Same-day car rental on Miyakojima: how to book, and what to do if nothing is available

You can rent a car on Miyakojima on the same day if a car is free and you are in time for the store’s booking cut-off and opening hours. Luana Rent a Car accepts bookings in its booking system up to one hour before the rental starts. July to September and the New Year period fill up early, so book as soon as your dates are fixed. If nothing is available, change the vehicle class, then the pick-up time, then the day.

“We planned to sort it out after landing, and there was nothing left.” In busy periods this does happen. This article walks through booking on the day and what to do when the search comes back empty.

When to book ahead instead

At Luana Rent a Car, July to September and the New Year period fill up early. If you are travelling then, do not wait for the day; book once your dates are set.

Outside those periods, Japanese public holidays and school holidays also bring more visitors. Once you decide to rent on the day, search for availability as early as you can.

Booking on the day, step by step

1. Search the booking site with today’s date and time. You see the available cars and prices straight away.
2. Set the pick-up time at least one hour from now. Same-day bookings have a cut-off (one hour before at Luana Rent a Car).
3. Have every driver’s documents ready. Originals are needed at pick-up: see the licence section below.
4. Once booked, tell the store where and when to meet you. The airport, the port or your hotel.

When and how you pay differs by company. At Luana Rent a Car, the base rate and booked options are paid when you book, by credit card or bank transfer. Extension fees and other settlements are paid on return. For a same-day booking, a credit card is the practical choice because payment is confirmed at once.

The licence you need as a foreign visitor

This is the step that catches visitors out on the day. To drive in Japan you need your passport and one of the following:

• an International Driving Permit issued under the 1949 Geneva Convention
• for licences from Switzerland, Germany, France, Belgium, Monaco or Taiwan: your home licence with an official Japanese translation issued by the licensing authority, the issuing country’s embassy or consulate in Japan, JAF, or another authorised body

Either is valid for up to one year from the date you entered Japan, or until the licence or permit expires, whichever is earlier.

A permit issued under a different convention, a photocopy or a photo on your phone is not accepted, and without valid originals we cannot hand over the car. Arrange this before you leave home. See our FAQ for details.

What to try when nothing is available

If the search shows nothing, changing one condition sometimes helps. Try in this order.

1. Change the vehicle class. If kei cars are sold out, a compact or SUV may be free. If the price and size are fine and you are comfortable driving it, another class is worth a look.
2. Change the pick-up time. Search again with a different time.
3. Change the day. Spend today in town and rent from tomorrow.
4. Try another company. There are many local companies on Miyakojima. Look at stores in town as well as near the airport.
5. Contact the store. If the site shows nothing, ask whether there has been a last-minute cancellation. English availability on the phone depends on the staff on duty, so a message on LINE may be easier.

If you still cannot find a car, you will be getting around by taxi and local bus. The costs and what you can reach are covered in Can you get around Miyakojima without a car?

Points to watch with a same-day booking

Cancellation fees apply immediately. Same-day cancellation fees differ by company, for example 50% or 100% of the rate. At Luana Rent a Car, cancelling on the day before or on the day costs 100% of the base rate. Book once your time and party size are settled.

Check the minimum charge. Even for a few hours, some companies charge at least one day or two days. Luana Rent a Car’s minimum charge is two days, and a same-day return is charged the same.

Check the return time first. At Luana Rent a Car, returns are accepted until 18:00 (returns from 18:00 to 19:00 are handled for an after-hours fee of ¥3,300). The last shuttle to Miyako Airport leaves at 17:45. If you will return after 17:45, confirm your onward transport before you book. You can rent in the afternoon and return the same day, but even a short rental is charged for two days.

Hotel delivery may not be possible on the day. At Luana Rent a Car, delivering the car to a hotel must be requested by the day before. On the day, we collect you in our free shuttle and you complete the paperwork at the store.

Same-day bookings at Luana Rent a Car

Item	Details
Booking	In the booking system, up to one hour before the rental starts
Opening hours	9:00–18:00, every day
Pick-up	Miyako Airport, Shimojishima Airport, Hirara Port and hotels on the island (free)
Included in the price	Insurance, deductible and NOC waivers, no-refuel return and the shuttle (all plans booked on this site or the booking system; monthly rentals and some plans on other booking sites differ)
Delivery of the car to a hotel	Must be requested by the day before

Our Miyakojima store is about 8 minutes from Miyako Airport by our shuttle. Even if you book after landing, we come to the airport to meet you. What the cover includes is set out on Insurance & Coverage.

Frequently asked questions