Trains

The Mobile Suica: The Best Way to Get Around Town

Aug 28, 2024 By Michael Stigall

We’ve talked about IC cards before. There’s Suica. There’s Pasmo. There’s ICOCA. There’s Manaca. So many cards! But the good news is that most of them can be used throughout...[ Click to read more ]

Riding Kansai’s Hello Kitty HARUKA

May 29, 2024 By Justin Hanus

There is now an extra-fun way to reach Osaka and Kyoto from Kansai International Airport: the Hello Kitty HARUKA train. It’s not just for fans of Hello Kitty (although they...[ Click to read more ]

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All Aboard! The Special Trains of Kyushu

Apr 28, 2022 By William Farrow

Japan is famous for its trains and their consistency. Foreign residents often remark that the trains are always neat and reliable. This punctuality is an immense pride point of the...[ Click to read more ]

Mt. Fuji and Shinkansen

The Best Train Passes in Japan (For Residents)

Feb 28, 2022 By Michael Stigall

Many people know of the exceptional value of a Japan Rail Pass, which allows tourists to ride the train systems in Japan for a set period without paying individual ticket...[ Click to read more ]

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The JR East Railway Museum: See Japan’s History Move on Wheels of Steel

May 26, 2021 By Jason Gatewood

A good many visitors to Japan have been known to utter out loud, “there sure are a lot of trains in Japan!” …And they wouldn’t be wrong! We happen to...[ Click to read more ]

Romancing the rails at Odakyu’s Romancecar Museum

Apr 25, 2021 By Jason Gatewood

It's an open secret that one of the reasons I enjoy living in Japan is that public transportation is held in high regard and promoted by the people as a...[ Click to read more ]

Day Trips by Train in Kanto

Sep 29, 2020 By Jason Gatewood

When talking about trains in Japan, people either think of the Shinkansen high-speed rail lines linking Japan's major cities or the commuter lines in major cities, famous for their ease-of-use...[ Click to read more ]

Hozan-ji

The Tunnels of Mount Ikoma Bridge the Cultures of Osaka and Nara

May 17, 2016 By Justin Hanus

  The city of Osaka is sheltered on the shores of Osaka Bay to the south and east by the Ikoma Mountains. This is great for defense, especially in olden...[ Click to read more ]

SCMAGLEV and Railway Park Nagoya

Nov 25, 2013 By Ray Proper

The SCMaglev and Railway Park is a railway and train museum owned by the  Central Japan Railway Company in Nagoya, Japan.  The museum is a new edition to the list...[ Click to read more ]