Driving is the easiest way by far to explore Otaki, and the Kiso Valley in general (not to mention most of rural Japan).
That said, if your goal is hiking the Ontake Pilgrimage Trail, you don’t strictly need a vehicle, particularly if you’re staying over (your accommodation can often arrange lifts within the village).
Mountain bikes and e-bikes are also available for rent at the Otaki Village tourist office. When the weather’s good, an e-bike can be a great option for accessing the Ontake Pilgrimage Trail.
Rates (prices in yen). Included lock and helmet.
| 5 hours | 1 day | 24 hours | |
| Mountain bike | 2,500 | 5,000 | 7,000 |
| E-bike | 4,500 | 7,500 | 8,000 |
They ask you to reserve 3 days before, but as long as they have one available, you can rent on the spot too.
Otaki Village tourist office: Open 9 am – 5 pm most days (Return rentals by 5 p.m.)
You can also reserve an e-bike through the Kiso Ontake Tourism Office:
https://en.visitkiso.com/contact-us
Payment is at the tourist office in cash.
Car rentals are available from JR Rent-A-Car just outside Kiso-Fukushima Station:
https://www.ekiren.co.jp/phpapp/en
When checking availability at the link above, under Pickup Office, choose Koushinetsu from the area list. Then under the Office List, find the second instance of Nagano and choose Kiso-Fukushima
Otaki Experience 