Navigating Japan’s Transit – How to Guide for the Trains and other Modes of Transportation

November 2023

Navigating Japan’s Transit – How to Guide for the Trains and other Modes of Transportation

The transportation in Japan is absolutely incredible and impressive. It is the most ahead of its time or rather everywhere else in the world is behind. The country and cities are so well connected and make traveling between destinations easy and efficient. Figuring out all the public transportation can be daunting – and it is something I spent a lot of time researching to ensure I really understood the options. Let’s break everything down. What to Expect When Visiting Japan for the First Time.

• Public transportation such as local trains, subways, and buses are available and can get you everywhere.
• Shinkansen “Bullet Trains” move millions of people quickly across the entire country reaching speeds up to 300 km/hour.
• Taxis and ride share options are available but are typically expensive compared to the public transportation routes.
• As a tourist, there is little need to rent a car unless you are traveling to some distant spots in the countryside. If you are renting a car, you will need an international drivers license. They also drive on the left hand side so that is something to note if you are renting a car. We did not know this ahead of visiting and were quite surprised to discover the left side driving.

But first…

It is important to know proper etiquette when traveling on public transportation and it is important as a visitor that you are respectful of it. The trains, buses, and subways are all extremely quiet – there is no talking at all – you can hear a pin drop. It is a clear indicator you are a tourist if you are talking on transit. Be respectful of the place you are traveling to and follow their lead. Do not disturb the peace. Even though we knew this going into the trip, it is amazing seeing it in action. Everyone is reserved and to themselves so we mirrored the behavior we observed.

Do you need to know Japanese to navigate the transit?

No! We were a bit concerned that all the signs would be in Japanese characters but we were surprised that all signs had Anglicized spelling. For example, Shibuya versus 渋谷駅 – both would be present. We knew if we were going to Shibuya, we simply followed the signage for Shibuya. The public transit was exceptionally easy to navigate and that is thanks to city planning and plenty of helpful signage. Also, do not forget the power of Google Translate and the lens feature – you simply display what you want translated in the camera and then Translate does the work for you. The one thing we did not expect to be so helpful but ended up being so much better than then anywhere else we have used it – Google Maps. Google Maps is truly on another level in Japan. The information being fed into the platform is simply amazing how much more detail it provides for a journey than we use back home. More on Google Maps late but a quick preview:

• Arranges the best transit option for your journey
• Identified which car to board for fastest transfer or exit
• Locates which exit to leave the station to reach your final destination quicker

Let’s start with traditional public transportation

• You will want an IC card to ride the public transportation. IC card is the general name for a metro card. There are several companies that issue IC cards but they all work the same. We went with Suica and it works in all the cities we visited. We used our Suica card in Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka.This will be one of your first purchases when you get off the plane. There are kiosks prominently located for you to obtain your Suica card. The cards are refillable and while there were advertisements that credit cards can be used to purchase and refill the IC card, we were unsuccessful in completing that transaction. For this reason alone, you will need to carry cash to refill your IC card.
  • Get on and do not have enough money to exit the station? There are fare adjustment kiosks that allow you to add more money to your card to cover the trip.
• Not only do IC cards work in multiple cities, IC cards work on multiple forms of transit. From the trains, subway, and buses – these IC cards have you covered. And it does not just stop there – these IC cards can be used at even vending machines and convenience stores! Truly an amazing thing.
• Depending on destinations for your trip, there may be an opportunity to purchase city passes that include activities and / or specific transit options. For example, our stop in Hakone had multiple modes of transportation, all of which were not covered on an IC card. Instead, we purchased the Hakone Pass which in addition to attractions includes the cable ways and trains as well.
• During our visit in spring 2023, tap to pay was just starting to emerge but was not at all reliable. I have read that tap-to-pay is rolling out more and more so you may be in luck on your trip.
• The public transit network is truly remarkable – in the major cities, you can get anywhere you need too. And not only within the city, but even between cities as well. We never had a need for a car or taxi during our two week adventure.
• All modes of public transport are exceptionally punctual – it is amazing and something far different than in the USA and in Europe. The public transit is reliable and frequent – can you tell we loved the public transit?
• Public transit is very safe – the safest we have ever felt on public transit at home or on vacation. Everyone uses the public transit as well, and the vehicles are incredibly clean. There is also priority seating for those that need it and women only sections as well – be respectful of these areas abroad public transit.
• Crowded too on a whole new meaning in Japan. These vehicles would get completely jammed during peak hours and there is no regard to personal space. If you want on a crowded bus or train – get ready to get cozy. After our first experience, we got used to it pretty quickly but just know if there is even an inch of room, someone is going to try and squeeze in.

Now, let’s move on to the famous Shinkansen “Bullet” trains

• Shinkansen trains are famous for a number of reasons – their incredible speed, utmost safety, and practically perfect punctuality.
• Also known as bullet trains, Shinkansen trains can travel over 200 miles per hour making them some of the fastest trains in the entire world! Simply riding one of these trains on a trip to Japan is an exciting part of the experience.
• Shinkansen trains connect major cities in Japan to each other and transport passengers in a fraction of the time it would take to drive. We used these trains to get between Tokyo and Kyoto in just over two hours.
• Riding on a bullet train is a very comfortable train ride, even in coach. There are reclining seats, charging ports, bathrooms, and even food carts.
• Shinkansen trains are on a completely separate line than the local trains and have a different ticketing system – your IC card will not work on a Shinkanesen train. Note that Shinkansen tickets are not interchangeable with other types of train tickets in Japan – not eveno ther Shinkansen trains.
• Unlike the local trains, you are going to want to purchase your Shinkansen train tickets in advance to guarantee you a spot on the train. There are various Shinkansen rails and operators so depending on your trip, there will be a specific website you can purchase in advance. There are also ticket offices at Shinkansen stations. The cost will vary depending on the type of train (mostly the speed) and how far you are traveling. Since we were sticking to the Golden Route, we used the SmartEX app where we could make purchases directly. Then, we displayed a QR code to activate our ticket and scan at a kiosk by the train station entrance to give us a ticket for the Shinkansen train to access the platform.
• Tickets here require some time and research. There are several types of tickets to consider:
  • Non-Reserved: You are purchasing a ticket for a specific route on a specific train and are able to board any car that is designated as “non-reserved” (indicated on the platform). Pros are that this is typically the cheapest option and also gives flexibility to pick any departure for that specific route on a specific train you selected. Cons are that you do not have a reserved seat which means boarding may not be guaranteed and a seat you want (such as the window seat to see Mt Fuji) may not be available.
  • Reserved: You are purchasing a ticket for a specific route on a specific train at a specific time and selecting your assigned seat. Pros are
  • Green Car upgrade: First class ticket that provides a bit more comfort and an assigned seat.

Is the JR Pass Worth it?

JR is the main company that runs on the Shinkansen lines that transfer between the major cities. Historically, a trip of two weeks that required a round trip from Tokyo to Osaka or Kyoto made sense to purchase this expensive JR Pass. However, for our trip it was less expensive to purchase the individual tickets on our own instead of the JR pass – mostly because our trip included a stop at Hakone that is not on the JR line so that part of our trip was not covered on the JR Pass – as were several other connections we made. Now, the JR pass raised in price dramatically and I do not think it is worth it for tourists but take a look at your trip and do the math to see if the price makes sense. For more information, this topic is discussed in great detail by Japan focused bloggers – a quick Google search “is the JR pass worth it?” will get your the answers you need. Also use calculators like this to help establish what works best for your trip.

Other Shinkansen Tips

• These trains – like all Japanese transit – leave on time. Arrive early to navigate the station and find your train – plan on at least 15 minutes ahead of your scheduled departure.
• If traveling during peak season, consider spending extra to reserve your seat as this guarantees you a spot on a certain train. When you are only visiting for a short amount of time, missing a train due to it being full can set your itinerary back several hours. We did not reserve seats and did not have a problem but we traveled during shoulder season. If we traveled in the spring or fall, I would have made sure to reserve seats.
• You may be on these trains for several hours so make sure you pack some snacks. Just make a quick 7/11 stop and you are good to go. There is a snack cart on these trains but we did not see it when we were on it and were happy to have the joy of 7/11 snacks while traveling.
• Like all other modes of public transit – silence is golden.
• If you want to see Mt Fuji – when going from Tokyo to Kyoto, sit on the right side of the train. When traveling from Kyoto to Tokyo, sit on the left side of the train.

An Ode to Google Maps

Using Google Maps in Japan felt like we unlocked a secret version of it. It is seamlessly connected to all modes of transportation in a way we have never experienced in another country and will be essential to helping you get around. Just input your desired destination and Google Maps will do the rest for you. When transfers are needed, Google Maps identified which train car you should board to transfer closest to your next train. Google Maps will even indicate which exit in the station is best to get closest to your final destination, or even which train car to be on so you are closest to your exit. Since there are so many options for transit, Google Maps also shows the various routes and combinations you can take additional times for future departures. If you have concerns about navigating Japan’s transit – this is the only tool you will need.

Other Helpful Phone Apps

In addition to Google Maps, there are a few other apps on your phone that could be helpful for your trip.

• If you purchase any city passes, some have phone apps like the Hakone Freepass. Most JR lines have an app associated to make purchasing tickets easy.
• We used the SmartEX app that allowed us to evaluate all route options, purchase the tickets, and then display a QR code to activate our ticket and scan at a kiosk by the train station entrance to give us a ticket for the Shinkansen train to access the platform.
• Google Translate is an app you used on this trip constantly to translate written Japanese by taking photos and having the app do the work of translating. On a handful of occasions, we used the app to translate when we were speaking to someone whose English was not strong and we were unable to communicate effectively. The lens feature easily translates any signs or information through the camera as well.

Continue reading all the details of our trip – here!

To see our full itinerary – here!

Read what to expect in Japan – here!

My complete packing list for Japan – here!

See all blog posts for Japan – here!