{"id":575,"date":"2015-07-02T19:52:06","date_gmt":"2015-07-02T23:52:06","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.oxfordseminars.com\/blog\/?p=575"},"modified":"2017-01-31T10:23:48","modified_gmt":"2017-01-31T15:23:48","slug":"planes-trains-subways-the-amazingly-easy-transportation-of-japan","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.oxfordseminars.com\/blog\/planes-trains-subways-the-amazingly-easy-transportation-of-japan\/","title":{"rendered":"Planes, Trains & Subways: The Amazingly Easy Transportation of Japan"},"content":{"rendered":"

I knew, when looking for a position teaching English abroad, that I wanted to live in Tokyo. Having been here for three years now, even knowing it\u2019s crowded, <\/span><\/span>I\u2019m<\/span><\/span> still surprise<\/span><\/span>d<\/span><\/span> at<\/span><\/span> just how many people are here. Japa<\/span><\/span>n has around 127 million people; of<\/span><\/span> those 127 million, 37 million live in the greater Tokyo area with an additional 18 million around Osaka, Kyoto, and Kobe. <\/span><\/span>T<\/span><\/span>hat\u2019s well over a third of the population in what is just a small part of Japan\u2019s land area.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Transportation in Japan<\/h2>\n

With so many people crowded together, you can imagine the traffic. Yet, despite the crowded population \u2013 the streets could be so much worse. Yes, there\u2019s a lot of cars and the roads can be clogged, but between the politeness of the Japanese people and the other options available \u2013 Japan isn\u2019t nearly the drivers nightmare that you would imagine.<\/p>\n

This is largely in part, due to the many options available, particularly in the big city.<\/p>\n

The Japan Train System<\/h3>\n

Let\u2019s start with the most obvious and famous \u2013 <\/span><\/span>Japan subways<\/span><\/span>. If there\u2019s one thing you can count on<\/span><\/span>,<\/span><\/span> it\u2019s <\/span><\/span>the efficiency of <\/span><\/span>Japanese trains. Conductors are a <\/span><\/span>highly-revered<\/span><\/span> profession and the <\/span><\/span>railway staff<\/span><\/span> take their job seriously. They will do their best to make sure the train rolls into the station at its exact time to <\/span><\/span>ensure you reach your destination on time<\/span><\/span>. Most importantly, for the confused tourist and non-native Japanese speaker, <\/span><\/span>scheduled <\/span><\/span>stops are usually shown in both English and Japanese.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\"alt=\u201dHow-To-Get-Around-Japan\u201d\"<\/a>

Riders await their train at Shibuya Station in Tokyo, Japan<\/p><\/div>\n

Trains and tracks are in no small number \u2013 almost to a fault. The Japan Railway (JR) line map looks like something from a Where\u2019s Waldo<\/i> book and you have play \u2018spot the station\u2019 with a hundred other names that start to blur together. However, there are plenty of helpful people around and a few helpful applications<\/a> that will tell you exactly where to go \u2013 and there\u2019s almost always more than one way you can go with multiple kinds of trains including locals, expresses, and metros.<\/p>\n

Trains come every few minutes in the morning, sometimes one right after the other as you get closer to inner Tokyo. Despite the frequency of the trains, they are still crowded and it\u2019s often you\u2019ll find yourself standing. Though it sounds tiring \u2013 and it certainly can be tiring after an hour \u2013 it\u2019s a relatively smooth ride. There are occasional bumps and jolts as the trains rolls to stop and rumbles over the tracks, but for the practiced Japanese person, it\u2019s not difficult to stand in one place without stumbling around.<\/p>\n

There are also a dozen tiny benefits to the trains that make everyone\u2019s life easier. From showing where the exits are at each station (though this is mostly only in the inner city), to always readily available staff, prepaid cards for ticketing ease, and (my favorite) heated seats for the cold and wet winter months.<\/p>\n

The generous vacation policy offered to the ESL teachers has allowed me to travel in all the different seasons. Believe me, many times I\u2019ve gotten on the train on my way to a new place to visit, half frozen and so grateful for those heaters.<\/p>\n

\"alt=\u201dHow-To-Get-Around-Japan\u201d\"<\/a>

A bullet train passes below Mt. Fuji in Japan<\/p><\/div>\n

I\u2019d be remiss if I didn\u2019t mention the most popular of all \u2013 the bullet train. It\u2019s extremely fast, comfortable, and smooth. It\u2019s also a bit pricier than a regular plane ticket. However, it\u2019s still a novelty and beloved mode of transportation for foreigners and Japanese people. There\u2019s no substitute for being able to see the gorgeous scenery as you go from one end of Japan to the other in a matter of two hours. For a little extra, you can also sample a specialty meal from whatever prefecture you\u2019re passing through. Despite being a more expensive, the experience and ease of travel makes it worth it.<\/p>\n

Taking a Japanese Taxi<\/h3>\n

Next on the list of transportation options are taxis. There\u2019s a running joke among some Japanese people: If<\/i> you want to go to the hospital<\/i> –<\/i> don\u2019t call the ambulance<\/i> –<\/i> call a taxi.<\/i> Japanese taxis are speedy, polite, and easy to find.<\/p>\n

\"alt=\u201dHow-To-Get-Around-Japan\u201d\"<\/a>

Taxi in the Ginza district, Tokyo<\/p><\/div>\n

Of the transportation options, they are on the pricey side with the fee usually starting at 500yen (or around five dollars). Like many taxis all over the world, you sometimes have to watch that they don\u2019t take you all over Japan to get a little extra money. Many drivers don\u2019t speak English, but they are polite and will get out of the vehicle to help you put your luggage in the trunk and the door opens for you with just a press of the button from the driver.<\/p>\n

Using the Bus in Japan<\/h3>\n

Among the available transportation options in Japan, buses are the most universal in that they are just like the buses in the States. Not always reliable, but they do their best.<\/p>\n

\"alt=\u201dHow-To-Get-Around-Japan\u201d\"<\/a>

Taito City Loop Bus in Tokyo, Japan<\/p><\/div>\n

Unlike the trains, you\u2019ll be hard pressed to find any English at the bus stops or on the bus itself. The overgrown vans aren\u2019t tourist friendly, but the drivers, as with most Japanese people you\u2019ll meet, are willing to help if you\u2019re polite.<\/p>\n

Riding a Bike or Walking in Japan<\/h3>\n

For the most part, Japan is biker friendly. Even with the occasional sidewalk, there is usually enough room between the sidewalk and the driving area for bikes to cruise past. The squeezing action isn\u2019t a rare occasion and Japanese drivers don\u2019t give a second thought about giving a wide birth to these bikers. Cars aren\u2019t a big threat to the bikers, though pedestrians might be a different matter.<\/p>\n

If you don\u2019t want to bike, another option is the old fashioned way \u2013 walking. Everything is close by \u2013 train stations, grocery stores, convenience stores. You can usually find what you need if you walk in any direction for 10 minutes. It\u2019s also one of the safest countries to walk in if you decide that you want a sandwich from the convenience store at three in the morning.<\/p>\n

Traveling Outside Major Cities in Japan<\/h3>\n

Getting to places farther outside of the city starts to become a little trickier, especially if it\u2019s a local destination. In the northern and southern parts of Japan, land is more spaced out and convenient transportation is noticeably less convenient without a car. Still, if your goal is to reach a well visited tourist spot, chances are you\u2019ll be able to find a bus or train that will get you there.<\/p>\n

Experience Everything Japan has to Offer<\/b><\/h2>\n

Whether you\u2019re thinking about a short-term visit or you\u2019re looking for a longer time in country, say teaching English here, getting around is easy. If you need help, the Japanese are extraordinarily friendly and kind, always going the extra mile to help. Getting to teach in Japan is one of the best things I\u2019ve ever done. I\u2019ve been able to go to some amazing places, meet such incredible and helpful people and learn things about myself I might never have known otherwise. If you\u2019re thinking about teaching English abroad, do it! This is your chance to make a difference and explore the world while you\u2019re at it!<\/p>\n

For more information on teaching English in Japan, check out our Japan information page<\/a>. To learn more about your options as a TESOL certified educator, sign up for one of our free information seminars<\/a> in the city nearest you.<\/p>\n

This post is part of an ongoing series of guest blogs sent by individuals who have experienced life abroad as a TESOL\/TEFL educator. We would love to share your story. Interested? Email us at <\/i>my_story@oxfordseminars.com<\/i><\/a>!<\/i><\/p>\n

\"joy_lee\"<\/a>Joy Lee graduated from Penn State University with a degree in education. She is currently in her third year as an ESL teacher in Tokyo, having worked as both a tutor and within a school system teaching adults and children. She was drawn to Japan by her love of anime, manga and all things kawaii.
\n<\/em><\/p>\n

For more information on teaching English in Japan, check out our Japan information page<\/a>. To learn more about your options as a TESOL certified educator, sign up for one of our free information seminars<\/a> in the city nearest you.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I knew, when looking for a position teaching English abroad, that I wanted to live in Tokyo. Having been here for three years now, even knowing it\u2019s crowded, I\u2019m still surprised at just how many people are here. Japan has around 127 million people; of those 127 million, 37 million live in the greater Tokyo […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":21,"featured_media":601,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[76,348,343],"tags":[8,133,90,130],"class_list":["post-575","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-asia","category-bachelors-degree","category-travel","tag-culture","tag-japan","tag-teaching-english-abroad","tag-transportation"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.oxfordseminars.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/575","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.oxfordseminars.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.oxfordseminars.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.oxfordseminars.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/21"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.oxfordseminars.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=575"}],"version-history":[{"count":12,"href":"https:\/\/www.oxfordseminars.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/575\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3362,"href":"https:\/\/www.oxfordseminars.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/575\/revisions\/3362"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.oxfordseminars.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/601"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.oxfordseminars.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=575"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.oxfordseminars.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=575"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.oxfordseminars.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=575"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}