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2026 / 05 / 13
Japanese Petrol Stations: How They Work
Full-service and self-service work differently in Japan, the screens are often Japanese only, and rural stations close early.
JDLTC editorial team · Camjyo Inc.
Two Types of Gas Stations
When driving in Japan, you will encounter two types of gas stations: Full-Service (フルサービス) and Self-Service (セルフ). They operate very differently, but both are easy to use once you know the basics.
Using a Full-Service Station
Full-service stations are common in rural areas. When you pull in, staff will enthusiastically guide you to a pump.
- Roll down your window and say "Mantahn, Regular, onegai shimasu" (Full tank, Regular gas, please).
- The staff will pump your gas, wash your windshield, and sometimes even take away any trash you have in the car.
- You pay the staff directly from your window using cash or a credit card.
Using a Self-Service Station
Self-service stations are cheaper and more common in cities. The machines are usually in Japanese, so follow these steps:
- Select your payment method (Cash: 現金, Credit Card: クレジットカード).
- Select the fuel type. Regular (レギュラー) is always RED. High Octane (ハイオク) is YELLOW. Diesel (軽油) is GREEN. Do not put green diesel in a regular rental car!
- Select the amount. Press the button for "満タン" (Mantahn / Full Tank).
- Touch the anti-static pad (a black pad on the pump) to discharge static electricity.
- Pump the gas until it clicks off automatically.
- If you paid with cash, don't forget to take your change from the separate change machine!
From the two of us who run this site
Driving on your IDP? Give Kyushu two weeks
We are Karen and Doko, a couple in Fukuoka. Besides the licence translations, we rent out campervans for trips around Kyushu under the name VAN TRIP JAPAN. When friends ask us where to drive in Japan, we send them south to Kyushu, the island we live on.
Our 7-day loop takes in Aso, Takachiho Gorge and the hot springs of Beppu and Yufuin. With two weeks you can add Nagasaki and Shimabara in the west and Kagoshima in the south, and you stop rushing. We've written up the 14-day loop day by day, with drive times.
Two weeks is also where the price starts to work. Rentals of 14 days or more get 15% off the whole booking (10% from 7 days, 20% from 21). Weekday rates start at ¥22,000 a day with insurance, bedding and a cooking set included, and you pick the van up 10 minutes from Fukuoka Airport.
Licence from Switzerland, Germany, France, Belgium, Monaco or Taiwan? The campervans work with the Japanese translation too, and VAN TRIP JAPAN takes ¥5,000 off the rental when the translation was done through us (just mention it on WhatsApp; the driver's name has to match the order).
Your translation, ready for your trip
For licences issued in Switzerland, Germany, France, Belgium, Monaco or Taiwan. Eligibility depends on the issuing country, not your nationality or current location.
