Tokyo by Night: Private Car Tour, Best Routes & Hotel Pickup

Suggested route B: Tokyo Station, Marunouchi and the bay (about 5–6 hours)

A longer evening that adds the east side and the waterfront.

1. Hotel pickup (around 17:30).
2. Tokyo Station Marunouchi side (45 minutes). The restored red-brick station building is floodlit at night. Walk the plaza in front, then Marunouchi Naka-dori, a tree-lined street of offices and boutiques.
3. Ginza (45 minutes, optional dinner). Chuo-dori's flagship stores are lit late into the evening.
4. Odaiba and Rainbow Bridge (60 minutes). Cross the bay for the view back to the city skyline across the water.
5. Tokyo Tower or Roppongi on the way back (45 minutes).
6. Drop-off (around 23:00).

Seasonal variation: Christmas lights

From early November to Christmas Day, several of these stops add major illuminations: Keyakizaka-dori at Roppongi Hills, Tokyo Midtown's garden, the Azabudai Hills Christmas market, Marunouchi's gold avenue, the Baccarat chandelier at Yebisu Garden Place and, for a short window in December, the Blue Cave in Yoyogi Park. Dates, hours and a Christmas-specific route are in the Tokyo Christmas illuminations guide.

Train, taxi or private car?

If you are travelling light, in a pair, and only visiting one area, the train is hard to beat. A private car makes the most sense for families, groups, older travellers, anyone combining three or more areas, or an evening that ends after the trains slow down. More detail: Tokyo Christmas lights transport guide.

Hourly hire or day hire?

OlaChill arranges cars with drivers in Tokyo in two ways, and it helps to know the difference:

• Hourly hire — a minimum of 2 hours, then half-hour steps up to 12 hours. It is arranged on request: you send the date, hours and route, and receive a confirmed price. Reference rates for a Toyota Alphard start at ¥18,700 for the first two hours; the hourly rates apply when pickup or drop-off is within Tokyo's 23 wards, Musashino or Mitaka. See hourly chauffeur rates.
• Day hire — one price for the car for up to 10 hours, booked online. For an Alphard in Tokyo it starts at ¥49,000 per car per day. For a long evening of around five and a half hours or more, day hire usually costs less than hourly. Book a day hire.

Expressway tolls, parking and admission tickets are not included and are itemised in the quote. Longer service than the booked time must be confirmed in advance. Drivers speak Japanese; English support is available on LINE. In December, cars are in high demand — confirm the car before you pay for restaurants or tickets that depend on it.

What to tell us when you ask for a quote

To get an accurate price quickly, include:

• Date and preferred pickup time
• Hotel name or pickup address
• Number of passengers, and children's ages if any
• Whether you need child seats (availability must be confirmed for each booking)
• Preferred vehicle, if any
• The areas you want to visit, in order of priority
• Drop-off point (hotel, restaurant, station)
• Your contact details (LINE, WhatsApp or email)

Practical tips

• Book dinner around the route, not the other way round. Roppongi, Ginza and Ebisu all have restaurants that work well as a mid-tour stop.
• Keep valuables with you when you leave the car to walk.
• Wear comfortable shoes. Even with a car, you will walk 2–4 km over an evening.
• Mind the weather. In winter, a car is a warm place to wait between stops; in rain, it saves the walk to and from stations.

FAQ

Can the driver act as a guide? The service is a car with a driver, not a guided tour. Drivers know the city's roads and stopping points; commentary at each stop is not included, and English support is provided on LINE rather than by the driver directly.

How many people fit in one car? It depends on the vehicle. Capacity is confirmed with your quote; seats and luggage space are never assumed.

Can we change the route on the night? Within the booked time, usually yes, as long as the new stop is reachable and stopping is allowed. Going beyond the booked time needs to be agreed first.