[Transport]

Last updated on Jun. 10, 2007

Rush(crowded) Season

All transports and roads are terrible crowded in these seasons in Japan. Please take care.

season	term	note
around 1st Jan.	about 1week	Peak of winter vacation. We call it "Shougatsu".
from 29th Apr. to 5th May	about 1week	There are many national holidays. We call it "Golden Week".
around 13th to 15th Aug.	about 1week	Peak of summer vacation. We call it "Obon".

Train

Trains cover almost all over Japan. If you use them, your touring becomes more enjoyable. But there are some attentions to use them.

Train map of Japan (Red lines are JR[Japan Railway] Group lines)

JAPAN RAIL PASS

JAPAN RAIL PASS is a traveler's best friend. With the PASS you can freely board almost any train on JR Group lines throughout the country.
www.japanrailpass.net

If you want to ride in train with your bike, the charge for your bike is free. But you must pack your bike in carrying bag (Click photos!).

Don't forget wire lock to tie your bike with train on a deck. (Somewhere to tie, maybe you can find)

Signs in a station

Don't worry about signs in a station (station name, line map, direction of exit, etc.). They have note in alphabet in many stations. Especially, sign of station name is big and easy to find from train and have note in alphabet in all stations.
Recently note in Korean is increasing. (Click photos!)

about "Ekiben" (a station (box) lunch)

Most of long distance train in Japan don't have a dining car(buffet). But you can enjoy "Ekiben", a station (box) lunch, at your seat in a long distance train.
(Here is an article of Ekiben in Wikipedia)

There are variaty of box lunch in all around Japan. You can enjoy special agricultural products and sea foods in the region, reratively low price (They cost about from 900yen to 1500yen). You can buy them at big station and cart in a train. (Many super express train have a cart shop.)

Ship

Japan is island country, and has many islands. Use a Ferry and a Boat!

Car Ferry

In a car ferry, you don't have to pack your bike like in a train. The charge for your bike is about from 1000yen to 1500yen (depend on ferry).

You get in a ferry riding on your bike. And leave it on a car deck. (Click photos!)

Passenger Boat

You must pack your bike like in a train, in a passenger only(no car) boat. The charge for your bike is free.

World-Wide Shipping Plaza	World-Wide Shipping Plaza Links of Major Shipping Companies, Major Shipbuilders, Major Marine Equipment Makers and Classification Societies in the World, and Ship Related Organizations, Universities and Etc. in Japan. www.try-net.or.jp/~m-kaneda/wwsp/
	Boat Travel Information [site in Japanese] Many informations about Japan domestic and international boat and ferry. www.fune.co.jp

Air Plane

You can fly with your bike of course, because maybe you come to Japan with your bike by air plane.

In the case of domestic air line, you must pack your bike like in a train and you may sign an agreement that you never claim if your bike is broken. But it was 6 years ago that I signed, so recently I don't know the agreement system still exists.