Month: January 2013

Odakyu’s new English travel website highly recommended

On By jrhorseIn Jose's Japan TipsLeave a comment

If you are interested in making a day trip out of Tokyo to some great destinations, a great method of doing so is by the private Odakyu railway. With trains mostly running out of Shinjuku station, Odakyu trains serve the hot springs of Hakone and the seaside of Enoshima. Some trains also connect to the city of Gotemba, which is home to a large outlet shopping mall, and trains also go out to  a residential and retailing district called “Tama New Town”.

One of the keys to inviting foreigners to utilize the services of Japanese companies – whether it be a hotel, a restaurant, or travel – is to have a good foreign language website. I believe that the Odakyu Railway has done just that with the upgrade of their new multi-language Odakyu web site, which occurred this month. The website for the English version is at www.odakyu.jp/english ; they also have the new website in Korean and two Chinese languages.

Screenshot of the new Odakyu English web site.
Screenshot of the new Odakyu English web site.

The new slogan for the Odakyu Railway is “Odakyu Has A Japan”, and the new website shows this perfectly. Here are some of the great features of the website:

HOW TO PURCHASE A TICKET: The website shows how you can purchase any Odakyu ticket from one of their vending machines. Most Odakyu ticket vending machines have an English option. You can purchase a standard ticket, a ticket for their premium “Romancecar” trains, and even purchase an Odakyu Free Pass for unlimited travel in whatever region you are visiting. My favorite part is the one that shows you how to snare the lucrative window seats – either seats facing towards the front or towards the rear – on the trains where the driver sits in the high cab. These are great seats for a panoramic view of all of the action – and it’s available at no extra charge.

HOW TO NAVIGATE SHINJUKU STATION: Shinjuku Station is recognized by Guinness as the busiest train station in the world, with over 3 million people using it every day. It is also a place where one can easily get lost if not paying attention. Odakyu’s website shows you how to get around Shinjuku Station and how to access the Odakyu Railway from other train lines serving the station.

HOW TO TAKE TRAINS: The new Odakyu website gives a detailed description of each of its train services, from Romance Car to regular commuter trains, Express to Local and everything in between. It also shows you how to travel on these trains and the manners you should follow as well.

ODAKYU RAIL PASSES: This gives you a breakdown of all of the Odakyu Rail Passes that can be purchased, and the areas covered.

SIGHTSEEING GUIDE AND ITINERARIES: A comprehensive review of the major destinations served by the Odakyu Trains, and suggested day trip courses are provided. Interestingly enough, one of the reviews provided is of Shinjuku. A hint: Each of the major destinations served by Odakyu is accompanied by a brief video presentation (linked to YouTube). Maximize your screen and get ready to enjoy sneak peeks at what is in store for you.

With all of the positive enthusiasm of my post, you might think that Odakyu was behind this posting. Trust me, Odakyu has nothing to do with it. I am just amazed at how much information is available on the new website in a way that is very easy to understand. I highly recommend using the website if you are considering future trips to Tokyo, especially since using Odakyu trains tend to be on the cheap side, compared to the Japan Railways which will be more expensive.

One more note on this subject: Once you are in Japan, feel free to visit the Odakyu Sightseeing Service Centers located at the major stations, including Shinjuku. They have staff in English that can answer your questions about travel on Odakyu, sell you rail passes and sell you tickets on the Romancecar trains.

Now that I have sung the praises of Odakyu, here is a breakdown of some of their most popular rail passes.

HAKONE FREE PASS: Most tourists to Japan will probably take advantage of this pass. The Hakone Free Pass is a benefit when visiting the Hakone region, famous for its hot springs and history, not to mention its close proximity to Mount Fuji. The pass is available in 2-day consecutive and 3-day consecutive versions and includes unlimited transportation of Odakyu trains between Odawara and Hakone-Yumoto, most trains, trams, cable cars and buses that serve the area,  and the primary sightseeing ship that crosses Lake Ashi. I might have already written more about the Hakone Round Trip Course somewhere in my blog… AHA! Here it is. If you’d like more information about Hakone, please read that post. The pass also includes discounts at many shops located in the Hakone region – whichever shows the Hakone Free Pass logo on the store front will offer some sort of discount to you.

Jose stands next to the Hakone Tozan train in Gora. Photo by Jose Ramos, June 2004
Jose stands next to the Hakone Tozan train in Gora. Photo by Jose Ramos, June 2004

The Hakone Free Pass for adults starting from Odawara costs 3,900 yen for 2 consecutive days, and 4,400 yen for 3 consecutive days. The pass from Shinjuku station costs 5,000 yen for 2 days and 5,500 yen for 3 days. The difference is that the pass that starts from Shinjuku includes ONE round-trip on the Odakyu Railway’s standard commuter services between Shinjuku and Odawara.

A trip from Shinjuku to Hakone-Yumoto on standard Odakyu trains takes about 2 hours or so, and you will need to change trains at Odawara one way or the other. On the other hand, a trip on the premium Romancecar service is 20-30 minutes faster, not to mention it’s easier and more relaxing with reserved seating, wagon cart or vending machine service on most trains, and if you’re lucky – as I mentioned earlier – a wide view of all of the action from the front of the train.  A trip on the Romancecar is NOT INCLUDED in this pass or ANY Odakyu Rail Pass – you will need to pay the surcharge in addition to the pass. For a trip between Shinjuku and Hakone-Yumoto, the surcharge is 870 yen per person each way.

There is also an option to start your trip from Odawara. When to consider this? Simply put, if you have a Japan Rail Pass… with your Japan Rail Pass you can access Odawara – which is also a Japan Railways station – at no charge before proceeding to Hakone-Yumoto. Here’s a thought – Odawara is also a bullet train stop, so you can use a twice-hourly Kodama service from Tokyo or Shinagawa and reach Odawara in no time… only 27 minutes from Shinagawa, normally costing around 3,400 yen or so on its own, and at no charge if you use a Japan Rail Pass. What’s more, if you wanted to you could travel from Tokyo to Odawara by bullet train, do your trip in Hakone with the Free Pass, then when the day is done return to Odawara and continue right on using the bullet train… in the evenings you can leave Odawara on a Kodama, change trains along the way and be in Kyoto in just three hours!

The entrance to Enoshima island is prefaced with this stone marker. Photo by Jose Ramos, October 2008
The entrance to Enoshima island is prefaced with this stone marker. Photo by Jose Ramos, October 2008

ENOSHIMA ONE-DAY PASSPORT: For those wanting to explore the island of Enoshima and the seaside, this one day pass is an option. Selling for 1,940 yen per adult from Shinjuku station, it includes ONE round-trip from Shinjuku to Fujisawa, unlimited Odakyu train travel on the short line running from Fujisawa to Katase-Enoshima (the station on Enoshima closest to the seashore), and admission to Enoshima island’s main attractions, including the Enoshima ESCAR (a series of three escalators that help you get up the island without having to tire your legs walking up regular steps), the Enoshima lighthouse and observatory, and the Samuel Cocking Garden (named for a British merchant who used the location in the late 1800’s for his tropical plant collection). It also includes discounted admission to Enoshima Aquarium.

The Romancecar charge is 600 yen per adult each way. Note that on Weekdays the Romancecar trips are very limited – for example, there is only ONE morning Romancecar trip to Enoshima, departing towards the end of rush hour. On weekends however, there’s a train every one or two hours. The Romancecar gets you from Shinjuku to Enoshima in 60-70 minutes, while commuter trains take 80-90 minutes.

A short walk inland from the shore brings you to the Enoshima Tramway, or ENODEN. This tramway connects to another important destination of religious significance, Kamakura, home to one of Japan’s largest Buddhist statues and the country’s largest Shinto shrine. The Enoshima One-Day Passport does not include any of these destinations; for this you will need:

ENOSHIMA-KAMAKURA FREE PASS: This one day pass costs 1,430 yen from Shinjuku Station and includes ONE Odakyu round-trip from Shinjuku to Fujisawa (Romancecar extra), unlimited Odakyu train travel on the short line running from Fujisawa to Katase-Enoshima, and the entirety of the ENODEN from Fujisawa to Enoshima and Kamakura. Unlike the Enoshima One Day Passport, this free pass does not include admission to the attractions on Enoshima described above, but you can get a discount on those same attractions.

Using this Free Pass you can get off from the ENODEN at Hase and visit the great Buddha of Kamakura (10 minute walk), where many Buddhist worshipers come to pray. At the end of the line in Kamakura, walk 10 minutes to Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine, the largest Shinto shrine in Japan.

Odakyu offers other travel passes, some exclusively to foreigners, including: the Fuji Hakone Pass which combines a trip to Hakone with a visit to Lake Kawaguchi and the foot of Mount Fuji, the Ito-Kanko pass and Minami-Izu pass for visiting the Izu peninsula, home to one of Japan’s famous hot spring areas, and a pass that includes travel and admission to some of Hakone’s favorite hot spring spas. More details about these passes can be found on the Odakyu website.

Tokyo Yesterday and Today – a NEW One-day sightseeing tour

On By jrhorseIn Jose's Japan TipsLeave a comment

Happy New Year everyone!

Today I am revisiting one of my classic Tokyo day tour itineraries – Classic Tokyo, Modern Tokyo – and giving it a new look for 2013. My first itinerary, Classic Tokyo, Modern Tokyo, is based on the events of my first trip in 2004 and it is still available here on this blog for those who would like to use it.

The new itinerary – Tokyo Yesterday and Today – keeps some of the elements of the original itinerary. In the tour you will visit:

Rikugien Garden
Sensoji Temple
Tokyo Sky Tree
Odaiba

Overview of Rikugien Garden. Photo by Jose Ramos, October 2008.
Overview of Rikugien Garden. Photo by Jose Ramos, October 2008.

RIKUGIEN GARDEN: This was one of my first destinations in my 2008 trip. Rikugien is open every day except during the New Year’s holidays (December 29-January 1) for a fee of 300 yen. It opens at 9 AM, and to make full use of the day I suggest arriving here between 9 and 10. Of course, if you fear the rush hour crowds then you can aim for the later arrival.

You will be impressed by its appearance and landscape, as I was during my visit. An example of old Edo-style Japanese gardens, this location – which has been designated by the Japanese government as “A special place of scenic beauty” – is an excellent way to start your day.

Kaminari-mon gate at Sensoji temple. Photo by Wikipedia user 663highland, released under CC-BY-SA.
Kaminari-mon gate at Sensoji temple. Photo by Wikipedia user 663highland, released under CC-BY-SA.

SENSOJI TEMPLE: Located in Asakusa, Sensoji temple is the oldest buddhist temple in Japan. The recommended method of approaching the temple is via Nakamise-dori, the large shopping arcade lined with various specialty and food shops. The entrance to Nakamise-dori is the large Kaminari-mon gate, marked with a gigantic red lantern. It should be noted that most of the grounds were destroyed in World War II and rebuilt.

If you do not like large crowds, Sensoji should be avoided during Sanja Matsuri, the annual festival held on one of the weekends in May. But if you do like large festivals, then by all means join the 2 million people that visit Sensoji during this time.

TOKYO SKYTREE: Undoubtedly the newest shining star of Tokyo and of all Japan, the Tokyo Skytree is the world’s tallest communications tower and the second tallest structure in the world, stretching at a height of 2,080 feet.

The new Skytree structure just goes to show how much time has passed since my last visit to Japan. It had barely begun construction in October 2008 – by May 2012 it had opened to the public.

There are two levels of observation decks – it costs 2,000 yen to access the main deck and an additional 1,000 yen to reach the upper deck. There is also a 500 yen charge if you want to access the tower at a specific time.

The Skytree highlights a brand new retail complex, which makes an excellent place for a bite to eat, either before or after your trip up the tower.

Fuji Television Building and Aqua City in Odaiba. Photo by Wikipedia user Andrew Green, released under CC-BY-2.0
Fuji Television Building and Aqua City in Odaiba. Photo by Wikipedia user Andrew Green, released under CC-BY-2.0

ODAIBA: Spend the remainder of the day in Odaiba, a series of man made islands that went from the defenses of the Tokugawa Shogunate in the mid 1800’s into the leisure and tourist zone that it is today.

The best approach to Odaiba is via the Rainbow Bridge, completed in 1993. The rail connection over the bridge is the Yurikamome (ゆりかもめ) , which makes a dramatic 270-degree right turn on the approach to the bridge from the mainland side.

One of the main attractions here is the Fuji TV Building. But one of the more interesting ones is the Toyota pavilion, which can be reached by getting off the Yurikamome at the first stop, Odaiba Kaihin-Koen (お台場海浜公園), then taking a nice walk on the bridge across the expressway. Eventually you will come upon the complex, a part of Palette Town, which includes Toyota, as well as a Lawson convenience store. Inside the Toyota pavilion you can test-drive new Toyota vehicles if you have an international drivers license, or simply push a button and have automated elevators and conveyors present a vehicle to you. The other end of the Yurikamome is on the other side of the complex; board it here with your Suica or PASMO card and take it a few stops to Daiba (台場) to access the Fuji building.

The Tokyo Teleport station (東京テレポート) of the Tokyo Waterfront Railway, aka Rinkai Line, is located within the vicinity of the Fuji building.

**

Tokyo Sky Tree, the world's tallest communications tower. Photo by Wikipedia user Kakidai, released under CC BY-SA 3.0
Tokyo Sky Tree, the world’s tallest communications tower. Photo by Wikipedia user Kakidai, released under CC BY-SA 3.0

There you have it! Two landscapes of yesterday, and two landscapes of today, combined into a wonderful whirlwind tour that you can enjoy.

Now let’s figure out how to get around:

Rikugien is located near Komagome station, served by the JR Yamanote Line (the green loop that circles Tokyo on the maps) and the Namboku subway line of the Tokyo Metro. From the Yamanote Line’s main stations, here is the approximate travel time and cost:

Tokyo Station – 17 minutes, 160 yen
Ueno Station – 10 minutes, 150 yen
Ikebukuro Station – 6 minutes, 150 yen
Shinjuku Station – 15 minutes, 160 yen
Shinagawa Station – 28 minutes (via Tokyo), 250 yen

From Komagome, Rikugien is a 5 minute walk south from the train station along the main street, Hongo Dori. If exiting from the subway you will want to go out of Exit #2. As you walk south on the main road, there is a narrow street that comes up on the right side once you get to the Sunkus convenience store. The entrance to Rikugien is not far from this corner.

To get from Rikugien to Sensoji, retrace your steps to Komagome station. You will want to board the Yamanote Line towards Ueno station (10 minutes, 150 yen), then transfer to the Ginza Subway Line to the terminal station of Asakusa (5 minutes, 160 yen). Exits 1, 2 or 3 from the subway will point you close to the Kaminari-mon gate.

As you begin walking through the arcade, take note of the first major intersection that you cross on the way to the temple. The path to the right is the most direct route to the train that will bring you to Tokyo Skytree.

Once you are at the Tobu Railway’s Asakusa station, take a local train for the quick ride to Tokyo Skytree station (140 yen).

At the opposite end of the Tokyo Skytree complex from where you entered, you will find the Toei Asakusa subway line’s station at Oshiage-Skytree. Take a subway train to Shimbashi station (16 minutes, 210 yen), then transfer to the Yurikamome for the ride into Odaiba. The first stop on Odaiba, Odaiba-Kaihinkoen, is reached from Shimbashi in 13 minutes (310 yen).

You can return to the Tokyo mainland by retracing your steps on the Yurikamome, or by traveling on the Rinkai Line from Tokyo Teleport station.

If you are traveling to the western part of the Yamanote Loop – to Shinjuku or Ikebukuro – you can get a direct ride on the Rinkai Line, which continues as the JR Saikyo Line. It’s 25 minutes to Shinjuku (480 yen) and about 30 minutes to Ikebukuro (510 yen). Shinagawa station can be reached by using the Rinkai Line to Osaki station (11 minutes, 320 yen) and then traveling one stop on the JR Yamanote Line (130 yen).

If returning to Tokyo or Ueno, I suggest returning to Shimbashi on the Yurikamome, then taking the Yamanote Line to either Tokyo (4 minutes, 13o yen) or Ueno (12 minutes, 150 yen). Note that another train line, the Keihin Tohoku line, runs parallel to the Yamanote Line in this area – you can pick up one of these blue trains to Tokyo or Ueno if it arrives first.

If you have a Japan Rail Pass, I suggest using it for all JR-eligible journeys: the Yamanote Line to Komagome if you’re using that to reach Rikuguen, Komagome to Ueno (traveling from Rikugien to Sensoji), and then if you are returning from Odaiba to Tokyo or Ueno, the JR line from Shimbashi to Tokyo/Ueno. The Rail Pass will not be valid on any of the other lines. Otherwise, point-to-point tickets or a stored fare card (SUICA or PASMO) should be used.

A special note for traveling from Tokyo Teleport (Odaiba) on the Rinkai line: Even though trains on this line continue onto JR tracks, use your Suica or PASMO card for this leg of the trip. Do not use a Rail Pass since it is not accepted for travel over the Rinkai Line. An alternative is to obtain a regular ticket – not using a Suica or PASMO – from Tokyo Teleport to Osaki (320 yen) where the Rinkai Line joins the JR. Once you have continued past Osaki to your destination on the JR line, exit flashing your Japan Rail Pass.

Have fun enjoying Tokyo Yesterday and Today! Don’t forget that all suggestions on this blog are pursuant to the disclaimer.