Originally Posted by
YuropFlyer
I don't know much about Japan (only been there once) but as much I know you can't drive (and thus rent) a car there without a translation of your driving licence into Japanese. At least that's what I got told from the consulate when getting my visa for japan.
An International Driver's License, available from AAA in the US for a reasonable fee (even for non-members) meets this requirement. You need a photo or two.
However, I've rented a car in Japan with just my California Driver's License and polite persistence -- without knowing Japanese.
Despite Japan's outstanding public transportation system, there are places that are highly inconvenient to get to without a car. BTW, I also bargained the price down on the spot for at least one rental I've done and it wasn't that outrageously expensive as a result.