Getting Around Japan

An IC card (Suica or Pasmo). Tap in and out at any station gate, and the fare is deducted automatically, no need to work out ticket prices at a machine. Most US iPhones can add Suica directly to Apple Wallet before you even land.

Not necessarily. The JR Pass makes sense for multi-city routes covering 3 or more destinations by shinkansen. For single-city trips or short itineraries, an IC card and point-to-point tickets are usually cheaper. See our JR Pass guide for the full break-even math.

Yes. Station signage, train announcements, and ticket machines all include English in every city covered on this site. Google Maps gives accurate, English-language platform and transfer directions for almost every route.

Train, in almost every case. Narita Express and the Tokyo Monorail/Keikyu Line both reach central Tokyo faster and far cheaper than a taxi, which can run $200+ from Narita.

For routes the shinkansen doesn't directly serve well, such as Tokyo to Sapporo, Fukuoka, or Okinawa. For anywhere on the Tokyo-Kyoto-Osaka-Hiroshima corridor, the shinkansen is faster door to door once you account for airport transfer and security time.

Yes, and it's useful for rural Hokkaido, the Japanese Alps, or Kyushu, where trains run less frequently. You'll need an International Driving Permit from AAA or CAA alongside your home license, and Japan drives on the left.