THE BEST WAY TO GET AROUND JAPAN and other Japan Transportation Tips

'Mode': AROUND
Category: Train
Getting TO/AROUND: To get around Japan, the best way is by train using Japan Railways (JR). Buy a JR Rail Pass so you can go from region to region. This pass offers you unlimited travel on any JR line & affiliated buses & ferries (except for the super express Nozomi). You MUST buy the pass outside of the country. You cannot purchase it here in Japan.
You can opt to purchase a pass that covers all of Japan or you can purchase a regional one: JR East Pass for northeastern Japan (around Tokyo), the JR West Pass (around Kansai), the JR Kyushu Pass (for all over Kyushu Island), or the Hokkaido Rail Pass (for all over Hokkaido).
With the passes, you can get special discounts at JR Hotel Group hotels.
Another option if you will be travelling around Japan but staying for a long time in each place is the "Seishun Juhachi Kippu". It was made for students 18 or younger but there is not age restriction for purchase & use. It gives you 5 days (not consecutive days, like the JR Rail Pass) of unlimited travel on all JR services including night trains but excluding limited express and Shinkansen services for only 11,500 yen. You can buy this ticket in Japan.

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'Mode': TO
Category: Airplane
Getting TO/AROUND: ...I found a great travel agency that sells plane tickets to Japan at a great price!
IACE TRAVEL
607 Boylston St., 6th Floor
Boston, MA 02116
617-424-0140
800-233-4223
I usually pay about US$600 roundtrip from Boston to Kansai International Airport (Osaka). IACE TRAVEL specializes in Japan travel. The travel agents there can speak both English & Japanese.
For those who want to work with a travel agency to get a ticket to Japan, I suggest that you try to find an agency that speciallizes in Japan travel or Asia, as they would have more discounted block seats on flights to the region.

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'Mode': AROUND
Category: Train
Getting TO/AROUND: Definitely get the JR pass if you plan on spending at least a week in Japan and you are travelling far distances (ie, Kyoto to Tokyo). You'll get your money's worth!

Signs are in Japanese, English, and Korean. There are tickers in each cabin displaying the next stop and also what stops are after that (in Japanese and English). An announcement is made as the train approaches the next station. When you get onto the platform there will be signs leading you to your next train.

Japan has the most user-friendly train system in the world, and it's ON-TIME! You won't have any problems. :)

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