Driving Hokkaido with Japan GPS?

Dear all,

I am interested to rent a car and drive at Hokkaido for 5days. I've found my ideal car for this trip, but they are only equipped with Japan GPS.

1. Will it be very difficult for us to use the Japan GPS ? We don't understand any Japanese language at all. Even with the tutorials given during the car rental on how to operate the GPS, does anyone has actually any language barrier problem to operate the GPS?

2. I will be renting a MIFI device as well, which I can use to connect my smartphone and use GOOGLE MAPS to navigate around Hokkaido. So will this be sufficient without the JAPAN GPS ?

1. Short answer, yes. You will have a lot of difficulties using the Japanese GPS. Long answer: Your best bet is to have the rental car agency show you how to find the Phone Number search screen, and make sure you have a list of the full 10-digit phone numbers of the places you want to go. Sometimes you may find this doesn't work well, or you get multiple hits and don't know which to choose, but generally it should find what you're looking for, and even though the directions are in Japanese, they should be easy enough to follow if you're watching the GPS. Might brush up on some direction words in Japanese to help, but probably not necessary.

2. Relying on both is best; sometimes google maps isn't always 100% accurate in Japan, but sometimes the GPS takes you a weird way. Definitely use both, and it is also good to have a general idea in your head of where you are going as well.

Good luck!

I would add that most if not all big rental companies have english GPS. They should mention this when you try to make reservation on their website. Having phone number of your destination is probably the most important input as you won't know how to put in japanese characters.

Hi scarreddragon,

Thanks for your reply. I will be using mapcodes instead of phone numbers. It's like a gamble now to choose the Japan GPS or English GPS, as far as I've researched, even a English GPS will be operated in English, map wise will still be Japanese. Generally the cars equipped with English GPS are slightly on the premium side, and Japan GPS equipped car has more choices.

Hi guear,

Thanks for your feedback as well. Yes it's mentioned specifically that the car i am interested to rent is with Japan GPS only. So i guess i have to make my call to select the English GPS as my secondary GPS device.

Seen these? They lease them also,

https://sites.google.com/site/englishgpsforjapan/home

I have rented cars with Japanese GPS several times in Hokkaido, and found no problem.
I mainly used phone numbers to get to the destinations.
Driving in Hokkaido is relatively easy, roads are not as complicated as big city like Tokyo.
Not sure where you are from, but am sure you would be fine.