Type and hit ENTER
  • HOME
  • CATEGORY
    • Japanese Apartment Life
    • Moving Tips
    • Interior Design
    • Local Area Guides
  • COMPANY
  • PRIVACY POLICY
GET CONNECTED
Facebook
Instagram
  • HOME
  • Japanese Apartment Life
  • Moving Tips
  • Interior Design
  • Local Area Guides
  • Village House

ENG

  • 日本語
  • ENG
  • PT
  • VI
Local Area Guides

Making Travel Easier

2020-03-16

Japan is well known for its excellent public transport systems as well as their ability to run almost exactly on time. They tend to try to keep to the exact schedule as much as possible and will even go so far as to send out apology texts when things run later than usual. That being said there are a few ways that you can make all of your travel a bit easier and even more convenient. Here are a few things you can do to help you get around the cities and the rest of the country.

1 6

Timing is Everything

You can generally find out the train and bus timing for most places by checking your phone apps or looking on the internet. You can get a basic feel for the timing of the trains and buses in most areas. The trains will generally run every seven minutes, with the express trains being a few minutes more apart. Knowing this you should leave early enough to make time for your departure and never count on a train to be late as they generally run precisely on time.

768x300 EN

Buses, on the other hand, have the same kind of schedule set up but can’t be as exact. There is always traffic, the number of stops in between, and how many people are waiting at bus stops or getting off the bus. They can be extremely late or right with the minute hand on the clock, but most of the time they will be an inconsistent form of transportation. Always try to be early to any transportation as you can never predict accidents or small slowdowns from passengers.

2 6

Suica/Pasmo

Many videos on the web show people tapping cards or their wallets at the ticket gates, and you would think it is all using their smartphones but it is mostly IC cards you can get at all train stations. They are called Suica and Pasmo cards, and you can purchase one at any ticket machine that has the card labels on them. These cards or extremely useful and can help speed up your ability to ride public transportation. You can charge money on the card to any amount of cash that you have on you. You can charge in amounts from one to ten thousand yen and it takes little to no time. You can use the card on any kind of public transport and all it takes is a simple tap of the card onto the sensor. You will always have your remaining balance displayed so you can keep track of your funds. You can use these cards at convenience stores, kiosks, some restaurants, and other stores that participate in Suica and Pasmo. It saves all the time and trouble of buying tickets each time you ride a train or counting your cash when riding a bus. If you’re visiting it would be best to get one and load it with 20,000 yen for all of your travel and small convenience store purchases.

3 6

Rail Pass

The rail pass is a great option for anyone who is traveling to Japan for vacation and looking to make their travel during a visit as easy as possible. You have to apply before going to Japan and you have to have a tourist visa. Unfortunately, this one doesn’t really apply to residents. Once you have them you will have unlimited use of the trains in any city in Japan. You can use is for a certain amount of time and it allows you to move around with little to no hassle. It will cost a little bit more up front but it saves you from constantly having to check how much you need for basic travel.

768x300 EN

There are shinkansen rail passes as well, so if you plan to go to other parts of the country using the bullet trains for no extra charge. Shinkansen can be very expensive, so this is a real lifesaver for elongated travel in Japan. You can use it in the same way at the shinkansen ticket terminals and you can get your tickets with no problems.

4 4

Bus Travel

If you want to have easy and inexpensive travel over long distances you can use the highway bus system. The highway buses run at all times of the day, and there are even night buses for longer travel. You can travel to different cities for as low as three thousand yen. The Schedules are easy to understand and almost all of them have an English version for foreigners to read. The people at the information desks are very helpful if you have trouble understanding anything so never be afraid to ask for help from them.

It can be a little scary trying to use the means of transportation in a foreign country, and it can be compounded by the fact that you can’t fully use the native language. Thankfully there are smartphones and the inclusion of English at almost all of the locations in Japan that you will be using to get around. Using the Pasmo or Suica will be the easiest thing to do, and they are accepted nationwide at many of the stores that you will be using so it’s best to try and get one of them. Just take it easy and enjoy the scenery you will be experiencing while taking the main modes of transportation.

2020-03-16
Email
PREVIOUS POST
Living in the Countryside vs the City
NEXT POST
Buying and Maintaining Your Bicycle

RANKING
  • Picture2 3
    The 10 Safest Cities to Live in Japan
    2019-11-06

    Japan is an amazing place, and with 772 cities in the countr…

  • 1
    The Most Expensive Cities to Live in Japan
    2019-11-06

    Japan can be a very cheap place to live, it can also be a ve…

  • tokyo fuji 1
    Top 5 cities to live in Japan
    2021-06-01

    Wondering what is the best city to live in Japan? Here is ou…

  • 1 15
    Growing Cities in Japan
    2019-11-06

    #1 Tokyo With the global spotlight due to be shone over t…

  • 1 18
    How to Navigate Trains in Japan
    2019-11-06

    One of the most used, and famous, modes of transportation in…

SEARCH
CATEGORY
  • Japanese Apartment Life

    Japanese Apartment Life

  • Moving Tips

    Moving Tips

  • Interior Design

    Interior Design

  • Local Area Guides

    Local Area Guides

INSTAGRAM

villagehousejp

🇬🇧EN 🇧🇷PT Below ⬇️ 市貝町芝ざ 🇬🇧EN 🇧🇷PT Below ⬇️
市貝町芝ざくら公園では、春になると芝桜が咲き、辺り一帯がピンクに染まります!栃木へ行く際は、ぜひ訪れてみて下さいね!

🇬🇧 Beautiful lush pink fields of Shibazakura here in Ichigaimachi Shibazakura Park! Be sure to visit when in Tochigi!

🇧🇷 Belos e exuberantes campos cor-de-rosa de Shibazakura aqui no Parque Ichigaimachi Shibazakura! Não deixe de visitar quando estiver em Tochigi!

📸 @d850_user
🇬🇧EN 🇧🇷PT Below ⬇️ こちらの物 🇬🇧EN 🇧🇷PT Below ⬇️
こちらの物件もぜひご覧ください!
ビレッジハウス白野江 - 福岡県北九州市門司区
✨ フルリノベーションされたお部屋! 🚗 敷地内に駐車場有!🐶 ペット可!👉詳しくはプロフィールのリンクから!

🇬🇧 Check out this property!
Village House Shiranoe - Kitakyushu-shi Moji-ku, Fukuoka Prefecture
✨ Newly renovated! 🚗 Onsite parking available! 🐶 Pet-friendly! 👉 Tap the link in our profile to learn more!

🇧🇷 Confira este imóvel!
Village House Shiranoe - Kitakyushu-shi Moji-ku, em Fukuoka-ken
✨ Recentemente reformado! 🚗 Estacionamento no local disponível! 🐶 Animais de estimação permitidos! 👉 Clique no link em nosso perfil para saber mais!
🇬🇧EN 🇧🇷PT Below ⬇️ 今日は、「 🇬🇧EN 🇧🇷PT Below ⬇️
今日は、「世界お茶の日」ですね!🍵知っていますか?静岡は、お茶の生産量が日本一なんですよ。ビレッジハウスは、静岡にもたくさんの住まいをご用意しています。美味しいお茶を頂きながら、部屋でゆったり寛いでみませんか!👉詳しくはプロフィールのリンクから!

🇬🇧 Happy Tea Day! 🍵  Did you know Shizuoka is Japan's largest producer of green tea? Be sure to take a sip of tea and relax in one of our many Village House apartments in Shizuoka! 👉 Tap the link in our profile to learn more!

🇧🇷 Feliz dia do chá! 🍵 Você sabia que Shizuoka é a maior produtora de chá verde do Japão? Não perca a chance de aproveitar uma xícara de chá e relaxar e um dos diversos apartamentos da Vilage House em Shizuoka! 👉 Clique no link em nosso perfil para saber mais!
🇬🇧EN 🇧🇷PT Below ⬇️ 愛知県の天 🇬🇧EN 🇧🇷PT Below ⬇️
愛知県の天王川公園では春になると、水路沿いの藤棚に見事な藤が咲き誇ります。ぜひ訪れてみて下さいね。

🇬🇧 Tennogawa Park is a must-see season gem in Aichi, with its stunning wisteria trees surrounding the Tenno River.

🇧🇷 O Parque Tennogawa é uma vista sazonal imperdível em Aichi-ken, com suas árvores de glicínias estonteantes cercando o Rio Tenno.

📸 @a_yumi0425
🇬🇧EN 🇧🇷PT Below ⬇️ あなたが好 🇬🇧EN 🇧🇷PT Below ⬇️
あなたが好きな春のおやつは何ですか?🌸

🇬🇧 What is your favorite spring dessert? 🌸

🇧🇷 Qual a sua sobremesa de primavera preferida? 🌸

📸 @hafufamily5 and @ookuramochi
🇬🇧EN 🇧🇷PT Below ⬇️ こちらの物 🇬🇧EN 🇧🇷PT Below ⬇️
こちらの物件もぜひご覧ください!
ビレッジハウス生守第二 - 福井県小浜市
✨ フルリノベーションされたお部屋! 🚗 敷地内に駐車場有!🚃 小浜駅まで徒歩20分!👉詳しくはプロフィールのリンクから!

🇬🇧 Check out this property!
Village House Igomori Dai 2 - Obama-shi, Fukui Prefecture
✨ Newly renovated! 🚗 Onsite parking available! 🚃 20-minute walk to Obama Station! 👉 Tap the link in our profile to learn more!

🇧🇷 Confira este imóvel!
Village House Igomori Dai 2 - Obama-shi, em Fukui-ken
✨ Recentemente reformado! 🚗 Estacionamento no local disponível! 🚃 A 20 minutos de caminhada da estação de Obama! 👉 Clique no link em nosso perfil para saber mais!
🇬🇧EN 🇧🇷PT Below ⬇️ ビレッジハ 🇬🇧EN 🇧🇷PT Below ⬇️
ビレッジハウス和気の近くにある「藤公園」には、春になると100種類ほどの藤が咲き誇ります。岡山へ行く際は、ぜひ訪れてみて下さいね!👉詳しくはプロフィールのリンクから!

🇬🇧 Located near Village House Wake, Wakemachi Fuji Park is home to numerous varieties of beautiful wisteria flowers. Be sure to visit the park if you're in Okayama! 👉 Tap the link in our profile to learn more!

🇧🇷 Localizado perto da Village House Wake, o Wakemachi Fuji Park é o lar de inúmeras e belas variedades de glicínias. Não deixe de visitar o parque caso você esteja em Okayama! 👉 Clique no link em nosso perfil para saber mais! 

📸 k_makiyama114
🇬🇧EN 🇧🇷PT Below ⬇️ 河内藤園の 🇬🇧EN 🇧🇷PT Below ⬇️
河内藤園の藤のトンネルをくぐると、まるで異世界にいるような幻想的な景色が広がります✨

🇬🇧 The wisteria tunnel at Kawachi Wisteria Gardens is like a mystical gateway to another world✨ 

🇧🇷 O túnel de glicínias no Jardim das Glicínias de Kawachi é como um portal místico para outro mundo ✨ 

📸  IG User @cho_bsk85
Follow on Instagram
GET CONNECTED
Facebook
Instagram
  • COMPANY
  • PRIVACY POLICY

©VILLAGE HOUSE. All rights reserved

Making Travel Easier