A private driver in Tokyo, with the car, for as long as the day lasts.
One person, one vehicle, your day. Your driver collects you, waits while you eat or shop or sit through a meeting, and takes you on when you are ready. No apps, no queues, no explaining an address to someone who does not speak your language. Licensed and insured, from ¥16,000 an hour, and the price is agreed in writing before you book.
5.0 · 13 Google reviewsWhat's included
- The car comes with the driver: you are not hiring a person to drive your rental. The vehicle, the insurance and the licence are all part of it.
- He waits, and that is the point: between stops the car stays where you left it, with your shopping and coats inside. No re-booking, no surge, no standing in the rain.
- Your language: English, Italian, Spanish, French or Japanese, agreed at booking and confirmed in writing.
- Legal, and provably so: a green number plate and a Class 2 licence. Ask for the operator's licence number before you pay and you will get it.
- One price, not a meter: tolls, parking and fuel inside it, nothing to settle on the day, and any extra hours priced in advance.
- On board: a private minibar with chilled water, soft drinks, tea and coffee, candies and chocolates, and refreshing orange scented towels.
When a driver beats the train, and when it does not
Tokyo's trains are faster than a car for Shibuya, Shinjuku and anywhere inside the loop, and I will say so rather than sell you a day you do not need. A private driver earns his place the moment the day involves luggage, small children, a relative who cannot manage station stairs, rain, a schedule with more than three stops, or anywhere the railway thins out. Mount Fuji, Nikko, Hakone and Kamakura are all considerably easier by car, and the Fuji lakes are the clearest case of all: the train involves changes and a bus at the far end, and the bus does not wait while you photograph the pagoda.
A driver, a guide, or both
A private driver takes you everywhere, looks after you, and tells you what he knows, which after years on these roads is a great deal. He is not a licensed guide: he does not walk the temple grounds with you explaining the history, because in Japan that is a separate profession with its own qualification. If you want that, say so and I will quote a professional guide alongside the car. Most people find the driver is enough, and spend the difference on lunch.
By the hour, by the day, or by the week
Some people want four hours and a dinner. Others want the same driver every morning for a week of meetings, which works well because by the third day he knows where you like to stop for coffee. Both are the same arrangement priced differently: hourly with a stated minimum, or a full day of eight or ten hours. For multi day work I hold the same chauffeur wherever the roster allows, and I tell you honestly when it cannot be done rather than promising continuity I am not certain of.
Private driver rates (indicative, from)
| Vehicle | Best for | From |
|---|---|---|
| Standard Toyota Alphard | 4+1 passengers, 3–4 luggage | ¥16,000/h |
| Hiace Toyota Hiace | up to 9 passengers, 8+ luggage | ¥17,000/h |
| GranAce Toyota GranAce | 4+1 passengers, 4 luggage | ¥17,000/h |
| Exclusive Mercedes-Benz S 500 | 2+1 passengers, 2 large + 2 small luggage | ¥19,000/h |
Hourly, with a minimum stated before you book. Eight hours starts at ¥126,000 for the Standard class and a ten hour day outside the city at ¥157,500. Expressway tolls, parking and fuel are included. Billed in JPY.
What people ask before hiring a private driver in Tokyo
How much is a private driver in Tokyo per day?
Eight hours starts at ¥126,000 for the Standard class, a Toyota Alphard, and ten hours outside the city at ¥157,500. Hourly work starts at ¥16,000 with a minimum stated up front. Expressway tolls, parking and fuel are included, and the figure is confirmed in writing.
Does the price include the car, or only the driver?
The car, the driver, the insurance and the licence, all together. Hiring a person to drive a vehicle you rented yourself is a different arrangement and, in most cases in Japan, not a legal one.
Can the same driver stay with us for several days?
Yes, and I hold the same chauffeur across the days wherever the roster allows. If continuity cannot be guaranteed for a particular date I will tell you before you book rather than after.
Will the driver speak English?
Yes, and Italian, Spanish, French or Japanese if you prefer. The language is agreed at booking and stated in writing. If the match is wrong you are refunded in full.
Is hiring a private driver in Japan legal?
It is when the vehicle carries a green commercial number plate and the driver holds a Class 2 passenger licence. A private white plate car driven for payment is not legal and leaves the passenger uninsured, which is worth checking before you get in.