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#274146 - Mon Jun 09 2008 09:51 AM Re: Hire Car vs trains for Nozawa Onsen & Hakuba [Re: Sciclone]
Mr Wiggles Online   content
SJ'er with 2000+ posts

Registered: Fri Jul 06 2001
Posts: 2487
Loc: Ye olde Hakuba
Originally Posted By: Sciclone
Hey Mr Brisbane,

I'm in the same boat as you. I'm going to SK only though.

What I've found is its possibly cheaper for me to hire a car to take my family from Tokyo/Narita to the snow, then drop it off at the nearest depot. Then hire another car when I want to go back to Tokyo. To hire something like Nissan Dualis (AWD) is 12000Y ($115ish atm) or a Corolla Fielder (AWD Wagon) for about 7850Y for 24hours, which should give you more than enough time to get from the airport to the snow. Compare this to paying about $80 each way per person for a seat on the shinkansen to Nagano, it makes a little more sense to drive. Even with their hefty tolls, it still works out cheaper and it also means you can stop, shop and get photos if you want.

I know the nearest Nissan Rental Car depot is in east Nakano City, so I'm not sure how far that is from Nozawa.



I think the penalty on a one-way rental of that distance would be close to 10,000 yen, but look it up yourself. One way rentals are only free in the same locality. Kyoto to Nara etc. Tokyo to Nagano and they'll hammer you.
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#274174 - Mon Jun 09 2008 03:16 PM Re: Hire Car vs trains for Nozawa Onsen & Hakuba [Re: Mr Wiggles]
Sciclone Offline
SJ'er with 50+ posts

Registered: Sun Nov 18 2007
Posts: 55
Loc: Brisbane, Australia
Seems you're right Mr Wiggles, for Toyota its a 11500Y fee for a one-way rental. I didn't realise this.. even then its still cheaper...

Now my brother has said not to worry about hiring a car. I think I'll have to start looking more at the Shinkansen.

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#280527 - Thu Jul 31 2008 08:19 AM Re: Hire Car vs trains for Nozawa Onsen & Hakuba [Re: Sciclone]
Whiteman Offline
SJ'er

Registered: Thu Jan 03 2008
Posts: 14
Loc: Sydney
We hired a Toyota 'Voxy' which is about HiAce size, from TooCoo at Narita last January and drove through Tokyo and up to Hakuba. There were 5 of us and there was enough room for all our gear, with the ski bags being pushed under the rear seats.

It was fantastic to have car at Hakuba and we will be doing it again next Jan when we return.

Having a vehicle made trips to other resorts and places such as Jusco shopping trips, laudromat trips and the Monkey Onsen easy.

Yes, it was probably more expensive than the shink & bus option (which we had done on previous trips) but the convenience far out weighed the cost.

We had an english speaking SatNav which we brought over from Oz which worked a treat, in addition to a road map book. If you do the driving thing, make sure you have plenty of small Yen notes for the tolls!!

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#284038 - Tue Sep 09 2008 01:26 PM Re: Hire Car vs trains for Nozawa Onsen & Hakuba [Re: Mr Brisbane]
pbd Offline
SJ'er

Registered: Fri Apr 13 2007
Posts: 13
Loc: Australia
Originally Posted By: Mr Brisbane
So did you do the car or train?


Sorry to take so long to reply - we hired the car from Too Coo at Tokyo airport and drove to Nozawa for 5 nights. We did not use the car in Nozawa but then drove from Nozawa to Hakuba for 7 nights. Great for Hakuba - getting to different resorts, chiropractor!!! and grocery shopping. Also used for day off to visit Matsumoto castle etc. Then dropped it back at Nagano stn to get bullet back to Tokyo.

This worked out really well for 5 of us with all our gear and got to stop off at some neat little spots for snacks, comfort stops etc and saw parts of Japan not on regular tourist trail. This was probably because at Tokyo airport our sat nav "kitty" was programmed to go most indirect and slowest route to Nozawa!!

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#284119 - Tue Sep 09 2008 09:34 PM Re: Hire Car vs trains for Nozawa Onsen & Hakuba [Re: pbd]
Tubby Beaver Online   content
SJ'er with 3000+ posts

Registered: Mon Feb 09 2004
Posts: 3574
Loc: Fujisawa
Originally Posted By: pbd
Originally Posted By: Mr Brisbane
So did you do the car or train?


Sorry to take so long to reply - we hired the car from Too Coo at Tokyo airport and drove to Nozawa for 5 nights. We did not use the car in Nozawa but then drove from Nozawa to Hakuba for 7 nights. Great for Hakuba - getting to different resorts, chiropractor!!! and grocery shopping. Also used for day off to visit Matsumoto castle etc. Then dropped it back at Nagano stn to get bullet back to Tokyo.

This worked out really well for 5 of us with all our gear and got to stop off at some neat little spots for snacks, comfort stops etc and saw parts of Japan not on regular tourist trail. This was probably because at Tokyo airport our sat nav "kitty" was programmed to go most indirect and slowest route to Nozawa!!


and so stopping off at every mum and pop knick knack store along the way! Japan Tourist Office.....stupid?!
Conspiracy theorists of the world unite!!! wink lol
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#289249 - Fri Oct 24 2008 06:06 PM Re: Hire Car vs trains for Nozawa Onsen & Hakuba [Re: Mr Brisbane]
wattiewatson Offline
SJ'er with 75+ posts

Registered: Mon Oct 09 2006
Posts: 80
Loc: Wellington NZ
Shink makes it pretty easy. Id got to Nozawa by public transport. Then pick up the car to go to Hakuba if i really needed it. There is a rental place in Iiyama, one block south of the hospital on the main road, you cant miss it. You wont need the car at all in the village.

This should also be cheaper.

Matt


Edited by wattiewatson (Fri Oct 24 2008 06:07 PM)

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