Car Sharing Service

In Niseko Town, a car-sharing pilot program has been conducted since 2023 in collaboration with Times Mobility Co., Ltd., a company that operates car-sharing services nationwide.
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From 2024, the service will be available all year round at JR Niseko Station and Niseko Chomin Center.
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Available all year round from April 2025 to March 2026!!
・ Niseko Chomin Center: 1 car
・JR Niseko Station: 1 car

*The number of car may be increased depending on usage during peak tourist seasons, etc.


<Opinions received from the 2024 survey>
・"My parents gave up their driver's licenses and don't have a car at home, so this has become a necessity when I come back home. It's convenient to be able to use it in the winter too."
・"It was very comfortable."
・"It was very cheap, so I hope they keep it there all year round! It was helpful that the shovels and other snow removal tools were installed in the car! I think it would be good to put stickers such as "No smoking" in an easy-to-find place. I think it would be good to have instructions in other languages."

　

Car sharing is a service in which registered members share vehicles among themselves. It can be used 24 hours a day, and cars can be rented for short periods at lower costs compared to traditional rental cars. This makes it easy and convenient to use for quick errands, shopping, picking up or dropping off family and friends, or even just for a casual drive.

　

The shift from "individual ownership" to "shared use" through initiatives like car sharing and other sharing services is gaining attention as a means of building sustainable communities. In addition to reducing environmental impact, it is seen as an effective way to make better use of limited resources and foster connections that help strengthen community ties.
On the other hand, the popularization and utilization of this technology is currently concentrated in urban areas, and the challenge is to spread it to rural areas.
Therefore, we will conduct a pilot project to grasp and verify the effectiveness, issues, and problems of the car sharing service in Niseko Town, and to consider sustainable regional development through future sharing services.

　

Below we will share user feedback about the pilot project conducted from July to October 2023 through survey results.
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The pilot project will continue until the end of March 2025 (including the winter period),
We are currently considering year-round and long-term implementation moving forward.

We invite those who have not yet used the service to take this opportunity to experience a shift from "personal ownership" to "shared use" through this car sharing project
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<Summer 2023 - Usage status>
July: 24 time, August: 48 times, September: 48 times, October: 42 times
*Use by town residents is increasing.
*Car sharing at Niseko Station tends to be used by people who appear to be tourists.

<User's voice>
・Very useful for sightseeing around Niseko.
・It was located right next to the station and was very easy to use.
・It was very helpful to have a car share service at Niseko Station. Because of car sharing, I was able to use public transportation to get around.
・I didn't know that car sharing existed, but by learning about it locally and using it, I was able to visit more sightseeing spots more easily than I had originally planned.
・I want to use it for skiing in winter.
・It seems easy to use in combination with Nikotto Bus.
・Since locations are limited, it would be good to have a map of the surrounding area (gas stations, car wash locations).

　

The Regional Revitalization Cooperation Team in Niseko Town made a video to show how to use car sharing service.
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Car Sharing Made Easy and Convenient.

If you have never experienced car sharing, please take a look!

Building on last year’s pilot car-sharing project, we will be continuing the initiative in fiscal year 2024 with an increased number of vehicles and an extended implementation period, as outlined below.
as below,Power up the number of installed units and installation periodShi
This will also be held in fiscal year 2024.

*This year the service will also run during the winter.
* Convenient to use during winter too
　　(As of the end of January 2025, over 100 users have used the service)

＜Summer＞
Period: From April 16, 2024 to October 15, 2024
Location: Niseko Station Parking Lot and Niseko Chomin Centre Parking Lot
Number of parking spaces: 4 (2 at Niseko Station parking lot, 2 at Niseko Chomin Centre parking lot) *Hybrid cars will be provided

<Winter>
Period: From October 16, 2024 to March 31, 2025
Location: Niseko Station Parking Lot and Niseko Chomin Centre Parking Lot
Number of parking spaces: 2 (1 at Niseko Station parking lot, 1 at Niseko Chomin Centre parking lot) *Hybrid cars will be provided
User feedback: I used it for shopping and it was convenient because no in-person procedures were required.




Usage: Anyone can use it, including residents and tourists. However, "Times Car" membership registration is required
*There is also a promotion campaign for Niseko town residents!
    https://www.town.niseko.lg.jp/information/11113/(Deadline: End of February 2025)

 
Fee: Usage fee for Times Car will be charged

*For more information about Times Car, please visit the website below.
 

Contact information for Times Car
・Members：0120-24-5037（24h/24h）
・For those considering registration：0120-20-5037（Monday to Friday 9am - 7pm, Closed on Saturdays, Sundays, public holidays, and during the New Year holidays.)



※※FAQ
Q: Regarding use by foreigners
A: If you have a Japanese driver's license, you can register as a member of "Times Car" and use it.




~Photo~
At the local event 'Small Hometown Tanabata Fireworks Festival,' we exhibited a booth to promote car sharing.
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Car sharing is a convenient means of transportation not only for residents, but also tourists.
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Times Corporation has started offering special deals for tourism-related use.

　

Located at two spots within the town!
Convenient as transportation for daily life and for tourism!

Support your household finances!
More and more families are using car sharing as an alternative to a second private car.
It’s convenient for those small, everyday trips!

　

No car? No problem! Car sharing makes it easy and convenient to get what you need—when you need it."
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