NEXCO West Nippon has announced the "Let's Drive Kyushu 2015" campaign and the sale of the Kyushu Expressway Pass 2015, geared towards foreign tourists and granting them tremendous discounts on highway tolls in Kyushu in hopes of conveying the island's many charms.
Most foreign tourists don't think of renting a car when they visit Japan, as riding one of Japan's trains and subways has become an essential component of the "Japanese tourist experience." However, outside of Tokyo and Osaka and a few other major cities, public transportation, while still good, becomes less sophisticated, making it tougher to get around and see the sights.
That being said, the big knock when it comes to using a car is the ridiculous toll fees of Japanese highways. Driving from Tokyo to Osaka will cost around 11,500 yen via highway, which is about 2,000 yen cheaper than taking a Shinkansen but roughly double the time. And that's not even taking paying for gas into account.
With the Kyushu Expressway Pass 2015, foreign tourists traveling to Kyushu can kill the above two birds with one stone. It is an "all-you-can-ride" pass that can be used from 2 to 10 consecutive days on Kyushu highways (certain toll roads, such as the Fukuoka City Highway and Kita-Kyushu City Highway, do not apply), with prices starting from only 2,500 yen for 2 days, and an additional 1,000 yen for each extra day. Even better, all rented cars will have the extremely convenient ETC system installed beforehand, meaning you won't have to stop at each toll gate to fish out your credit card or loose change. Furthermore, pass users will also be able to use special discount coupons at certain Service Areas and Parking Areas. A mind-boggling, can't-miss deal, without a doubt.
Let's Drive Kyushu 2015 will start from September 1st and will run until December 25th. The pass can be purchased at any of the designated car rentals' (Toyota Rent-a-Lease, Times Car Rental, Orix Rent-a-Car, Budget Rent-a-Car, Nissan Rent-a-Car, and Nippon Rent-a-Car) 116 stores in Kyushu upon making a car rental reservation, and is available to anyone with a non-Japanese passport or a Japanese national with Permanent Residency outside of Japan that has a driver's license (Japanese or international) valid in Japan.
The Kyushu Expressway Pass was first introduced in 2014 to great success, and is certain to benefit even more foreign visitors this year with inbound tourism at an all-time high. Take a look at the pictures above to see examples of the splendor of Kyushu tourist destinations!
More Information
Official Press Release (in Japanese)
Kyushu Expressway Pass 2014 (in English; much of the information is the same for this year)
