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Trip to Japan - your favourite journeys

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gazthomas

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In early September I plan to go to Japan for a couple of weeks, arriving and leaving from Tokyo.

I know in Japan there are so many options for rail travel, so to help me prioritise can you share your favourite journey's and destinations?

Thanks in advance

Gary
 
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DasLunatic

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I haven't been, but I've heard Hiroshima and its tram system are quite nice, as is the Shinkansen line connecting the two.

Also, as I'm sure you know, Japan and its metro systems can become very crowded - to the point that JR (Japan National Railways) employ people to physically push them onto trains - as seen here and here.

Have fun though :)
 

Gordon

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I haven't been there either(!) - only China!

However, I know something about Japanese railways, two of which - the Hakone mountain railway and the Oigawa railway are obvious potential targets. The Hakone with its (comparatively) unusual switchbacks it is somewhat different to European mountain lines. Twinned with the Swiss RhB.

The Oigawa railway is actually more like the RhB or MGB with similar overhead and loco hauled trains plus a bit of Abt rack. - as you can see here:


https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/48/Ikawasen2.jpg/1920px-Ikawasen2.jpg

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/24/Oigawa-Ikawa-Line-by-System-ABT.jpg


.
 
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blotred

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I had a 21 day JR rail-pass in 2012, and went around Tokyo/Osaka/Kyoto/Hiroshima, and also to Shikoku and Kyushu.
The Yodo line in Shikoku was absolutely beautiful, and the Shinkansen in general was amazing.

I had a soft spot for Shikoku tbh, and there is a railway connection from the mainland.
 

Class45

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I went for two weeks this May and split my time between Tokyo and Kyoto. I found the Japanese railway system to be totally fascinating. Some highlights for me were-

1. The Shinkansen train from Tokyo to Kyoto
2. Shinjuku station in Tokyo in the rush hour, try a trip on the Yamanote line in the rush hour if you're feeling brave.
3. The Hakone mountain railway that Gordon mentioned. Three switchbacks and some 1930s EMUs still in regular service. At the top there is a funicular which leads to an aerial ropeway that runs over the top of a volcano. When I went the ropeway was closed due to volcanic activity!
4. The Enoden railway which runs along the coast from Kamakura south of Tokyo and includes some street running.
5. In Kyoto, the Keihan railway line to Hamaotsu which starts off through running with the Kyoto subway, then becomes a standard suburban railway and ends up running on some fairly busy streets in Hamaotsu.

It's worth getting a JR Pass before you go if you're going to do a lot of travelling on the JR lines and a Suica or Pasmo stored value card is a good for travelling on local railways in the major urban areas like Tokyo or Osaka.

There are some photos from my trip here-

https://flic.kr/s/aHskap8pGU
 

stut

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Definitely agree with many of the suggestions above.

Shinjuku in the rush hour is like an elaborately choreographed ballet. There's a hall where people mix and cross from about 6 different directions, and there's barely a step out of place (and certainly no bad-tempered barging).

The Yamanote Line is an experience in itself. Wouldn't recommend it at its busiest times, but you'll become addicted to the train departure jingles.

The railway through Hakone (the Hakone Tozan Railway - part of the Odakyu Electric Railway) is wonderful - you can complete the circuit from Owakudani across Lake Ashi on a cheesy pirate ship, heading back to the train by bus. If you're on a JR Pass, you pick this up at Odawara Shinkansen station, but if you're not, you can take the Odakyu 'Romancecar' direct from Shinjuku ('Romancecar' because it has unseparated side-by-side seats, and a panoramic view). It even has its own souvenier bento and chopstick set!

The Shinkansen line between Tokyo and Kyoto is a classic, but bear in mind that Fuji is covered in fog for much of the year. Kyoto station is a wonderful piece of modern architecture and worth exploring in its own right.

The Kibi Line is an obscure railway leaving from Odawara crossing the Kibi plain. It's a rural line served by pay-on-exit DMUs, and the main reason for using it is to do a well-worn cycle trail across the plain and its many shrines and temples.

The brand new Hokuriku Shinkansen from Tokyo to the (much overlooked) city of Kanazawa came into operation this year. You cross the Japanese Alps through Nagano on the existing line, then follow the NW coast of Honshu. Will be travelling on this soon!

The Takayama Main Line line is supposed to be one of the most scenic in Japan - again, will be travelling on this soon! It crosses the mountains through Gifu prefecture from Takayama to Nagoya, with some journeys (Hida Ltd Express) operated by 'wide view' cars.

Hiroshima trams are indeed very worthwhile travelling on, although it's not the most classically pretty city in the country (for obvious reasons). But they have immense historical significance. And you can travel out to Miyajima-guchi on them - a visit to the island is highly recommended.

Should you fly in and out of Kansai airport at any point, not only is the crossing between the airport and the mainland rather impressive, but you can also travel on some bizarre, space-age trains! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nankai_50000_series

Back in Tokyo, and there's always the DLResque Yurikamome ('seagull') line through the docklands. Highlight is the oddly curved 'rainbow bridge' where you climb up a 270 degree loop.

Should you travel down to Shikoku, you can travel on one of the few remaining sleeper services in the country, the Sunrise Seto to Takamatsu. Try the capsule-style Nobi Nobi 'seats'!

And if you're feeling flush... http://japan-magazine.jnto.go.jp/jntowm/wp-content/uploads/1501_shinkansen_02.jpg Yes, that's a train.
 
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Three-Nine

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Hi! Deactivating lurking field...

Although I work for a TOC, I'm not much interested in trains outside where it directly affects my work. I'm replying to this, however, as I've been fortunate to have gone to Japan several times. Some great trips have already been mentioned so I won't repeat them here, just post one of my own and some tips.

One of my favourite trips is from Okayama to the small fishing town of Sakaiminato. The train trundles along (by Japanese standards) through hilly scenery until you get to a city called Yonago, and then you change there for a rather unique experience which starts at "Platform Zero" in Yonago and just gets... odder from there (I suggest looking up Sakaiminato and its role in Japanese popular culture as to why, I don't want to go too far off-topic!).

However, I am biased - I have an interest in Japanese popular culture and have friends there. Also, its a hell of a diversion from Tokyo - it takes pretty much most the day to get there, so for a limited stay I wouldn't recommend it as a day trip.

Near the same region are the sand dunes - yes, sand dunes! - of Tottori. They're an impressive, and unexpected sight, but again a bit of a trek from Tokyo (at least five hours as a rough estimate).

I also like the city of Kumamoto, but again thats also some way from Tokyo.

You may already have booked your trip, but in case you haven't, I often recommend that people start their visit in Kyoto - its closer to some of the more famous sights than Tokyo - and then move to Tokyo for the remainder of their holiday. Its also smaller and little less hectic, so helps you get used to the country.


Some tips:

The Japan Rail Pass is usually well worth it, though if you do the research and plan very carefully, it is possible to live without it. However, the sheer convenience and also the fact you rarely have to worry about catching a train with it makes it very valuable.

You have to order and exchange voucher in the UK which you swap for the pass at major Japanese stations. You can do it at the airport, but everyone else will also attempt it, the queues can be long, and the process always seems probably longer than it actually is. Unless you're on a real budget or have an immediate trip to make, I personally would swallow the cost of the trip to Tokyo and then exchange the pass at one of the stations, the queues are usually shorter.

The pass can look a little careworn after repeated use, so you might want to stop by a stationary store and pick up a transparent plastic cover - look for "Loft" (store name) sections in department stores. Using the pass means using manned windows at most stations, you may have to queue a little as these are also usually enquiry desks.

If you have to wait to check in, many Japanese stations have coin lockers to store luggage, though the larger lockers tend to be pretty popular and make sure you remember where the locker is - Keisei Ueno station is not Ueno station, for example...!

Japanese language skills definitely help (and if you have any Japanese contacts at all, now is the time to make use of them!) but its perfectly possible to survive not speaking a word. Print out itineraries to show to station staff as many Japanese learn to read English at school, though don't rely on this always working.

If you happen to board a Tokyo local train going the wrong way, don't panic, get off at the next stop and wait for the next one heading back.

Jetlag will probably get you up early; to make use of the time explore your local area - you've never been lost until you've been lost in Tokyo - walk round the nearest station to get a feel for how things work and the layout and consider taking a short trip on the Yamanote line in Tokyo (or even the whole round, which takes about an hour) to get a feel for it, adjust your ears to Japanese announcements, and to start getting used to being an object of interest...

Large Japanese stations are, well, large - allow time to find your way round, get used to going up and down stairs and escalators, learn to follow signs and the colour coding for lines, and the fact that booking clerks don't always give you a lot of time to get from the ticket office to the platform.

Shinkansen are awesome but one thing that often catches visitors out is that they don't have a lot of luggage space; theres usually a gap at the end of each coach between seats where you can get away with storing a case but be prepared to have to lift your case onto the overhead racks. This is also a good reason to pack lightly (and you can always buy an additional bag for the return trip). I'm told that there is a very efficient luggage forwarding service available, though I've never used it, and some stations have left luggage facilities.

Note that large sections of shinkansen routes can be through tunnels. You'll still see a fair bit, though.

Some useful resources:

http://www.hyperdia.com/en/

Japanese train times - very, very useful!

MetrO:

http://metro.kinevia.com/

Smartphone app, I'd still be stuck going round Osaka if it wasn't for this!

gazthomas, if you'd like to PM me, I have a rough guide I wrote for a couple of friends who were interested in going with a lot more tips for getting by in Japan. Its too long to post here, so I can e-mail it to you if you want.
 
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theironroad

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Wish I'd seen some of these very informative posts before I went earlier this year.

Very efficient system, my only hiccup was on the last day of my 7 day jr pass when I returned from nagoya to Tokyo on a Saturday evening, went to have a bite to eat in the Tokyo station labyrinth only for Tokyo to receive an (and my first ) earthquake. This lead to all lines being stopped for inspection, which as I was waiting for the yam line was a little inconvenient, though as I was waiting for the aftershocks, wasn't really bothered. An hour or so later I hit the metro and continued, no drama.

Very timely post as tomorrow is the 70th anniversary of the dropping of the a- bomb on Hiroshima. Yes, the tram system is very handy and though i didnt see it, there is a tram still running today that survived the a bomb. I visited both Hiroshima and Nagasaki this year and well worth the visit. The line from Hiroshima to Nagasaki (change ?) hugs the coast for a lot of the route (left hand seat!) and was great. If on a green pass, there is a glass divide ( sometimes electronically opaque) between the front coach and drivers cab, so you get to see the 'saluting'/commentary driving style. Also the line from Kobe to kinosaki was lovely. Yes, the line through Tokyo docklands was fun, think dlr and get a front seat.

I was only in Japan 12 days, but loved it.

Just read a bit further another post, you can def get by without Japanese language, but English is not as widely spoken as you may think for a first world country. Lockers at stations, absolute godsend, but even within same station there are loads of different clumps of lockers, some Tokyo stations are massive underground cities in their own right. Yes, I found some queues can be long, but with a valid jr pass you may be able to skip the main ticket office and find a smaller jr office behind the barrier gate. Iirc, st standard jr pass doesn't need compulsory seat reservation, but green car pass does. Also, the bowing and doffing of hats from on train staff is a fascinating, albeit small insight into the respect culture of the Japanese.

If you get a local sim card or do screen prints from your smart phone , there are some apps which plan rail journeys which can be handy for making seat reservations.
 
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plcd1

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In early September I plan to go to Japan for a couple of weeks, arriving and leaving from Tokyo.

I know in Japan there are so many options for rail travel, so to help me prioritise can you share your favourite journey's and destinations?

Thanks in advance

Gary

I'm lucky enough to have been to Tokyo twice but have not travelled beyond that. I would strongly suggest that you prepare yourself for a massive culture shock as the country is unlike anywhere else I've visited. You will also find yourself, as a European, in a tiny minority in terms of physical appearance. I'm not being nasty in saying that just highlighting a likely switch in your own perception of things.

Also be prepared for the most confusing address system in the world - there isn't a uniform way of describing where a building is and even the Japanese get confused! Well worth investing in a good quality map - Stanfords sell them.

If you fly into Narita airport (terminal 1) there is a railway office near the entrance to the rail station. I sorted out my NEX (Narita Express) tickets there plus a Suica smartcard - a bit like Oyster in London as it works as PAYG. It covers a vast range of rail operators and the two subway companies in Tokyo. If you have a Japan Rail Pass then you need to get that validated (well I did on my first trip - process might have changed). JR East have an excellent English language website so that can help inform you before you reach Japan. The Suica smartcard also works in other parts of Japan as the Japanese have got inter-operability sorted out. That may well help if you need to reach hotels etc in other cities.

With NEX tickets you do need to reserve a seat both ways. The outward will be done when you buy your ticket. When you come to book the return then you insert the ticket into the reservation machine and then you can select your preferred train. UK logic usually means you press a screen or buttons but Japanese logic typically involves inserting a ticket or a card first. :)

The rail system in metropolitan areas does have english language signage which is a great help in getting around. I had few issues on my second visit but I confess I found Tokyo somewhat bewildering first time but that was my loss.

The rail system is generally very very reliable and you don't dash for urban trains or the subway because there will be another one due at the time stated. The extent of interworking from commuter lines to and from the subway system in Tokyo is also a major surprise compared to UK practice. I would really avoid the rush hour - I've only experienced the fringes of it and that was bad enough. You aren't appreciated if you're lugging luggage on to crush loaded commuter trains. ;)

There is a great deal to see and enjoy in Tokyo. I also enjoyed Yokohama which is not too far away.

If you specifically interested in Japanese rail lines then this blog gives lots of interesting detail on rolling stock and lines worth visiting for their scenic qualities or sights to visit. I know someone who contacted the blog owner who met them during their visit to Tokyo. The owner has worked in the UK before and is keen to keep up his english skills so may not be averse to a meet up if you drop him a line via E Mail.

There are also some excellent railway book shops in Tokyo but the books are all in Japanese. The quality of the publications is amazing because there is quite a "rail fan" community in Japan.

http://www.timeout.jp/en/tokyo/feature/824/Train-buff-shopping-finds

I also visited the tokyo subway museum which was interesting and has an amazing model subway layout with multiple depths of track running through Tokyo. There are special sessions when a controller takes the helm of the layout and runs an enormous number of trains on the layout. Some also have mini cameras on the front to give a tunnel eye view.

In terms of any future visit I would certainly like to see more of Tokyo but also would add Kyoto and Osaka to the visit. Kyoto is a must see in terms of historic significance and Buddist temples and Shinto shrines.

I love the country and I found the Japanese people to be very polite and helpful even with the language barrier. Learning some basic Japanese words and making the effort to use them is really appreciated by the Japanese. To familiarise yourself with all things Japanese then NHK Television broadcast in English on a SKy HD channel or over the web. You may well find some short "learn Japanese" language programmes in the schedule which may help in learning some basics. I've never been able to understand the Kanji in the written language so be prepared to be clueless as to what particular shops or buildings are.

Oh and have a great trip - I'm only a mild shade of green with envy. :D
 
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stut

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FWIW, if you're not on a railpass from day 1, the Keisei Skyliner is now a fair bit quicker and cheaper than the N'EX, although it doesn't have the same coverage (only Nippori and Ueno).
 
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In early September I plan to go to Japan for a couple of weeks, arriving and leaving from Tokyo.

I know in Japan there are so many options for rail travel, so to help me prioritise can you share your favourite journey's and destinations?

Thanks in advance

Gary

Been to Japan three times. That's why they call me "shinkansen".

A trip on the shinkansen will be a highlight. On a clear day, you'll see Mount Fuji while taking the Tokaido shinkansen from Tokyo to Osaka.

Other personal favourites include Aomri through the Seikan tunnel to Hokkaido and a train along the west coast Sea of Japan route Tottori to Matsue.

You can see my YouTube Japanse travel video here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zVwzBNxZNYo (part 1/2)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_7u7P5IEtNA (part 2/2)

Complete with commentary and a "live report" from the shinkansen train.

Or Google "YouTube shinkansen1966".

Have a great trip to Japan.
 

anme

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Interesting thread. I have been lucky enough to visit Japan on several occasions and I echo all the positive things above. Of the negative points - I never experienced culture shock in Japan, more like culture fascination. :) And despite frequently travelling in the Tokyo rush hour, I've never seen the "pushers" with the white gloves. I have been told by Japanese friends that they only appear when there are serious problems.

Have a great trip!
 

gazthomas

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Thanks again everyone for taking time and care for such good advice, I'm gettIng excited!
 

Three-Nine

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Edit: somehow, what was supposed to an additional post has got added to this one...

Theres no doubt that Yamanote line trains can get very busy at times, but as I said, I've been to Japan several times, often spending at least a few days in Tokyo each time and have never seen the "pushers" in action (I've never been in the height of summer though - I'd melt! - and also bear in mind a couple of those videos doing the rounds are rather old).

You can expect to be rather squashed occasionally, and a bit of barging about also sometimes occurs, but equally depending on the time of travel and where you're travelling between, you can sometimes find yourself almost with a carriage to yourself. It is customary, even if you manage to nab one, to offer a seat to an older person, person with mobility issues, or parents with young children - a gesture and quick "Dozu!" ("Please!") usually indicates that you're one of those nice foreigners. :)

Tokyo also has an extensive subway system - entrances are marked "M" - which the Japan Rail Pass does not cover, but sometimes a subway station may be closer than a Yamanote line station.

I also forgot to mention that if you do have to buy a ticket for short distance travel in Tokyo (for example, on the subway) and you don't know the fare, you can buy the cheapest fare and then before you exit at your destination pay the difference at a "Fare Adjustment Machine" or manned window.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Some general hints and tips, not really railway related:

1) A good map of Tokyo helps, though you youngsters today don't know how lucky you are what with your moving Google maps and interwhizzatoobs... :) (there are companies from whom you can hire Japanese network compatible SIM cards or even Japanese phone models, either before your trip or to pick up when you arrive). Some hotels will have English language tourist maps and rail maps.

2) Tokyo geography is very fractal - the closer you get, the more complicated it appears. Its not unusual for smaller businesses to be on upper floors or below street level, or tucked away in the unlikeliest corners. Get directions if you can if you need to find somewhere specific. If a business states that it is "five minutes walk away... " the bit left unspoken is normally "...if you're Usain Bolt". Mentally double walking estimates.

Your guide might refer to "Marui department stores". You will then spend the entire trip looking for one, only ever seeing stores marked "OIOI". These are the Marui stores; the "OIOI" is a bit of a language play-on-words. Note that there are different kinds of Marui store catering to different markets, this is helpful for navigating Shinjuku.

3) "Pub" does not always mean what it does in English - it can sometimes refer to a "Hostess Club". If you don't know what one of those is, ask your parents. :)

4) Be prepared to do quite a bit of walking. Leaving aside the general size of larger stations, many Ancient Wonders of the Orient were built in the days before accessibility standards. Particularly at shrines and temples, expect lots of steps.

5) Public toilets can be a little thin on the ground. One advantage of the Japan Rail Pass is that you can always nip into a larger station. Department stores are another good bet. Toilets come in three different flavours: Western style, traditional squat style and Toilet Borg 3000. For an exciting potty time adventure, make sure to try all the buttons on a Toilet Borg 3000!

6) Anything you buy in Japan will be wrapped up to within an inch of its life, and then have a little ribbon tied round it. This is wonderful, but also can be a bit of a pain as it soon builds up in your hotel room. Take unwanted packaging to the nearest convenience store, which usually has recycling bins outside (and if you can't find a Lawson convenience store within 24 hours of your arrival, check that you're in the right country). Also consider mailing items back. When your pockets start filling with useless 1 yen coins, drop them either at convenience store charity boxes or shrine donation boxes.

7) Many Japanese businesses keep slightly odd hours by Western standards, as do banks. Many also close on a specific day of the week (as do some tourist sites, check!), but open on Sundays. Changing travellers cheques can often take a little while. If you have a debit/credit card, you should be able to draw cash from Japanese Post Office cash machines, which are usually easier to find and much more likely to accept foreign cards.

The best time to get something done shopping-wise is usually between 10:00 - 12:00, before the crowds start and just after opening for many shops. If you want to see certain famous Tokyo areas at their "My god, its full of people!" best, though, Akihabara and Shibuya on a Sunday afternoon are good bets - just don't expect to get much done!

8) Even Japan Rail screw up from time to time. The most likely cause of a delay is what is locally referred to as a "Human Incident" (suicide) or minor earthquake. There have been a couple of recent incidents of the "It never happens in other countries/this wouldn't have happened under B.R.!/Wrong kind of overhead wire" kind involving Shinkansen; I've even seen a message giving the delay reason as "A bear on the tracks"!. In general though, train reliability is unlikely to be a concern.

9) Japanese pop culture has somewhat different standards as to what is considered acceptable, which can sometimes surprise visitors. Take Tanuki - these are Japanese raccoon spirits, are hugely popular mascots for businesses, and statues of them are everywhere. Sooner or later, though, you will notice that some Tanuki have... certain attributes that are not always hidden. :)

10) The tissue thing. You'll find out. :)
 
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anme

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Lots of good advice - a little more from me. :)

2) Tokyo geography is very fractal - the closer you get, the more complicated it appears. Its not unusual for smaller businesses to be on upper floors or below street level, or tucked away in the unlikeliest corners.

Japanese cities (and elsewhere in Asia) are much more three dimensional than Western cities. Probably 50%+ of bars and restaurants in Tokyo are on upper floors. Indeed you can find some surprising and amazing places in quite unexpected corners.

If you have a debit/credit card, you should be able to draw cash from Japanese Post Office cash machines, which are usually easier to find and much more likely to accept foreign cards.

My personal tip is to use the cash machines in Seven-Eleven convenience stores. I believe (but am willing to be corrected) that these always take foreign cards. You will *not* have a problem finding a Seven-Eleven.
 

Class45

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All good info from three-nine and Anme, here's a few additional bits that might be of interest.

Lawson convenience stores are everywhere, and if there isn't there will be a Family Mart or 7-11.

If you go to Akihabara in Tokyo make sure you visit Yodobashi Camera, it's nine floors of electronic gadgets and there's a model railway department and aisles full of model robots on the top floor. The whole place is manic and if you're going to experience culture shock anywhere in Japan it will be here.

At railway stations there are markings on the platforms which show where each carriage and the doors will be when the train stops. You'll notice that everyone queues up behind these markings and it's very bad form not to do the same. Where more than one type of train stops at a platform there are different colour markings and it can get quite complicated.

There aren't any buffet cars on Japanese trains ( there may be a trolley service ) but there will be plenty of food to buy at the station. There is a thing called an 'Ekiben' which translates as 'station lunch box'. These will be elaborately presented and can vary in size from a small meal to a large feast. You may not recognize what any of the food is but it's worth trying one because it really is part of the experience of a long distance train journey in Japan.

If you haven't already, you need to learn to use chopsticks before you go.

Have a great time and let us know how you got on.
 
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upnorth71

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Everyone has given advice about the practical tourist travel bits, but let me chime in from the pure rail enthusiast perspective. Perhaps one of the best introductions to modern Japanese railway operations is to take a JR West shin kaisoku (special rapid service) train between Himeji and Maibara in the Osaka/Kyoto region. The trains used in these services have huge front windows that allow you to see out the front. Much of the line is quad track and you can see a variety of trains oncoming and parallel- locals, rapids, limited expresses, and container freights. Both the beginning and end points of your journey are reached by shinkansen, with the added bonus that both stations see many high speed trains pass through at or near maximum speed, with Himeji in particular famous for 300km/h running through the station tracks.
 

gazthomas

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Thanks again everyone for your advice. I'm now booked to leave London on 31 August and will take Dubai in on my way out. I have bought a 7 day Green Rail Pass (as I have long legs) and will work on my itinerary over the next few days. Can't wait!
 

stut

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Yes indeed! Do remember that all green car accommodation (with the exception of the few commuter routes that have it) needs to be prebooked - the unreserved carriages are standard car only. This includes the Narita Express.
 

gazthomas

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Thanks again so much for your feedback. Well my itinerary is currently - 4 nights Tokyo so I'll be able to sample the Metro and local railways and a trip towards Mt Fuji, then 2 nights Kyoto, on to Himeji, Okayama and Hiroshima then on the JR ferry to Miyajima then back towards Tokyo via Osaka and Kamkura. I know this is a bit touristy but I think it will give me a good flavour of the country and I will have plenty of trains!
 

stut

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Well, I'm back from my recent trip, and can confirm that the Hokuriku Shinkansen is not only a fantastic journey (the green car seats are outstanding too), but that JR are promoting the route incessantly.

The Takayama line (from Takayama to Nagoya) was rather lovely too, in a little wide-windowed DMU.

Pottering around Kyoto was great - and I love the little Randen tram service - pottering through people's back yards for 15 minutes (and a great route from Arashiyama to Kinkaku-ji). We were also lucky enough to get an N700 for our Hikari service back to Tokyo.

gazthomas, your trip sounds excellent. Miyajima was one of my highlights of Japan and a great place to end up. Do you have specific plans for Okayama? There's not a massive amount there (the reconstructed castle is nice enough, as are the trams) but quite a lot around.

If you're going round the private railways of Tokyo, you can easily get a Pasmo card on arrival at Narita (which you can only top up with cash) - saves you a lot of hassle, unless you're covered by some kind of city pass. It's then usable throughout the rest of the country where they use IC cards - you can get the balance and deposit back at the Keisei Line barriers at Narita again.

FWIW, you can also do Nikko and Hakone (for Fuji) as day trips from Tokyo quite easily - either by private railway directly, or changing off the slow Shinkansen services at Utsonomiya and Odawara respectively if you have an active JR Pass. Every station has lockers, so it's dead easy to store luggage - when we went to Hakone, we changed at Odawara, left our luggage there, did the Odakyu railway/cablecar/boat/bus circuit, and carried on from there to Kyoto.
 

gazthomas

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Hi guys,

This is only a quick update, I will try and do a proper "travelogue" when I have more time.

Well I'm back from Dubai and Japan. While in Dubai I "cleared" the whole Dubai Metro and also the tram line. Yes, Dubai really is that interesting! The metro is very impressive though, super cheap and fully automated.

So in Japan, before my 7-day Japan Rail Pass started I took the private Odakyu line from Shinjuku down to Kamakura. Not the most interesting of lines, but as I was staying in Shinjuku it made sense. I then took the light-rail style tram-way to Kamakura which I would thoroughly recommend. Odakyu have some funky stock - various "Romance Cars" some of which look very 1960's in style!

Day 1 of the pass was straight forward - on an N700A from Tokyo to Kyoto. They're very impressive units that's for sure though the loadings were very light even in standard class (I was in an empty Green Car). Kyoto is nice, but the attractions are spread out so hire a bike. Sadly the railway museum was closed for re-development.

Day 2 was a day for touring Kyoto but I did take a local service up to Saga-Arishyma. Only a short trip from Kyoto but a lovely town on the river.

Day 3 was a major bash from Kyoto to Nagasaki, changing from an N700A at Hakata (Fukuoka) to a Nagasaki bound narrow gauge Hitachi A-train based 885 units which look pretty much like a class 395 but due to the gauge and almost open level crossings potter at a maximum of 80 mph. I was in the Green Car as usual and it's great to be able to watch the driver and see out the front.

Day 4 back from Nagasaki (very nice town) to Hiroshima for a ferry to Miyajima. Lovely island, very lush. Slick ferry service every 10 minutes. I hadn't booked a hotel but got one. When asked if I wanted Japanese or Western breakfast I asked for the latter. What I got was a Japanese breakfast at a Western (sit upright rather than on the floor) table! Very cool!

Day 5. Miyajima to Hiroshima via the ferry. As with Nagasaki the nuclear bomb memorials and museums are very moving. Hiroshima has very impressive trams (street cars). I then took the obligatory N700 to Himeji for a look at the castle then another to Odawara (aka Japanese Bethlehem as it was so expensive last minute, but then a Typhoon was approaching).

Day 6. I had planned to tour around Hakone for the next two days but due to the storm the various transport options such as the switchback mountain railway, funicular and pirate ship on the lake were cancelled. So I decided to Shinkansen from Odawara to Nagano (home of the 1998 Winter Olympics) instead. I am glad I did, lovely old town and my favourite of many shrines and temples on my visit. At 9,000 feet up it was above the storm so I had a well deserved ice cream. Then back to my gold plated hotel in Odawara

Day 7. I managed to visit Hakone as there was a pause in the storm, I was able to do the impressive mountain railway which reverses 3-times on its travels and the funicular railway (they call it a cable car there) but the actual cable car was shut due to volcanic activity. There is a very impressive bus network (which I could use as part of the 2-day Hakone Freepass I had bought) which I used to take me to the lake for my trip on a Pirate Ship. Silly but cool. Then a bus back to Odawara. Still raining and I have 10 hours before my flight from Tokyo. Easy, I took a Hayabusa service up to Sendai. They use E5 units with 15 metre long noses - very cool to look at. Sendai was bleak in the rain so I returned to Tokyo and here I am back in the UK.

Observations - Japanese are very friendly. The railway service is slick but time keeping in my experience wasn't as good as the legends tell. I had more than one service that was 5 minutes late and that was on a sunny day. I noticed various failures on other lines due to incidents - train breakdowns as an example. The JR West Service was better than other lines - I got a wet wipe on these services. No free anything in Greencar, unlike our first class services in the UK. Love the reservation system - seconds before the service is due you can book a seat. It was mandatory for my Greencar ticket which did get a little irksome at times though. JR West services between Tokyo, Osaka and beyond were very lightly loaded. Too expensive or too frequent possibly? Finally Japanese food is great if you know what you're asking for! Oh and there has never been a better time to go as the Yen is pretty weak against the Pound. I was staying in nice hotels for £35-£40 a night and I was eating well for £10-£20 a day.

In my enthusiasm I've half done my review!
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PS - I flew to Tokyo with Emirates. A little longer as via Dubai, but I went business class and it was quite good value. The A380-800 I had from Gatwick to Dubai was awesome, the bar at the back is excellent and I would love to see that adopted on British trains. At every stop I had a "free" limousine service which was great as I'd never been to Dubai or Japan before.
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PS - Shinjuku station is absolutely amazing and disorientating at the same time - 51 platforms though I found the place to exchange my rail voucher for the pass without issue. You really need to know the names of the lines in Japan otherwise you can end up somewhere else or on a private line and fined!
 

Three-Nine

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Joined
5 Aug 2015
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Hi, glad to hear you had a great time! Bit of a pity about the weather, but at least you weren't caught up in the terrible flooding they've had north of Tokyo.
 
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