Japan's trains, airports and tickets — explained properly.
Practical guides for first-time visitors, written with a Japanese railway worker's know-how. Prices and rules are checked against official sources.
Start here: your first trip to Japan
Passes, IC cards and the practical stuff to sort out before you fly.
Japan Rail Passes: Which Ones Are Actually Worth It
JR Pass, Kansai passes, the Hokuriku Arch Pass, Hakone Freepass and the Tokyo Subway Ticket: how to check whether a pass saves money on your route.
Suica, PASMO and ICOCA: Japan's IC Cards Explained for Visitors
Where they work, iPhone vs Android, Welcome Suica, deposits, refunds, top-ups and the common mistakes at the ticket gates.
Welcome Suica: Where to Buy It, How It Works, and What to Watch Out For
Where to buy the card, the iPhone app, cash-only top-ups, the 28-day limit, and the cautions visitors miss.
Tap Your Credit Card to Ride: Which Trains in Japan Accept Contactless Cards
Tap a contactless Visa, Mastercard, JCB or Amex at the gate on many Tokyo, Kansai and Fukuoka lines, but not JR East. Where it works and the rules.
Luggage Forwarding in Japan (Takkyubin): How to Send Your Suitcase Ahead
How to ship from a hotel, convenience store or airport, what it costs by size, and when to send bags to your flight.
eSIM, Pocket WiFi, and Portable Chargers in Japan: What Visitors Actually Need
A straight comparison of Airalo, Ubigi, Japan Wireless eSIM, pocket WiFi, and rental power banks — no padded "top 10" lists.
Lost Something on a Train in Japan? What to Do, Step by Step
Who to contact at JR East, Tokyo Metro and Toei, how long lost items stay with the railway, and how the police lost and found works.
Getting around
Airports into the city, the shinkansen, and Kyoto and Osaka.
Narita Airport to Tokyo: Skyliner, Narita Express, or Bus?
Keisei Skyliner, JR's Narita Express, and budget airport buses between Narita Airport and Tokyo, compared with official prices and travel times.
Haneda Airport to Tokyo: Which Ticket or Pass Should You Buy?
The Haneda 1-Day Subway Pass, the Limousine & Subway Pass, and the Tokyo Subway Ticket, compared — and the one caveat most visitors miss.
Kansai Airport to Osaka and Kyoto: Haruka, Rapi:t or Limousine Bus?
Which to take for Namba, Kyoto, Shin-Osaka, Umeda or USJ, with official journey times and booking tips.
How to Ride the Shinkansen: Tickets, Seats and Big Luggage
Nozomi vs Hikari vs Kodama, reserved seats, booking on smartEX, getting through the gates, and the 160 cm luggage rule, explained by a Japanese railway worker.
Getting Around Kyoto and Osaka: Buses, Subways and Day Passes
Kyoto's bus-only day pass is gone, so here is when to take trains instead of buses, the passes you can still buy in Kyoto and Osaka, and the fastest trains between the two cities.
Private Car Transfers and Chauffeur Hire in Tokyo: When They're Worth It
Private transfers from Narita and Haneda, and hourly car hire with an English-speaking driver: what's included and who they suit.
How Tokyo's Train Network Works: JR vs Tokyo Metro vs Toei
Who runs which lines, why changing companies costs extra, orange transfer gates, and when the Tokyo Subway Ticket is worth it.
Sightseeing and day trips
Tokyo, Mt. Fuji and Hakone, Kyoto, Osaka and USJ: what to book ahead, and what can wait.
Tokyo Sightseeing: Tickets and Tours Worth Booking Before You Arrive
Shibuya Sky, teamLab Planets, Skytree, Tokyo Tower and Mt. Fuji day tours: which ones sell out, and which you can leave until the day.
Mt. Fuji and Hakone Day Trips from Tokyo: Tour or Do It Yourself?
Bus tour, small-group tour, or trains and passes on your own? How to see Mt. Fuji and Hakone from Tokyo, with official routes and the passes that cover them.
Kyoto and Osaka Sightseeing: Tickets and Tours Worth Booking Ahead
Sagano train and Hozugawa boat, teamLab Kyoto, Gion tours, the Osaka Amazing Pass, Kaiyukan and Umeda Sky: what to book before you go, and what can wait.
Universal Studios Japan Tickets: Studio Pass, Express Pass and What to Book First
Studio Pass, Express Pass, Super Nintendo World entry and the train to Universal City Station: what to book before your USJ day.
Kamakura and Enoshima Day Trip from Tokyo: Enoden, Passes and a Simple Route
JR or Odakyu from Tokyo, the seaside Enoden, and whether an IC card, the ¥800 Noriorikun or the Hakone Kamakura Pass fits your plan.
Plane spotting at Haneda
For avgeeks and photographers: where to stand, how to get there, and when to go.
Plane Spotting at Haneda Airport: A Complete Guide for International Visitors
Haneda has three free observation decks, and they're not all the same. Here's which one to pick depending on what you want to shoot.
Getting to Haneda's Observation Decks: Trains, IC Cards, and Tickets Explained
Tokyo Monorail or Keikyu Line? Suica, PASMO, or Welcome Suica? A no-nonsense guide written by someone who actually knows Japan's railways.
Understanding Haneda's Runway Direction: How to Predict the Best Spotting Conditions
Why the view changes completely from one visit to the next — and how to check the wind before you go, so you pick the right deck the first time.