The face of airport travel will change next month in Japan (July 17 to be exact) with the complete upgrade of the Keisei Railway SKYLINER train service. Once a ride that took 51 minutes from Narita Airport to Tokyo, new trains with a top speed of 160 km/h (100 miles per hour) traveling over new and refurbished track over a more direct route (when will this run-on sentence end) will make the nonstop run from the Airport to Tokyo’s Nippori station in only 36 minutes. The overall travel time from end to end is less than 45 minutes.

The new Skyliner service will better compete with the Narita Express service offered by Japan Railways. Skyliner trains will now be the outright fastest trains operating into the Tokyo area, while Narita Express trains will continue to offer direct one-seat train rides to the bullet trains and to most of Tokyo’s major train stations.

With one month or so to go before the start of this new train service, and with the information about the train trips available, I offer my suggestions on how to tackle the new Skyliner service… as well as provide information about the new line the Skyliner will travel on, and how it will cause direct competition with another major transit route out of Narita.

I’ll be focusing only on the services operated by Keisei Railway, a private railway operator, out of Narita Airport. I’m sure that there are other places in my blog where I talk about the JR airport trains…. Ahh, here it is!

With the introduction of new SKYLINER services comes another train route into/out of Narita Airport: The Narita Sky Access Line. This means Keisei will run their trains on TWO lines to/from the airport: The Sky Access, along with the existing Keisei Main Line. The new Sky Access train uses most of the Hokuso Railway which runs in the most direct path from Tokyo to Narita Airport; the Keisei Main Line is a less direct path, and the JR lines basically take a path that doglegs in Chiba city. The new segment of track, which extends from the end of the Hokuso Line into Narita Airport, completes the Sky Access Line.

The Sky Access Line and Keisei Line operate on TWO different fare tables, with the Sky Access being the more expensive one. To enforce the separate fares, the platforms at Narita Airport’s two train stations (Narita Airport station for Terminal 1, Airport Terminal 2 station for Terminal 2) are being segregated – so one part of the station will be for Sky Access trains (Skyliner included) and the other will be for regular Keisei Main Line trains. Upon entering the train system at the airport, you will pass through a ticket barrier. If you are going to Sky Access you then proceed down to the platform, otherwise you must go through ANOTHER ticket barrier in order to access the Keisei Main Line trains.

The comfortable, fast, all-reserved Skyliner trains cost 2400 yen per person, and only operates from the Airport to Nippori and Ueno stations with no intermediate stops. At Nippori there is an easy connection to the JR Yamanote Loop Line… a better connection at that, now that the platforms at Nippori station have been completely rehabilitated. Keisei’s station at Ueno is separate from the JR Ueno station but you can still access two subway lines (including the Ginza Line) with relative ease.

If you are on a budget and want to sacrifice speed for money in the wallet, then you should use a commuter train. During the morning and afternoon hours, Keisei Main Line trains depart for Nippori and Ueno stations every 20 minutes. In the same timeframe, Sky Access commuter trains, known as ACCESS EXPRESS (Tokkyu) trains, depart every 40 minutes and run into the subway. During the morning and afternoon hours, the best way to reach Nippori or Ueno by commuter train is to use the Keisei Main Line. Commuter trains take about 80 minutes to cover the journey at a cost of 1000 yen. The reason is that Access Tokkyu trains are infrequent for the most part, plus you’ll have to end up changing trains anyway at a station like Aoto for a train that will bring you to Nippori and Ueno.

When it gets to the evening hours, then ACCESS EXPRESS trains start to make direct runs into Nippori and Ueno. The fare structure is higher, so a one-way trip would cost 1200 yen. But at the same time it’s easier, since it is just a one-seat ride – not to mention the ride is one hour, too.

ACCESS EXPRESS trains, upon reaching the subway, are the best way to reach the Asakusa and Nihombashi districts of Tokyo… Ginza is also close by changing trains at Nihombashi.

If there is one more secret about the ACCESS EXPRESS trains, it’s that the trains can operate directly from Narita Aiprort (Tokyo’s International Airport)  to Haneda Airport (Tokyo’s Domestic Airport closer to the city center) multiple times a day. The fact that this service exists may give Airport Limousine buses a run for their money. If you’re willing to carry your own luggage on the train and brave the crowds, it is possible to reach Haneda from Narita in 1 hour, 45 minutes at a cost of only 1760 yen. This compares with approximately 1 hour, 30 minutes and 3000 yen by airport limousine bus. Limousine buses are prone to traffic…. so a train trip from Narita to Haneda is now a viable, and perhaps a quite logical, option.

There are a few more options that you COULD consider depending on the time of day, so I encourage you to visit Keisei’s revamped Skyliner home page for more details. The Wikitravel Narita page will also be updated with information once July comes around.

Have fun landing at Narita, weaving through the ticket barriers, and enjoying the Land of the Rising Sun!

Wow, 3 months since my last post. So I’m due to write something. This’ll be quick, too. This coming Monday I will be hosting a radio program where I will take questions from anyone who is interested in visiting Japan one day. If you have any questions, feel free to ask. I’ve been to Japan twice, and although I really can’t brand myself as an ‘expert’, I’ll do my best to answer your queries. (Of course if you are reading this, you may wish to read the posts on this blog first!)

The show is the “JRHorse Side Project”, a program that I host weekly on Keiichi.net Radio. It normally airs on Sundays, but this week only it will air on Monday. Start time for the show is 8 PM Eastern/7 PM Central/5 PM Pacific. If you do the GMT thing, the start time is Midnight GMT going into Tuesday. To listen to the show, click on the Keiichi.net Radio link above and select “LISTEN” from the home page. Don’t forget to also select the “CHATROOM” link to send me your questions.

THIS POST AND ATTACHED CHART ARE OUT OF DATE

Today I am offering a chart for users of the Japan Rail Pass who wish to travel long-distance over the Tokaido and Sanyo Shinkansen in a single trip.

As has been stated before, the national Japan Rail Pass does not permit the use of “Nozomi” trains over this heavily-travelled corridor, so JR Pass users will be forced to use slower Hikari and Kodama trains. This increases travel times, and consequently, lessens the time that a pass user has for sightseeing and exploration. I’ve always felt that JR Pass users should be permitted to use Nozomi trains because they are faster and more frequent than the others… but since it looks like that situation will not change for a while, I have decided to come up with a simple chart so that Rail Pass users can travel as quickly as possible.

Over the Tokyo-Nagoya-Kyoto-Osaka-Hiroshima-Fukuoka corridor the “Hikari” service, with some exceptions, generally operates in two segments – a segment over the Tokaido Shinkansen (Tokyo-Osaka) and a segment over the Sanyo Shinkansen (Osaka-Fukuoka). What this chart does is lists the appropriate connections that one should take when making long-distance journeys. For example, Tokyo to Hiroshima, Nagoya to Hiroshima, or even Tokyo all the way to Fukuoka.

The connection chart lists major stations that foreigners will likely use on the line: Tokyo, Shinagawa, Shin-Yokohama, Nagoya, Kyoto, Shin-Osaka, Shin-Kobe, Himeji, Okayama, Hiroshima, Kokura and Hakata (in Fukuoka). For long distance journeys that require a change of trains, the chart will show you what train to take and where you should transfer so that your connection time is as short as possible, and more importantly, that your overall travel time is as short as possible. Trains are listed in pairs, and any stop highlighted on the chart in RED or GREEN indicates the location where you should transfer to continue with your journey.

The chart is valid for daily travel by bullet train as of Saturday, March 13, 2010, the date that the new timetables will be put into effect. On this day several Hikari runs between Osaka and Fukuoka will be removed from daily service… this is another reason why I decided to put this chart together. Previously Hikari trains were matched up very closely to continuing departures… this continues during the middle of the day, but now at other hours you will likely have to change at Shin-Osaka… a few trips even require changes at Hiroshima, as indicated on the chart.

I hope this chart will be useful as travelers to Japan – or those who are thinking about making a trip – do their research and make their preparations for travel over this very important route.

https://myjapantips.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/jrpassconnection.pdf

With much of the Olympics out of the way, and with my job off tomorrow because of our third (?) big snowstorm of the year, I figured I would chip in on my MONTHLY post to this blog… wow I don’t post much do I? But I hope that by now the advice that I have published here so far has helped at least one person in their trip plans for Japan.

I’d like to share with you some tips on the Japan Rail Pass. This came about as I came across a posting on a Japan Travel bulletin board with regards to itinerary help. The person who wrote, whose name I shall keep anonymous for obvious reasons, wanted to know if, with her itinerary, the Japan Rail Pass was right for her.

First, another recap: The Japan Rail Pass covers just about all train travel in Japan that is operated by Japan Railways, with a few exceptions, notably the “Nozomi” service which is the fastest service operating on the Tokaido and San’yo Shinkansen – the line that links Tokyo with Kyoto and Osaka, and continues onward to Hiroshima and Fukuoka. It is essentially available in six different versions: There are 7-day, 14-day and 21-day passes, all consecutive, and each of these has a standard class version and a first class version (in Japan first class is called the Green Car).

To see if the Japan Rail Pass is right for you, there are a few things in my opinion that must be established. Namely, your travel dates,  and the long-distance travel that you intend to make. There will be some local rail travel that you might take around big cities, especially around Tokyo, but unless you do LOTS and LOTS of trips on the Yamanote Line, local trains within a specific area are just a very small slice of the big pie. With a little bit of research you can find out if it’s worth purchasing a Japan Rail Pass. In one specific area, you can see if the cost of purchasing a Rail Pass would be less than purchasing rail tickets individually. And as pointed out, your travel dates also play a factor.

This person’s itinerary consists of the following: Tokyo from Mar 27 – Apr 2, Kyoto from Apr 2-9, Tokyo from Apr 9 – 13. Her travel dates are fixed, so they cannot be changed. She would like to take day trips to Nikko and Kamakura (both near Tokyo) and Nara (near Kyoto). She was concerned about her budget and wondered if it was worth paying about $500 to get a 14-day rail pass. Perhaps she would be able to save more if she went for a 7-day rail pass?

So let’s see what sort of long-distance travel she’ll be using. Well in this itinerary I only see 2: Tokyo to Kyoto, and Kyoto to Tokyo, which would be done on the bullet train. The Nozomi costs 13,500 yen each way, so that’s 27,000 yen round-trip. A 7-day ordinary rail pass costs 28,300 yen so with some expected local travel in Tokyo and Kyoto she’s all set, right? WRONG. Look at the dates that she will travel: Tokyo to Kyoto April 2, and then Kyoto to Tokyo April 8. That’s eight days, and the travel days are fixed. Which means that a 7-day rail pass would be no good since one of her trips would not be covered. A 14-day pass would cost 45,100 yen for ordinary class, which would be too much. Also factoring into this call are the three side trips, all of which could be done by taking cheaper private railways.

My recommendation to her therefore was to purchase regular tickets. Nozomi tickets both ways from Tokyo to Kyoto, side trip Kyoto to Nara by Kintetsu Railway, Tokyo to Kamakura by the Odakyu Railway Enoshima/Kamakura Free Pass and Tokyo to Nikko by Tobu Railway’s World Heritage Pass. The total budget comes to 37,000 yen which is right now around $410 in US Dollars. If she’s willing to sacrifice a little speed and willing to test some Japanese ability, she could opt for the discounted Puratto Kodama Economy Plan, mentioned in an earlier blog article. This will cut about 7,000 yen, or almost $80, out of her travel budget. As for local travel… I suggested to her (and to you as well) a stored fare card. No need to figure out fares on a chart and go to the ticket machines every time. Simply buy a stored fare card and tap your way in and out of the trains – the cards act as a debit card and deduct the appropriate fares automatically. In Tokyo the stored fare cards in use are SUICA and PASMO.

The moral of the story: Travel research helps in many different ways! You can learn more about the places you are going – before you get there, and while you are there – and you can save some cash too. Of course in the Japanese tradition, that means you have to use that cash to buy gifts for your relatives back home! 🙂

For more information on what I have discussed in this article, just click on the respective links.

Well it’s about time I wrote something new in this space… so I’ll dedicate this time to writing about an interesting way to plan for your next trip to Japan. Sure, you’ve read tour books and you’ve done your research on the Internet… but have you looked at ALL of the places yet?

One interesting way of bringing the Japanese culture to you is by viewing video presentations. Whether it’s through the Japanese Government, various Prefectures throughout the country, or by looking through how people live in and travel around Japan by searching YouTube… you’re bound to find ways that will make you crave more for a visit to the land to the rising sun.

There are various ways to go about finding such videos. We’ll start at the top, with the Japan National Tourism Organization, or JNTO for short. They just started a big campaign for visiting Japan in the year 2010. Yes, 2010 is a special year in Japan… particularly in the ancient city of Nara, which was founded way back in 710 AD… so Nara is celebrating its 1300th birthday this year. JNTO’s “Visit Japan Year 2010” campaign features a video series called “Revalue Nippon” featuring former professional football (that is, soccer) player Hidetoshi Nakata, as well as “Love Japan 50”, brief video clips from 50 residents around the country explaining why they love Japan. You can view more at http://www.vjy2010.jp.

JNTO also maintains a Youtube channel showing regular tourism videos highlighting destinations around the country: http://www.youtube.com/user/visitjapan

Now let’s go to the next level, the prefectural and city governments. Prefectures may or may not have websites dedicated to tourism, which in turn may or may not have videos, so it’s wise to use two methods of search: First, the Wikipedia article where you can find a list of all of Japan’s prefectures, and then Google to search those prefectures out. And of course you can do the same search for Japanese cities.

Here are a few that I found: Yokohama’s Convention and Visitors Bureau has flash videos featuring the famous harbor city’s main attractions. Kochi prefecture, which covers the southern part of the island of Shikoku, has two promotional movies on its site. There are many movies on the website for the Hokkaido Tourism Organization which feature how Japan’s northmost island changes with the seasons.

As I mentioned earlier, Youtube is an excellent resource for videos from people living in Japan, and from foreigners visiting Japan. Naturally I have to plug here my 21-chapter Jose in Japan video series, which details the highlights of my October 2008 trip. But there are many others videos that you can look at… one of my favorites is Cam Switzer, who has been video-blogging his life in Japan for several years and continues to post updates on a regular basis.

And of course you have to watch out for some nook-and-cranny websites like Channel J, which houses many tourism videos… slightly outdated by now, but nevertheless it’s a wonderful resource, particularly for videos featuring western Japan. You can easily spend an entire day enjoying all of the videos that branch out of their tourism video page.

Are you looking for hotel accomodations in Japan? If you search on Japanican, many of the major hotels and resorts offer brief video tours of their facilities. These videos are only in Japanese but at least you get a feeling for what to expect in individual accomodations.

The number of foreign tourists visiting Japan in 2009 dipped 18.7 percent from the previous year – the largest drop in 40 years – thanks in part to the economic downturn. This means that Japan will try harder – I hope – to bring more tourists into the country over the short term. So, armed with some knowledge about Japan – especially through Tourism videos – why not make 2010 the year you’ll pay a visit?

On a final note, here are some specials being offered for travel to/within Japan in the short term:

JTB USA continues to offer its $899 + tax deal which covers round-trip airfare on Continental Airlines from Newark-Liberty Airport, near New York City, to Tokyo, plus four nights’ hotel accomodations (double occupancy) and a half-day tour of Tokyo. You have the option of purchasing additional tours and additional nights while you are there. Round-trip airport transfers are NOT included.

JTB is also offering an Anime Otaku land package tour in March for $800 + tax which includes a 5-night stay at the Grand Prince Hotel Takanawa, and daily trips to highlights of Otaku culture. Stops will be made at such places as the  Ghibli Museum, Akihabara, Nakano Broadway, and of course the topping on the cake: The Tokyo International Anime Fair. Airfare is NOT included but round-trip airport transfers ARE included.

Learn more about these and more JTB tours by visiting http://www.jtbusa.com

So if you need airfare only, Japan Airlines is offering the following economy class specials: New York to Tokyo $751 + tax, San Francisco – Tokyo $651 + tax, Los Angeles – Osaka $656 + tax, Chicago – Nagoya $656 + tax. Tickets must be bought by February 5 with return no later than 30 days after departure (45 days if traveling from New York). All Nippon Airlines (ANA) is selling Economy Class tickets to Tokyo starting at $705 + tax from Los Angeles, $805 + tax from Chicago and $855 + tax from New York. Travel must be purchased by January 31 and travel must be completed by September 30. And if you really feel giddy, Delta has a fare sale ending today from Portland, Oregon to Tokyo costing $918 round-trip, with all travel needing to be completed by March 18.

Last month I had written about ways that you could travel by train from Tokyo to Kyoto or Osaka, given that there are no more direct overnight trains that run between the two cities.

Alas, one of the options that I had mentioned is about to disappear. Today the Japan Railways group of companies released their timetable amendments to take effect in March of 2010. This is called, in Japanese terms, the “DAIYA”, short for diagram. As part of their announcement: The Hokuriku and Noto overnight trains will be discontinued. These will be the sixth and seventh overnight trains, respectively, that Japan has abolished since 2008 due to low ridership.

The era of the ‘blue trains’, as they are called in Japan, may be coming to an end… although the more higher-end and luxurious overnight services still remain popular. These include the Cassiopea from Tokyo to Sapporo, the Twilight Express from Osaka and Kyoto to Sapporo, and the Sunrise Seto from Tokyo to the island of Shikoku.

But we’re not dealing with those trains in this article… we’re trying to figure out how to get you overnight by train from Tokyo to the Kansai region. There’s only one option left for you to take… the Toki/Kitaguni combination, as I mentioned in a previous article.

Or, IS there only one option left?

There is another option, which may end up being a little hectic, may require a little bit of research, and will cost you – although if you are using a Japan Rail Pass, it won’t cost much. It’s pretty straightforward, and makes sense too… choose an inexpensive accomodation along your travel route, and stay there for the night. An interesting method of tackling overnight journeys, but think about it: while the trains are shut down for the night, you can get a little bit of shuteye at a hotel that’s located close to the train station – in most cases, with access to your own personal toilet and shower.

So the method I suggest is as follows: Going from Point A to Point B, take a late-night train from Point A in the direction of Point B. The train will terminate at some location along the way, which we’ll call Point C. Stay in a hotel at Point C, then when the trains begin to run again in the morning, hop on one of the first ones that go to Point B.

The advantages to traveling in this way are: LOCATION and MONEY. You will more than likely find good accomodations very close to a main train station in a smaller city, compared to a big city such as Tokyo, and it will more than likely be cheaper than hotels found in a metropolis.

For travel between Tokyo and Kyoto/Osaka, for example, you can use the Tokaido Shinkansen late at night and sleep over at a hotel in Shizuoka, Hamamatsu, Toyohashi or Nagoya; In the morning, grab one of the first bullet train departures in the same direction to continue your trip.

Here’s an itinerary that covers this idea.

1. Take one of the last bullet trains from Tokyo for the evening: Shinkansen Hikari 533, Depart Tokyo 22:00 (10 PM), arrive Hamamatsu 23:16.

2. Stay at the Toyoko Inn Hamamatsu-eki Kita, a 5 minute walk from the train station, where a Single Room costs just 6,000 yen.

3. Return to Hamamatsu station in the morning and take the first train – Shinkansen Kodama 693, Depart Hamamatsu 6:32, Arrive Kyoto 7:58, Arrive Shin-Osaka 8:13.

So, you can rest on the trains if you wish, and definitely rest in a hotel with access to your own shower and toilet. And with this method, you’ll get to Kyoto and Osaka BEFORE the early morning bullet trains of the day from Tokyo make their arrivals.

These are merely suggestions of course. With the right amount of planning, you can choose your own path – not to mention adventure – as you travel around the land of the rising sun! Merry Christmas!

(Travel suggestions are, as per usual, pursuant to the Jose’s Japan Tips disclaimer)

Happy Thanksgiving to all… since I haven’t written an article in a while, and since it’s one of our major holidays here in the US, I figured I would offer you some insight as to Japan’s major travel holidays. Of course, with Japan being a relatively small country size-wise, there is a dramatic rush of travel during their major holiday periods. This yields the same kind of results that you’d expect to find during holiday travel rushes in the U.S.: congested highways, crowded buses and trains, and long check-in lines at the airport.

Here is a brief list of Japan’s three major holiday periods. During these periods, airlines, hotels and trains tend to be booked out well in advance, and some hotels – especially the traditional ryokan lodging – will increase their rates. If you do decide to visit Japan during one of these three time periods, then you must travel with patience… either book all of your transit ahead of schedule (for example, with a Rail Pass, try to make seat reservations as soon as possible), or consider staying within one major city cluster, such as Tokyo, Kyoto or Osaka, without moving to another location.

Then again, on the other hand, traveling during these periods also carries a sense of charm and pride for the Japanese… and you, if you feel so inclined to make the plunge to make the most of your travel during the Japanese holidays.

The first major holiday period is coming up rather quickly: New Year’s. On New Year’s Day, the Japanese greet the new year – and pray for it – by visiting shinto shrines and buddhist temples throughout the day. There can be notoriously long lines at some shrines and temples – among which include Meiji Shrine in Tokyo. The period from December 31st into January 1st is the only time during the entire year that local trains run all night. Granted, they are not at frequent intervals, but they are frequent enough to carry the Japanese people to their New Year’s engagements. And to cap it all off (or should I say, to begin it), it is believed that you will have good luck if you can stay up to watch the first sunrise of the New Year. A dramatic place to see the first sunrise is Mount Fuji… either on the ground facing Mount Fuji… or in the air. This year Japan Airlines is operating special charter flights from Tokyo for people who wish to see the first sunrise from up in the sky.

The second major holiday period is Golden Week, which is a week or so worth of several Japanese holidays that have been clustered together to form a nice, long vacation. Golden Week occurs from late April into early May.

The final major holiday period is the Obon, the time when people travel to to pay homage and tribute to their ancestors – the spirits of which are believed to pay visits to the Japanese. In most parts of Japan, Obon occurs during August 13-15 and surrounding days. However, some Japanese interpret the solar calendar instead of the lunar calendar, and celebrate Obon from July 13-15 and surrounding days.

New Year’s, Golden Week, and Obon. Three times of the year to avoid, if you want to avoid overcrowding on transit and if you want to avoid paying higher fees for lodging. Then again, if you’re willing to “plunge forward” (a famous Wikitravel phrase) and experience more of the Japanese culture, then do so. Perhaps you’ll be able to appreciate Japan in ways you wouldn’t expect at other times of the year.

This article is taken from a recent Wikipedia write-up… Up until 2008 it was possible to travel overnight by train between Tokyo and Kyoto/Osaka using the “Ginga” express sleeper train. Thanks to the amount of people using bullet trains, buses and planes these days, the number of people using sleeper trains has dwindled to the point that some services (such as the Ginga) have been eliminated. But, there IS still a way.

Instead of taking one train on a straight path, this course utilizes two trains via northern Japan. 

This requires a large sum of money, and consequently, may be of interest to Japan Rail Pass holders. There are two ways to travel between Tokyo and Kyoto/Osaka, and each method requires taking two trains. I will use Kyoto in the following explanations; all of these services listed below continue on to Osaka (about 30 minutes further out).

The first method from Tokyo is to leave from Tokyo Station or Ueno Station on the final Joetsu Shinkansen departure towards Niigata, changing at Nagaoka (長岡) station for the Kitaguni (きたぐに) express train to Kyoto. The Kitaguni has unreserved standard class seating, reserved green car seating, and couchettes; all seating is non-smoking.

If you use the Shinkansen and an unreserved seat on the Kitaguni, the rail pass fully covers the trip, which takes about nine hours in each direction. Ordinary pass holders who wish to upgrade to the green seat on the Kitaguni can pay ¥5150; Green Car pass holders can use the Green Cars at no charge. Using a couchette on the Kitaguni will incur a surcharge, regardless of rail pass type.

As of November 2009, Max Toki (とき) #353 departs Tokyo Station at 21:40 and arrives in Nagaoka at 23:26. This connects to the Kitaguni, leaving Nagaoka at 23:53 and arriving in Kyoto at 6:16. The return Kitaguni leaves Kyoto just past midnight (0:02) and arrives in Nagaoka at 7:14. The bullet train connection is on Toki #304, which leaves Nagaoka at 7:23 and arrives in Tokyo at 9:12.

The second method from Tokyo is to travel from Ueno Station north to Kanazawa using either the Hokuriku (北陸) sleeper train or the Noto (能登) express train. Upon arrival at Kanazawa station in the morning, change to the Thunderbird (サンダーバード) limited express to Kyoto. The Noto express from Ueno is cheaper, with reserved, non-reserved and green car seats available; all seats are non-smoking and one car is designated for female passengers. The more expensive Hokuriku, one of Japan’s few-remaining “Blue Car” sleeper trains, contains couchettes and private rooms with vending machines and an on-board shower that can be used by purchasing a “Shower Card” from the conductor. Once on board the ‘Thunderbird’ train you will be able to purchase food and drinks from the on-board wagon cart.

With the rail pass, this journey is FREE if you take the Noto and Thunderbird. Ordinary Pass holders can upgrade to the more comfortable Green Car on the Noto for ¥5150; Green Car Pass holders can use the Green Cars at no charge. If using the Hokutosei with either version of the pass, then you must pay the Hokutosei limited express and room fare: ¥9100 for a couchette/solo compartment or ¥16200 for a Single Deluxe compartment.

As of November 2009, the Hokutosei leaves Ueno at 23:03, reaching Kanazawa at 6:26, while the Noto leaves Ueno at 23:33 and arrives in Kanazawa at 6:29. Both trains connect to Thunderbird #6, leaving Kanazawa at 7:02 and arriving in Kyoto at 9:11, for a travel time of about 10 hours and 9 1/2 hours, respectively.

On the return trip from Kyoto to Tokyo, Thunderbird #45, leaving Kyoto at 19:54 and arriving in Kanazawa at 22:07, provides quick connections to the Noto (leaving 22:15, arriving Ueno at 6:05) and the Hokutosei (leaving 22:18, arriving Ueno at 6:19) for a travel time of about 10 hours and 10 1/2 hours, respectively.

My suggestion, if you were to use overnight services both ways: From Tokyo, take the Hokuriku or Noto and the Thunderbird. From Kyoto/Osaka, take the Kitaguni and the Joetsu Shinkansen. With both of these courses you can spend more time at your origin before your departure, and you would arrive at your destination just as the morning rush hour is drawing to a close.

Taking an overnight service compared to the bullet train is actually more expensive: while a one-way trip from Tokyo to Osaka on the bullet train costs 14,000 yen, the overnight trips using the model courses listed above start at around 17-18,000 yen each. So depending on your itinerary, taking an overnight train may be of good value when using the rail pass… especially because you can save money by using the train instead of staying at a hotel. Even if you DO decide to use the Hokutosei for the benefits of an on-board shower and some more privacy, and you do have to pay the extra surcharge as a result, you’ll be paying less than what other travelers would pay, since your Rail Pass covers the entire BASIC train fare.

Also keep in mind, however, that if you do choose a more simpler method of travel, the Rail Pass is valid on all BUSES between Tokyo and Kyoto/Osaka.

(These tips are offered pursuant to the DISCLAIMER – click “DISCLAIMER” at the top of the page)

Japan can be a very rewarding experience, whether you are a seasoned traveler or are going for the very first time. But if flying from North America, there is one hurdle that you must overcome before you can enjoy the land of the rising sun.

I’m not talking about the cultural barrier, nor the language barrier… and I’m not (directly) talking about finances.

I’m talking about what you’re going to use to GET there. And for 99.999% of you, that GET is in the form of a pressurized metal tube called an airplane.

In this article I’ll tell you about the two main things when it comes to flying to Japan: paying for it, and surviving it.

You should budget a good deal of money if you are going to pay for the flight up front using cash or a credit card. Even though there are so many flights that run from North America’s major cities to Japan, the cost is typically in the range of $1,000 per person for economy class. There are, however, times when airlines have sales of some sort.

You have heard my motto by now… consider all of the options available before making a decision that is right for you. When it comes to airline flights, take these thoughts into consideration based on my experience.

– If you are flying from Oshkosh, Wisconsin or some other small city, you will likely have to fly into a major airport to connect to your international flight to Japan. This will likely increase the cost of flying, so it’s important to bear this in mind.

– You can go to FareCompare, a website that allows you to plug in your travel cities and travel dates, and then will show you the cheapest fares. On my research of fares to Tokyo last year, I was able to find a specific part of the website that breaks down the fares into the part of the fare that pertains to the actual flight, plus a separate column for taxes and surcharges.

– You can also search the websites of major airlines on a daily basis until you find a fare that is discounted. Searches on Orbitz and Travelocity will also help.

– You may wish to consider purchasing deeply discounted tickets that are offered by travel companies such as JTB. These tickets can be on major airlines such as All Nippon, Japan Airlines, United, etc., or you may elect to purchase a more-discounted fare where you do not know the name of the airline that you will be traveling until the purchase is made (sort of like Priceline in a way). JTB fares also do not include taxes… again you will find this out when the ticket purchase is made. There is also the possibility that you may have to change planes somewhere, even if you live in/near a major city that offers flights to Japan. For example if you purchase a discounted Delta ticket for travel from New York to Tokyo, you may have to fly to another city such as Atlanta, Detroit or Los Angeles to connect to the Japan-bound flight, even though Delta operates a daily nonstop service from New York to Tokyo.

JTB may also offer a combination package of airfare and hotel accomodation for a certain period of time. For example, at the time I write this they have what appears to be a very nice deal: $899+tax for a 4-night stay in Tokyo that includes round-trip airfare from New York (Newark Liberty) on Continental Airlines’ nonstop service, hotel accomodations and a half-day sightseeing tour.

– Finally, you can do what I did once, and what I plan to do on my next trip to Japan: Use my Frequent Flier miles. I belong to a frequent flier program of a major US airline, and I can earn miles on my account several ways, such as flying on the airline, making purchases on my credit card, and taking advantage of bonus offers that my airline or credit card offers, that will allow me to earn additional mileage. Why not sign up for a frequent flier program with an airline that flies to Japan, obtain a credit card, and start spending to get miles? It’ll take some time depending on how much you spend of course. But think about it… using your credit card to pay for necessities in life, and whatever else you can afford… and soon enough you’ll have enough miles to fly anywhere, Japan included, for FREE! I’m willing to disclose this… through my frequent flier program, I currently have  just enough miles for TWO round-trips to Japan in economy class, or ONE round-trip in first class!

Well now, some way or another, you have that coveted ticket that will serve as your entrance to Japan… oops, let me correct myself. It serves as your entrance to your plane, and your seat 😦

No matter where you fly from in North America, your nonstop flight to Japan will be in the range of 12 to 14 hours in duration – on the higher end of this from the east coast – because planes have to pretty much fly the same path… on a route that passes over Alaska to the other side of the world. So, what exactly will you do during that amount of time?

Well let’s see… if I were you, I would look carefully to select a flight that has in-flight entertainment at your seat. Most airlines offer this, and many airlines offer this service at no additional cost for flights to Japan… yes, you get a headset, you get your own selection of television programs, and you can watch feature-length movies, all for free.

Health is important while in the pressurized atmosphere for a long time. Not taking care of your body during the flight may yield an uncomfortable – or unfavorable – result.

It is important to bring a bottle of water with you on your flight so that you can stay hydrated. In this day and age you’ll have to do this after the security checkpoints. Drink a reasonable amount – not too much – every so often.

It’s also important to stretch your body on a regular basis. I find this easier to do by pacing my bathroom breaks and then spending my “post-bathroom” time, if you want to call it that, stretching my body out in an open area near the galley.

What I normally do is try not to drink too much so that I have to go to the bathroom often… if you fall into this category, by the way, you’ll want to sit in an aisle seat. Flights to and from Japan usually offer three meals: One full meal, one light meal, one full meal. These are spaced out throughout the flight. What I do, as soon as I finish my meal, and hand the garbage to the flight attendants, is to head straight to the bathroom. Once I’ve left the bathroom I spend some time stretching my body out… stretch and hold my elbows and knees, for example… before I return to my seat. I then repeat this process two more times during the flight, after each of the other meals. There are some nice websites that you can google that show you some stretches to do while on the plane, either standing or within the confines of your seat.

My mother’s advice before travel, be it on a short 30-minute flight or a long 14-hour marathon trip to Japan… take a pill of Aspirin before your flight. This will thin the blood to help prevent/limit clots from occurring during the flight. Any clot that forms in your body and gets loose can potentially be deadly – and the chances of clots forming in your body increase as your body adapts to the environment of the airplane. Of course stretching your body out also helps reduce your risk.

I hope this is useful as you consider your flying options to Japan. A couple of more things I’d like to share… first, exactly where should you sit on the plane? Well, window or aisle is completely up to your preference, but as far as a ROW goes, I have a certain preference. Of course if you purchase a deeply-discounted air ticket, chances are you are assigned a seat automatically, or at the airport, with no provision to select your own seat. But if you have the option, I would choose a seat that is two to three rows in front of, or behind, the restroom. The simple reason is that it’s much easier to access the restroom if you need to use it. If the airline’s website does not have seat maps of the plane you will be using then you can use a website like Seat Guru.

Lastly, if you were ever curious as to what the airline pilots do on long flights to Japan, you may want to purchase an interesting DVD to get an indication. Granted, if you are not into the intricate operations of airplanes then this may not be for you… but if you’re curious, then go to the World Air Routes website and check out their brand new in-cockpit video for the Air Canada 777, which includes video of Air Canada’s round trip service from Toronto, Ontario to Tokyo Narita Airport.

ATTENTION: This post has been deprecated by a newer article. Please read the newer version here.

I’m pleased today to repost on my blog a travel itinerary for a full day in Tokyo that I originally wrote on the open-source WikiTravel and iGuide websites. This itinerary retraces the exact steps that I took during my first full day in Tokyo on June 2, 2004, and I believe this is a wonderful itinerary that allows new visitors to explore Tokyo’s past and present, and draw comparisons as a result. You may view the WikiTravel article with photos here.

CLASSIC TOKYO, MODERN TOKYO

This itinerary is intended as a general introductory tour into what Tokyo is all about.

Understand
The following tour starts and ends at Tokyo Station, contrasting the Tokyo of old with the Tokyo of new. In this tour you will visit the following major destinations:

Tokyo Station
Imperial Palace and the East Gardens in Chiyoda
Sensōji Temple in Asakusa
Odaiba
Shinjuku

Prepare
You will need to get a Suica or PASMO fare card worth at least ¥3000 to be safe. Either type of fare card can be obtained at the nearest train station.

If you have a Japan Rail Pass when entering the country, you can just walk through the barriers when entering and exiting the JR system and flash your pass to the guard. However, you should purchase a ¥3000 fare card in any case.

Go
You can do this itinerary on any day except Mondays, Fridays and major holidays, when the East Gardens are closed.

Begin: Tokyo Station (東京)

Time yourself to arrive at Tokyo station at around 10:00 AM. If you wish, arrive earlier to experience the end of the morning rush hour. Exit towards the Marunouchi North Exit (丸の内北口), where if you are lucky, you will see one of the many special exhibitions that are constantly put on display.

Exit the station to your left and walk until you are at the center of the exterior of the station. Here is where the first stark contrast between old and new can be seen: On one side you can see brand new skyscrapers and on the other side, the red brick facade of Tokyo Station. You might see construction equipment, too, as developers are currently in the process of restoring the old Tokyo Station building to its original appearance prior to World War II.

Imperial Palace

You will see a very wide street that proceeds straight out from the center of the station; this is Miyuki Dōri. Proceed walking down the right side of the road until you reach the moat, Wadakura-bori. After walking through what is certain to be a lot of vehicular traffic, it is a slow transition into serenity as you pass the moat and come across the Wadakura Fountain Park.

After spending a few moments at the fountains, continue across the final road, Uchibori Dōri, to the Imperial Palace Plaza. Walk around the edge of the plaza, and you will soon find everything rather calm, as the transfer into old Tokyo has been made. Standing at one of the large gravel intersections, look around and see the contrast once more.

Backtrack yourself to where you entered, and turn left, walking north on Uchibori Dōri until you reach the Ōte-mon Gate (大手門), which leads you into the public East Gardens.

Browse through the main path of the gardens, picking up a beverage from a vending machine, purchasing a gift, and if lucky, hearing the screams of the Imperial Guard practicing kendo close by.

Continuing on the main path, you will reach a flower garden, where you should be able to see a large sign pointing you to Hirakawa-mon Gate (平川門), the north exit of the East Gardens.

With your jaunt through the Imperial Palace complete, turn right as you exit Hirakawa-mon and walk a short distance to the entrance to Takebashi station (竹橋) and, using your Suica or PASMO card, take the Tokyo Metro Tōzai Line one stop to Ōtemachi station (大手町).

Follow the underground arcade towards the JR Lines until you reach Tokyo Station. Flash your Japan Rail Pass, or if you don’t have a rail pass, use your Suica or PASMO card. This is a nice opportunity for a quick snack at one of the many food stands before continuing on.

Sensōji Temple

A quick entry to Modern Tokyo can be found as you walk up to platform 4 for the northbound Yamanote Line. Here, board one of the green-colored trains that arrive every 2 to 3 minutes.

The Yamanote Line is the most prominent rail line in Tokyo, with quick service, and a loop that runs around the entire city. All announcements on the Yamanote line are in both Japanese and English, with computer monitors that show information such as connections at the next stop.

Take the Yamanote Line to Ueno (上野), then walk out and down the stairs, where you’ll whip out your Suica or PASMO card once again and board the Tokyo Metro Ginza Line, taking it to the terminal stop of Asakusa (浅草).

Proceed out of Exit 1, 2 or 3, and look for the large Kaminari-mon Gate (雷門), which is your signal to the road that leads to Sensōji Temple. This road, which is Nakamise Dōri, includes a covered arcade of specialty stores and food shops. Pass these initially, and the usual crowds that form around them, and come back to visit a few upon returning.

When you get back to the area around Asakusa station, don’t forget to look across the river for a look at the Golden Turd, also known as the Asahi Beer brewing factory.

Odaiba

Now after a totally classic experience, it’s time to head in a completely opposite direction. Enter Asakusa station and follow the signs for the Toei Asakusa Line, which is another subway line. Take any train to Shimbashi (新橋) and then transfer upstairs to the Yurikamome (ゆりかもめ) light rail line. (You’ll need your Suica or PASMO card for both.)

After skimming past some skyscrapers, you will see the Rainbow Bridge on your left side. Then the train makes a 270-degree right turn and enters the bridge for the crossing into Odaiba, the man-made island that boasts a completely new scene in Tokyo.

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.

Traveling to Shinjuku

If you’ve progressed at a steady pace, it should be close to dusk by the time you enter the Rinkai Line. The last stop on the tour is a place which shines with nightlife, Shinjuku.

In the past, getting from Tokyo Teleport to Shinjuku was a bit tricky depending on whether or not you had a Japan Rail Pass. Although Rinkai Line trains continue directly to Shinjuku station, you travel over two separate railways (Tokyo Teleport to Osaki on the Tokyo Waterfront Railway, then Osaki to Shinjuku on the JR Saikyo Line).

Now, it’s very easy and straightforward: If you have a Japan Rail Pass, DO NOT USE IT. Use your Suica or PASMO card for this leg of the trip. The Japan Rail Pass is not accepted for travel over the Tokyo Waterfront Railway, however if you use your fare card there will be no problems.

Have a bite to eat in the station, if you want, or see what kind of eateries you can find, cheap or expensive, in Shinjuku itself!

Shinjuku

Head to the east exit of Shinjuku station to begin in front of the giant television monitor at Studio ALTA, one of Tokyo’s major meeting places. If you are courageous, follow the train tracks north and attempt to plunge into Tokyo’s red-light district of Kabukichō (歌舞伎町)… you’ll see bright signs for it just to the right of the Shinjuku Prince Hotel.

If you’ve had enough, walk south to Kōshu Kaidō (甲州街道) to enjoy the panoramic views of the rest of Shinjuku at ground level overlooking the train tracks, including the large Takashiyama Times Square building.

Returning

Shinjuku is the country’s busiest train hub, but don’t stray in Shinjuku too late, as, like the rest of the country, train services stop at midnight!

To return to Tokyo Station, you can take the JR Chuo Line across, or do the same using the Marunouchi subway line.

If you are returning elsewhere, you can take the JR Yamanote Line, or several subway lines, including the Marunouchi, Toei Shinjuku or Toei Oedo line.

Straying
If you want to stray a bit from the route, take a moment to inhale the world’s largest pedestrian crossing, which can be found at Shibuya station.

http://wikitravel.org/en/Classic_Tokyo,_Modern_Tokyo

(Itinerary offered pursuant to Disclaimer)