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Transport of Japan

Airports

While most people fly into Tokyo, there are several other ways of getting to and from Japan. For a start, there are many other airports in Japan, some of which make more convenient entry points than the New Tokyo International Airport (Narita International Airport).
Japan's most significant international airport is Tokyo's Narita Airport, followed by Osaka's Kansai Airport and Nagoya's Centrair Airport.

Japan's fourth largest international airport is Fukuoka Airport, which links the city with several Asian destinations. Other Japanese airports offer small numbers of international flights mainly to Korea, China and other Asian destinations.

Most major airlines and airports offer flights to Japan. Japan’s own two leading airlines, Japan Airlines (JAL) and All Nippon Airways (ANA), both serve a broad range of international destinations. In total, there are 174 airports in Japan.

Generally, Japan's airports are clean, well-organized places. They are also quite expensive and often far from the cities they serve. Also, while the large international airports have English signs, English-speaking staff are scarce and other languages are barely catered to at all. Bilingual staff is even scarcer in smaller airports, despite having some international flights. However, being so well-organized, the average traveller will find Japan’s airports user-friendly.

Narita Airport is vast; to bring some order to its proceedings, facilities are split according to floor levels. There are exceptions of course and for full details you can visit their site, given below. There are numerous facilities for passing the time, business needs and especially for handicap travellers. Wheelchairs are freely-loaned and a Braille airport guide is available, among other thoughtful amenities.

Haneda Airport is also called Big Bird and formerly known as Tokyo International Airport. When Narita Airport was completed, all international flights were directed there and Haneda became Japan’s major domestic airport. It is less than 30 minutes from downtown Tokyo. There are a multitude of airport facilities ranging from the usual banks, post office and restaurants to a dentist, beauty salon and Shinto shrine.

Osaka's Kansai Airport serves both, international and domestic flights. It took over a large share of Osaka's second airport, Itami Airport, which continues to handle domestic flights.

In addition, there are several minor, independent airline companies, such as Skymark Airlines (connecting Tokyo with Fukuoka, Tokushima and Kagoshima), Air Do (connecting Tokyo with Sapporo and Asahikawa in Hokkaido) and Fairinc (connecting Osaka with Sendai, Matsuyama and Oita).

The fastest option from major airports is the train. Narita Airport has the speedy JR Narita Express (NEX), or the slightly slower JR Sobu Line (Rapid Service). Trains depart every 30-60 minutes and take roughly 75 minutes to reach downtown Tokyo Station, where trains connect to other areas of the city.

A slower, yet more frequent option than the train is the Limousine Bus, departing Narita Airport every 15 to 20 minutes. The journey takes about 100 minutes to downtown Tokyo.

Bus

In Tokyo, Osaka and some other large cities, buses serve as secondary means of public transportation, complementing the train and subway networks. In cities with less dense train networks like Kyoto, buses are the main means of public transportation.

Buses also serve smaller towns, the countryside and national parks. Major cities are, furthermore, linked by highway and long distance buses. Long distance bus travel is cheaper and slower than using the train. Many overnight buses are equipped with comfortable, reclining seats. On cheaper overnight buses and most daytime buses, standard bus seats with four seats per row are commonly used. Seat reservations are necessary on most long distance buses. Reservations can be made at major bus terminals, through travel agents, by phone (usually in Japanese only) or online (in Japanese only). Reservations for JR highway buses can also be made at ticket counters of JR railway stations.

Making a reservation one or more days in advance is recommended especially on popular routes and during busy travel seasons. However, if there is space left, it is also possible to get a seat reservation just prior to departure at the bus terminal.

Car

Renting a car is an option worth considering if you plan to explore rural Japan, where public transportation is not as convenient or frequent as it is in the cities. If you are travelling in groups, a rental car can also be an economical alternative.

Exploring Japan's big cities by car, however, is not recommended. Traffic tends to be heavy, navigation is difficult, and parking fees are high. Trains, subways and buses are generally a better choice in urban areas.

In order to rent and drive a car in Japan, a Japanese driving license or an international driving permit is required. In case of France, Germany and Switzerland, an official translation of your home country's driving license is required. International driving permits must be obtained in your home country, usually through the national Automobile Association and must be accompanied by your home country's driving license in order to be valid. They are valid for one year.

International car rental companies such as Budget, Avis and Hertz offer car rental in Japan, typically in cooperation with one of the leading Japanese car rental companies, however, their rates are generally higher.

Ferry

Japan has an extensive network of domestic ferry routes which connect to the many islands, big and small.

While Japan's four major islands, Honshu, Hokkaido, Kyushu and Shikoku, are connected with each other by bridges and tunnels, most smaller islands can only be reached by boat. Even between the major four islands, ferries can be an interesting, and sometimes faster alternative to trains, buses and airplanes.

On most ferries, passengers have the choice of three classes - 1st class, 2nd class and Special class. 1st class cabins are equipped with 2-4 beds, 2nd class has two options, the cheapest is a large public room with a carpet or tatami mats functioning as beds, or the slightly more expensive 2nd class which provides a smaller dormitory room with anywhere from 4 to 12 beds. Special class is the most expensive and provides a private room with 2 beds.

Taxi

To the average cost-conscious traveller, taxis are an expensive alternative to the efficient public transportation system of Japan's largest cities. In smaller cities and the countryside, however, public transportation is often much less efficient, and taking a taxi from the nearest train station to your final destination can be a good choice. If you travel in a group of three or more people, a taxi can also be an economical alternative.

Most train and bus services in Japan stop around midnight, resulting in a sudden increase in the demand for taxis around that time, especially on weekends. On Friday and Saturday nights, there are often long queues at taxi stands in front of major train stations.
Vacancy is indicated by a plate on the dashboard in the lower corner of the front window during the day or a light on the roof at night. A red plate indicates that the taxi is vacant, while a green plate indicates the opposite.

When you board a taxi, the driver electronically opens and closes the vehicle's left rear door by remote control. You are not supposed to open or close it by yourself. Furthermore, you are not supposed to tip taxi drivers, as the service is included in the price.