Walking around exploring the new neighborhood (Yoyogiuehara/Komaba) I moved to in Tokyo over winter vacation, I came across what seems to be a Japanese version of Zipcar, the car-sharing service that was recently acquired by Avis.
The service is called Times Plus（タイムズプラス; website in Japanese only) and seems fairly similar to Zipcar, with only a few uniquely Japanese twists. It is also actually relatively cheap. Cheap is a word that doesn’t get tossed around in high-priced Japan, except for some reason in relation to toilet paper, one of the few items that is cheaper here than in the States.
Getting back to Times Plus car-sharing, registration can be done over the internet to become a member for a one time fee of 1500 yen ($19 at 88 yen/dollar). You then receive a card in the mail that is used to unlock and lock the cars you borrow at parking lots around the country. There is also a 1000 yen ($12.50) per month fee. The cars can be rented for as little as 15 minutes for 200 yen ($2.50) or up to 6 hours for 3,900 yen or $49. 12 hour and 24 hour packs are also available but you are charged an extra 15 yen (19 cents) per kilometer driven.
Just like Zipcar, gasoline and insurance are covered in the cost of the car share, so it can be a decent option if doing a big shopping trip or wanting to get away for a bit. The trains in Japan are excellent but every once in awhile a car does come in handy.
I snapped a few photos with my phone that are uploaded below so you can get a sense of the Japanese car sharing site.
