The Basics.  The Local Train.

Each city normally has a train that loop around the city.  And a bunch of others that spur out of the city toward a suburb, and a main station connecting the Shinkansen or other high speed transit express "Limited" trains that whisk you to another city.
In the City of Tokyo, this loop is called the Yamanote Line.  (Green Train)
It loops around the city of Tokyo Metro Area, and it will be your main Go-To train for 90% of what you'd be doing in Tokyo.
From Akihabara the Anime Capital, to Shinjuku street foods, to Shibuya Shopping, Aoyama for classy cafes, and the Main terminal Tokyo Station.  Each of these and many more are along this loop.
There is a prepaid access card you can buy from any vending machine at a train station, called either PASMO or SUICA which operate seamlessly for almost 99% of the local trains in Japan, with an added bonus of you being able to often use them in vending machines for a quick drink or a convenience store to get an umbrella for a sudden encounter of rain.

The card dispenser takes cash, and you can load them up with cash, and use it instead for faster access to trains.  I typically budget about $10 a day on these cards, and keep them with me.  You can recharge them at any station on the same machines or at a convenience store as well.
A typical local ride takes about Y100~300 ($1~3) to circle the city and get off at any point and back.
Having said this it is much more convenient to stay in hotels near a station obviously.
When getting on a train, you just walk up to the electronic gate at the station, and place your card on a sensor pad, and do the same when you get off.  It will automatically calculate the fare and deduct the fare instantly.
The gate will flash the remaining balance, or you can check them in any machine or store that takes them.  Also, even a drink  vending machine will show this too, if you flash the card on it, without making a selection.

 A Suica Card dispensing machine, to use to buy and recharge a prepaid train card.
 An Actual PASMO and SUICA Prepaid Card
 Electronic Gate where you go through to pay with Suica, Pasmo, or other train fare card.  Also valid for city bus and a few stores too.
 The Yamanote Line, which loops around the metropolitan Tokyo.

So there you go with local trains.  EVERYTHING almost in Tokyo is a walking distance from a train, and parking is SEVERELY limited and super expensive, as are tolls, gas, and other services in Tokyo, so just take the train.
Taxi is a choice for when you can spare a $20, and you just had enough of crowded trains or bought way too much to carry to the hotel.
Remember most train stations are also equipped with coin lockers to lock up a suit case, or whatever you bought so don't try to carry too much stuff!
You can use a SUICA / PASMO for the lockers as well.   They are about Y400~700 ($4~7) a day to use.
Needless to say, you need to do a little pre-planning on a map before you set out into the city for the day to spend it efficiently, but once you get the hang of it in a day or two, you will be accomplishing many things right on time, all day long as there is no such thing as traffic delays with Japanese trains.    These days GOOGLE MAPS is your best friend, as it works in Japan right on your smartphone, and can actually show you which train to take, and where to get on and off!!  Amazing tool!
Beware again, Cell Phone Roaming abroad can be super expensive if you didn't sign up for a plan before you leave your country.
Easiest option is to call your cell carrier in your home country before you leave, and set up a international roaming plan.
If your cell carrier is too confusing, you can set your smartphone to use Wifi only, and rent a "pocket wifi" routers to use in Japan.  These can be rented for about $10 a day at the airport when you arrive, or even rented in the USA before you leave.
Either way, because you WILL NEED GOOGLE MAPS in Japan to figure out the trains, you need a cellular connection!

 Many of the taxicabs are being replaced with these JPN TAXI as we speak in preparation for the Tokyo Olympics 2020.  These are spacious cars and are great if you want to spend the cash for the convenience.
Beware though, taxicabs are not immune from traffic jams in Tokyo, so if you have an important business meeting, just take the train.

OK!  SO What about the High Speed Trains?

OK so High Speed Rail like the Shinkansen will take you to other cities at speeds of up to 320km/h.   That's around 200mph for you Americanos.
They are somewhat pricey but the advantage of taking these is that it will connect you to center of the city, to local trains on either end.  Unlike airliners which drops you off far outside of most cities, and cost you another hour to get in and out of a city.
But when flying is unavoidable, planning ahead for a smooth post-flight experience is just as important. A well-located hotel can make all the difference, whether you’re catching an early morning flight or recovering from jet lag after a long journey.
A stay at a halifax airport hotel restaurant ensures not only a convenient place to rest but also easy access to good food without having to venture far. After a long day of travel, whether by rail or air, sometimes all you need is a quiet room, a decent meal, and the peace of mind that you’re just minutes from your next departure.
Shinkansen trains operate about every 5~10 minutes between Tokyo and outer cities to far corners of the islands.  It really is an amazing system that runs literally to the accuracy of the second hand of the clock.
You can't really use your PASMO SUICA on these as the fares are typically more than you'd want to charge on a prepaid.  A city about 1 hour away is about $50 one way, and goes on and on.
It's super comfortable too.  It connects to Osaka in under 3 hours, and Nagoya in about 1.5 hours.  Mt.Fuji vicinity is about 1 hour with these, and from there you can take a bus or local train to Gotemba City, which is a 10 minute taxi ride to Fuji Speedway.
For people who are going to travel within Japan for week or more, and will speed through many cities, it can be more economical to use a "JAPAN RAIL PASS" which are sold to foreigners only, and is a fixed price week long ticket that can be used all over Japan.
One caveat for these is you need to use a JR operated train, and you can't take any of the fast non-stop Shinkansen labeled Nozomi or Mizuho.  The other half of them are called Kodama or Hikari, which stop at more stations, but are super quick too.
You can Google search on the topic JR RAIL PASS and find more on this, so I won't elaborate here.
Express Limited Trains are often reserved seats only, and you should book your tickets a day before at any train stations for these a day or two in advance.  If you plan things right, you will know which station you need to leave out of (again Google Map it) and buy a Limited Express ticket with reserved seating while you shop and eat the day before your big departure.

Haneda airport is serviced by trains, or bus from most major stations in Tokyo.
Narita Airport is serviced from Tokyo by one of two express trains, the Narita Express (N'EX") or Skyliner depending on where in Tokyo you need to go.

 Shinkansen N700 blasting between Hakata and Tokyo is the fastest of the trains, and you'd take this from Tokyo out bound to cities of Mt. Fuji area, Nagoya, Kyoto, Osaka, Kobe, Hiroshima, and Fukuoka.

   Aboard the Shinkansen are these fantastic bento box meals that shift by season, and are one of the best meals to have while blasting across Japan at 200mph. ($12~)

 If you are lucky, you might see a yellow Shinkansen.  These are not passenger trains but periodic systems diagnostics train sets, and the train is affectionately called "Dr.Yellow"

I'll add to this if I think of more to elaborate, but you can digest this for now.
Thanks for reading.

The post Trains in Japan - Easier than you think! appeared first on Club4AG.

TEN REAL TIPS FOR VISITING MODERN JAPAN.

For those of you going to Japan, taking advantage of low fares.

Remember these simple rules to be appreciated as guests of the nation. They expect none of you to follow this, and consider foreigners to be disruptive, unmannerly, loud people.
If you however, display any or all of these behaviors and follow it, they will be shocked, and openly and instantly become your friend for being a considerate foreigner.

Here's guideline to help you understand the peculiar, and not piss local people off.

1. America is not #1 in Japan anymore. It sort of used to be, but that went away as soon as Rambo left the theater screens, and Tom Cruise gave up the seat in an F14 Tomcat. So never assert your rights to a Japanese or a business in Japan. Japan lives by earning privileges, not asserting personal rights. Thus humility and humble nature goes a long way.

2. 99.9999997% of Japanese women are not kimono-wearing geisha and maiko dancers raised to cater to your needs. That's another long-gone myth of a white man who visited in the 1600's towards the end of the feudal era. Japanese men do not wear swords anymore either. You can't buy true samurai swords unless you have proof you're worthy as a samurai. You can't buy this privilege, period.
If you find one at a gift shop for less than $100,000. You're looking at a tourist trap worth no more than a snow-globe with a tiny Eiffel Tower inside. A real samurai swords are priceless. Not for sale to foreigners with Japan fetish... Not even for that Caucasian dude on Discovery Channel who claims to be a Ninja master.

While the idea of buying an authentic samurai sword may be out of reach for most visitors to Japan, a visit to a katana sword shop can still be a unique and fascinating experience. These shops showcase a variety of swords, including decorative and replica pieces, and offer insights into the art and history of Japanese sword-making. So, if you're interested in learning more about the country's rich cultural heritage, make sure to add a katana sword shop to your list of places to visit in Japan.

3. Unless designated as such, consider all of Japan's public areas non-smoking area. If marked, chain smoking is perfectly allowed. There is no gray area here.
As for vaping, they'll just assume you've laced the juice with incredibly illegal substance, and most folks won't want to be associated with you. So just use more standard form of smoke when you're there. It's less about health and more about you not looking like an assumed drug thug from CSI:Miami.
If you're determined to vape while in Japan, consider the image you project and the products you choose. Opting for high-quality e-liquids can make a difference; visiting sites like hazetownvapes.com for premium merchandise might help you find products that are not only enjoyable but also align with a more refined image. By being selective about your vaping gear, you can navigate social settings with confidence, minimizing the risk of being misjudged while still enjoying the experience of vaping.

4. Japan isn't Tokyo Drift anymore. That's an urban myth created by American movie producers. Over there, it's passe thing from the 90's and not very cool to 99.999999997% of the people today.
If you want to go see an illegal motorsports activity, you need to become friends with such outcasts before you leave, and have him take you there at night. Be prepared to pay the man for highway tolls, gas, and other expenses, as moving a car is pretty pricey in Japan, when the destination is far in the canyons 1-2 hours away from the city. Fuel costs $14 a gallon, tolls are 50 cents a mile, parking is $10 an hour or more in many urban settings.
And this, coming from me, who's a car fanatic. Trust me.

5. DO NOT SPEND MORE THAN 20 minutes in a ramen shop, and promptly leave as soon as you are done eating. There is no such thing as business lunch or conversational dining at any restaurant specialized in noodles. Japanese noodle eating is a time-sensitive thing. It continues to cook in the broth, and if more than 6 minutes pass after you are served, the noodles are considered soggy, and dead. It's insulting to the chef, to let that happen. Portions are tiny and cheap. You can finish it in 5 minutes. Do this.
Also, you can take a photo of the ramen, but don't upload that or spend more than 30 seconds with that phone. Start eating before the chef realizes you are screwing around with your phone, letting his ramen rot while you do so. Yes, it is THAT critical and noodle worship is a serious thing. It's because they are protecting an art that's been around a lot longer than the existence of USA as a nation, and their life is about training an apprentice to carry on his recipe. It's not about being a celebrity chef for only one guy's short life.

6. DO NOT stop on a sidewalk to check navigation, or converse with partners. If there is a flow of walking foot traffic, stay well clear of that, as well as store-fronts. Find a parking lot, small park, or courtyard to do that. Blocking traffic is unmannerly. Even foot traffic. This goes for shopping malls, train stations, and other areas with flowing people.

7. Politely ask before you snap a photo of random people you meet. They have a peculiar sense of privacy that is very different from how we see that concept. In the city, younger girls seem perpetually smiling, and guys seem perpetually hip with energy, but this does not mean they like to be photographed by random unknown people. Just ask, some will be ecstatic, some will run and hide. Just don't assume... It's a different culture.
This includes companions at trade shows and even the Tokyo Auto Salon. If you ask, you'll get the most sincere, alluring, mystical smiles from those spokeswomen, so just ask.

8. ALWAYS wear clean shoes and socks, as in half the dinner restaurants you might see as traditional authentic Japanese eatery, you are likely to have to remove your shoes to enter. Stinky socks, and shoes can ruin a $100 per person dinner in rather sucky way.

9. NEVER talk on the train, always whisper among your traveling partners. If you need to take a phone call, you can't on a local train. On a long distance express train, there are designated areas at ends of cars for taking a phone call.

10. When entering any temple, shrine, or sacred grounds, stay quiet. Try to listen to the spirits and ghosts that guide your presence. If you are not into that sort of thing, pretend you are. Shinto beliefs are actually the oldest continuously protected religion in the world, and they don't like changes. It's the very fundamental belief that protect the land by hands of many gods, empowers the longest continuous monarchy of any recorded history, The Emperor of Japan. And his temples being restored and serviced by the oldest business company in the world, Kongo Gumi master carpenters.
It's been this way for 2600 years, or pre-dating Jesus himself by half a millennium.

If you do not follow these manners...
You will be treated as an imbecile without a clue.
And believe me, they have perfected the art of hospitality. But they are selective so as not to let crassness ruin their turf.

If you can follow these 10 rules, you will have the most splendid trip with friendly Japanese people, beautiful crafts, and unmatched quality of everything you will encounter.

Lastly, share this with anyone you know who's interested in going to Japan please. Because it helps all of us to stay friends as a nation.

The post Ten Real Tips for Visiting Japan appeared first on Club4AG.