Public Transport Costs
TOP TIP
Buy a reloadable Suica card for train and bus travel to save time and money.
g Need to Know g Contents
Whether you’re visiting for a short city break or travelling around the islands, discover how best to reach your destination and travel like a pro.
The main international gateways to Japan are Narita International Airport, located at some distance from Tokyo, Haneda Airport, which is smaller but closer to the center, and Osaka’s Kansai International Airport. Other airports handling international flights (mainly from Asia) include Naha in Okinawa; Fukuoka and Nagasaki in Kyushu; Hiroshima, Nagoya, Niigata, and Sendai in Honshu; and Sapporo in Hokkaido.
Haneda Airport
Kansai International Airport
Narita International Airport
Japan’s rail system is one of the best in the world in terms of safety, efficiency, and comfort. The Japan Railways Group (JR) is the main operator and runs over 12,400 miles (20,000 km) of tracks, as well as the shinkansen. Often, multiple lines run between the same places. As well as the bullet trains, there are tokkyu (“limited express,” the next fastest), kyuko (“express”), kaisoku (misleadingly called “rapid”), and futsu (“local”).
The Japan Rail Pass is recommended for those planning to travel extensively, but regional rail passes are also available, such as the JR East Rail Pass covering northeast Honshu. There are two types of JR West Rail Pass: the Sanyo Area Pass covers Osaka, Okayama, Hiroshima, and Hakata, while the Kansai Area Pass includes Osaka, Kobe, Kyoto, Himeji, and Nara.
Tickets and seat reservations for longer trips can be bought at JR stations, as well as from authorized travel agents. Seat reservations, which are charged at a small extra fee, are recommended for long-distance trips. Japan Rail Pass
JR East Rail Pass
JR West Rail Pass
The efficiency and extent of the rail network means that few visitors use long-distance coaches, but the bus network is comprehensive, and for those without a Japan Rail Pass, a bus is a much cheaper option than the train. While styles and services vary, coaches are uniformly comfortable, and often have toilets. For timetable details contact a local information centers or see JR Bus Kanto.
JR Bus Kanto
∑ jrbuskanto.co.jp.e.wn.hp.transer.com
It is possible to travel to Japan by ferry from some parts of Asia, including Pusan in South Korea and Shanghai in China. The Far Eastern Shipping Line also connects Japan to Russia.
As an island nation, ferries and boats are a great way to get around Japan. Tickets for boats can be bought at the ferry terminal on the day of departure. Usually, there is a form to fill in, which enables the ferry company to compile a list of passengers. The Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) produces a travel manual detailing the main services.
Japan National Tourism Organization
∑ japan.travel/en
Most cities operate multiple transport services, comprising subway systems, street cars, and buses. The only complication for visitors is in the purchase of tickets: systems vary from city to city; ticket machines tend to be in Japanese, except for at the major train stations in cities; and few staff speak English.
Tickets
Basic fare tickets for short distances are normally bought from ticket machines at stations. At major transportation hubs, these machines will have an English-translation button. Most machines accept ¥1,000 and ¥5,000, some take ¥10,000 notes, and all supply change. Many stations have maps in English, indicating the fares to destinations. If in doubt about the cost of a trip, simply buy a cheap ticket and pay any excess at the destination using the fare adjustment machine near the exit barrier. This machine will supply you with a new ticket. If there is no such machine, station staff will work out the additional charge; you will not be penalized for having the wrong-value ticket.
Many cities have their own special tickets, and local tourist information centers can provide information and advice. In Tokyo, there are a variety of options, including the “Free Kippu”, which allows unlimited travel on most of the subway, bus, and streetcar lines in the city center for 24 hours. But, unless you are planning on making a lot of journeys in one day, use a Suica, or Pasmo, card instead. These electronic cards can be purchased from vending machines at many stations, as well as on the Japan Rail Pass website. You can top them up, using cash, at these machines or on buses. These cards are valid on most forms of city transport. To use it, simply hold your card up against the reader.
Subway
The Tokyo subway system is extensive with color-coded maps matching the color of the subway cars. Other cities, including Osaka, Nagoya, Kobe, Sendai, Yokohama, Fukuoka, Kyoto, and Sapporo, also have subway systems, but their modes of operation differ slightly.
The Japan Rail Pass cannot be used on any subway system. If you do not have a valid pass or reloadable card, buy a ticket from either a vending machine or a ticket window. If you are in any doubt about how much to pay, then simply buy the cheapest ticket and pay the excess at the end of your journey.
Station names are often displayed on platform signboards in romanized form as well as Japanese. All mass-transit systems stop running at around midnight until about 5am.
Streetcars
Modern and old-fashioned streetcars still run in quite a few Japanese cities, including Hiroshima, Nagasaki, Kumamoto, and Sapporo. Tokyo has two streetcar lines, and the Enoden Railway in Kamakura, south of Tokyo, is also classed as a streetcar. Fares and systems for paying on streetcars differ from city to city; some charge a flat fare irrespective of the distance travelled, while others have specific charges for different routes. The fare machine is sometimes manned separately. Follow the example of other passengers as to when to pay, and whether to pay the fare collector or put money into a box.
Bus
Bus depots (basu noriba) are often located outside of train stations in cities. The method of paying fares varies. Some buses are boarded at the front, and the fare – often a flat rate – is deposited into a slot beside the driver. Exit from the door in the middle of the bus.
A second system invites passengers to step aboard toward the center or back of the bus, where a machine distributes numbered tickets. The number on this ticket appears on a screen at the front of the bus, which corresponds to the fare to be paid. Before you disembark, drop the indicated amount and your ticket into the box beside the driver.
Taxis come in various colors, but all have a “taxi” sign on the roof. A red sign to the left of the driver indicates that the taxi is free. You can flag a taxi on the street or look for a stand: they are invariably located near main stations. They are expensive, with rates starting at around ¥600–¥700 for the first mile. Fares increase per mile, and are higher at night and on weekends. Fares also increase in standing traffic. Drivers operate taxi doors from inside so you do not need to bother opening and closing them. Few taxi drivers speak much English, so it is best to carry a map marked with instructions in Japanese and the phone number of your destination.
Japan is an enjoyable and relatively safe country in which to take to the road. In the countryside, renting a car is usually the best and most flexible way to get around.
Driving in Japan
Road surfaces are usually good, and rental cars are very well maintained. The main problem foreign drivers in Japan will face is navigation. It can be difficult trying to find one’s way around Japan’s towns and cities, which often have complex networks of one-way streets. Only main thoroughfares have names, and although rented cars are usually equipped with sat-nav systems, these are in Japanese.
Very heavy traffic is a common feature of Japan’s major cities. Other problems include hazards such as roads blocked by snow in winter, flooding during the rainy season, and occasional landslides.
Visitors must produce an international driver’s license (International Driving Permit), but Japan does not recognize international driving permits from Switzerland, Germany, and Taiwan. However, drivers from these countries are instead allowed to drive in Japan for up to one year with an official Japanese translation of their license, which is available from the Japan Automobile Federation, or at their country’s embassy or consulate in Japan. A valid passport must be carried at all times.
Japan Automobile Federation
Car Rental
Vehicles are available for rental at ports of entry, major train stations, and local dealers. Since very few short-term visitors to Japan hire cars, car rental companies are generally not used to dealing with customers in English. Two companies more likely to have English-speaking staff are Toyota Rent a Car and Nippon Rent-A-Car. There is also a greater chance of finding English-speaking staff with international car agencies, such as Avis, Budget and Hertz.
Avis
∑ avis.com
Budget
Hertz
Nippon Rent-A-Car
Toyota Rent a Car
Parking
Public parking is available but it tends to be expensive – and the parking fee rises as you move closer to the city center. There are cheaper car parks in neighborhoods on the city fringes, but these may be hidden away on backstreets and difficult to find. On-street parking is not permitted in Japan, and parking meters are a rarity. To overcome the problem of a lack of sufficient space, the Japanese have developed various innovative parking solutions, such as lifts and rollover systems.
Rules of the Road
For visitors who wish to acquaint themselves with driving conditions in Japan, the Japan Automobile Federation publishes “Rules of the Road” in five languages. This can be purchased for ¥1,000 from its regional offices, which are listed on its website.
The Japanese drive on the left side of the road. Drivers may not turn left on a red light. Drivers tend to be considerate while on the road, and although most drivers adhere to the laws, some tailgate, speed, and have a habit of driving over intersections after a light has turned red. It is not a good idea to follow suit. Vehicles to the front and rear should be observed carefully when approaching traffic lights.
As indicated by the often large bicycle parks outside big stations and the huge numbers of bikes parked on the streets of Japan’s cities, cycling is an extremely popular way of getting around – even though there are few cycle paths to speak of. There are often bicycle-rental companies in tourist areas. A good option in the capital is Tokyobike Rentals.
Sidewalks are frequently used by cyclists, despite the fact that it is illegal to do so. However, this is not strictly enforced and some towns prefer cyclists to use sidewalks rather than roads.
Tokyobike Rentals
Need to know Getting Around
TOP TIP
Buy a reloadable Suica card for train and bus travel to save time and money.
Need to know Getting Around
Need to know Getting Around
| Airport | Bus | Taxi | Train | Express |
| Tokyo (Narita) | ¥1,000 (90 mins) | ¥20,000 (60 mins) | ¥1,200 (90 mins) | ¥4,000 (55 mins) |
| Tokyo (Haneda) | ¥1,200 (45 mins) | ¥8,000 (30 mins) | ¥600 (40 mins) | None |
| Osaka (Kansai) | ¥1,600 (60 mins) | ¥15,000 (50 mins) | ¥1,200 (70 mins) | ¥3,000 (70 mins) |
Need to know Getting Around
Plotting the country’s main long-distance rail routes, this map is a handy reference for travelling between Japan’s main towns and cities by train. Journey times, usually by shinkansen, are listed below.
... Direct train routes
| Tokyo to Niigata | 4.5 hrs |
| Tokyo to Nagoya | 4.5 hrs |
| Tokyo to Osaka | 6.5 hrs |
| Tokyo to Kyoto | 6 hrs |
| Kyoto to Kanazawa | 3.5 hrs |
| Kyoto to Matsue | 4 hrs |
| Tokyo to Sapporo | 16 hrs |
| Tokyo to Sendai | 4.5 hrs |
| Sendai to Hakodate | 8 hrs |
| Hakodate to Sapporo | 4 hrs |
| Hakodate to Kushiro | 7 hrs |
| Osaka to Hiroshima | 4.5 hrs |
| Hiroshima to Fukuoka | 3.5 hrs |
| Fukuoka to Nagasaki | 2 hrs |
| Fukuoka to Kumamoto | 2 hrs |
| Fukuoka to Beppu | 2 hrs |
| Kumamoto to Kagoshima | 2.5 hrs |