When it comes to Hiroshima travel, most people first think of the Peace Memorial Park and Miyajima's Grand Torii Gate. But if you truly want to explore the essence of the Chugoku region (Sanyo and San'in), renting a car for self-driving is the most efficient way. Located in the Sanyo region between Kansai in western Honshu and Kyushu, Hiroshima serves as a geographic hub where you can reach Kurashiki and Onomichi in one hour, and Shimonoseki in Yamaguchi Prefecture or Tokushima in Shikoku in two hours. This geographical hub advantage is difficult to achieve with public transportation.
Core Value of Hiroshima Car Rental: Cross-Prefecture Flexible Mobility
Japan's car rental industry has undergone significant structural changes in recent years. Due to fluctuating oil prices and rising labor costs, many small and medium-sized rental companies have merged or closed, while large chain brands continue to increase their market share. For foreign travelers, this is actually good news—large rental companies typically offer English and Chinese customer service, their reservation systems are more internationalized, and the on-site pick-up process is relatively stable. The main players in the Hiroshima car rental market include Times Mobility, NIPPON Rent-A-Car, TOYOTA Rent-A-Car, and ORIX Rent-A-Car, with service locations around Hiroshima Station and the airport.
The biggest reason to choose car rental in Hiroshima is not to "go to a specific spot," but to gain the time flexibility to "go wherever you want." Onomichi, accessible by a 30-minute drive from central Hiroshima, is a hidden port town that backpackers have been whispering about in recent years. There are no large tour groups here—the cafes in the alleys and art galleries converted from old warehouses are what truly deserve your time. Thirty minutes further east, Kurashiki's Bikan historical district's white-walled old houses and canal scenery are well preserved, but getting there by JR from Hiroshima requires transfers, while self-driving allows you to arrive smoothly.
Recommended Self-Drive Routes: Local In-Depth Experiences Avoiding the Crowds
The first recommended route is the "Hiroshima—Onomichi—Kurashiki" western Seto Inland Sea journey. Starting from Hiroshima via National Route 2 heading east, Onomichi is about an hour's drive. The core charm of Onomichi lies in climbing the mountain for a panoramic view of the thousands of islands of the Seto Inland Sea, as well as the old Western-style buildings by the port. This small town retains the Showa-era atmosphere, with no chain restaurants or drug stores occupying the main streets—the Japanese-Western hybrid old buildings in the alleys are the real stars. The advantage of self-driving is that you can park in the free parking lot around Onomichi Port, explore on foot at a leisurely pace, and then decide whether to continue to the next stop based on the weather or your mood.
The second route is the classic "Hiroshima—Miyajima—Itsukushima Shrine" route, but it's recommended to arrive before 7 AM at the Miyajima Ferry Terminal to avoid the tour groups that arrive after 10 AM. The low tide at Miyajima is the best time to view the Grand Torii Gate, and this information is often overlooked in travel books. Self-driving travelers can park in the paid parking lot near Miyajima's pier (around ¥1,000 per day) and then take the ferry to the island. This arrangement is more relaxed than squeezing public transportation from Hiroshima Station, and there's no need to coordinate with JR schedules.
The third route is the cross-prefecture extension to "Hiroshima—Yamaguchi Prefecture." Driving west from Hiroshima on the Sanyo Expressway, about one hour takes you to Hofu. This city retains the feudal domain town atmosphere of the Mori clan, with the old Japanese wagashi (Japanese sweets) shops on the street forming an interesting contrast with the bank buildings from the Meiji era. Continuing west brings you to Shimonoseki's Karato Market, where fugu (blowfish) dishes are much more affordable than in Tokyo or Osaka, and because of its western location, foreign tourists are relatively scarce, making the freshness of ingredients even more reliable.
Practical Information and Notes
In terms of rental costs, a standard five-passenger sedan in central Hiroshima costs approximately ¥5,000 to ¥8,000 per day in the off-season (November to March), and may increase to ¥8,000 to ¥12,000 in the peak season (April, May, and October). If you plan to travel across prefectures for more than 200 kilometers, it's recommended to choose a plan that includes drop-off at a different location, but be aware that drop-off fees between different prefectures can range from ¥3,000 to ¥5,000.
The choice of pick-up location affects overall itinerary efficiency. Travelers departing from Kanskai Airport can choose to pick up at a rental office near the airport and drive directly to Hiroshima (approximately three hours), with brief stops in Kobe or Himeji along the way. However, if your itinerary is "enter via Hiroshima, exit via Kyushu," a drop-off point near Hiroshima Station is more convenient, as this avoids retracing your steps.
Japanese car rental uses a "rent A, return B" system—when booking, confirm whether the return location is the same as the pick-up location. For insurance, the basic coverage is already included in the rental price, but the "Collision Damage Waiver" (CDW) is strongly recommended, approximately ¥1,000 per day, which can waive the maximum ¥50,000 deductible in case of an accident. Foreign travelers need to bring their home country's driver's license along with a Japanese translation (or an International Driving Permit). Travelers from Taiwan can use a translation to rent a car directly in Japan.
Hidden Value of Hiroshima Self-Drive
Travelers who choose to rent a car in Hiroshima actually gain more than just transportation convenience—they gain "time sovereignty." When using public transportation in Japan, your itinerary is often constrained by schedules and transfer times, but self-driving allows you to adjust your plans based on the current weather, lighting, and mood. For example, if you arrive in Hiroshima on a weekday evening, why not drive to Fukuyama City, 40 minutes from the city center, to appreciate the well-preserved Edo-period merchant town atmosphere? This kind of "serendipitous discovery" is the essence of independent travel.
Additionally, the Seto Inland Sea region where Hiroshima is located has relatively less rainfall compared to other parts of Honshu. While winters are colder, sunny days are actually more frequent than in Tokyo or Osaka—a rare advantage for self-driving travelers. In spring, you can enjoy the scenery of rapeseed flowers and cherry blossoms blooming together along the route, while in autumn, the golden ginkgo trees line both sides of the Sanyo route. These views cannot be experienced from a train.
Car rental and self-driving transform Hiroshima from being merely "one destination" into truly becoming a base for exploring the Chugoku region. Only when you can freely linger in the alleys of Onomichi, by the canals of Kurashiki, and in the mountain city of Hofu does this journey truly become your own.
