Anyone has experience booking car rental for Hokkaido in the summer?

Don't know if Wakkanai too remote or what. It's about 2 months out and a few rental websites said the cars are fully booked out? @@

wanted to rent directly from Rent-A-Toyota website but seems like they showed everything fully booked.

went thru some 3rd party website (Rakute, Tocoo, etc.) can see some availability, but they got their own markup + additional charges

hmm

Summer is Hokkaido peak. Even car rental, hotel etc openly put surcharge for summer season. Other than the blooming flower, it's also the summer holiday season, and ppl escape to Hokkaido for the cooler climate (average daytime only 22-23 degree)

Yea, I flew in to the airport. But anyway, I manage to reserve a car via Tabirai

left side

ANA flight landing in Haneda is 10.15pm at night. I doubt there's flight to Sapporo at 11pm-12am midnight.

Regardless, just stay a night at airport hotel is better for the piece of mind. Just consider the "savings" from ANA/JAL promo (typically free domestic flights) being used towards paying the airport hotel

This post has been edited by tohff7: Jun 7 2025, 05:48 PM

Any Visa/Mastercard/Amex will work just fine la

Just go to official website and book

https://rent.toyota.co.jp/eng/

if direct, just take ANA or MAS. JAL timing wise not very nice + I seldom see got sales.

ANA always got sales from time to time. The bonus with ANA is their promo also comes with free domestic flight transfers. Good to plan for travel to other regions. So far I have done

KUL-->NRT/Haneda (stay a few days)-->fly to Hakodate-->slowly travel upwards to Sapporo-->Chitose Airport-->NRT-->KUL

KUL-->Haneda (overnight)-->Hiroshima-->Travel to Okayama, Himeji, Kobe, Arima Onsen-->Osaka Itami Airport-->NRT-->KUL

KUL-->Haneda (overnight)-->Wakkanai-->Drive through Northern and Central Hokkaido back to Sapporo-->Chitose Airport-->NRT-->KUL

been to Japan 7 times already wahaha. still got a few regions to finish exploring but will take it slow

Since you already booked flight ticket, nothing you can do. if not, you should try to fly into Hakodate, then move your way up to Sapporo/Chitose.

I suggest you rent a car from the airport, much easier transportation wise.

you can try this route Chitose (overnight)-->Noboribetsu (onsen)-->Lake Toya (onsen)-->Niseko/Otaru-->Sapporo-->Chitose

Technically, he can just return the car in Sapporo (one-way charge won't be very high anyway). then take highway bus or train to Chitose airport on the last day.

What do you mean? ANA promo certainly can do different airports for domestic flights

I did before
Hakodate then Chitose
Hiroshima then Osaka Itami
Wakkanai then Chitose

Depends where you intend to drive. If big cities, you probably stress more trying to plan for the parking spots and costs.

Using strollers in Japan generally ok la. probably just avoid during office rush hours and you will be fine