GaijinPot

Cars

Whilst the cost of cars in Japan can be relatively inexpensive; it is important not to costs for parking spaces, MOTs and car insurance.

Driving licenses

An International Driving license can be used temporarily when driving in Japan; but you will need to get a valid driving license – the process for which can vary depending on just which country you come from.

Electronic Toll Collection System (ETC)

Increasing numbers of cars in Japan are equipped with a device in their car called ETC; when using expressways it is possible to use special ETC toll gates – using this system means you can avoid the hassle of having to take tickets and pay in cash at the gates, instead the tolls are charged to a credit card and you also pay cheaper tolls too.

Rental cars

Rental cars can be a good idea if you don’t own your own vehicle or simply don’t want to drive very long distances when making a trip to parts of the country where public transport is not as convenient as it is in the major cities.

Well-known rental companies including Toyota Rentacar, Mazda Rentacar, Nissan Rentacar, Nippon Rentacar and Orix Rentacar have thousands of outlets at airports and train stations nationwide and with prices starting from around 5,000 yen they do offer a very reasonably priced and convenient service. Some things you will need to bear in mind when renting a car include: gasoline is the responsibility of the customer and you will be expected to return the car with a full tank of gas; before you drive off and when you return the vehicle staff will inspect the car in your presence to check for any damages; and smoking is usually prohibited in the car.

Buses

As you get on the bus, remember to take a ticket from the machine at the side of the entrance – a number, corresponding to which stop you got on the bus at, will be printed on the ticket. Just match your number to that displayed on the screen at the front of the bus to find out just how much your journey has const and pay this amount into the box next to the driver when getting off the bus at your destination.

In most parts of the Kanto area it is also possible to pay for your bus journeys using SUICA or Pasmo cards; just touch the card to the card reader as you get on the bus and again when getting off and the cost of the ride will be deducted automatically from the money charged to your card (please see section 3a for more information on SUICA and Pasmo cards).

Train/ Subway

As a rule of thumb there are three main types of train service; local trains that stop at every station, express trains that stop at major stations and semi-express trains that stop at ‘nearly’ all station – as for which one to take, the choice is yours; express trains are faster and somewhat more crowded, whereas local services are slower but outside of the rush-hour your much more likely to be able to get a seat.

For longer journeys Super Express trains are also available, the journey time will be significantly shortened but you will need to buy an extra ticket to travel on these trains; this is also the case when travelling in the Green Cars available – marked with a four-leafed clover Green Cars are the equivalent of 1st class compartments on most express trains.

When first using the trains in Japan it can be quite difficult to work out just how much your journey is going to cost; here using a pre-charged SUICA/ PASMO card can come in very useful – with costs deducted automatically when leaving the station at your destination, you won’t have to worry about buying the right ticket.

Commuting with prepaid transportation cards

SUICA and PASMO

The ‘Super Urban Intelligent Card’ was launched in November 2001, and PASMO in 2007; effectively the two cards are interchangeable as though they are produced by JR and private railway operators respectively you are able to use all rail services with either.

Using SUICA and PASMO cards can make your journey that bit easier, all you have to do is touch the card to the card reader and pass the gate to get on the train – costs are deducted automatically and you won’t have to worry about precise costs and routes, when just getting to your destination can be enough of a challenge.
PASMO/ SUICA can be used for trains, subway and buses – a SUICA/PASMO sign will be displayed prominently at the ticket gates; and the cards can be charged at ticket machines in stations for between 1, 000 and 20,000 yen.

Other services that use SUICA & PASMO

Beside just traveling around, SUICA/ PASMO can also be used as a payment card at many vending machines, lockers, Convenience Stores, restaurants, shops and taxis – just keep an eye out for the same logo that appears on your card (the Pasmo logo is a purple train and a purple bus on a white background, the SUICA logo features a penguin on a grey and green background).

Reading Train/ Subways Signs and Notices

Timetables detailing destinations, departure times, platforms and the type of train service available are displayed prominently at all stations; as well as signs at a number of locations for each platform that show information about the next departure from that platform – with the information shown in both Japanese and English.

Taxi

The cost of a taxi ride usually starts at around 700 yen in most parts of the country and increases by about 100 yen for every 500 meters; costs will also increase by about 20% when taking a taxi late at night or very early in the morning.

One unusual feature of Japanese taxis is the fact that the doors are operated remotely by the driver so you won’t need to either open or close them by yourself.

Shinkansen

Shinkansen bullet trains start operating in 1964 and currently there are eight lines in operation; Tokaido, Sanyo, Tohoku, Yamagata, Akita, Joetsu, Nagano and Kyushu.
Covering long distances at very high speed Shinkansen are very useful when visiting areas not served by a local airport and thanks to the frequency of departures and the fact that stations are situated in City-center areas (unlike the majority of airports) make them a very popular alternative to flying.

Bicycle

Two-thirds of the Japanese population owns a bicycle, making them a very popular form of personal transportation.

Regulations

1. Bicycles basically follow the same traffic laws as automobiles, including traffic signs and signals.
2. On the road, bicycle should keep to the left side of the road; riding towards oncoming vehicular traffic is prohibited by law.
3. When riding on the sidewalk please be aware that in the eyes of the law any accident between a cyclist and a pedestrian is seen to be the fault of the cyclist.
4. Reflector and night lamps must be used when riding at night

Parking facility

Parking lots for bicycles are very common and range from free of charge to those that charge a monthly fee – using these facilities because unfortunately bicycle theft is relatively common in Japan and parking outside of designated areas opens you to the risk of having your bike impounded.

Domestic Ferries

Domestic ferries are relatively common in Japan, serving the many outlying islands as well as providing a valuable commuter service in Japans’ many coastal cities – with boats ranging from exclusive liners with private cabins to smaller vessels, the equivalent of water-going buses.

Hitchhiking

Hitchhiking in Japan is the key to true budget travel in the country and the way to escape the country’s ruinously expensive domestic transport costs, where an hour on the shinkansen can set you back ¥10,000. Coupled with camping, you can effectively cut down your daily budget to food and admission fees alone — although it is wise to allow for the occasional (literal) rainy day.

Hitchhiking does present its own unique challenges, but the purpose of this article is to demonstrate that not only is hitching possible, it’s downright easy… once you know how.