Japan isn’t a massive country but it’s still the largest island nation in East Asia - meaning there's lots of ground to cover during any cross-country trip. (& Trust me, you’re going to want to cover as much ground as you possibly can - every region (also known as a prefecture) of Japan is just as unique & charming as the next.) Luckily, Japan is an incredibly tourist-friendly nation with transportation infrastructure built to get you anywhere you want to be in the country.
The most common modes of transportation include: taking the bus, renting a car (with a valid drivers license), taking a train or catching a flight. All four modes of transportation are convenient to use & as reliable as the next but the prices, travel times & prep work required will vary widely.
Below, we’ll discuss the advantages & disadvantages of using a bus, car, train or plane to get around Japan.
Getting Around Japan By Bus
Those looking to get around Japan on a budget should consider taking the bus - it’s by far the most inexpensive mode of transportation. A trip that would cost 13,620 JPY by train would only cost 2,500 JPY.
Pro Bus $-Saving Tip:
Look into the 3 non-consecutive day bus package with Willer Express -it’s only 10,000 JPY! Visit, http://www.willerexpress.com/en for more details.
Those looking to go long distances across Japan shouldn’t consider taking the bus - it’s by far the slowest mode of transportation. A trip that might have taken 4 hours by train will most likely end up being a 9 hour bus ride - more than double the time! If you have no other choice but to take the bus for long distances, consider catching an overnight bus.
Buses are widely used & easy to take. All you need is a ticket to board the bus; tickets can be purchased online or at the bus terminal.
If you know your travel date(s) & want to book tickets ahead of time, visit:
(check both sites before purchasing - prices fluctuate daily)
If you’re unsure about your travel date(s), rest assured, you can wait to purchase your tickets at the bus terminal - just be sure to arrive 1 hr before your desired bus is scheduled to depart.
Getting Around Japan by Car
Those looking to get around Japan on a budget shouldn’t consider renting a car - it’s a much more expensive way to get around than taking the bus. Rental prices will vary depending on car type but the average cost of renting a car is 10,000 JPY/day - which ends up being the same cost as the 3 non-consecutive day bus package with Willer Express. It gets expensive before you even start to consider insurance, toll & parking fees.
Pro Car $-Saving Tip:
Book car rental 3-6 months in advance.
Those looking to go long distances across Japan should consider renting a car - it’s a faster mode of transportation than taking the bus. A trip that would usually take 9 hours by bus would take 6 hours.
Renting a car may be the best option for those travelling to the Japanese countryside (ie. Hokkaido & Okinawa) where buses, trains & planes are far & few. All you need to rent a car in Japan is an international driving permit (IDP) under the 1949 Geneva Convention in the proper format issued by the national Automobile Association in the country which issued your license. *
* please note: nationals holding a driver’s license from France, Belgium, Germany, Monaco, Switzerland & Taiwan are unable to use the International Driving Permits issued by their countries; for more details on how nationals from these listed countries can obtain a proper IDP to drive in Japan, please visit: https://www.japan-experience.com/car-rental/common-questions/driving-licence
IDPs are only issued in your home country so be sure to get it all sorted out before departing for Japan. & Always have your IDP, passport & home driving license handy when you’re driving around Japan.
Getting Around Japan by Train
Those looking to get around Japan on a budget should not consider taking the train - it’s by far the most expensive way to travel on-land. A trip that would cost 10,000 JPY by car would cost 13,620 JPY by train.
Pro Train $-Saving Tip:
Forget about buying individual tickets & get yourself a Japan Rail (JR) Pass. You pay a single-fare for 7-, 14- or 21-days of unlimited train rides. The pass can be expensive but it’s totally worth it if you’re planning to city/town hop across Japan. Plus, the JR Pass can be used to reserve seats in advance (which comes in handy when you’re planning to take longer train rides).
I’ll provide more information on how to order, authorize & use your JR Pass in another blog.
Those looking to go long distances across Japan should consider taking the train - with the bullet trains (also known as shinkansen) racing around at speeds up to 360 km/hr, it’s by far the fastest mode of on-land transportation. A trip that would take 9 hours by bus would only take 4 hrs by train.
Trains are almost as widely used & easy to take as buses. All you need is a ticket to board the train; if you are purchasing individual tickets, you can wait to purchase your tickets at the bus station - just be sure to arrive 10-15 mins before your desired train is scheduled to depart. If you know your travel date(s) & want to purchase the Japan Rail (JR) Pass, visit:
1. your local travel agency *
2. an authorized online distributor (such as Klook)
* if you’re in Toronto, visit HIS Canada @ G52-123 Queen Street, Toronto, ON in the Financial District - they'll have you in & out of the office with a JR Pass in under 15 mins!
JR Passes are only issued in your home country so be sure to get it all sorted out before departing for Japan. & Always have your JR Pass & passport on you when you’re taking the train around Japan.
To view the most updated train schedules, visit http://www.hyperdia.com/
Getting Around Japan by Plane
Those looking to get around Japan on a budget should not consider catching a flight - it’s by far the most expensive way to travel across Japan. A trip that would cost 13,620 JPY by train would cost 15,890 JPY by plane.
Pro Plane $-Saving Tip:
Purchase domestic & international flight at the same time - airlines such as JAL & ANA offer discounts on domestic flights for passengers flying international routes to Japan with them.
Those looking to go long distances across Japan should consider catching a flight - it’s by far the fastest mode of transportation. A trip that would take 4 hrs by train would be less than 2 hours by plane.
Catching a flight may be the best option for those travelling to far away cities (ie. Fukuoka & Sapporo) that requires a full day of travelling. All you need is a ticket to board the flight; tickets can be purchased online or at the airport - just be sure to arrive 4-5 hours before your desired flight is scheduled to depart.
There’s no perfect mode of transportation to get across Japan - transportation is either slow & inexpensive or fast & expensive. The most important things to consider before you start to book your transportation options are your budget & what your time is worth. But rest assure, whichever method you choose, you’ll be in good hands. Japan has some of the safest & reliable travel options in the world.
I hope these tips & tricks help to bring you one step closer to travelling across Japan!
Like this post? Pin it to save for later!
Coming Next:
The 5 Best Ramen Restaurants (Ya-Tai) in Japan
Comments