Know Your Trains: Joetsu Shinkansen

Update 12 August 2018: Updated with new map.

A double-decker E4-series "MAX Tanigawa" train at Tokyo Station.
By Rebirth10 [CC BY-SA 4.0 ], from Wikimedia Commons

The Joetsu Shinkansen (上越新幹線, Jōetsu Shinkansen) is a high-speed rail line travelling from Tokyo to Niigata, on the coast of the Sea of Japan.  It runs through the mountainous north-central region of Japan, known as Joetsu (上越, Jōetsu), providing access to many ski and hot-springs resorts along the way.  It opened in 1982, several months after the debut of the Tohoku Shinkansen.  The maximum speed limit of trains on this line is 240 kilometres per hour, or 150 miles per hour.

A map of the Joetsu Shinkansen and its stops.

Times

Four services run on the Joetsu Shinkansen.  The "Toki" runs the full length of the line from Tokyo to Niigata, whereas the "Tanigawa" terminates mid-way at Echigo-Yuzawa.  Finally, the "MAX Toki" and "MAX Tanigawa" have identical stopping patterns as their regular counterparts, but use double-decker train cars.  (The name MAX stands for "Multi-Amenity Express".)  All Joetsu Shinkansen services are labelled in red on signboards.  Tanigawa and MAX Tanigawa mostly depart during the morning and evening commuter periods.

Name	Start Station	End Station(s)	Time**	Max. Frequency***
Toki	Tokyo	Niigata	2 hours 10 minutes	1 per 2 hours
MAX Toki				1-2 per hour
Tanigawa	Tokyo	Echigo-Yuzawa Gala-Yuzawa*	90 minutes	1 per 2 hours
MAX Tanigawa				1-2 per hour

* Trains stop at Gala-Yuzawa during the winter ski season only.
** Approximate time between Tokyo and designated end station.
*** Departure frequency (per direction) is based on February 2017 schedules and are subject to change.

Stops

A 200-series train (taken out of service in 2013) on the Gala-Yuzawa branch line.
© DAJF / Wikimedia Commons

During the winter ski season, which usually falls between December and April, Tanigawa trains continue from Echigo-Yuzawa onto a short branch line to Gala-Yuzawa station, which is directly adjacent to the ski resort of the same name.  The Gala-Yuzawa Line, as this branch is called, is only 1.8 km (1.1 mi) long, only takes 3 minutes to traverse, and as such isn't nearly as fast as the main Joetsu line, but with tickets at only ¥240 (including limited express fees), it is one of the cheapest ways to experience the Shinkansen, however briefly.

Name (English)	Name (Japanese)	Prefecture	Toki	Tanigawa
Tokyo	東京	Tokyo	X	X
Ueno	上野		X	X
Omiya	大宮	Saitama	X	X
Kumagaya	熊谷		O	X
Honjo-Waseda	本庄早稲田		O	X
Takasaki	高崎	Gunma	X	X
Jomo-Kogen	上毛高原		O	X
Echigo-Yuzawa	越後湯沢	Niigata	X	X
Gala-Yuzawa	ガーラ湯沢		I	O
Urasa	浦佐		O	I
Nagaoka	長岡		X	I
Tsubame-Sanjo	燕三条		X	I
Niigata	新潟		X	I

Legend:
X: All trains stop at this station.
O: Some trains stop at this station.
I: No trains stop at this station.

Notable stops

• Tokyo/Ueno: The largest city in Japan and the world.
• Omiya: The capital city of Saitama Prefecture, and home to a popular railway museum.
• Takasaki: Where the Hokuriku Shinkansen branches off.
• Jomo-Kogen: Access to the hot springs of Minakami Onsen.
• Echigo Yuzawa: Access to many ski resorts, including...
• Gala-Yuzawa: Part of the eponymous ski resort.
• Niigata: A port city on the Sea of Japan coast.

Seating

On double-decker E4 trains, the upper floors of non-reserved cars may use non-reclining bench seats.
© DAJF / Wikimedia Commons

MAX Toki/Tanigawa services use sets of double-decker cars. The upper floors of non-reserved cars are made up of 3+3-layout bench seats. While they feature the same generous seat pitch of 97 cm (41 in), they are narrower due to the more packed layout, do not feature armrests between seats, and do not recline. Still, they're not much different from seating on regular trains. Between 2018 and 2021, E7-series trainsets from the Hokuriku Shinkansen will be introduced into service on the Joetsu line.  More information: (Japanese)

Service	Total Cars	Non-Reserved Cars	Reserved Cars	Green Cars
Toki	10	4-6 (Cars #1-6)	3-5 (Cars #4-8, 10)	1 (Car #9)
MAX Toki	8x2	4x2 (Cars #1-4)	3x2 (Cars #5-8)	1x2 (Cars #7-8)
Tanigawa	10	9 (Cars #1-8, 10)	0	1 (Car #9)
MAX Tanigawa	8x2	5x2 (Cars #1-5)	2x2 (Cars #6-8)	1x2 (Cars #7-8)

Tips

• Unlike on the Tokaido, Sanyo, and Kyushu lines, the Japan Rail Pass is valid for ALL services on the Joetsu Shinkansen.  In addition, the JR East Nagano-Niigata Area Pass (English) covers the full line from Tokyo to Niigata, and the JR East Tokyo Wide Pass (English) covers the segment from Tokyo to Echigo-Yuzawa (plus Gala-Yuzawa Station when available).
• If departing from, or arriving at, Tokyo, you may want to consider using Ueno Station instead of the eponymous Tokyo Station.  Ueno serves some of the same JR lines as Tokyo  (JR Yamanote (JY), Keihin-Tohoku (JK), Takasaki/Utsunomiya (JU), Joban (JO)), but also serves the Tokyo Metro Ginza (G) and Hibiya (H) lines, and is somewhat smaller and more manageable.  The adjacent Keisei-Ueno Station also provides faster access to Narita Airport, via the Skyliner limited express.

Trivia

• The Joetsu region (上越), which the Joetsu Shinkansen is named after, encompasses the old provinces of Kozuke (上野国, Kōzuke no kuni) and Echigo (越後国, Echigo no kuni), which correspond to the modern-day Gunma and Niigata prefectures.
• The name "Toki" (とき) refers to the crested ibis, a endangered species of bird that is famous in Niigata Prefecture.  It was previously used for a limited express service, running between Ueno and Niigata.  It operated from 1962 to 1982, when the Joetsu Shinkansen opened.  As a Shinkansen service, the Toki name was abandoned when the Tanigawa was introduced in 1997, but subsequently restored when the Asahi (below) was cancelled.
• The name "Tanigawa" (たにがわ) refers to Mount Tanigawa (谷川岳, Tanigawa-dake), a 1,977-metre (6,486-foot) volcano found along the line, near Minakami.  It was previously used for a limited express service, running between Ueno and Minakami in Gunma Prefecture.  It operated from 1982 to 1997, when it was replaced by the Shinkansen service of the same name.
• There used to be another service on the Joetsu Shinkansen.  The "Asahi" (あさひ, lit. 'morning sun') and "MAX Asahi" were full-stop services from Tokyo to Niigata.  It began with the opening of the line in 1982, but were discontinued in 2002, effectively replaced by Tanigawa services.
• The line was originally going to start from Tokyo at Shinjuku Station, but to save on construction costs, existing Tohoku Shinkansen tracks were used between Tokyo and Omiya stations.
• On 23 October 2004, a Joetsu Shinkansen train bound for Niigata was derailed by the 2004 Chuetsu Earthquake.  This marked the first derailment in the Shinkansen's history.  Luckily, of the 155 passengers, nobody on board was injured or killed.

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The livery of the Genbi Shinkansen train is decorated in nature photographs by Mika Ninagawa.
Fancy Free [CC BY-SA 2.5 ], via Wikimedia Commons

But that's not all!  Since 29 April 2016, JR East has also been running a special train on the Joetsu Shinkansen line, called the Genbi Shinkansen (現美新幹線).  It boasts stylish interiors designed by contemporary artists and photographers, and as such has been described as "the world's fastest art exhibition".  One of the cars also includes a children's play area, and a cafe serving locally-made drinks and sweets.  The Genbi Shinkansen runs three times a day in each direction on weekends, making every stop between Echigo-Yuzawa and Niigata.  Unlike regular Toki or Tanigawa services, it does not directly depart from or terminate at Tokyo.

Station	Toki 451 for Niigata	Station	Toki 452 for Echigo-Yuzawa
Echigo-Yuzawa	8:24 AM	Niigata	11:26 AM
Urasa	8:37 AM	Tsubame-Sanjo	11:39 AM
Nagaoka	8:49 AM (Arrive)	Nagaoka	11:49 AM (Arrive)
	8:50 AM (Depart)		11:54 AM (Depart)
Tsubame-Sanjo	9:01 AM	Urasa	12:08 PM
Niigata	9:14 AM	Echigo-Yuzawa	12:20 PM
Station	Toki 453 for Niigata	Station	Toki 454 for Echigo-Yuzawa
Echigo-Yuzawa	12:44 PM	Niigata	2:02 PM
Urasa	12:57 PM	Tsubame-Sanjo	2:15 PM
Nagaoka	1:09 PM (Arrive)	Nagaoka	2:25 PM (Arrive)
	1:14 PM (Depart)		2:26 PM (Depart)
Tsubame-Sanjo	1:25 PM	Urasa	2:44 PM
Niigata	1:38 PM	Echigo-Yuzawa	2:56 PM
Station	Toki 455 for Niigata	Station	Toki 456 for Echigo-Yuzawa
Echigo-Yuzawa	3:20 PM	Niigata	4:42 PM
Urasa	3:33 PM	Tsubame-Sanjo	4:56 PM
Nagaoka	3:45 PM (Arrive)	Nagaoka	5:06 PM (Arrive)
	3:50 PM (Depart)		5:07 PM (Depart)
Tsubame-Sanjo	4:01 PM	Urasa	5:20 PM
Niigata	4:14 PM	Echigo-Yuzawa	5:32 PM

Service	Total Cars	Non-Reserved Cars	Reserved Cars	Cafe
Genbi Shinkansen	6	4 (Cars #12, 14-16)	1 (Car #11)	1 (Car #13)

The interior of one of the Genbi Shinkansen's gallery cars.
くるみ１２１１ (Kurumi 1211) [CC BY-SA 4.0], via Wikimedia Commons

For more information on the Genbi Shinkansen, visit the following links: (English) (Japanese)

Ameya Yokocho Walk

This article is based on visits made on Friday, 4 April 2014 and Sunday, 13 November 2016.

Ameya Yokocho (アメヤ横丁, Ameya-yokochō, lit. 'Ameya alley'), or "Ameyoko" (アメ横) for short, is a market alley which runs beneath the train tracks in northeastern Tokyo.  Specifically, it spans roughly 400 metres (1,300 feet) between Ueno Station at the north end and Okachimachi Station at the south.

So, how did this place get its name?  Well, there are two theories, and both have to do with the role it played in Tokyo's post-World War II economy.  The first is that it was named after the many candy shops, or ame-ya (飴屋), which flourished in a time when sugar was hard to come by.  The other claims it was named after America, spelled in Japanese as Amerika (アメリカ), since the sale of US Army surplus goods and other American products also rose back then.  Based on the banner signs (above), only the northern half of the street is called "Ameya Yokocho" and the southern half is "Ameyoko", so both stories could be plausible.

A branch of the electronics department store Yodobashi Camera stands at the north end of Ameyoko.  Lined up along the other side of the building was a massive row of Gashapon machines.  For those who have no idea what "Gashapon" (ガシャポン) or "Gachapon" (ガチャポン) is, it's a kind of vending machine which dispenses small toys encased in plastic capsules.

Due to its placement under the train tracks, Ameyoko is one of the few places in Tokyo which re-creates the hustle and bustle of other Asian cities.  But not when I visited, apparently...  The opening hours for the many businesses varies, but they tend to open between 10 and 11 AM, and close around 8 PM.

...That's more like it!  As this picture can attest to, however, pedestrians may share the road with (slow-moving) automotive traffic, so some alertness would not go amiss.

The array of businesses set up in Ameyoko is vast, from grocery stores and other food markets like this fishmonger...

...to clothing and accessory shops, such as this luggage store where (on the upper-right corner) I spotted a few Beatles-themed suitcases!

There's even a place that sells military-themed clothes and goods, based on uniforms from many different countries.  It's called Nakata Shoten, if you'd like to look it up (Japanese)

Mid-way down, the path diverges into two.  Ameyoko proper continues to the left; to the right is a separate street called Ue-chu (上中, Uechū, lit. 'central Ueno'), which is a touch more upscale.  Don't worry if you end up taking it instead; it runs roughly parallel to Ameyoko, and they both end not far from each other.

A close-up of the kappa statue at the centre of this junction.  The video monitor up above makes this place almost feel like a miniature Times Square (emphasis on miniature).

And this is what you would find if you were to turn onto Ue-chu.

Meanwhile, Ameyoko has many side-alleys intersect and branch off from it.

This mural looms above the southern end of Ameyoko, depicting a surreal take on the area's usual market scene.  ...Say, is that Weird Al Yankovic in the middle there?

And finally, we reach the southern end.  Not a bad walk for hopping between two stations on the Yamanote line!

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Access: To enter Ameya Yokocho via the northern end, the nearest station is Ueno (JR Yamanote (JY), Keihin-Tohoku (JK), Takasaki/Utsunomiya (JU), Joban (JJ), Tokyo Metro Ginza (G) and Hibiya (H) lines) station.  From Tokyo Station, take the Yamanote or Keihin-Tohoku line to Ueno (JY05/JK30, 8 minutes, ¥160, JR Pass OK).  The entrance to Ameya Yokocho is across the street from the Shinobazu exit.

To enter via the southern end, use one of the following stations, all bunched close together.  Okachimachi (JR Yamanote and Keihin-Tohoku lines) is the closest, followed by the Ueno-Hirokoji (Tokyo Metro Ginza line), Ueno-Okachimachi (Toei Oedo (E) line), and Naka-Okachimachi (Tokyo Metro Hibiya line) subway stations.  From Tokyo Station, take the Yamanote or Keihin-Tohoku line to Ueno (JY04/JK29, 8 minutes, ¥160, JR Pass OK).  From JR's Okachimachi station, use the North exit.

Know Your Trains: Yamagata and Akita Shinkansen

Update 11 August 2018: Updated with new maps.

A red E6-series train (front) coupled with a green E5-series (rear).
By Sukhoi37 [CC BY-SA 3.0 ], from Wikimedia Commons

As you know, the Tohoku Shinkansen is a high-speed line travelling north along the north-eastern half of Honshu, also known as Tohoku.  After it was completed, two branch lines were developed that connect to stations on the Tohoku Shinkansen.  These are colloquially called "Mini-Shinkansen", for instead of using newly-built lines, they consist of former narrow-gauge lines that were converted to the standard gauge used by Shinkansen trains.

Mini-Shinkansen services consist of two trains coupled together.  Both trains are capable of running at full speeds along the Tohoku line, up to 320 km/h (200 mph).  At a certain point, one continues along the Tohoku line, whereas the other diverges onto the branch line.  The latter train is narrower, and as such all seating is arranged 2+2 across.  Unlike the purpose-built main lines, these branch lines are shared by conventional trains, and as such, Shinkansen services run more slowly along them, the maximum speed being 130 km/h (80 mph).

The first of these lines is the Yamagata Shinkansen (山形新幹線).  It was opened in 1992 between the cities of Fukushima and Yamagata, and was later extended to Shinjo in 1999.  Trains serving the Yamagata Shinkansen are called "Tsubasa", and are coupled with a Yamabiko service between Tokyo and Fukushima.  Travel time is 3 hours and 40 minutes from Tokyo to Shinjo, or 2 hours from Fukushima to Shinjo.  Tsubasa trains depart once per hour, with every other service making the full trip to Shinjo, and the other half terminating at Yamagata.  Tsubasa services are labelled in gold on signboards.

Name (English)	Name (Japanese)	Prefecture	Yamabiko	Tsubasa
Tokyo	東京	Tokyo	X	X
Ueno	上野		O	O
Omiya	大宮	Saitama	X	X
Utsunomiya	宇都宮	Tochigi	O	O
Koriyama	郡山	Fukushima	O	O
Fukushima	福島		X	X
Yonezawa	米沢	Yamagata	To Morioka	X
Takahata	高畠			O
Akayu	赤湯			O
Kaminoyama-Onsen	かみのやま温泉			O
Yamagata	山形			X
Tendo	天童			O
Sakurambo-Higashine	さくらんぼ東根			O
Murayama	村山			O
Oishida	大石田			O
Shinjo	新庄			O

Legend
X: All trains stop at this station.
O: Some trains stop at this station.
I: No trains stop at this station.

Notable stops

• Fukushima: The capital city of Fukushima Prefecture, and the point where the Tohoku Shinkansen branches off.
• Kaminoyama-Onsen: Hot springs and fruit farms at the base of Mt. Zao.
• Yamagata: The capital of the eponymous prefecture.
• Oishida: The closest station to Ginzan Onsen.

An E3-series "Tsubasa" train, approaching Kita-Yamagata Station.
ttzshirasawa [CC BY 3.0], via Wikimedia Commons

Seat class arrangements for Tsubasa services, and their corresponding Yamabiko trains, are as follows.

Service	Total Cars	Non-Reserved Cars	Reserved Cars	Green Cars	GranClass Cars
Yamabiko	10	4-6 (Cars #4-3/6)	3-5 (Cars #5/7-8, 10)	1 (Car #9)	0
Tsubasa	7	2 (Cars #16-17)	4 (Cars #12-15)	1 (Car #11)	0

The Toreiyu Tsubasa, a special-edition E3-series train.
By ttzshirasawa [CC BY 3.0 ], via Wikimedia Commons

But that's not all!  Since July 2014, JR East has also been running a special service on the Yamagata Shinkansen line, called the Toreiyu (とれいゆ).  Named after the English word "train" and the French "soleil" (rendered in Japanese as "torein" and "soreiyu"), the Toreiyu features tatami-style seating, a lounge/bar area serving sake, wine, and other drinks made locally in Yamagata Prefecture, and even a footbath!  The Toreiyu runs between Fukushima and Shinjo stations, once in each direction on weekends.  Unlike regular Tsubasa services, it does not directly depart from or terminate at Tokyo.

Station	Toreiyu 1 for Shinjo	Station	Toreiyu 2 for Fukushima
Fukushima	10:02 AM	Shinjo	3:00 PM
Yonezawa	10:36 AM	Oishida	3:16 PM
Takahata	10:44 AM	Murayama	3:28 PM
Akayu	10:50 AM	Sakurambo-Higashine	3:34 PM
Kaminoyama-Onsen	11:08 AM	Tendo	3:40 PM
Yamagata	11:26 AM	Yamagata	4:13 PM
Tendo	11:37 AM	Kaminoyama-Onsen	4:23 PM
Sakurambo-Higashine	11:45 AM	Akayu	4:45 PM
Murayama	11:50 AM	Takahata	4:52 PM
Oishida	12:00 PM	Yonezawa	5:07 PM
Shinjo	12:16 PM	Fukushima	5:41 PM

The footbaths in the last car of the Toreiyu Tsubasa.
By Cheng-en Cheng (DSC_1711) [CC BY-SA 2.0 ], via Wikimedia Commons

All seating on the Toreiyu is reserved.  The footbath is also reserved separately.  If you wish to use it, ask for a footbath ticket when reserving your seat, and if it's available, you will be assigned a 15-minute time period in which to use it.

Service	Total Cars	Reserved Cars (Regular)	Reserved Cars (Tatami)	Lounge/Bar	Footbath
Toreiyu Tsubasa	6	1 (Cars #11)	3 (Cars #12-14)	1 (Car #15)	1 (Car #16)

For more information on the Toreiyu, visit its page on JR East's website (English) (Japanese).

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The second of the mini-Shinkansen lines is the Akita Shinkansen (秋田新幹線).  Opened in 1997, it diverges from Morioka to serve towns in Akita prefecture, terminating at the eponymous city.  Trains serving this line are called "Komachi", and are coupled with a Hayabusa service between Tokyo and Morioka.  Travel time is 4 hours and 45 minutes from Tokyo to Akita, or 90 minutes from Morioka to Akita, and trains depart in each direction once per hour.  Komachi services are labelled in pink on signboards.

Name (English)	Name (Japanese)	Prefecture	Hayabusa	Komachi
Tokyo	東京	Tokyo	X	X
Ueno	上野		X	X
Omiya	大宮	Saitama	X	X
Sendai	仙台	Miyagi	X	X
Morioka	盛岡	Iwate	X	X
Shizukuishi	雫石		To Shin-Aomori	O
Tazawako	田沢湖	Akita		X
Kakunodate	角館			X
Omagari	大曲			X
Akita	秋田			X

Legend
X: All trains stop at this station.
O: Some trains stop at this station.
I: No trains stop at this station.

Notable stops

• Morioka: The capital city of Iwate Prefecture, and the point where the Tohoku Shinkansen branches off.
• Tazawako: A caldera lake with nearby onsen towns.
• Kakunodate: A former samurai town with hundreds of weeping cherry blossom trees.
• Akita: The capital of the prefecture, and host of the Akita festival in August.

An E6-series train on the Akita Shinkansen line.
By Cheng-en Cheng (DSC_3796) [CC BY-SA 2.0 ], via Wikimedia Commons

As with the Hayabusa and Hayate, there is no non-reserved seating on Komachi services, so seat reservations are required with all tickets.  Seat class arrangements for Komachi services, and their corresponding Hayabusa trains, are as follows.

Service	Total Cars	Non-Reserved Cars	Reserved Cars	Green Cars	GranClass Cars
Hayabusa	10	0	8 (Cars #1-8)	1 (Car #9)	1 (Car #10)
Komachi	7	0	6 (Cars #12-17)	1 (Car #11)	0

Trivia

• In Japan, regular train lines are built to narrow-gauge standards (1,067 mm / 3 ft 6 in between rails), whereas the Shinkansen network uses standard gauge (1,435 mm / 4 ft 8½ in).  Regular trains on these lines were modified to use the standard instead of narrow gauge.
• Both the Yamagata and Akita Shinkansen (between Omagari and Akita) share tracks with the Ou Main Line.  The rest of the Akita Shinkansen (between Morioka and Omagari) shares tracks with the Tazawako Line.
• Komachi trains reverse direction at Omagari Station, due to the junction of the Ou Main Line and Tazawako Line at that station.
• Mini-Shinkansen trains are narrower than regular Shinkansen trains due to the smaller loading gauge of regular trains on the same lines.  "Loading gauge" is the maximum height and width for train cars to fit in tunnels, under bridges, etc.
• The slower speed limits on the mini-Shinkansen lines, at most 130 km/h (80 mph), are required due to the lines going through level crossings, which does not occur on main Shinkansen lines.
• The name "Tsubasa" (つばさ) means "wing" in English.  It was previously used for a limited-express service between Ueno and Akita stations, from 1962 until 1992, when the Yamagata Shinkansen was opened.
• The name "Komachi" (こまち) refers to Ono-no-Komachi (小野 小町), a 9th-century poet from modern-day Akita prefecture.  She was renowned as much for her poetry as for her beauty, and even today the name Komachi is a word used to describe a female beauty.

The Japan Rail Pass and How to Use It

Edit 2 October 2019: Updated prices to reflect the increase in Japan's national sales tax.

Edit 11 May 2020: Updated to reflect the updated Japan Rail Pass and the new online reservation website, both taking effect on 1 June 2020.

A Green Car version of the Japan Rail Pass, issued in 2016.

For overseas visitors looking to travel between multiple faraway destinations across Japan, the Japan Rail Pass is an ideal investment. It allows holders to ride local, express, and high-speed Shinkansen trains run by the Japan Railways (JR) Group without needing to buy tickets or use an IC debit card.

Before reading any further, pay attention to the following requirement.  The Japan Rail Pass is only available for foreign residents coming to Japan on a "Temporary Visitor" visa.  Japanese nationals living outside of Japan, and/or married to a non-Japanese spouse, are also unable to purchase a JR Pass.

The JR Pass is available for 7, 14, and 21 day periods.  These periods are measured in consecutive calendar days, measured from midnight to midnight.  It is also available in two versions: the regular pass allows free use of non-reserved and regular reserved seats, and the Green pass allows free use of upper-class Green Car seats on top of that. Official prices are quoted in Japanese yen, so actual prices in your local currency may vary among vendors.

Length	Price (Regular)	Price (Green Car)
7 days	¥29,650	¥39,600
14 days	¥47,250	¥64,120
21 days	¥60,450	¥83,390

As you can see, the JR Pass can be a hefty investment.  It is easily possible to save even more money by using it instead of paying for tickets directly, especially if you plan to use Shinkansen and/or limited express trains frequently, but you will need to do some research to determine whether or not the JR Pass is right for you.  If you're just staying within a certain city, the JR Pass would not be for you.  As a frame of reference, the 7-day pass costs roughly as much as a round-trip Shinkansen ride between Tokyo and Osaka, Kanazawa, or Morioka.

The JR Pass is accepted on all Japan Railways (JR) Group lines, which accounts for about 70% of track mileage in Japan.  It does NOT cover trains run by non-JR companies, including city subway lines. There are a few exceptions which are covered by the JR Pass, however, generally to access isolated JR lines:

• The Tokyo Monorail, for access to Haneda Airport.
• The Aoimori Railway between Aomori, Noheji, and Hachinohe, for access to the JR Ominato line.
• The Ishikawa Railway between Kanazawa and Tsubata, for access to the JR Nanao line.
• The Echigo Tokimeki Railway between Toyama and Takaoka, for access to the JR Himi and Johana lines.

Note: With the exception of the Tokyo Monorail, you cannot get off except at the stations listed above.

The JR Pass is also not generally valid on non-train transportation, hence the name "Japan Rail Pass".  There are a few exceptions, however.

• Buses: The JR Pass is valid on a few local buses run by the JR Group, such as the "Maple-oop" tourist loop bus in Hiroshima.  It is not valid on long-distance highway buses, even those run by the JR Group.
• Ferries: The JR Pass is valid on the short ferry ride to Miyajima island near Hiroshima.  It is not valid on the ferry between Fukuoka and Busan, South Korea, despite also being run by the JR Group.

A few notices about using the JR pass for limited express and Shinkansen trains:

• Japan Rail Passes issued after 1 June 2020 will have a magnetic strip, allowing them to be used with automated gates like regular tickets.  Passes issued before than cannot be used with these gates.  However, nearly all gates have an attendant on either side. Simply show your pass (and reserved seat tickets as necessary) to them, and they will let you through.  They may ask for you to show your passport as well to confirm your identity.
• Seat reservations may be made for free.  You may do this at reserved-ticket vending machines by scanning the QR code on your pass, entering your passport number, and searching for your train by start/end stations, date, and time.
• You may also reserve tickets at "Midori no Madoguchi" ticket counters. These staff may speak English in addition to Japanese.  I found it handy to write down the information needed to reserve tickets beforehand (including train name/number, date, time, start/end stations, and seat type), and show it to the staff.
• If you have made seat reservations on the new website, launching on 1 June 2020, you may pick up your seating tickets by using your pass at the appropriate ticket vending machine or service counter.  Insert both your pass and seat ticket into the ticket gates, as you would with regular tickets.
  
• On the Tokaido, Sanyo, and Kyushu Shinansen, the JR pass is NOT valid for any seats on Nozomi and Mizuho express services. If you wish to use these trains when you have a pass, you must pay the full price out of pocket as normal. The fastest services available with the pass, the Hikari and Sakura respectively, only differ by half an hour at most.
• A few JR trains, including limited express services, travel on both JR and non-JR lines. When using these trains, you will need to pay a supplement fee for the non-JR sections.  The fee varies between services, but works out to the cost of taking the non-JR segment alone.  Generally, it is still far less than paying for the whole trip out-of-pocket.

So, let’s say you've worked out your itinerary and decided the JR Pass is right for you. How do you get it, then? It’s not as easy as simply buying one in Japan. Here’s what you need to do:

1. Buy the JR Pass overseas, either directly or through a travel agency.  This can be done easily over the Internet, through many different websites.  Shop around to find the lowest price and most reliable vendor, but be aware that prices will not vary much from the official rates listed above.
2. You will not receive the pass itself in the mail, but an exchange order. You will use this order to pick up the actual pass upon arrival in Japan.
3. When you arrive in Japan, go to a JR Travel Centre, found in most major airports and train stations. A full list of offices may be found here: (English)
4. Hand in your exchange order, along with the Temporary Visitor stamp in your passport, and receive your Japan Rail Pass.  This is necessary to confirm that you are an overseas visitor.  Note that the exchange order must be exchanged for the actual JR Pass within three months after the issue date marked on the exchange order.
5. If you wish for your pass to take effect on a later date, you may do so at this time.  Even before the period takes effect, you may still reserve tickets for within that period.

But that's not all!  From 1 June 2020, a new website will launch allowing users to not only purchase Japan Rail Passes, but also reserve train seats online.  The catch is that passes bought from this site are more expensive, and online reservations can only be made if you've bought the pass from this site.  More information: (English)  Furthermore, the Japan Rail Pass is also being sold directly within Japan on a trial basis.  The same eligibility requirements apply, so only temporary foreign visitors need apply.  However, the pass will be more expensive if purchased in this fashion, as opposed to the traditional method of buying an exchange order before arriving in Japan.  Prices for buying the JR Pass both within Japan and from the new website are as follows.  I have also included the differences between the direct purchase and pre-order prices for your reference.

Length	Price (Regular)	Price (Green Car)
7 days	¥33,610 (+¥3,960)	¥44,810 (+¥5,210)
14 days	¥52,960 (+¥5,710)	¥72,310 (+¥8,190)
21 days	¥66,200 (+¥5,750)	¥91,670 (+¥8,280)

As with many things involved in travel planning, it pays -- almost literally in this case -- to get these sorts of things in order as soon as possible.  But it's nice to know there's another option available if you can't manage those preparations in time!

More information on the Japan Rail Pass is available on the following website: (English)

Ryokan Kamogawa

This article is based on a visit made on 1 April 2014.

Goodness, I've gone all about what I did on my Spring 2014 holiday in Japan, and I never said anything about the hotels I stayed at?  Well, let me remedy that now.  You see, there are many types of accommodations to be found in Tokyo, covering a wide economic spectrum from basic capsule-hotel bunks to spacious luxury-hotel rooms that approach US$1,000 a night.  And in certain parts of the city, you can also find more traditional lodgings.  You know, tatami mats, futon beds, the whole nine yards.  I got my first taste of this on the later half of my trip, when I checked in to the Ryokan Kamogawa (旅館加茂川) in Asakusa.

The Ryokan Kamogawa is nestled among the back-alleys of Asakusa, but is in fact not far from the major sights of the area, including Kaminari-mon, Senso-ji temple, and Tokyo Skytree.  In fact, on a clear day or night, you can see the Skytree if you step out and look to the right!

This is what the hallways look like, specifically on the 4th-floor, where I stayed.  I find it odd that hotels in Japan may have rooms on the 4th floor.  For those unaware, in Japanese the numbers 4 ("shi") and 7 ("shichi") are considered unlucky, since they include the word for death (also "shi").  The same convention exists in Chinese, Korean, and other such languages, and indeed this whole concept is similar to the fear of 13 in Western countries.  But when you don't have all that many floors to work with, I suppose it can't be helped.  Besides, I stayed on the 4th floor and nothing bad happened to me!

Each room has a tiny entrance hall.  Because the floor is made of tatami (straw mats), visitors should take off their shoes before entering.  The box on the right is a mini-refrigerator.

My room was a standard-type room, which measures at about 17m² (183ft²).  Despite its size, the relative lack of furniture compared to other hotel rooms of similar size gives this a more open feel.  The closet in the back is used to store additional bedding and pillows.

Being a solo traveller with limited luggage (what you see in the bottom-right corner is it), I did attempt to book a smaller (7.5m² / 80ft²) economy-type room, but there are apparently so few of them that they were booked out.  Of course, who am I to complain about that kind of upgrade?  I still only paid around US$120 a night for my stay, but this rate has changed since then.  Be sure to confirm the official rates from their website, linked at the bottom of this article.

All rooms here have attached bathrooms, including a Washlet toilet and a shower-tub.  You may also notice another pair of slippers here; in Japan it is customary to use a separate set of slippers in the bathroom, so as not to track any floor-based germs out of it.

My room had a bit of a view outside.  It isn't much, but you can see a tower ride from the Hanayashiki amusement park nearby.

Traditional lodgings like these are often decorated with paintings, scrolls, and other objects d'art, and Ryokan Kamogawa was no exception.  Paintings of various old-time scenes are depicted here including, on the far right, the famous (and nearby) Kaminari-mon.

Ryokans, and even other kinds of hotels in Japan, provide yukata robes for their guests to wear around their rooms and/or the hotel grounds.  I put one on and took a mirror-selfie with it.  Please pardon the sunburn; I had spent the day at Tokyo DisneySea and had under-estimated the intensity of the sunshine that day.  But sunburns aside, I had a nice stay at the Ryokan Kamogawa, and would recommend it for anyone's first try at these kinds of accommodations.  It provides authentically traditional and comfortable facilities, while not far from the modern conveniences of shopping and public transportation.  I also recommend you experience the hot-spring bath on the first floor, but remember to bring your own towel. Also, the water temperature can get very hot (over 40° Celsius / 104° Fahrenheit), but this is normal for onsen-style bathing.

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Address: 1-30-10 Asakusa, Taitō-ku, Tōkyō-to 〒111-0032

Directions: Start from Asakusa Station (Tokyo Metro Ginza (G), Toei Asakusa (A), and Tobu Skytree (TS) lines) and take the exit closest to Kaminari-mon.  If you’re using the Ginza line, search for exits 1 or 3; for the Asakusa, find exit A4.   Upon reaching Kaminari-mon, turn right, go under the gate, and continue down the Nakamise shopping avenue.  Take the third left into the alley.  The hotel will be on the left side, before the next intersection.

Other tips: The owner and most of the other family staff can speak in good English. They do accept certain foreign credit cards; for best results, use MasterCard or Visa. Free Wi-Fi is available for guests; login information is provided on check-in.  This hotel has a late-night curfew, but the owner will give you a keypad code to get in the back door with.

Website: (English) (Japanese)