Local Trains and Subway
One of the best ways for any tourist to get around Japanese city’s is by train. The local trains are fast, efficient and always on time. The main problem any non Japanese speaking tourist may find in using the train system is a lack of info written in English at some stations, so its best to be a bit prepared to know where you are going before you travel.
Josei Senyo Sharyo is the name given to special carriages on some trains that are reserved for woman only, as some trains can get jammed packed during peak hours, many woman felt uncomfortable in the packed carriages due to an increase in groping incidents (known as chikan). Josei Senyo Sharyo carriages will have a image of a woman on the door and often feature a pink stripe along side of them.
JR Line is the most frequently seen system across Japan and is the previously government ran (but now privatized) organization that is most famous for their Sinkansen bullet train service. Other mostly above ground JR local service operates in nearly all Japanese cities.
Other rail services exist in Japan too, many larger cities will also have subways and other types of rail operated by separate companies. For example, Tokyo’s Metro subway system is operated independently of any other system so if you are planning to travel to an area serviced by a JR line from an area near a Metro line you will have to change over at a point where the two line share a station. This often means exiting the Metro station and walking a bit to the JR station next door and then purchasing a ticket for the rest of your journey on the JR line.
Tickets are purchased from a ticket machine and each station will have some machines with an English mode, also the simpler Japanese machines are easy to use. You just select the number of persons and the amount of the fare, every station costs a little bit different so the further you go the more the cost. If you are unsure what that cost will be because the fare map is in Japanese you can select the lowest fare, once you get off at your destination put your ticket into a fare adjustment machine and the machine will advise you if you need to pay more to exit the station.
A few good tips is to be prepared before you go and have a fair idea of where you want to go and what rail system is close by, try and memorize the logo of the rail companies you are using as it may make it easier to spot that non-English sign directing you to the nearest station and if you can travel to where you want to go with out changing companies too much, a prepaid ticket may save you a lot of time buying tickets each time you visit the station.
