheels, and the odometer and fuel gauge on the dashboard. This makes it much more reassuring when you return the car later.

The moment you actually sit in the driver’s seat, hands on the steering wheel, it really hits you: “I’m actually going to drive in Japan!” It feels like a mix of responsibility and a little spark of excitement.

Returning the car: Refuelling, final checks and ETC settlement

Towards the end of the trip, the return process is not complicated, but there are still a few important points to note.

Refuelling before return

Most rental contracts follow a “full‑to‑full” fuel policy: you pick up the car with a full tank and should return it full as well. I normally search for nearby petrol stations on Google Maps and choose one close to the return branch, fill up the tank, and then drive over to return the car. It’s a good idea to keep the fuel receipt in case the staff ask to see it.

In our case, however, things were a bit tense: we were rushing to catch our flight and ended up not having enough time to refuel before returning the car. The rental company therefore refuelled it themselves and charged us directly. The cost was noticeably higher than refuelling at a regular petrol station. My strong recommendation is: if at all possible, make sure you refill the tank yourself before returning the car.

Vehicle inspection and handing back the keys

After parking the car in the designated spot, you go to the counter to hand back the keys. Staff will usually check the exterior, interior, and fuel level, and sometimes also glance at the mileage to see if everything looks normal. At this point, I mentally compare what I see with the photos and videos I took at pick‑up, to confirm there are no new damages.

Final payment and receipt

If you used an ETC card, the highway tolls will be calculated and charged when you return the car. The staff will print out the toll breakdown and add any unpaid rental fees. The total is then settled in one go, usually with a credit card. After receiving the final receipt, your rental process is officially complete.