Japan is an island nation that is easy both to reach, and to navigate once you get there. The country's transportation infrastructure is sophisticated and extensive, so no matter where you go, you will find it easy to travel on to your next destination.
There are many means of transportation in Japan and they all have their pros and cons. Factors such as how long you'll be traveling, where you'll be going, and what your comfort levels are, all add into the equation to help you figure out the most efficient and cost-effective means of travel for you.
This article will provide you with some more information about how best to travel within Japan.
Quick facts
- Japan offers a wide variety of transportation at different price levels, from planes and trains, to ferries and buses.
- Trains are the most popular form of transport in Japan.
- The Japanese Rail Pass allows travel on virtually all JR services throughout Japan. It is very cost-effective.
- Japan has a comprehensive system of long-distance buses. Though buses will be a lot slower than trains, they can take you to secret places.
- One of the most pleasant ways of travelling around this island nation is by ferry.
Shinkansen bullet train
Going by rail is the most thrilling way to see Japan, especially if you're only in the country for a short visit. The bullet train can take you from Tokyo to Kyoto, Nara, Osaka and other major cities within a few hours, making the shinkansen the favorite type of transportation for foreign visitors.
There are six main shinkansen lines. The busiest route is the Tokaido line, which runs south from Tokyo through Nagoya, Kyoto, and Osaka. On the train there are announcements and electronic signs in English telling you which stations are coming up. So don't worry if you don't understand Japanese.
The Japanese Rail Pass is the most popular pass to use, allowing travel on JR trains and buses with only a few exceptions (like certain shinkansen trains). Passes are available for 7, 14 or 21 days. Using the JR pass is very easy: just show your pass to the staff at the gate and make your way to the train.
Information on JR trains and schedules is available at Travel Service Centers at major JR stations throughout Japan. It is important to buy your JR Pass before arriving in Japan because it is not available for purchase after you arrive.
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Customized Trip Planning
My experience with Alisa at Asia Highlights has been excellent. I wanted to customize my trip to South Korea and Japan. I made several changes and asked many questions which she answered promptly. My trip included only hotels and transportation because I wanted to explore on my own. This gave me the option to book my own tours if I want. I selected Asia Highlights because of the great reviews and booked because Alisa was helpful in planning my trip. More
JBC, Feb 2024
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Japan Tour
Alisa did a fantastic job, answering all my questions and catering to what I want for our upcoming Japan tour. The itinerary was so detailed! We are so excited for our trip! More
Theresa Beltran, Feb 2024
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The experience of working with Bert was…
The experience of working with Bert was amazing! Everything is clear! The route he introduced and planned for the travel in Japan was amazing! More
Polina Fedorina, Feb 2024
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Outstanding Agent
We haven't taken our trip to Japan yet with Asia Highlights, but I am so impressed by the thoroughness, communication skills, and attention to detail of their hard working agent, Claire Wong. I sent an inquiry to Asia Highlights and immediately I was given Claire as my agent. She designed a trip for my family that works for us and my communications with her via WhatsApp have been excellent. She always gets right back to me with answers and suggestions. Her English is perfect. Because of Claire, I have a very high regard for Asia Highlights, and I'm glad that I chose this company for our trip to Japan. More
Edwin Lowe, Feb 2024
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Japan Trip Planning
Although our travel plans will not materialize for another 2 months, we had the absolute pleasure of working with Bert Hu in putting our trip to Japan together. Bert was extremely professional in meeting our needs and tailoring a trip to our interests. Bert was also quite patient and helpful when we had to change a few details and add a couple days. I'm sure I'll have more wonderful things to say after our experience in Japan. More
John, Feb 2024
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Bert Hu knowledgeable travel adviser.
Hello! My trip adviser Bert Hu gave very clear instructions about the my travel plan to Japan. He is very knowledgeable and guided me step by step. I highly recommend Bert Hu as a personal travel adviser. Thank you for making my future trip easily accessible. More
Fatema Mohammedi, Feb 2024
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Awesome
Such a great company to help us find our next family trip. We have been working with Bert Hu he is very informative and helpful. Looking forward to continuing doing business and our travels to Japan. More
Shaunda, Feb 2024
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It is my first time in Japan
It is my first time in Japan, I am glad that i found Asian highlights especially meeting claire the travel agent! She is amazing. She is very helpful all through out the process, she respond quickly to all my inquiry. She made the process so smooth. During the trip, I have to praise the company for giving us amazing accomodations and the best tour guides. Claire made everything happened. There are few bumps and she solve it right away.She was honest about the things that she can not provide. It is my first time to ask for help from a travel agency , I am glad I found Asia highlights. If I will plan tour in the future I will definitely ask help for this company. I recommended this company to my family and friends! Thankyou once again. More power! Keep it up Claire! More
Cc, Jan 2024
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Claire has listened carefully
Claire has listened carefully to our ideas and has created a highly customized journey for us. She has been very responsive and has shown a deep knowledge of travel options in Japan. More
Michael Brandenburg, Jan 2024
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Sharon from Asia Highlights
I highly recommend Sharon and her tour guidance.She is very patient and utmost polite.I absolutely loved coordinating my iteniery with her although I was unable to travel to Japan this time.She is an absolute gem and I recommend her to make your Japanese holiday an extraordinary and hassle free experience. More
Tess Thomas, Jan 2024
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10 Day Family Vacation in Japan
We had the absolute best time in Japan! Jennifer was our wonderful tour guide in Tokyo and Ho was our amazing tour guide in Kyoto and Osaka. We can’t thank them both enough for making our 10 day sightseeing trip truly a trip of a lifetime!! More
Sabrina Wilmoth, Jan 2024
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Trip to Japan
Family trip to Japan. Excellent itinerary, allowed for seeing many different sights in multiple cities in Japan. The tour was well-paced with enough time to explore on our own in the evenings. Tour guides were knowledgeable, had great attitudes and were accommodating, willing to modify our plans to allow us to see other sights if we wanted to as well. The vans were large and comfortable for the longer drives and water was always provided. More
May, Nov 2023
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Fall in Japan
The local tour guides in each city were so friendly and knowledgeable. They took care of us like we were family. The accommodations and meals were exceptional. We would definitely use this tour company again for future travel needs. More
, Nov 2023
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Alisa Liu is a star to work makes Asia Highlights even better
Alisa Liu was my contact person for Asia Highlights. She was remarkably punctual, she was thoughtful, and she handle an emergency on my end, with grace and patience. She recommended great hotels in Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka Japan that put us in the center of the action. The guides she choose were personable, punctual a knowledgeable about their cities. More
Brent Zadorozny, Oct 2023
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Excellent service
Started using Asia Highlights to plan my trip to Japan. Sharon was very helpful, giving me all the information I would need for the tour. I would definitely use Asia Highlights again, when planning another trip to Asia. More
Rachel Nelson, Oct 2023
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Japan tour
Our airport pick-up went very smoothly. Our guide, Vivian, on the second day was very nice, very accommodating, took into account our preferences. In Osaka, our trip to the castle was a very long walk with lots of steps to climb and quite honestly wasn’t very interesting. But Dotonburi is a must-see and we enjoyed that very much.Our trip to Hiroshima was very memorable. I highly recommend it. Our guide, Etsuko, was very knowledgeable and kind. The trip to Miyajima island, on the other hand, wasn’t too memorable. Our next city, Kyoto, is a truly wonderful place to visit. All the temples we went to were very interesting and very distinctive from each other (Kinkakuji temple, Nijo castle, Sanjusangendo temple,Kiyumizo temple, Fushimi Inari shrine, Kasuga Taisha shrine, Tojaidi temple). The sake tour was a downer and wouldn’t recommend it.Our guide, Ritsuko, was a darling. She was very knowledgeable too and kind and warm and easy to talk to. Our last tour in Tokyo was a rainy day and Sue, our guide, was able to change our tour to the next day. She was so efficient and so accommodating and so kind and very knowledgeable too. More
Mrs Cristina Hidalgo Loris, Oct 2023
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Very good tour of Japan
Very good tour around Japan for 10 days, including Tokyo, Hakone and Kyoto. Excellent guides and experiences. Albee, the tour organiser, was always available to sort out changes to itinerary or extra requests. More
Guy Slimmon, Oct 2023
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Everything is good
All of the hotels were wonderful and our guides were super friendly, knowledgeable and flexible. We had a 10 day trip that included multiple cities and lots of different sights, we squeezed in as much as we could, including a 2 day hiking trip to Mt. Fuji (our guide Sun Nan was awesome!). Our guide in Tokyo, Jennifer, was lovely and our guide for 2 days in Kyoto, Dennis, was also super great. We did a food tour in Osaka with Vivian which was nice Sallie Fujimoto-Swun More
Ideale Tran, Oct 2023
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Thank you for the wonderful experience…
Thank you for the wonderful experience we all truely enjoyed. From the beginning (making first contact with Sharon from Asia Highlights) to the end (Saying good bye to our amazing guide Lilly) the experience was top notch. Great communication while preparing the trip and excellent local knowledge of our tour guide. I can highly recommend Asia Highlights and would not hesitate to use them again for our next trip. More
Dany Gruosso, Oct 2023
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Vacations in Japan
The guides Jessie and Vivian were very kind and professionals and the drivers as well. In a future vacation we will get in touch with Asia Highlights without a doubt. More
Hilda Andrade, Oct 2023
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Domestic flights
Because of the long distances between, for example, Fukuoka on the island of Kyushu and Sapporo on Hokkaido, flying is often the fastest way to travel, with airlines like JAL and ANA providing the most extensive coverage. Smaller domestic airlines with more competitive rates include Skymark, Solaseed Air and Jetstar Japan.
Overseas visitors can save money on domestic flights by purchasing tickets along with their international flights. Both JAL and ANA offer cheaper domestic fares for passengers flying international routes to Japan with them or any partner airline (such as ANA's Star Alliance partner, United).
Slightly more expensive fares are available for non-partner airlines. Several restrictions apply; for example, tickets must be purchased outside of Japan after buying the international tickets, and there are certain blackout dates. The prices of domestic airline tickets depend greatly on the season. You can book tickets either from official websites or through travel agents.
Long-distance buses
Buses are used extensively throughout the country. They are a low-cost alternative to trains, for reaching areas not served by rail, including more remote areas and Japan's many islands.
Long-distance buses travel between major cities, such as Tokyo and Kyoto, with much cheaper fares than trains, unless you have a JR Pass. Some buses are quite luxurious, with reclining seats for overnight trips and even salons.
Many long-distance buses, especially overnight buses, require seats to be reserved in advance. It is recommended to make reservations early for popular routes and during busy travel seasons. If the bus is not booked out, however, it is usually possible to purchase a ticket just prior to departure at the bus terminal.
On some shorter bus lines, seat reservations are not possible.
Domestic ferries
Ferries are a major form of transportation to Japan's many islands. Smaller islands, like Naoshima in the island-studded Seto Inland Sea, can only be reached by ferry.
Long-distance ferries may provide a more relaxing and cheaper alternative to planes.
Overnight ferry trips between Honshu and Hokkaido in the north, and Kyushu and Shikoku in the south, are highly recommended. If you cannot spare the time, try a short hop to one of the islands of the Inland Sea, or from Niigata to Sado-ga-shima. These are the most popular destinations.
Ferry schedules, however, are subject to seasonal changes and also vary according to the weather, so for up-to-date details of times and prices it's best to consult the local tourist information office. Or you can go to their official website for more information, where tickets can also be booked.
Local transportation
Japan has an efficient public transport network, especially within its large cities. The Japanese transport system, including subway, monorail, buses, taxis and even bicycles, can help you explore the city. Public transport is usually characterized by punctuality, excellent service and cleanliness.
Subway
City-wide subways are a quick and easy option for reaching any destination within big cities like Tokyo, Osaka and Kyoto. Subway train announcements are made in Japanese but often in English too. The next station is often displayed on electronic boards in the carriages in both Japanese and English.
Most subway systems in Japan start at around 5 am and end around midnight. Services are less frequent at weekends and on public holidays. Some subway lines in Japan have women-only carriages running in the rush hour period, normally 8 to 9 am. The JR Pass cannot be used on subways, so you need to buy a ticket from a vending machine or ticket window.
Monorail
As well as the subway, Japan has an extensive monorail system, and one Japanese line is the second longest monorail in the world. Big cities like Tokyo, Osaka, and Hiroshima all operate monorails.
Monorails are easy to ride. You can use your JR Pass on some of them. In case you cannot use your JR Pass, tickets for monorail can be purchased from the vending machine or ticket window. Riding the monorail in Tokyo is a memorable experience, because you can often enjoy seaside views. On clear days, Mount Fuji is visible in the distance.
Buses
Bus services are available throughout Japan's cities, but sometimes it can be difficult for non-Japanese-speaking visitors to find the relevant timetables and to reserve seats.
Buses can be a useful alternative to trains if you are staying outside the immediate city center. Although buses might not be as frequent as trains and generally take longer to get from place to place, they often travel to lesser-known areas and are a good way to avoid crowded train stations. Some have a free Wi-Fi system in place.
Taxis
Japan has an estimated 260,000 taxis nationwide, with Tokyo alone having around 35,000 taxis from more than 320 different taxi companies. Kyoto also has a large number of taxis. All Japanese taxis can be hailed on the street, from virtually anywhere you like, at most times and in most areas.
Many taxis accept payment by credit card, and an increasing number accept payment by IC card. Stickers on the door often indicate accepted payment methods. When paying in cash, try to avoid paying small amounts with large bills. There is no tipping in Japan.
Bicycles
Riding a bike is a great way to get from A to B in the smaller towns and countryside, allowing you to see plenty of beautiful landscape and to meet up with local people.
Hokkaido, in particular, is a cyclist's dream, with excellent roads through scenery which is often stunning. You can rent bikes from outlets beside or near the train station. Some towns even have bikes for hire free of charge – enquire at the tourist office.
Useful tips for traveling in Japan
1. Get your JR Pass before leaving your home country.
2. Avoid the morning (8-9 am) and afternoon (5-6 pm) rush hours to beat the crowds in major cities like Tokyo and Osaka. The traffic volume on certain urban and suburban trains is so intense that passengers are pressed against each other to the extent that they are unable to move.
3. Carry at least 10,000-20,000 yen in cash with you. Most Japanese ATM machines do not accept foreign cards. Also many establishments do not accept credit cards. So, if you come across an ATM that accepts foreign cards, it may be a good idea to take out some money.
4. Don't tip anyone; even taxi-drivers will be offended if you do so.
5. Write down the full address of your hotel or destination to show to someone, in case you lose your way.
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It was a whirlwind across a number of cities, but a very comprehensive experience across the many sides and cultures of China. Most days had sufficient activities, but weren’t overwhelming, which was great.Across cities, we had excellent tour guides, like Kitty (Beijing), Jenny (Xian), William (Guilin/Yangshuo), Kris (Shanghai), and Tony (Yellow Mountains.)
moreFrom the time we landed in Beijing until we left, we were well taken care of. My wife and I had Lily Liu as our guide and she was amazing. From arranging visits to all the different sights, to teaching us the history, it was fantastic.
moreThe tour was excellent. Selinda was very knowledgeable about all the aspects of our tour. Selinda was very interesting and knew so much Chinese history
moreWe made a private tour through South China in January 2024. Altogether Chengdu was the highlight. We had an incredible day at Emeishan. In Chengdu our guidewas Helen. She was the diamond of all. Speaking fluently English, full of interesting stories, laughing and talking all the time. We missed her the rest of our tour. We highly recommend to go to Chengdu for 3 days when visiting China, especially with Helen.
moreOther highlights are too many to mention but here are a few Ken taking us to the Terracotta Warriors and our food tour in Xian was amazing,
moreOur day volunteering at the Panda Base was truly unforgettable. Helen, our guide, provided us with invaluable insights about Chengdu and the pandas, enriching our tour with her knowledge and expertise. We're grateful to Helen for accompanying us throughout the day and showcasing the highlights of China.
moreWe had a booking with China Highlights through Silvia Ye who guarenteed a perfect organisation. In Chengdu our guide was Helen. She was the diamond of all. Speaking fluently English, full of interesting stories, laughing and talking all the time. We missed her the rest of our tour. We highly recommend to go to Chengdu for 3 days when visiting China, especially with Helen.
moreWe traveled to China during the Chinese new year and we had Kris as our guide and he is simply knowledgeable,helpful and great.
moreWe visited Guilin for 2 days and stayed in the Guilin Waterfall hotel. Guilin was absolutely beautiful! Our guide, William, was very knowledgeable and kind! He taught us so much about Guilin and the surrounding area! We really enjoyed trying the specialty rice noodles of Guilin. Our highlight was the Li river cruise.
moreAmazing tour and the guide Mr. 贺霄 was very accommodating with our needs and request as we have bought our 2 years old with us. Well explained for all the place we visited. Any additional cost were informed well ahead and didn't felt any pressure if we opt not to go for additional detour. The trip was relaxing/ laid back/no rushing with zero shopping!
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