Topics
Trains, passes, and IC cards: what actually gets you around Japan for the least money.
8 posts
Our first-ever Shinkansen ride retraced the exact Tokyo-Osaka route the bullet train launched on in 1964, Mt Fuji included. Real history, a real seat-side tip, and what the ride cost.
A real family ride on JR West's Hello Kitty Shinkansen between Shin-Osaka and Hakata: what the themed cars cost versus a regular bullet train, and why this specific review is now also a record of a retired train.
A real, itemized arrival-day cost breakdown for a family of five in Tokyo: luggage forwarding, pocket wifi, a first dinner, and the one service most first-timers don't know exists.
JR Pass, Klook, 12Go, or the station machine: real 2026 prices for booking shinkansen tickets in Japan, and when the national rail pass is and isn't worth it.
Two real train options get you from Osaka to Kansai Airport. Real current fares for both, plus the cheap backup option neither guide mentions first.
A Mario-themed welcome display at Narita, a paid airport lounge, and the real, violent history behind why Narita exists at all. Real transit pricing to get into Tokyo from there.
Captain Line runs a 10 minute ferry between Universal Studios Japan's port and Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan. Real fares, and what's free while you wait.
Ten different regional IC cards work interchangeably on trains and buses across Japan. What actually differs between them, and what to get depending on how long you're staying.
