English at Japanese stations

Over at our video page, Marie recently asked us about the amount of English in Japan and at the train station Bullet.
While it is true that Japan still can be tricky to navigate with the Japanese Zero, we're happy to say that the JR network has made great strides in the number of English signs and announcements in recent years.
There are now:

* English announcements at railway stations Bullet
* Nearly all signs of the station platforms have the English name of the station beneath
* At all stations there will be a big Bullet train arrivals departures board / in English
That said, it's always best to be a bit prepared, so do not forget your phrasebook!

Follow the Cherry blossom up Japan with a JR Pass

The Japanese cherry blossom, or “sakura”, is a huge event in japan. There are thousands of similar species of cherry tree across Japan, the end result being them all blooming in succession as the warm spring weather travels up the country – quite a spectacle and also a great excuse to go and have a couple of beers with some friends outdoors…

follow the blossom with a Japan Rail Pass

One of the great things to do with a Japan Rail Pass is follow this wave of sakura from south-north Japan, stopping off along the way to enjoy the sites and festivities, in fact, some of the JRPass.com team is off to Japan in a week to do just that!

online resources

To help us plan, we’ve been consulting the JNTO cherry blooming forecast. On this page, you’ll find detailed predictions of when and where the sakura will first bloom, and be in full bloom (this stuff is a science in Japan). A top resource for every Hanami lover!

Can I use multiple Japan Rail Passes on the same trip?

Short answer: yes you can, as long as the Japan Rail Passes you buy are used within 3 months. In fact, it’s one of my top tips for getting more of a feel for Japan.

High-speed living

I’ve used the JR Pass countless times to explore Japan, and it’s by far the best way to travel around and maximise your travel bang for buck.
Though it sounds weird before you actually use the JRPass, the thought of travelling 800km to go and eat a particularly great bowl of Hakata Ramen doesn’t sound that crazy after a week of bombing about Japan at 210km/h…
Needless to say, this sort of breakneck cherry-picking of the sights and tastes of Japan is brilliant, but you can end up spending more time on the trains than milling around and enjoying the country!

Slow down a little and enjoy Japan

In recent years when I’ve been able to go on longer breaks, I’ve started to take 2 × 7-day passes. I’ll use the first to zip around the country and see friends, then settle down in a new part of the country or go hiking somewhere (Yakushima is highly recommended) for a week and really soak it in. Finally, I’ll use the second Japan Rail Pass to finish up eating my way from city to city.

Damn that Hakata Ramen: smells weird, but tastes great…

Itinerary tip: Kotokuin Daibutsu

Referred to as “The Buddha at Kamakura” by Rudyard Kipling in his novel “Kim”, this bronze statue has survived over 700 years of wars, tsunamis and earthquakes.

The Great Buddha (Daibutsu) statue at Kotokuin temple is the second largest in Japan (the largest being in Nara), and arguably the one with most artistic merit. Built in 1252 during the Kamakura Shogunate, this huge statue is cast in bronze, and weighs over 800 tonnes. At nearly 12 meters tall, it is pretty amazing stuff.

Kamakura also contains many other temples and cultural spots and is very popular with Tokyo-ites wanting a trip out of the city.
How to get there on the Japan Rail Pass

Lucky for you, it is a short ride from Tokyo on a Japan Rail Pass, and is only a short hop from Tokyo Station to Kamakura on the JR Yokosuka Line.

city that has a million meanings

I’ve seen things you people wouldn’t believe. Attack ships on fire off the shoulder of Orion. I’ve watched c-beams glitter in the dark near the Tannhäuser Gate. All those … moments will be lost in time, like tears…in rain

Shame on you if you don’t recognise those words as the last of Rutger Hauer’s replicant in Blade Runner. Now seen as a noir/cyberpunk classic (that is if you’ve seen the one without the dodgy voiceover), a lot of the visual richness of the movie was said to be inspired by the streets around Shibuya.
Now nicknamed “bit valley”, Shibuya is the home of many tech-related companies. This neon wonderland also houses some of the top shopping centres and boutiques in Tokyo. It’s also a place where Tokyo youth congregate, so it’s a great place to grab a coffee and people watch. You’ll see all the latest Japanese fashions …and a variety of hairstyles. Be warned though, if you are over 30, the ‘youth scene’ may be slightly…ahem…overwhelming. Shibuya is also the location of the famous, and the busiest crosswalk in the world as seen in “Lost In Translation”.
If you have the time, the JRPass.com team also recommend that you check out the EPCO Electric Energy Museum (open Thursdays to Tuesdays from 10 am to 6pm). It has 8 floors of electrical gadgets for curious adults and children to handle and play with, and can provide a calming and enlightening break from the teeming hordes of Shibuya.

How to Get There with your Japan Rail Pass

Shibuya is serviced by the green JR Yamanote line on your JR Pass. Remember to say hi to the faithful dog Hachikowho who stands guard as a statue outside.
Ps When you get there if you get caught in a crossfire between replicants being chased down by Harrison Ford, or accosted by old street peddlers selling robotic snakes, please don’t blame us!

Picture taken by Jorge Lascar.

Narita Express Site

Aside from an excuse to show the awesome new E259 series N’EX trains, the answer is yup.

Narita Express?

measured with a mature technology! make more value for the futureand become part of the human .......... and container transportation that prioritizes comfort and technology he is ........?Most people don’t realise that the Japan Rail Pass opens up direct, high speed links to many Japanese destinations direct from Narita Airport.
The average fare for the service is around ¥3000-¥5000 return. Of course, it’s totally free if you have a Japan Rail Pass!

More information is available on the Narita Express Site