Typical models of the minivan/minibus class in Niigata are: Ford Galaxy 7 seater, Opel Zafira, Chevrolet Uplander, Toyota Minibus, Toyota Previa, Mitsubishi L300 12 Seater and others.
Standard capacity of a minivan in Japan is up to 9 people (8+1 formula), traditionally providing seven or eight passenger seats. The capacity of a minibus may vary from 9 to 15 people.
Please note, that in order to rent in Japan a vehicle with capacity which exceeds 8 passengers, you would need a driving license of the corresponding category.
Minivan dimensions are quite unusual for an ordinary driver, which sometimes leads to appearance of scratches and dents during unsuccessful manoeuvring or parking. Therefore, we encourage you to order full coverage of insurance franchise during your booking, or directly at the rental office in Niigata.
Before leaving the parking garage in Niigata, inspect the minivan for exteriour defects and other signs of damage together with the office representative and mark the found defects found in your rental documents.
OrangeSmile.com wishes you a great driving experience on the roads of Japan!
Popular questions on rental process
There are beautiful electronic scoreboards installed along busy roads. They provide drivers with useful information. For example, these scoreboards are used to alert drivers about the place of repair works on the road.
There are often kanjis painted directly on the asphalt close to pedestrian crossings. The meaning of the characters remains unclear for the majority of foreign visitors. In fact, there is nothing special about these road signs. They simply remind drivers to slow down before the “zebra” crossing.
Even sidewalks here have a specific markup. Most of them are divided into two lanes. One of them is dedicated to pedestrians and the other one - for cyclists. In order to eliminate all misunderstandings between the groups, each “lane” on the sidewalk has a corresponding graphic sign.
