How to travel around Japan
Before going to Japan, figuring out the transport and how to get from A to B to C to D was probably one of the hardest things to bring together. Of course, if you want to book through a tour operator or travel consultant, these are not something to worry about however, I think secretly we enjoy making this our adventure.
If you’re anything like me and my partner, I spend many hours worrying about all the details and trying to plan the most incredible trip, all the hours of worrying over cities, towns, hotels, flights, trains, busses, restaurants, rural adventures, what travel adapter do we need, will we need a visa or what’s the entry requirements and so so much more. Where as, he simply just turns up!
So, my intention is to help all the other travel planners out there, and bring together all my research and findings.
My honest advice for the start of your planning is to go to one of those shops on the hughstreet where they have nice brochures, you don’t need to book through them, but they will give you an idea of places to build into your adventure and how they can possibly link up. They’re also great at giving you an idea for how long to spend in a certain location.
Once you know where you would like to go, and how long you’ll like to stay in each place, you can start to think about the logistics.
Most cities have a public transport network which you can take advantage of, it would then come down to your personal preference on whether you’ll rather an electric bike, a bus or a train (I guess this answer will depending on the distance being travelled). That said, there are some amazing cyclists who do cycle from Kyoto to Tokyo!
For getting from one town or city to the next, your travel will depend on what’s available. Some places you can connect using the train system whereas others you will need to take a bus. All buses we travelled on were great, very clean and not over crowded.
I’ll break down below what we used in the towns and cities and also how we got from each location to the next.
During our two week trip we travelled from Tokyo → Shibuya Onsen → Matsumoto → Takayama → Kanazawa → Kyoto → Osaka → Tokyo
How to get around Tokyo
Tokyo’s public transport network is absolutely enormous, but don’t let that scare you.
JR trains (Japan Railway): JR East operated several useful lines through central Tokyo. The on'e you’ll probably hear about most is JR Yamanote Line, this is a loop around central Tokyo connecting major areas including Shinjuku, Shibuya, Tokyo, Ueno and Ikebukuro.
Tokyo’s subways: there are 13 subway lines split between Tokyo Metro (9lines) and Toei (4 lines). Between them they cover a huge amount of central Tokyo and are often the easiest way to get somewhere that isn’t directly served by the Yamanote Line.
Private Railways: Lines like Odakyu, Keio, and Tobu connect central Tokyo outward to suburbs and popular day-trip destinations like Hakone or Nikko
Tickets and Payment
IC Cards (Suica / Pasmo): The easiest way to ride. Tap in and tap out at station gates. You can buy physical cards or add digital versions to your smartphone wallet. They also work at convenience stores and vending machines.
Tokyo Subway Passes: Unlimited 24, 48, or 72-hour passes valid on both Tokyo Metro and Toei Subway lines, available to visitors.
Individual Trip Tickets: Where you just buy a ticket based on where you are going.
Navigation: Honestly, use apps Google Maps to find exact train platforms, transfer times, and fare estimates
Some of the machines are cash only, so make sure you always keep some cash on you at all times.
Most day passes are overpriced and/or not very practical because they do not cover all of Tokyo's train and subway lines. Consequently, single tickets or prepaid cards usually come cheaper, especially if you plan your city sightseeing in a geographically wise way.
A great place to find more information is The Japan Guide.
Shinjuku Station
Shinjuku station is famous for being the world's busiest railway station, handling an average of 3.5 million passengers every single day. If you’ve ever seen the film Exit 8 where a guy keeps walking through a station, and it loops, each time he has to notice what’s changed, but it just keeps going. It’s a psychological maze horror-thriller which I’m sure Shinjuku is based on!!
It’s widely considered the most complicated and maze-like train station in the world.
Don’t let this put you off because this is such a unique experience, our tip is to memorise the Main Exits: Focus on the primary directional exits rather than getting lost inside. The East Exit leads to nightlife and entertainment (like Kabukicho), the West Exit leads to skyscrapers and business offices, and the South Exit leads to the highway bus terminal.
Practical Tips
Rush Hour Crowds: Peak hours run from 7:30 AM to 9:30 AM and 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM. Trains become extremely packed, which can be intense if you dislike tight spaces.
Etiquette Rules: Keep your phone on silent and avoid talking on your mobile phone while onboard.
Overall traveling around Tokyo is very clean, well lit and generally safe.
Getting around Tokyo on Electric Bikes
You can easily find and ride electric bikes in Tokyo using convenient app-based sharing networks or traveler rental services.
Bike-Sharing Apps such as LUUP: This popular sharing service offers compact electric bikes and scooters across Tokyo. You use their smartphone app to scan, unlock, and pay for rides. Stations are marked clearly with signs and pavement tape.
Price: In Tokyo, unlocking a vehicle typically costs ¥50, with each following minute of usage being charged at ¥15. However, fee structures vary by location and mode of transport. Full pricing model and further information can be seen here.
How far can a LUUP go on a full battery? On a full battery, a LUUP can go as far as 45km, though this will depend on your speed, driving style, and the terrain of your journey. Source: LUUP.
How LUUP Works
App Download: Download the official LUUP App and set up your account with a credit or debit card. Search for “LUUP” in the App Store or Google Play Store:
Station Finder: Use the in-app map to find nearby parking stations (ports) with available electric bikes.
Unlock: Scan the QR code on the bike using the app's camera to unlock it and select your destination parking port.
Riding: Adjust the seat, follow local Japanese traffic laws, and ride safely on city streets.
Return: Park the bike back at any designated LUUP station, lock it, and submit a confirmation photo through the app to end your rental.
It’s available in Tokyo, Kyoto, Yokohama, Utsunomiya, Kobe, Nagoya and Osaka!
How to get from Tokyo to Shibu Onsen
For the next part of our trip, we left Tokyo behind and headed towards Shibu Onsen in the Japanese Alps.
We took the Hokuriku Shinkansen from Tokyo to Nagano. From Nagano Dentetsu, we carried on towards Yudanaka Station, which was the closest to Shibu Onsen. We then walked to the hotel, you can get a taxi if you prefer.
This is what we pre-booked on Klook:
09:04am TRAIN from Tokyo Station to Nagano
11:15am TRAIN Nagano Dentetsu (Nagano -> Yudanka) arrive at 12:15
When you’re in Sahib Onsen, everything is walkable, both during the day and at night, we were able to walk around the little town.
In the morning, our hotel offered a shuttle to see the Snow Monkeys, unfortunately this was a little later than we wanted (due to our travel commitments) so we got a taxi there (our hotel booked this for us), it was very cheap. We then walked back as it wasn’t far and down-hill.
How to get from Shibu Onsen to Matsumoto
This was very straightforward and we didn’t pre-book. We checked the trains in the morning on the Klook app and then we walked to Yudanaka Station, boarded the Nagano Electric Railway (Nagaden) train from Yudanaka Station to Nagano Station.
Duration: About 45 to 55 minutes (depending on whether you take a limited express or local train).
We then took the next train from Nagano Station and transfer to the JR Shinano limited express train heading toward Matsumoto.
Duration: About 50 minutes.
How to get around Matsumoto
While in Matsumoto we got around by walking.
How to get from Matsumoto to Takayama
You might assume that travelling between places in Japan means taking a train, for this section a bus made much more sense.
We prebooked the Highway Bus you can go to the bus station and buy a ticket while you’re there for the next day, although there is a chance they could sell out.
Highway Bus: Matsumoto EXPWY Exit（10:05）⇒ Takayama Nohi Bus Center（12:28）[Booked]
Duration: around 2hrs 20mins
The bus was very clean and the views while traveling were beautiful!
How to get around Takayama
You’re going to think we’re incredibly fit but we’re honestly not, this is just another location that is VERY accessible to walk around. There was no need for trains, busses or even bikes!
Takayama, Shirakawa-Go & Kanazawa
We knew we had to travel from Takayama to Kanazawa but we desperately wanted to visit Shirakawa-Go en route. I was so worried about how we could do it but also what would we do with out suitcases? Would we be able to leave them somewhere while we walked around? Is this even a thing?
Thankfully, I found this Viator Trip, it was exactly what I wanted - Takayama to Kanazawa via UNESCO Shirakawa-go (meet at 8:20am and have roughly 2/3 hours at Shirakawa-Go).
It worked perfectly!
How to get around Kanazawa
One of the best things we did in Kanazawa was hire electric bikes.
Our hotel gave us the information for Machi-nori, Kanazawa’s public electric bike sharing scheme, and we were able to arrange and pay for a one-day pass at the hotel reception desk.
There are bike stations all over central Kanazawa, so you can pick up and return the bikes at different points around the city.
How It Works
Network: Pick up and return bikes at any designated Cycle Port across the city center without needing to return it to your starting point.
The Bicycles: Compact 20-inch, pedal-assist electric bicycles that make riding up slopes and across longer routes effortless.
Access & App: Download the Machi-nori app to check real-time bike availability, battery levels, and station maps. You can also link an IC card (like Suica) for quick unlock.
One-Day Pass: Costs around 1,650 yen, allowing unlimited rentals up until 23:59 on the day of use, provided each individual ride stays under 30 minutes.
How to get from Kanazawa to Kyoto
We pre-booked our train online, the change at Tsuruga is now necessary.
13:05 Train to Kyoto change at Tsuruga
14:02 Changed at Tsuruga
14:14 Limited Express (Thunderbird/Shirasagi) from Tsuruga
15:09 Arrive in Kyoto
We used the Klook app for our train reservations.
Klook: is a highly popular official partner that formats multi-leg Japanese train bookings clearly into english itineraries.
How to get around Kyoto
One of our biggest recommendations for Kyoto: use an electric LUUP bike - Luup, Japan’s No.1 Micromobility Sharing Operator.
At first it is a little daunting to get on a bike in a foreign country however, this turned out to be genuinely one of the most fun things we did. Some of Kyoto’s attractions are spread across the city, and using bikes meant we weren’t constantly thinking about buses and trains. We could just cycle between places and stop whenever we saw something interesting,
The electric assistance also makes a big difference when you’ve already spent several days walking around Japan! I’m sure we clocked 20-30k steps most days.
Price: In Tokyo, unlocking a vehicle typically costs ¥50, with each following minute of usage being charged at ¥15. However, fee structures vary by location and mode of transport. Full pricing model and further information can be seen here.
How far can a LUUP go on a full battery? On a full battery, a LUUP can go as far as 45km, though this will depend on your speed, driving style, and the terrain of your journey. Source: LUUP.
How LUUP Works
App Download: Download the official LUUP App and set up your account with a credit or debit card. Search for “LUUP” in the App Store or Google Play Store:
Station Finder: Use the in-app map to find nearby parking stations (ports) with available electric bikes.
Unlock: Scan the QR code on the bike using the app's camera to unlock it and select your destination parking port.
Riding: Adjust the seat, follow local Japanese traffic laws, and ride safely on city streets.
Return: Park the bike back at any designated LUUP station, lock it, and submit a confirmation photo through the app to end your rental.
It’s available in Tokyo, Kyoto, Yokohama, Utsunomiya, Kobe, Nagoya and Osaka!
How to get from Kyoto to Osaka
Train is definitely the best and quickest way, we bought our ticket on the day:
Direct Train Options from Kyoto to Osaka
Tokaido Shinkansen (Bullet Train)
Duration: 14 minutes
Route: Runs from Kyoto Station to Shin-Osaka Station (transfer to the Midosuji Subway Line for downtown Osaka)
JR Kyoto Line Special Rapid Service
Duration: Approx. 29–30 minutes
How to get around Osaka
Osaka has an extensive network of subways and trains, and these will get you to most places.
The Osaka Metro is particularly useful for exploring the city centre. The Midosuji Line connects some of the big areas visitors are likely to use, including Shin-Osaka, Used Shinsaibashi, Samba and Tennoji.
You’ll also come across JR trains, including the Osaka Loop Line, which circles central Osaka and connects with several major stations.
Osaka Station and Shin Osaka Stations are not the same place.
Osaka Station is a major transport hub around the Used area, while Shin-Osaka is where the Tokaido/Sanyo Shinkansen stops.
They’re connected by train, but if you’re catching the bullet train, make sure you’re heading to the right one!
How to get from Osaka to Tokyo
On the bullet train, of course!!
This was very straight forward to book in advance on the Klook app.
Pre-Booking Trains in Japan
Official bullet train tickets and seat reservations cannot be purchased more than exactly 30 days before your travel date. This rule creates a stressful itinerary gap where you are leaving a lot of your travel plans up in the air until the last minute.
You can either put a reminder in your calendar or you can use an app such as Klook, they will let you pre-buy the tickets and then as soon as they become available, they will secure your place. You’ll be able to pre-book Japan train tickets on Klook up to 90 days in advance, but the actual seat reservation and QR code are only issued 30 days before departure when JR (Japan Railways) officially releases the seats.
Download Options
iOS Devices: Get the application from the App Store for iPhone and iPad.
Android Devices: Install the software from Google Play
Google Maps is your best friend
While in Japan, we found that Google Maps worked much better than Apple Maps. You will be able to use it to find local restaurants with reviews, you will also be able to navigate from A to B very easily.
