Traveling In Japan

See the Land of the Rising Sun

Let's Travel | Trains| Shinkansen | Planes | Buses & Rental Cars | Places to Stay

Let's Travel

Getting around Japan is actually very easy. The train system is one of the best in the world, always on time, and accessible. For places farther away there's the famous Shinkansen and of course air travel. Japan has numerous airports, including Kobe airport, and nearby Kansai International.

Trains

Trains are THE mode of transport in Japan. From Kobe you'll mainly use the rails to travel around the Kansai region and to take day trips to neighboring Osaka and Kyoto. Different rail lines will often take you to the same cities, but to different locations, so choose the train line that is fastest and/or cheapest.

Hyperdia

To make plans for any trip, use Hyperdia to see how to get from one train station to another.

Different Lines in the Kansai Area

Take JR (Japan Railways) to get to:
Umeda, the central hub for northern Osaka.
Kyoto, Japan's ancient capital.
Nara, another ancient capital with stunning Todaiji Temple.

Take the Hankyu line to get to:
Minoo, for some leisurely hiking.
Arashiyama, a Kyoto suburb famours for some of the most spectacular scenery in Japan.
Kawaramachi, right in the middle of beautiful downtown Kyoto.

Take the Kintetsu line to get to:
Yoshino, see mountainsides of of cherry blossoms. Go to Tennoji station to reach the Kintetsu line.

Take the Nankai Line to get to:
Mt. Koya, Japan's most sacred mountain, and a great place for a weekend retreat.

Shinkansen

Japan's iconic bullet train can take you clear across the country. You can access the shinkansen on the Kobe City Subway line at Shin-Kobe station. The "shink" time schedule is nearly as frequent as any other train, and just like any other train you can buy the tickets at the station just before you get on.

Shink tickets are, not surprisingly, more expensive than normal train tickets. One way to Tokyo is almost �15,000; flights on Skymark airlines from Kobe airport can be cheaper.

There are three different speeds of Shinkansen:

• Kodama = Local
• Hikari = Express
• Nozomi = Super Express

To see where the shink goes, you can check out this map. And just like normal trains, you can use Hyperdia to help plan your trip.

Planes

Kobe Airport

Easy to access, just take the Port Liner from Sannomiya station. From Kobe Airport you can access the following airports via the following airlines:

Itami Airport

Also called Osaka International (it's actually domestic only) Airport, you can fly to more locations throughout Japan than Kobe Airport. To get there, it's easiest to take the limousine bus from Sannomiya for �1000.

Kansai International Airport (KIX)

Wherever you want to go: in Japan, Asia, home, or anywhere in the world, you can get there via KIX. Most major airlines fly here. Take the limousine bus in Sannomiya to get there for �1900.

Buses, Ferries & Rental Cars

Buses

Without a doubt, the cheapest way to travel through Japan, but also the slowest and least comfortable, is by bus. From Sannomiya you can take an overnight bus to just about anywhere. You can buy bus tickets on the south side of Sannomiya JR station.

Further details pending.

Ferries

Ferries are a cheap and easy way of going around Japan, as long as you have the time. You can turn this in your favor by taking a ferry overnight and sleeping through most of the trip. The cheapest sleeping accommodations are just a tatami floor, usually with a foam mat, simple pillow and blanket, included. Considering what fancier accommodations cost, it would probably be better to take the shinkansen or a plane to where you want to go.

Ferry schedules can be found in Japanese on Kobe Ferry Guide, The website is only in Japanese so ask a friend or your JTE to help you plan a trip.

There are terminals at located on Rokko island and and on Port Island.

Map to Rokko Island Terminal (map pending)

Mao to Port Island Terminal (map pending)

Rental Cars

Places to Stay

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