Why you’ll love train travel in Japan | 30 things to love about Japanese railways

Japan has one of the most incredible railway systems in the world. In this video, I share 30 things to love about train travel in Japan.

I spent about a month in Japan in late 2023 and despite doing lots of research about train travel, nothing could prepare me for just how brilliant Japanese trains and the railway system is. This video is an attempt to capture things that surprised, impressed and delighted me about Japanese railways. I hope it conveys some of the wonder of train travel in Japan.

🚉 Travel dates: 15 October 2023 – 14 November 2023

EQUIPMENT:
🚉 Cameras: iPhone 15 Pro Max and GoPro Hero 10

Chapters:
00:00 Introduction
00:21 – Shinkansen
02:17 – Staggering stations
03:33 – Turnaround times
05:07 – Precision boarding
06:49 – Ekiben (bento)
07:40 – Cab views
08:54 – Shisa Kanko
10:17 – Station jingles
11:33 – Disaster readiness
12:15 – Drinks with views
12:58 – Punctuality
14:11 – Celebrity trains
16:47 – Kawaii
17:50 – Private railways
19:18 – Passenger information
20:44 – Reversible seats
21:05 – Level crossings
22:56 – Ticket checks
23:46 – IC cards
24:31 – Neighbour-free seating
24:49 – The Green Car
26:21 – Mt Fuji views
26:58 – Railway history
28:11 – Tori-tetsu
29:23 – Vending machines
29:47 – Omiyage
30:33 – Smoking rooms
31:16 – Luggage locking
31:59 – High-tech toilets
33:02 – Train etiquette

Music
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Credits and sources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rail_transport_in_Japan

https://www.jrpass.com/blog/trainspotting-in-japan

https://japanrailtimes.japanrailcafe.com.sg/web/article/rail-travel/railway-fans

Photo and video attributions:

OpenRailwayMap:
https://www.openrailwaymap.org

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#tripreport #japantravel #trainreview

If you like trains you’ll love Japan and in this video I’m going to give you 30 reasons why. In no particular order I’m going to share 30 things to love about train travel in Japan. Number one, the Shinkansen, also known as bullet trains.

No matter how much you’ve read or watched about Japan’s high speed trains seeing and traveling on them in real life is something else. And will have you questioning why this wonderful form of transport isn’t available wherever you live. Shinkansen operate on their own dedicated network with separate platforms and tracks

Which are standard gauge. Whereas conventional trains are mostly narrow gauge in Japan. The speed with which they pass through stations Breathtaking! Did you manage to count the number of carriages? There were 12. With speeds of up to 320 kilometres per hour the Hayabusa is the fastest train in

Japan. You wouldn’t know it. It feels very smooth, very comfortable, great suspension. It doesn’t feel like you’re traveling that fast. It’s really remarkable. The interiors are diverse but wonderfully designed with every detail well thought through. The system is wonderfully efficient trains arrive

And depart on the dot. Shinkansen are classified as super express trains meaning they attract a premium fare compared to other trains in Japan. The frequency is impressive. The Shinkansen network is one of the safest rail systems in the world. The network has carried more than 10 billion

Passengers since the first Shinkansen was introduced in 1964 without a single passenger death from derailment or collision. Accidents of any kind are reassuringly rare. Number two. Superstations. According to some reports Japan is home to 45 of the world’s 50 busiest railway stations and topping that list is Shinjuku. This station serves 3.6 million

Passengers per day. Per day! Nothing prepares you for the scale of Japan’s biggest railway stations. Shinjuku is such a labyrinth that even locals get lost. The station has 35 platforms used by five different railway companies. There are more than 200 exits, it’s spread over multiple levels

And is attached to a number of shopping centers. Similarly walking from one end of Tokyo railway station to the other will hit your step count for the day. This is how busy it can get at Tokyo station so you better be comfortable with crowds. The bigger stations can feel a bit overwhelming

So always allow yourself extra time if traveling or visit a day ahead and find the part of the station you’ll need to use. Number three. Turnaround times. There are six Shinkansen lines serving Tokyo

And they all start and finish here. Let’s take a look at how quickly crews can turn around a 16 car Shinkansen in readiness for its outbound journey. Two minutes is allocated for passengers to disembark, seven minutes for cleaning the interior and rotating the seats in the opposite direction

And three minutes for boarding. That’s a 12-minute turnaround, incredible for a train of this length. Let’s take a closer look at what’s involved in cleaning the Shinkansen. A 22-person crew cleans 1,300 seats, wipes down all the tray tables, replaces the seat and headrest

Covers and rotates the seats 180 degrees so they face the direction of travel. They then clean the floors and bathrooms, empty all the waste baskets, collect any forgotten items from under the seats or in the overhead racks, adjust the window blinds and generally make sure everything is neat and

Tidy all in seven minutes. It’s sometimes called the seven minute miracle. Then there’s three minutes for boarding. Amazing. It’s a real team effort in which passengers also play a part and it all just works. Number four, precision boarding. Trains need to stop precisely in stations so that the doors line

Up with the platform information showing you exactly where to stand for your carriage. Other countries do this, but Japan takes it to the next level. So you can see boarding is very organised. Our train’s already here and you line up in these areas that are marked on the platform.

The Japanese are disciplined in following the advice. Boarding is orderly, no queue jumping here. There’s even spots to stand if your train is the second to depart. Similarly, the electronic signage in stations is large, clear and very helpful. Most signage is in both Japanese and English and sometimes other languages as well.

Even on the Metro, there’s plenty of signs to tell you which carriage you’re boarding. This helps commuters choose the carriage that’s closest to their preferred exit at their destination. The clear signage also helps you from boarding a carriage you’re not allowed in.

Away from the Metro, different types of rolling stock have different boarding locations and there are signs to help with that too. In addition to platform decals. At all major railway stations, you can buy a dazzling array of bento boxes to eat on board.

Known as Ekiben or railway bento, in other parts of the world railway station food doesn’t have a great reputation. But in Japan, despite being moderately priced, Ekiben is generally good quality and often a delicacy in its own right. Eating with chopsticks on a train while whizzing

Past beautiful mountain scenery has to be one of the great joys of travelling in Japan. With some Ekiben, they even provide a type of ice block to keep your meal cool before you eat it. On many Shinkansen platforms, there’ll be kiosks where you can buy food and drink to take on board

And sometimes cafes where you can eat a hot meal on the platform. Number six, cab views. In many Japanese trains, you can see through the driver’s cab, giving you a prime view of what’s ahead. Or behind if you’re in the last carriage.

This includes a wide range of services, including commuter and tourist trains, regional trains, and some intercity services. Talk about prime position, it almost feels like you could be driving the train. Cab views are considered a selling point. So on some trains, you can book special seats in the observation deck.

Number seven, Shisa Kanko or pointing and calling. Because you can see the driver, you may wonder why they make these hand gestures. There’s a certain charm about this ritual, but they actually serve an important purpose. Shisa Kanko means point with finger and call. It’s been described as a practical demonstration

Of the Buddhist concept of mindfulness. A train driver using Shisa Kanko would not simply glance at a display to perform a required speed check. Rather, they will point at the speedometer with a call of speed check 80 to confirm the action taking place and audibly confirm the correct

Speed. Station staff also use the method to ensure the platforms and tracks are free of debris. The platform attendant will point along the track and sweep their arm along the length of the platform, eyes following the hand before declaring all clear. They do it again as the train departs,

Ensuring no passengers or bags are caught in the train doors. The technique has been proven to improve safety, so it’s not just charming to watch, but helps make traveling by train even safer. Pointing and calling has been shown to reduce workplace errors by up to 85%. Number eight, Station Jingles.

A melody plays at each station as a train arrives and another melody when the train is ready to depart. Departing train melodies are arranged to invoke a feeling of relief in a train passenger after sitting down and moving with a departing train. They’re known as Hasha Marodi. In contrast, arriving train melodies are configured to cause alertness such as to help travelers shake off

Sleepiness experienced by morning commuting. Number nine, Disaster Readiness. Japan is located on the Pacific Ring of Fire, so the country is prone to earthquakes. That’s not great if you’re zipping along at 300 kilometres per hour. Of course, the Japanese railways have a plan for this

With a system that detects the primary wave of earthquake and automatically brings Shinkansen quickly and safely to a stop before the strongest waves arrive. In addition, infrastructure such as bridges and viaducts are specially reinforced to reduce the risk of failure during an earthquake.

There are many other safety features, but this is one of the most impressive and reassuring. Number 10, Drinks with Views. In Japan, you can take alcoholic drinks on board and even buy them from vending machines. Starting with this highball, Kanpai. You’ll see plenty of Japanese businessmen

Boarding the Shinkansen after a day of work with a beer in hand, although my drink of choice is sake. It’s just like sparkling grape juice. Well, I guess that’s really what it is. It’s quite a cool and relaxing thing to do. Just don’t eat or drink on commuter trains. That’s a

Bit of a no-no. Number 11, Punctuality. I’ve touched on this already, but this deserves a special mention. Japan’s train system is legendary for its punctuality. Trains are incredibly punctual thanks to meticulous planning and coordination of schedules, the use of technology, regular

Maintenance and a strong culture of punctuality among drivers, passengers and station staff. Order and discipline are part of Japanese culture. Drivers are disciplined about keeping to time. Just look at this driver’s schedule, measured not in minutes, but to tens of seconds. JR East is

Japan’s largest railway company, handling 17 million passengers per day on more than 12,000 trains. The average delay for a Shinkansen is around 20 seconds. For other trains operated by other railway companies, the average delay is around 50 seconds. Because it’s so unusual for Japanese

Trains to run late, JR passengers can request a delay certificate if a train is more than five minutes late to prove to their boss why they weren’t in the office on time. Number 12, Celebrity trains. There are many celebrity trains in Japan for one of a better

Term. Even people who aren’t train spotters will remark with glee when they see a Shinkansen called Dr. Yellow. Dr. Yellow is the nickname for special Shinkansen used to monitor the condition of the track and overhead wire. The nickname comes from the train’s diagnostic function combined with its

Colour. Seeing one is considered to bring the viewer good luck. New trains such as Spacia X are attractions in their own right. People will line up to have their photos taken with this train and seats on services such as these often book out as soon as they go on sale.

Here are some other trains that locals will go out of their way to see. They even have themed coasters. I was blown away by the number of special trains in Japan. So in addition you’ll often see trains in special liveries many of which celebrate the local area.

Number 13, Kawaii. Kawaii is the culture of cuteness in Japan. This extends to trains where you’ll find warning signs with cute characters as well as specially themed trains such as the Hello Kitty Shinkansen which features a dedicated Kawaii room. Welcome aboard the Hello Kitty Shinkansen.

Car two you’ll find the Kawaii Room where you can take some selfies with Hello Kitty. Number 14, private railways. Japan has more than 100 private railway companies. This gives rise to a dazzling variety of train types from narrow gauge mountain railways to an incredibly diverse mix of commuter trains.

Some trains look futuristic yet retro at the same time. With the privatization of the Japanese national railways in 1987 four of the six passenger JR companies are also privatized. If you’re in Japan you can also see the maglev that will one day transport passengers from Tokyo to Osaka in 67 minutes.

Number 15, passenger information. This might sound a bit naff but the information provided through onboard passenger information displays is next level. Almost everything you might need to know is shown. How many minutes until your station, where the station exits are relative to where

You’ll alight on the platform, where to find escalators elevators and stairs and how to connect to other subway lines. Similarly information provided at your seat is really helpful including the location of toilets and other facilities. You can scan the QR code to find out information

About delays, unlikely and see your train’s location. The level of detail is something else. This Shinkansen informs you of the places the train is passing so you know where you are. This all contributes to train services in Japan being incredibly well thought through. Automated

Announcements compliment information displays. Speaking of announcements this voice on some Japanese trains might sound familiar. If you’ve ever caught the Piccadilly line from Heathrow Airport you’ve probably heard her before. Number 16, reversible seats. Seats on almost every train except commuter trains are reversible. This means you almost always face the direction of travel

Or you can turn your seats around to face friends and family if you’re traveling in a group. Love it. Number 17, level crossings. This one might seem odd but bear with me. The density of housing combined

With the number of railway lines that crisscross cities such as Tokyo give rise to some very cool level crossings. The bell sounds are strangely entrancing. The crossings tell you which direction the next train is coming from. The frequency of trains means that sometimes by the time one train passes another one comes the

Other way and then another all without a chance for the barriers to go up. Some people don’t seem too worried about getting trapped inside the barriers. This crossing even provides what I presume is information for drivers and pedestrians written in kanji which I think the engineers are testing.

As you can see from the red arrows there are trains coming from both directions and even trains overhead. Here’s a view from the cab on the Aizen electric railway in Kyoto. The railway signals with the crosses indicate the level crossing has fully activated.

The number of crossings is mind-boggling. Number 18, ticket checks or lack thereof. Train conductors generally don’t need to check your ticket on board. Rather than looking at tickets the conductors have a tablet or phone that shows them which seats are reserved and which

Should be empty so they look for any unreserved seats that are occupied. In addition all major railway stations have ticket gates for both entry and exit so that reduces the need for on-board checks. Just don’t throw away your ticket after boarding because you’ll probably need it again.

Some trains feature seat reservation indicators. Green means the seat is reserved, red means the seat is vacant and yellow or blue means the seat is reserved from the next station. Number 19, IC cards. Many cities across the world have prepaid travel cards. However in Japan the

Most popular smart cards which they call IC cards or integrated circuit cards can be used on commuter trains right across the country not just in one city or area. The best known ones are Suica and

PASMO. They’re both from Tokyo but there are many others. You can also use them to pay for stuff at convenience stores such as 7-eleven. Many vending machines and some tram and bus services also accept them but always google first depending which city you’re in because it varies.

Number 20, neighbour free seating. The seating allocation system will automatically try to allocate you to a seat without a neighbour. Obviously that’s not possible if the train is really busy but in my experience I often had an empty seat next to me.

Number 21, the green car. The green car is a bit like first class on European trains. You don’t get any food or drink but you do get more space and often more comfortable seating with plushier interiors. It only costs a bit extra but the carriages are generally much

Quieter than standard class so you’re more likely to have an empty row. I think it’s totally worth it. On Shinkansen the green car has two by two seating whereas in standard class it’s two by three.

On narrow gauge trains green cars sometimes have two by one seating but that seems to vary a lot. There’s even double decker green cars on some commuter lines in Tokyo. Discovering different interiors in green cars particularly on Shinkansen is a delight but it’s not just

Green cars that have special interiors. Check out these trains. Thank you. How about a private cabin? Number 22, Mount Fuji views. There are many trains from which you can catch a glimpse of Mount Fuji. This never gets old.

The best known views are probably on the Tokaido Shinkansen between Nagoya and Tokyo. If you’re traveling towards Nagoya, Kyoto and Osaka the view will be on your right. If you’re heading to Tokyo the view will be on your left. But there are plenty of other trains and routes that will

Give you stunning visitors of Mount Fuji too. Number 23, railway history. Japan takes pride in its railways, deservedly so, and its railway history. The country features some of the best railway museums in the world. In these museums you’ll find wonderfully preserved steam engines, heritage trains, and every generation of the Shinkansen.

There are life-like miniature railways which they call dioramas, often with a simulation from dawn to day, sunset to night. Many museums feature simulators so you can have a go at driving a train or even being a conductor. Number 24, Toritetsu. There’s a real culture of train spotting here. Unlike many parts of the

World you’re not a bit weird for liking trains. It’s mainstream and includes people of all ages. Japan is a nation of train lovers. The general word for train spotters or people who take photos of trains is Toritetsu. Tori means to take photos and Tetsu means railway.

Kintetsu railway operates a number of special trains and this is one of them. However this being Japan there are a lot of specialist genres. This includes Noritetsu, people who love riding trains, Ekitezuu, those who love train stations, Ototetsu enthusiasts who enjoy sounds related to railways, Yomitetsu those who love reading about

Trains and even Ekibentetsu fans of the bento lunch boxes sold at train stations. Apologies for any of my mispronunciations. Which kind of rail enthusiast are you? Number 25, Vending Machines. They’re everywhere. You’ll find them on almost all platforms and in

All railway stations. They often serve hot as well as cold drinks. They’re incredibly convenient. Some trains even have vending machines on board. So this is the vending machine area where you can get hot freshly ground coffee. Number 26, omiyage. Japan has a gift-giving culture

Called omiyage. This can be translated as souvenir but it’s not typically bought for yourself but for presenting someone with a piece of the place you visited. Omiyage typically refers to edible gifts you bring back from a trip for friends, family and co-workers. Major railway stations are full

Of places you can buy omiyage. Linked to this and Japan’s love of trains is railway merchandise. You’ll find all manner of train-based location-specific gifts and memorabilia at railway stations and sometimes even on board. Number 27, Smoking on Trains. I’m not a smoker nor a fan of smoking but having specially

Ventilated smoking rooms on trains is one of those quirks that makes Japanese trains unusual. Even smokers get a view. Please refrain from smoking except in the designated smoking room located at the front of car number three. There’s something incongruous about finding a

Smoking room on the Halokitty Shinkansen. Smoking rooms are being phased out on Shinkansen. There are also smoking booths on some platforms. Number 28, Luggage Locking Systems. On some trains you can use an IC card to lock up your luggage. Clever.

On other trains you get a key. Needing to store your luggage and there’s more luggage lockers in this car. Speaking of luggage, every major railway station has luggage lockers. This is incredibly handy as a tourist giving you freedom to stop somewhere along the way

And explore cities luggage free. Make sure to keep 100 yen coins handy although some machines also accept IC cards and notes can be easily exchanged if needed. Number 29, High-Tech Toilets. You’ll find Japanese super toilets on board commonly known as a washlet. You can put the seat up without having to touch it.

Video functions so you can make sure your bottom is properly cleaned, adjust the water pressure as well and it’s probably heated I’d expect they almost always are. The toilet, it’s a heated toilet. Also play music, oh sorry we can play this sound

To cover up any unfortunate sounds while you’re using the facilities. As is usual with a lot of Japanese toilets there’s no hand dryer. Some people bring their own towel and also we have here the men’s urinal which you do find on Japanese trains quite different. Number 30, Train Etiquette.

Train conductors and crew bow as they enter and leave each carriage. It’s a lovely custom that adds something special to train travel. Even cleaning crews make a deep bow to greet trains as they pull into the station thankful for their safe arrival. Essentially all Japanese trains are

Silent carriages so you shouldn’t talk when you’re in the seated area. If you want to take a phone call or make a phone call you come out into the vestibule here and it’s okay to talk here. This helps make train travel more relaxing and passengers also play their part in keeping trains

Clean taking rubbish with them or putting it in an onboard bin. This is all part of the culture of cleanliness and just another thing that makes traveling by train in Japan such a joy. So those are my 30 reasons to love Japanese trains. Was yours on this list? Let me know in the

Comments below. In the next few months I’ll be releasing more detailed videos about particular Japanese trains so be sure to subscribe to my channel and hit the notification bell so you don’t miss them. Hope to see you then!