Traveling in Japan

Where to go, what to see, and how to get there.

Traveling in Japan is remarkably easy, and as soon as you can get over your fear of getting hopelessly lost in a country where you don't speak the language, you'll find Japan is a fascinating and magical place to explore.

One of the nice things about traveling in Japan is that you can get to the most remote regions of the country just by hopping on a train. The shinkansesn (commonly called the Bullet Train) will wisk you between different regions and major cities of Japan at speeds up to 200 mph (320 kmh). Away from the main shinkansen lines, local trains will take you to nearly everywhere else. If you can't walk the remaining distance busses, and finally taxis can complete the trip for you. You can easily live in Japan and never have to drive a car.

With the 2020 Olympics coming to Tokyo, English language signage is becoming much more common. School children have been training to speak with Americans since the Olympic award to Tokyo was announced. Many people in Japan can speak some English, and most are happy to assist you when you need a little help, even if they can't quite understand you.