Showing posts with label Japan guide. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Japan guide. Show all posts

Trying to see snow during Dec in Japan

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Every year, when it gets closer to the month of December (In Singapore, the schools have a long vacation period in the month of December), I will start to receive more emails asking for advice on where to bring their kids to see snow in Japan.

Generally speaking, if you want the best possible chance of seeing snow, this is my advice:
- Visit Hokkaido (especially the regions with higher chance of snowfall, like Asahikawa, Sounkyo, Abashiri...etc) during mid-January to mid-February.

However, if your trip can ONLY be during the month of December then this is what I can advice:
(I can only do recommendations on what I feel will improve your chances of seeing snow, but please bear in mind that I CANNOT guarantee that you will definitely see snow).

 1, Schedule your trip to be as close to end-Dec as possible.
The temperatures in end-Dec will usually be colder than compared to early-Dec, therefore there's a higher chance of seeing snow closer to end Dec rather than early Dec.

Also, if you only plan to make a 1 or 2 day visit to a certain place to try your luck to see snow, try to arrange your itinerary to be such that those days will be on the last few days of your trip, rather than the 1st few days of your trip. This is so that you will be able to visit those possible snowfall places as close to January (usually the coldest month of the year) as possible.

Best is if you can schedule your trip to be during the last week of Dec. If not, then the 2nd last week of Dec.

Even if you intend to go Hokkaido in early Dec, it is still not guaranteed that you will see actual snowfall, specially if you only visit central Hokkaido areas like Sapporo city.  This happened to me during 1 of my previous trips.

I visited Hokkaido during the first week of December to places like Sapporo, Otaru and Noboribetsu, and I did not see any snowfall at all during that trip. All I saw were just a few piles of snow here and there on the ground.

If your trip is during early Dec to Hokkaido, and you want to see some snow, at the very least, travel abit further to areas like Asahikawa or Sounkyo onsen to increase your chances, instead of just visiting central Hokkaido like Sapporo/Otaru/Noboribetsu.


2. Plan on where to go.
Many 1st timer foreign tourists visit Tokyo (or Osaka) in winter expecting to see snow everywhere.  
Sorry to burst your bubble, but no, it VERY SELDOM snow in Tokyo (and Osaka). 
Even if it snows, it is usually very slight. 

I've visited Osaka, Kyoto, and Tokyo in winter during a few of my previous trips, and other than 1 occasion (when it snowed for awhile in the morning before I arrived Tokyo, and all I saw were puddles of melting snow on the ground when I arrived Tokyo), I've never seen snow at Osaka, Kyoto nor Tokyo in all of my trips. 

I know most tourists will fly into Japan via either Tokyo or Osaka. So I will go with the assumption that your flight will enter/depart from either Tokyo or Osaka.

If you are flying in/out via Tokyo:
You can either:- 
Take a domestic flight to Hokkaido (where there's a much higher chance of seeing snow than in the Tokyo Kanto region), 
OR 
Take a Shinkansen (bullet train) train northwards into the Tohoku regions (eg. Aomori, Akita, Yamagata...etc) where there's usually also a higher chance of seeing snow than Tokyo Kanto region.

But if those 2 options are too far (or expensive for your budget) for you, then my next best recommendation is to get a 3 days JR Tokyo WIDE railpass (used to be JR Kanto Area railpass) and use it to go to Gala-Yuzawa (or Echigo-Yuzawa).

There are ski slopes at Gala-Yuzawa, and in my opinion, it is the most accessible ski area from Tokyo with a decent probability of snowfall.  The opening dates of the ski slopes varies from year-to-year since it really depends on that particular year's winter temperatures.  
Eg, for this year (year 2015/16's winter season, Gala-Yuzawa ski slopes are scheduled to be opened from 19 Dec onwards)

How to go to Gala-Yuzawa (or Echigo-Yuzawa, which is just 1 station before Gala Yuzawa):
From either Tokyo station or Ueno station in Tokyo, take a Shinkansen to Gala Yuzawa station.
The train journey usually takes about 85-100mins, and costs 6570yen (Unreserved seat) for 1 way.
So you can see why spending 10000yen to get the 3 days JR Tokyo WIDE railpass is a good deal, since it would also cover Narita Express train that links Narita Airport to Tokyo.

Not all Shinkansen along that route will stop by Gala Yuzawa, however almost all of the Shinkansen (as far as I know) will stop at Echigo-Yuzawa station.

We took Shinkansen from Tokyo station
Although there are many other ski slopes in Yuzawa other than at Gala Yuzawa and Echigo Yuzawa (as shown in this website), however please bear in mind that if you are using the 3 days JR Tokyo WIDE railpass, it will only cover the journey up to Echigo-Yuzawa and Gala Yuzawa.

Here is the link to my blog post of my visit to Echigo-Yuzawa on 28 January 2015:
Even though you see alot of snow in my photos, please bear in mind that my visit was made in the month of January, and not in December.

Outside Echigo-Yuzawa train station (photo taken on 28 Jan 2015)


A suggested itinerary using the 3 days JR Tokyo WIDE railpass is probably something like this:
Day 1: Arrival at Tokyo. Stay at Tokyo
Day 2: Visit Disneyland or Disneysea. Stay at Tokyo
Day 3: Visit Tokyo. Stay at Tokyo
Day 4: Visit Tokyo or Yokohama. Stay at Tokyo
Day 5: (Railpass day 1) Tokyo to Echigo-Yuzawa. Visit Gala Yuzawa ski slope. Stay at Echigo-Yuzawa.
Day 6: (Railpass day 2) Echigo-Yuzawa to Tokyo. Stay at Tokyo.
Day 7: (Railpass day 3) Tokyo to Narita Airport via Narita Express train. Departure from Narita Airport.


If you are flying in/out via Osaka:
You can either:- 
Take a domestic flight to Hokkaido (where there's a much higher chance of seeing snow than in the Kansai Osaka/Kyoto region), 
OR 
Take longer train rides to areas with higher chance of snowfall (like Takayama, Shirakawa-go, Kanazawa, Toyama, Nagano...) than compared to Kansai region.  Even Kinosaki onsen have a slightly higher chance of seeing a little snow than Osaka/Kyoto.  

If you don't want to fly to Hokkaido, but don't mind spending a little to have a better chance of seeing snow rather than solely remaining in Kansai region, then this is my suggestion:
Day 1: Arrival at Osaka. Stay at Osaka
Day 2: Visit Osaka. Stay Osaka
Day 3: Visit Kyoto. Stay Kyoto
Day 4: (Railpass day 1) Kyoto to Kanazawa via Ltd Exp train. Either visit Dinosaur museum at Fukui or Yunokuni no mori handicraft village near Kaga onsen on this day.  Stay at Kanazawa.
Day 5: (Railpass day 2) Visit Kanazawa. Stay Kanazawa
Day 6: (Railpass day 3) Kanazawa to Toyama via Shinkansen, Toyama to Takayama via Ltd Exp train. Visit Takayama. Stay at Takayama.
Day 7: (Railpass day 4) Takayama to Shirakawa-go via bus, deposit luggage at coin lockers at Shirakawa-go's tourist info office, visit Shirakawa-go for a few hours, then collect luggage and take bus to Kanazawa.  Take Ltd Exp train from Kanazawa to Shin-Osaka. Stay at Osaka.
Day 8: (Railpass day 5) Shin-Osaka to Kansai Airport via Haruka Express train.

A slightly cheaper option (but less chance of seeing snow than the above option) would probably to get the 5 days JR Kansai WIDE railpass (8500yen) and do this:
Day 1: Arrival at Osaka. Stay at Osaka
Day 2: Visit Osaka. Stay at Osaka
Day 3: (Railpass day 1) Take Shinkansen from Shin-Osaka to Himeji. Visit Himeji castle. Then return to Osaka in the late afternoon for the rest of the day. Stay at Osaka.
Day 4: (Railpass day 2) Osaka to Kinosaki onsen via 3hrs Ltd Exp train ride. Visit Kinosaki onsen. Stay at Kinosaki onsen.
Day 5: (Railpass day 3) Kinosaki onsen to Kyoto via 3hrs Ltd Exp train ride. Visit Kyoto. Stay at Kyoto.
Day 6: (Railpass day 4) Day visit to Hakodateyama ski slope via train to Omiimazu station (about 40-50mins train from Kyoto station). Take a 20mins bus to gondola station from Omiimazu station. Spend half a day at the ski slope. Then return back to Kyoto.  Stay at Kyoto.
Day 7: (Railpass day 5) Visit Kyoto. Then take Haruka Express train from Kyoto to Kansai airport. 

Kinosaki onsen

My visit to Hakodateyama ski area in mid-Feb 2014
See my visit to Kinosaki onsen (Feb 2014) here:

See my visit to Hakodateyama ski area (Feb 2014) here:


If you don't want to spend too much, and just want to bring the kids to a place where they can play with sleds on some artificial snow (made using snow machines, since it's not exactly cold enough in Kobe for actual snowfall), then u can try the snow park at Mt Rokko in Kobe: http://www.rokkosan.com/en/#ski   


If you are planning a visit to Hokkaido, this is what I would probably suggest:
Day 1: Arrival at New Chitose Airport. Stay at Sapporo
Day 2: Visit Sapporo. Stay at Sapporo
Day 3: Visit Otaru. Stay at Sapporo
Day 4: Sapporo to Asahikawa via Ltd Exp train, Visit Asahiyama Zoo. Return back to Sapporo. Stay at Sapporo
Day 5: Take Ltd Exp train from Sapporo to Tomamu. Visit Tomamu ski resort and Ice village. Stay at Tomamu resort
Day 6: Tomamu to Noboribetsu via Ltd Exp train (with a transfer at Minami-Chitose station). Stay at Noboribetsu hotspring town.
Day 7: Noboribetsu to New Chitose Airport via train (with a transfer at Minami Chitose station). Fly out from New Chitose Airport.

If the weather is cold enough (usually mid or end Dec onwards), there'll be scheduled penguins walkabout at Asahiyama zoo at Asahikawa in winter. This photo was taken in Feb 2012.
Ice village at Tomamu. This photo was taken in Feb 2015.
See my blog entry about my visit to Tomamu in Feb 2015:



In addition, you might find these sections on japan-guide's website helpful:
- http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2265.html (guide on where to find snow in Japan)
- http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2265_tokyo.html (guide on where to find snow near Tokyo)



Hope my article here helps.  :)




Tips for your first trip to Japan

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Tips for first time visitors to Japan. 

  • Bring your own tray back to the tray collection point after you are done eating at fast food joints, cafes, and food courts. When in doubt as to whether you should bring the tray to collection point or not, just look around and follow what the others are doing.
  • It is actually not common to find public trash bins around on the streets, so I usually carry a small plastic bag in my bag to keep the trash I may have during the day when I couldn't find any trash bins, and then I throw them away when I finally see a trash bin (usually outside convenience stores).
  • Keep to 1 side of the escalators. Often, people only had minutes to spare when catching their train transfers at train stations, so you will see people rushing up the free side of the escalators so that they can rush to catch their train transfers. 
  • It is common to find coin lockers at train stations and departmental stores. They usually cost between 300yen to 600yen (depending on locker size). For larger train stations (Eg. Kyoto station, Tokyo Station, Shinjuku station...), there is usually more than 1 area with coin lockers within the same station. You just need to walk around and you'd probably find more lockers. 
Coin lockers at Kyoto station

  • You can request for free local maps (they often have English versions, and sometimes Chinese or Korean or even French versions) from Tourist Information offices in Japan. Therefore, it is not imperative that you go and buy your own map to bring to Japan when you can get decent maps for free. See list of Tourist Information offices: here.
  • Put your mobile phone on silent mode whenever you take a train, and refrain from talking on the phone when you are on a train as it is considered rude. If you REALLY have to make a phone call during long train rides (eg. onboard Shinkansen or Ltd Exp trains), then you exit the carriage and go to the common area between carriages (usually where the toilets or vending machines onboard the trains are located at) to make your call instead of chatting on the phone while at your seat. 
  • Trains in Japan are EXTREMELY punctual. Eg, if it states on the train ticket that the train timing is 0710hr, it would almost definitely mean that the train will depart that station at exactly 0710hr. Unless there are any unforseen circumstances (eg. typhoon, earthquake, heavy snowfall, or the occasional suicide cases on the tracks) which would cause delays or train suspension.
My Shinkansen train ticket from Shinagawa (0710hr) to Kyoto (0948hr).
  • Many Japanese restaurants have plastic food displays outside their restaurants, so if you don't speak Japanese and if they don't have English menu, what I did on my first couple of Japan trips was to use my mobile phone to take a photo of the food item which I want from the plastic food display, and then show the waitress the photo which I took upon ordering.

    • Do keep a lookout for the manhole covers with pretty and interesting designs. Every town have a different design. :)
    Manhole covers at Shirakawa-go 
    • Food Halls (usually located at the basements) at Departmental stores would often have discounts on their food items about half an hour before their closing time. Usually 20% to sometimes even 50%. 
    An example on how a Departmental store's food hall looks like.
    • Not all attractions/theme parks open every day. (well, except for Disneyland, Disneysea and Universal Studios Japan, since I do believe they operate daily but with slightly different operating hours from day to day). Shrines, Temples, museums, themed attractions (eg, Sanrio Puroland, Edo Wonderland...etc) do have days when they are closed. Therefore, it is better to check their operation schedule when you are planning for your trip so as to avoid disappointment on your visit.


    Will probably add more when I think of new tips along the way. :)

    Visiting One Piece themed places in Tokyo.

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    If you are a fan of One Piece, and are planning to make the trip to Tokyo, then here is a 2 day suggested itinerary for you to consider.



    Day 1: J-World / Nakano Broadway / Mugiwara store

    J-World
    J-World (Sunshine City at Ikebukuro)
    <<Go to my visit to J-World back in Oct 2013>>
    J-world is an indoor themed attraction inside Sunshine City shopping mall. It has attractions (and themed food) for mainly One Piece, Naruto and Dragonball. 



    Nakano Broadway
    Between Nakano Broadway and Akihabara, I somehow prefer to go Nakano Broadway if I want to look for One Piece related collectables. I was so lost when I was at Akihabara and didn't really know which stores to go to look for One Piece stuffs. That said, if you were to do your research online beforehand and would rather go Akihabara over Nakano Broadway, then by all means go ahead. :)

    When you reach Nakano Broadway, you would probably be surprised to find that the shops on the ground level do not sell anime products, so for a moment you might think you have gone to the wrong place. Fret not, the shops that you would be looking for are on the 2nd level.


    Mugiwara store
    Mugiwara store (Shibuya Parco Part 1, 6F)
    <<Go to my visit to Mugiwara store back in Dec 2012>>
    This is the official One Piece store, located about 7mins walk from Shibuya station. 
    They sell a wide variety of One Piece products here, t-shirts, keyboard, figurines, stationary...and more.


    Directions:
    (I will use Tokyo station as the starting point for these 2 days since this is the most centralized station in Tokyo. 
    All you need to do is to figure out how to get from your hotel to Tokyo station and you will be able to follow my directions to get to these places.)
    - Tokyo station to Ikebukuro station via Tokyo Metro Marunouchi line subway (17mins, 200yen)
    - Walk about 10mins from Ikebukuro station to Sunshine City shopping mall.
    - Visit J-World indoor themed attraction (opens 1000-2200hr, 800yen admission)
    - Walk about 10mins back to Ikebukuro station.
    - Ikebukuro station to JR Shinjuku station via JR Yamanote Loop line (6mins journey)
    - JR Shinjuku station to Nakano station via JR Chuo line (5-7mins, Ikebukuro to Nakano costs 170yen)
    - Walk 5mins from Nakano station to visit Nakano Broadway (stores usually open from 1200-2000hr)
    - Nakano station to JR Shinjuku station via JR Chuo line (5-7mins)
    - JR Shinjuku station to Shibuya station via JR Yamanote Loop line (6mins, Nakano to Shibuya costs 170yen)
    - Walk about 7mins from Shibuya station to Shibuya Parco Part 1 building (6th Floor). 
    - Shibuya station to Tokyo station via JR Yamanote Loop line (23mins, 200yen)




    Day 2: Tokyo One Piece Tower, Jump store, Baratie restaurant
    Tokyo Tower
    Tokyo One Piece Tower (at Tokyo Tower)
    This is a new One Piece attraction in Tokyo, located at the base of Tokyo Tower. 
    It will be opened in the spring of 2015 (13 March 2015).



    photo taken from Baratie's website
    Baratie restaurant (Fuji TV building at Odaiba)
    Baratie is a One Piece themed restaurant located at Odaiba. 
    I've yet to have the chance to visit Baratie restaurant though.


    Tokyo station's Jump store
    <<Go to my visit to Tokyo station's Jump store back in March 2013>>
    Jump shop sells products from different Shonen Jump mangas, such as One Piece, Naruto, Bleach, Dragonball, Slam Dunk...etc... 
    They have a few different outlets scattered across Japan. 
    For Tokyo, they have 1 outlet at Tokyo station, and 1 at Tokyo Dome City.

    Directions:
    - Tokyo station to Hamamatsucho station via JR Yamanote Loop line (5mins, 160yen)
    - Walk 5mins from Hamamatsucho to Daimon station
    - Daimon station to Akabanebashi station via Toei Subway Oedo line (2mins, 180yen)
    - Walk 5mins from Akabanebashi station to Tokyo Tower.
    - Visit Tokyo One Piece Tower attraction at Tokyo Tower (opens on 13 March 2015)
    - Walk 7mins from Tokyo Tower to Kamiyacho station
    - Kamiyacho station to Ebisu station via Tokyo Metro Hibiya Line (9mins, 170yen)
    - Ebisu station to Tokyo Teleport station via JR Saikyo/Rinkai line (17mins, 330yen)
    - Walk 5mins to Fuji TV building
    - Eat at Baratie restaurant (located at Fuji TV building at Odaiba)
    - You can probably also visit nearby Divercity shopping mall for the life-sized Gundam if you want.
    - Walk 5mins to Tokyo Teleport station
    - Tokyo Teleport station to Shin-Kiba station via Rinkai Line (7mins, 270yen)
    - Shin-Kiba station to Tokyo station via JR Keiyo Line (10mins, 170yen).
    - Visit Jump shop at Tokyo station basement's character street.




    -----------------------------

    Although there are quite a number of One Piece related attractions within Tokyo area, however, my favourite is one that is located outside of Tokyo. 
    It is Huis Ten Bosch in Kyushu (about 7 to 8hrs by train from Tokyo, or 2hrs domestic flight).
    If you happen to visit Kyushu, then you wouldn't want to miss boarding Thousand Sunny for a short cruise. 

    Thousand Sunny at Huis Ten Bosch in Kyushu

    A guide on planning your 1st Free and Easy trip to Japan

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    Many people might think that it is difficult to plan your own Free and Easy trip to Japan, especially if you don't understand any Japanese.

    However, with the many available informative websites out there, planning your own trip might be easier than you thought it would be.

    Since I've been getting emails from people planning their 1st trip to Japan, so here is just to share how I go about planning my trips:


    1) Decide which season would I want to visit Japan for my upcoming trip. 
    Generally speaking, March to May is considered Spring, June to August is considered Summer, September to November is considered Autumn, and Dec to Feb is considered Winter.

    Sakura (cherry blossoms) at Ueno park
    If you want a moderate climate and wishes to see Sakura, then I'd go recommend going Japan sometime between late March to 1st week of April (for cities like Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto).
    Since it is difficult to gauge the exact blooming dates, so this period quoted here is just a guide line as an average.
    Occasionally, for example my March 2013 trip, sakura bloomed 2 weeks earlier than average (16 March), so I was lucky to be able to caught the peak blooming period since I was already at Tokyo in mid March.

    Scenic train at Arashiyama Kyoto
    Summer time in Japan is usually when there are matsuri (festivals), and is also a good time to catch the popular Lavender blooms at Furano in Hokkaido.  
    My only time visiting Japan during summer was in July 2011 and I found the weather to be really hot and humid, kinda like how Singapore's sunny days are like.
    Which is why from then on, I choose to only visit Japan in Spring, Autumn, and Winter...because I preferred a more cooling (or freezing cold) weather over scorching hot weather.

    Autumn at Sapporo's Hokkaido University
    For Autumn season, it is a good time to catch the beautiful reds and yellow colors of autumn leaves (usually from mid Nov to 1st week Dec for Tokyo/Osaka/Kyoto), especially if you are into photography.
    However, bear in mind that this is also typhoon season.
    So if you are planning to visit Japan during between Aug to Nov, please check Japan's weather website for any upcoming typhoon's info.
    Usually, if typhoon happens to pass by an area, most of the train lines will be suspended, until the typhoon passes by.
    I once encountered typhoon when I was at Kyoto, so I just spent a couple hours shopping at indoor shopping mall while the typhoon passes by. By the time I left the shopping mall, the rain had already became slight drizzle.
    November (esp late November) for Kyoto is an extremely popular destination due to autumn season, therefore, expect hotel rates to be more expensive for this period, as well as most of the hotels would be fully booked way in advanced.

    Winter scene at Hokkaido
    Winter is probably my favourite time to visit Japan. 
    Since we don't have any snow in Singapore, so I prefer going to Japan during winter to play with snow and experience snow activities.
    However, it is not guaranteed to see snow in places like Tokyo, Osaka and Kyoto though, since these places are known to only experience snow rarely.
    If you really want to see snow, best bet is go places like Hokkaido, Tohoku, and some parts of Niigata, Nagano and Gifu (Takayama/Shirakawago) during late Dec to end Feb.
    My visits to Japan during winter season are back in Dec 2010, Feb 2012, Dec 2012, Feb 2014, and upcoming Jan 2015.



    2) Look out for good airfare deals

    Once I have decided which season to visit Japan, I'd start to keep a lookout for any promo deals for airfares.
    Every couple of days, I'd go check out websites of airlines like Singapore Air, ANA, JAL, Delta, Scoot, Jetstar...etc...to see if they have any promotions going on.

    Once the flights are booked, then comes the start of hotel booking process.



    3) Booking of accommodations 
    There are various types of accommodations in Japan, which can be catered to different types of budgets.
    A private room with shared toilet facilities where I stayed in Sep 2012 at Rakuza guesthouse in Kyoto.
    If you are on a tight budget, and don't mind staying at backpacker's hotels, hostels, guesthouses with shared toilet facilites (usually there will be a toilet at every floor of the building), then you can usually be able to get cheaper accommodations. 
    You can find some of these accommodations on this list which I've compiled some time back.

    The Toyoko-Inn hotel room which I've stayed at in Tottori in Oct 2013
    However, if you want a private room with your own toilet in your room, then the most common budget hotels are business hotels, usually run by hotel chains like Toyoko-Inn, Super Hotel, Chisun Inn, Smile Hotels...etc... Their rooms are usually pretty small, but they are fairly inexpensive.

    Keio Plaza hotel at Tokyo where I stayed during my March 2013 trip
    If you are willing to spend a more for a more spacious room, then there are hotel chains like Washington Hotels, Sunroute Hotels, as well as the other international hotel brands like Hilton, Hyatt, and etc...

    Our room at Nakajimaya ryokan at Nozawa onsen in Nagano during our Dec 2012 trip.
    Other than regular hotels, you should also try to at least stay 1 overnight at a ryokan (Japanese traditional inn) with hotspring.  These are usually more expensive than the usual hotels because they often come with dinner as well as breakfast.

    Capsule hotel Kua House at Kobe where I stayed during my Sep 2012 trip.
    Or for something different, you could try 1 of the capsule hotels? But do take note that most capsule hotels are only available to men, and they don't accept female guests at all. However, there are some which do allow women to stay overnight. I'm a female and I've stayed at Kua House capsule hotel in Kobe before (note: they don't speak much English here though since they are catered mainly to domestic Japanese tourists), and I will also be staying overnight at nine hours capsule hotel at Narita airport on my upcoming Japan trip next month.  First cabin is another "capsule" like concept but more spacious than the regular capsule.

    I also use websites like Booking.com, Japanican, Rakuten, and Jalan.net to do a search for hotels.



    4) Deciding on where to go
    For starters, japan-guide's wesite is a good place to start off with. You can find tonnes of information about the various places in Japan, including directions on how to get there, operating hours, railpasses info...etc.  I use this website alot when planning my trips.

    The different areas in Japan also have their own tourism/travel websites, with more detailed info regarding their respective prefectures.
    Here are some examples of the various websites:
    Hokkaido, Sapporo, Tohoku, Sendai, Nagano, Tokyo, Yokohama, Fuji Five Lakes, Hakone, Kanazawa, Gifu, Osaka, Kyoto, Kobe, Hiroshima, Shikoku, Kyushu, Okinawa...

    One website which I like to use to check out festival/events details is the japan-attractions website. Just enter the dates of your trip, and you will see a list of events (illuminations, fireworks, workshops, festivals, exhibitions...etc) happening during that period of time.

    1 problem with many 1st time travellers to Japan planning their own trip is that they tend to overpack their schedule with too many places to visit, thus having to keep rushing around so as to be able to visit more places within 1 day.
    I do not recommend doing this because sometimes a location looks near on the map, but when you start walking in reality, it might be further than you think.
    You might also come across interesting shops/cafes which you would be tempted to visit along the way, but if your itinerary is too tight, you might be less willing to enter to explore since you have to keep to the schedule and thus, missing out on certain things which you might otherwise enjoy.

    Here are some other guides which I've posted previously, hope these might be informative too.



    5) Planning transportation details for travel within Japan.
    If you plan to travel long distance between 2 cities (eg. between Tokyo and Osaka), then you have the usual 3 options. Domestic flights, trains or buses.
    My domestic flight on Peach from Osaka Kansai Airport to Hokkaido's New Chitose airport during my Oct 2013 trip
    For domestic flights, the more commonly known flights are the ones operated by ANA and JAL. However, other than those 2 airlines, there are also a few other domestic airlines which you can consider. They are Skymark, Peach, Airdo and Jetstar.

    Shinkansen (bullet train)
    However, my favourite way of travelling within Japan, is by trains. Japanese trains are extremely punctual, comfortable, and convenient. 
    I usually just buy 1 of the Japan Rail (also known as JR pass) passes and then take Shinkansen (bullet train) over long distances all across Japan, and then subways/local trains within each city/town.

    Other than the nationwide-valid JR Passes, there are also other cheaper versions which has less coverage than the nationwide version. Here is a list of the various railpasses.

    JR Pass
    Although most of the railpasses can be purchased when you arrive at Japan, however, some of them, especially the nationwide JR pass have to be purchased from OUTSIDE of Japan.
    They don't sell that particular railpass in Japan. Here is a list of places where you can purchase the exchange order for the nationwide JR Pass.
    I believe there are also some websites which sells this railpass online, but I've not personally used these websites to make my purchase before.
    I usually go to either JTB or Pricebreakers or Prime Follow Me Japan offices in Singapore to get mine.

    Even though the trains within major cities like Sapporo, Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto, Fukuoka have pretty frequent train departure timings (usually 1 train every 5-15mins or so), but in many parts of Japan, it is common to find that there is only 1 train departing every hourly or even every couple of hours.
    Which is why, I cannot stress enough the importance of planning your itinerary for your train journeys.

    For this, I use the hyperdia website for checking train schedules, durations, frequency...
    If you are kinda lost on how to use this website, JPRail website posted a guide on how to use the hyperdia website which you can take a look at.

    Long distance buses and overnight buses is a good option for those on a budget but are planning to travel long distance between major cities. The Willer Express is 1 bus company which I find that's popular with foreign tourists.



    6) Data usage on your mobile phone
    I used the Bmobile's 1gb data-only SIM card for my Sep 2012 trip
    On my 1st visit back in 2010, I assumed that it would be relatively easy for me to find free wifi signal in Japan, but I was wrong.
    Some times, even if the hotel states that they have wifi, but you might only get wifi signal only at their lobby area. Other times, even if they assure us that the rooms have wifi signal, but all I could get was weak (and intermittent) wifi signals from the room.
    While out walking, it is also not that easy to find free wifi whenever you want to.

    Therefore, from my 2nd trip to Japan onwards, either my hubby or myself will always get a data-only SIM card to use.
    Since these are data-only SIM cards, so you cannot make/receive voice calls.
    If that is an issue, u can just rent a portable wifi router or just rent a phone.

    Here are some websites where you can get data-only SIM cards and/or rent portable wifi routers or rental phones:
    - Bmobile
    - eConnect
    - PuPuRu
    - So-net



    Hopefully, this guide is able to be of some help to those who are planning their trip to Japan for the first time.

    Would be good if you could let me know if this guide have helped you in any way, as well as if there's any other information which you wished I could have included in this post.

    Enjoy your trip!  :)



    Using the 7 days JR Pass to go from Tokyo to Hokkaido then back to Tokyo again.

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    Most travellers fly in to Japan via 1 of Tokyo's 2 airports (Narita Airport or Haneda Airport) and from then on, people who plans to visit Hokkaido would choose to take a 2hr domestic flight from Tokyo to Hokkaido.

    However, another option is to use a 7 days JR Pass (although there's a 14 days and 21 days' version of this railpass as well) and take trains instead of flying. The cost for a 7 days JR Pass would be 29,110 yen (about SGD370 or USD290, depending on the currency exchange rate)

    There are many different types of railpasses in Japan, some covers just a small region (but cheaper), but the most popular version is the 7 days/14 days/ 21 days JR pass which covers nationwide on almost all trains operated by JR company.  Trains in Japan can be expensive, especially if you had to take a Shinkansen (bullet train) since the cost of a 1 way Shinkansen could cost as much as (if not, more than) the cost of a domestic flight.  So if you had to take long distance rides on Shinkansen, then the JR Pass is very much worth getting. 
    **Since JR Pass is not sold in Japan, so you would have to purchase it from OUTSIDE of Japan before you head for Japan.


    Here is a sample itinerary :
     - Train timings listed here are based on 1st Sep 2014, and might change by the time of your visit, so please use Hyperdia website for a more accurate train timing.
    - Some Shinkansen (bullet trains) between Tokyo and Shin-Aomori (Tohoku Shinkansen) are not updated in Hyperdia website, so in that case, please refer to JR-East's train schedule. 
    - Except subways, most trains in Japan would have toilets onboard the train (usually at either the first or last carriage). Unless specified, the trains listed below should have toilets onboard the train.

    Day 1: Singapore to Tokyo. Stay at Tokyo
      Don't need JR Pass coverage for this day. Bring your JR pass exchange voucher (which you should already have purchased before you go to Japan) to the JR office (Narita Airport or other major stations at Tokyo) to exchange for your actual JR Pass. Tell them the starting date for your JR Pass activation and they will stamp the date on your railpass.


    Day 2: (JR Pass day 1) Tokyo to Sendai. Visit Sendai. Sendai to Aomori. Stay at Aomori.
      0716hr to 0857hr: Tokyo station to Sendai station via Shinkansen (bullet train)
      0900hr to 1000hr: Find a luggage locker to deposit your luggage at the train station (usually 300 to 600yen per locker, depending on locker size)

    (OPTION A: Visit Matsushima)
      1008hr to 1035hr: Sendai station to Matsushimakaigan station via JR Senseki Line (not too sure about whether there's toilet onboard since I've not taken this train line before)
      1100hr to 1150hr: Take a round trip cruise (start and finish at same jetty) of Matsushima Bay. (cruise fares not included in railpass)
      1234hr to 1258hr: Matsushimakaigan station to Sendai station via JR Senseki Line
      1300hr to 1850hr: Have lunch, explore Sendai city. Then buy dinner and bring onboard Shinkansen to eat.
      2050hr to 2056hr: Shin-Aomori to Aomori station via JR Ou Line (trains are infrequent, about 1 train every hourly, next train departs at 2146hr, so it's best to try to make it for the 2050hr train departure)
      2100hr onwards: Check in to hotel (near Aomori station)

    (OPTION B: Visit Yamadera)
      1007hr to 1109hr : Sendai station to Yamadera station via JR Senzan line (about 1 train departure every hourly, not too sure about whether there's toilet onboard since I've not taken this train line before.)
      1115hr to 1300hr: Visit Yamadera
      1315hr to 1417hr: Yamadera station to Sendai station via JR Senzan line (or next train: 1412hr to 1513hr)
      1420hr to 1850hr: Have lunch, explore Sendai city. Then buy dinner and bring onboard Shinkansen to eat.
      2050hr to 2056hr: Shin-Aomori to Aomori station via JR Ou Line (trains are infrequent, about 1 train every hourly, next train departs at 2146hr, so it's best to try to make it for the 2050hr train departure)
      2100hr onwards: Check in to hotel (near Aomori station)


    Day 3: (JR Pass day 2) Sendai to Noboribetsu. Stay at a ryokan at Noboribetsu.
      0700hr to 0800hr: Visit Furukawa Fish Market for seafood donburi breakfast if you are into sashimi (opens 0700hr to 1800hr, closed on Tuesdays) 
      0800hr to 0820hr: Return to hotel to check out and collect luggage and head for Aomori station.
      0824hr to 1026hr: Aomori station to Hakodate station via Ltd Exp train (about 1 train every hourly or so, next train departs at 0929hr and arrives Hakodate at 1140hr)
      1032hr to 1310hr: Hakodate station to Noboribetsu station via Ltd Exp train (you only have a few minutes to catch this transfer at Hakodate station though. Trains are infrequent on this line as well, about 1 train departure every 2 hourly. Next train departs at 1230hr and arrives Noboribetsu at 1448hr)
      1310hr onwards: Take a short 15mins bus ride from Noboribetsu station to Noboribetsu onsen (hotspring) village. Explore the village and rest and relax with a ryokan stay at Noboribetsu.


    Day 4: (JR Pass day 3) Noboribetsu to Sapporo. Stay at Sapporo.
      1037hr to 1147hr: Noboribetsu station to Sapporo station via Ltd Exp train (about 1 train departure every hourly)
     1150hr onwards: Go hotel (near Sapporo station) to deposit luggage, then explore Sapporo.
     

    Day 5: (JR Pass day 4) Visit Sapporo or Asahikawa or Niseko or Teine or Furano.  Stay at Sapporo.
    (OPTION A: Visit Sapporo)
      Spend the entire day exploring Sapporo.

    (OPTION B: Visit Asahikawa, esp during winter to see penguin march at Asahiyama Zoo)
      Take a seasonal Asahiyama Zoo train from Sapporo station to Asahikawa station.
      OR 0800hr to 0925hr: Sapporo station to Asahikawa station via Ltd Exp train (1 train departure every 30mins or so)
      0930hr to 1600hr: Take bus from Asahikawa station to Asahiyama Zoo, visit Asahiyama Zoo, take bus back to Asahikawa station, explore Asahikawa area. 
      1625hr to 1750hr: Asahikawa station to Sapporo station via Ltd Exp train
      1750hr onwards: Have dinner at Sapporo and explore Sapporo.

    (OPTION C: Visit Niseko ski area during winter)
      0715hr to 0803hr: Sapporo station to Otaru station via JR Hakodate line (about 1 train departing every 15mins or so)
      0807hr to 0944hr: Otaru station to Niseko via JR Hakodate line (infrequent trains, about 1 train every 2 hourly or so)
      0950hr to 1550hr: Visit Niseko
      1558hr to 1813hr: Niseko station to Otaru station via JR Hakodate line (1 train every 2 hourly)
      1834hr to 1906hr: Otaru station to Sapporo station via JR Rapid Airport or JR Hakodate line (1 train every 15mins)
      1910hr onwards: Have dinner at Sapporo.

    (OPTION D: Visit nearby Teine Ski area + Sapporo)
      0855hr to 0911hr: Sapporo station to Teine station via JR Hakodate line (about 1 train every 15mins) 
      0911hr to 1400hr: Take short 15mins bus from Teine station to Teine ski area, visit Teine ski area, take bus back to Teine station.
      1417hr to 1434hr: Teine station to Sapporo station via JR Hakodate line 
      1435hr onwards: Explore Sapporo

    (OPTION E: Visit Furano during summer)
      0651hr to 0743hr: Sapporo station to Takikawa station via Ltd Exp train (about 1 train departure every 30mins or so)
      0805hr to 0909hr: Takikawa station to Furano station via JR Nemuro line (about 1 train departure every 60 to 90mins or so, not too sure about whether there's toilet onboard since I've not taken this train line before)
      0910hr to 1650hr : Visit Furano
      1655hr to 1816hr: Furano station to Asahikawa station via JR Furano line (about 1 train departure every 2 hourly, not too sure about whether there's toilet onboard since I've not taken this train line before)
      1825hr to 1950hr: Asahikawa station to Sapporo station via Ltd Exp train (about 1 train departure every 30mins)
    (Map from japan-guide.com)

     
    Day 6: (JR Pass day 5) Visit Otaru. Stay at Sapporo.
      0913hr to 0958hr: Sapporo station to Otaru station via JR Hakodate line/Rapid Airport train (departures every 15mins or so)
      1000hr to 1500hr: Visit Otaru
      1504hr to 1536hr: Otaru station to Sapporo station via JR Rapid Airport train/JR Hakodate line (departures every 15mins or so)

     
    Day 7: (JR Pass day 6) Sapporo to Hakodate. Stay at Hakodate.
      0730hr to 1135hr: Sapporo station to Hakodate station via Ltd Exp train (about 1 train departure every 60 to 90mins or so, next train departs Sapporo station at 0834hr and arrives Hakodate at 1236hr) 
      1135hr onwards: Visit Hakodate, including Mt Hakodate. Stay near Hakodate station.
     
     
    Day 8: (JR Pass day 7) Hakodate to Tokyo. Stay at Tokyo
      0700hr to 0750hr: Breakfast at Hakodate Morning market near Hakodate station
      0808hr to 1016hr: Hakodate station to Shin-Aomori station via Ltd Exp train (about 1 train every 90mins or so, next train departs Hakodate at 1021hr and arrives Shin-Aomori station at 1225hr)
      1039hr to 1404hr: Shin-Aomori station to Tokyo station via Shinkansen (about 1 train departure every hourly)
      1405hr onwards: Go hotel deposit luggage, then explore Tokyo.


    Day 9: Visit Tokyo. Explore Tokyo. Stay at Tokyo.
      Visit Disneysea or Disneyland perhaps?

    Day 10: Visit Tokyo. Explore Tokyo. Stay at Tokyo.
      More suggested itineraries for Tokyo, please see here.

    Day 11: Fly out of Tokyo.



    JR Yamanote Loop Line (Tokyo)

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    First time travellers to Tokyo could be overwhelmed by the complicated train system in the city.
    There are not only many train lines, but there are also many different train companies operating those lines. 

    For example...
    Tokyo Subway Metro map. See larger version: here

    Tokyo's JR map. See larger version: here

    If things get too complicated for you, then the JR Yamanote Loop line is a good start for you to familiarize yourself with.  
    JR Yamanote Loop line highlighted in light green.

    This train line connects most of Tokyo's major stations and during peak hours, train frequency is about 1 train every 2 mins. The trains on this line runs in 2 direction...clockwise and counter clockwise.
    Since this is 1 of the busiest train lines in Japan, so it is best to avoid taking this line with your luggage during peak hour since the trains would be PACKED.

    Here is a closer look at the stations along JR Yamanote Loop line.
    diagram borrowed from another blog

    Stations along the JR Yamanote Loop line with direct train access to Narita Airport:
    Tokyo station: via Narita Express train 
    Shinagawa station: via Narita Express train 
    Shibuya station: via Narita Express train
    Shinjuku station: via Narita Express train
    Ikebukuro station: via Narita Express train
    Nippori station: via Keisei Skyliner train and Keisei Main Line train
    Ueno station: via Keisei Skyliner train and Keisei Main Line train from nearby Keisei-Ueno station within 2mins walk from Ueno station.

    Stations along the JR Yamanote Loop line with direct train access to Haneda Airport:
    Shinagawa station: via Keikyu Airport line (about 13-20mins, 410yen)
    Hamamatsucho station: via Tokyo monorail (about 20mins, 490yen)


    More about each station:

    JUMP shop selling One Piece, Naruto, Dragonball products at Tokyo station's basement character street
    Pokemon shop at Tokyo station's basement character street
    Connections: Tokaido Shinkansen, Tōhoku Shinkansen, Jōetsu Shinkansen, Yamagata Shinkansen, Akita Shinkansen, Nagano Shinkansen, Keihin-Tōhoku Line, Tōkaidō Main Line, Chūō Line, Yokosuka Line, Keiyō Line, Sōbu Line, Tokyo Metro Marunouchi Line.

    What's here: 
    - Character street at the basement of Tokyo station (Calbee store, Miffy store, Rilakkuma store, Hello Kitty store, Jump store, NHK Character shop, Snoopy store, Rascal shop, Moomin/Totoro store, TV Tokyo shop, Kyurutto shop, Ultraman shop, Lego shop, Pla Rail shop, Tomica shop...)
    - Ramen street at the basement of Tokyo station
    - Tokyu Hands Tokyo store (8th to 10th Floor of Daimaru dept store)
    - Imperial Palace (about 10mins walk from Tokyo station)
    - Transfer at this station to take either JR Keiyo line or JR Musashino line to go to Maihama station (gateway to Disneyland/Disneysea) 
    - Access to all Shinkansen lines within Tokyo. 
    - Transfer at this station to take the JR Tokaido line or JR Yokosuka line to go Yokohama.
    - Transfer at this station to take JR Keihin-Tohoku line to Kawasaki, Yokohama, Yokohama's Chinatown (Ishikawacho)
    - Access to Narita Airport via Narita Express train
    - Takashimaya department store (about 10mins walk)
    - Transfer at this station to take the Tokyo Metro Marunouchi line to Korakuen for Koishikawa Korakuen and Tokyo Dome City.




    Connections: Keihin-Tōhoku Line, Tokyo Metro Yūrakuchō Line, Tokyo Metro Hibiya Line, Tokyo Metro Chiyoda Line, Toei Mita Line. 
    What's here:
    - Ginza (about 10mins walk)
    - Tokyo International Forum (venue for various conventions, events, concerts, exhibitions)
    - Tokyu Hands Ginza store (about 5mins walk)
    - Transfer at this station to take JR Keihin-Tohoku line to Kawasaki, Yokohama, Yokohama's Chinatown (Ishikawacho)



    Transfer to Yurikamome monorail at Shimbashi to go to Odaiba

    Connections: Tōkaidō Main Line, Yokosuka Line, Keihin-Tōhoku Line, Tokyo Metro Ginza Line, Toei Asakusa Line, Yurikamome.

    What's here:
    - Transfer at this station to take the Yurikamome monorail across rainbow bridge to Odaiba.
    - Shiodome City Center
    - Hama Rikyu Gardens (about 10mins walk)
    - Nippon TV Tower (ATV goods shop and Anpanman cafe also located here)
    - Transfer at this station to take the JR Tokaido line or JR Yokosuka line to go Yokohama.
    - Transfer at this station to take the Toei Asakusa line to go Sensoji Shrine (Asakusa), and Tokyo Skytree (Oshiage)
    - Tsukiji market (walk about 20mins)
    - Transfer at this station to take JR Keihin-Tohoku line to Kawasaki, Yokohama, Yokohama's Chinatown (Ishikawacho)



    Hamamatsucho station
    View from World Trade Center Observatory
    Zojo-ji temple and Tokyo Tower during Sakura season.
    Connections: Keihin-Tōhoku Line, Tokyo Monorail, Toei Asakusa Line, Toei Ōedo Line

    What's here:
    - Zojo-ji (about 10mins walk)
    - Tokyo Tower (about 15mins walk)
    - World Trade Center observatory  (nice view of Tokyo Tower)
    - Walk about 2mins to nearby Daimon station and take Toei Subway Oedo line to Tsukiji-shijo station for Tsukiji market.
    - Walk about 2mins to nearby Daimon station and take the Toei Asakusa line to go Sensoji Shrine (Asakusa), and Tokyo Skytree (Oshiage)
    - Transfer at this station to take Tokyo Monorail to Haneda Airport.
    - Transfer at this station to take the JR Keihin-Tohoku line to go Yokohama.
    - Transfer at this station to take JR Keihin-Tohoku line to Kawasaki, Yokohama, Yokohama's Chinatown (Ishikawacho)



    Tamachi station
    Connections: Keihin-Tōhoku Line

    What's here:
    - Transfer at this station to take JR Keihin-Tohoku line to Kawasaki, Yokohama, Yokohama's Chinatown (Ishikawacho)




    Connections: Keihin-Tōhoku Line, Tōkaidō Main Line, Yokosuka Line, Tokaido Shinkansen, Keikyū Main Line

    What's here:
    - Transfer at this station to take the JR Tokaido line, JR Yokosuka line or JR Keihin-Tohoku line to go Yokohama.
    - Transfer at this station to take Keikyu Airport line to Haneda Airport.
    - Transfer at this station to take Narita Express train to Narita Airport
    - For those taking Tokaido Shinkansen (bullet train) to stations like Odawara (Hakone), Atami (Izu Peninsula), Nagoya, Kyoto, Shin-Osaka (Osaka), staying near this station might be a good choice since this is 1 of the 2 stations with access to Tokaido Shinkansen within Tokyo (the other station is Tokyo station, but hotels near Tokyo station are usually more expensive). 
    - Epson Aqua Stadium (located at Shinagawa Prince hotel)
     - Transfer at this station to take JR Keihin-Tohoku line to Kawasaki, Yokohama, Yokohama's Chinatown (Ishikawacho)



    Osaki station
    Connections: Shōnan-Shinjuku Line, Saikyō Line, Rinkai Line

    What's here:
    - Transfer at this station to take the Rinkai Line to go Odaiba.
    - Transfer at this station to take the JR Shonan-Shinjuku line to Yokohama



    Gotanda station
    Connections: Tōkyū Ikegami Line, Toei Asakusa Line 

    What's here:
    - Transfer at this station to take the Toei Asakusa line to go Sensoji Shrine (Asakusa), and Tokyo Skytree (Oshiage)



    Meguro station
    Connections: Tokyu Meguro Line, Tokyo Metro Namboku Line, Toei Mita Line 

    What's here:
    - Meguro Parasite museum (about 15mins walk)



    Ebisu station
    Connections: Shōnan-Shinjuku Line, Saikyō Line, Tokyo Metro Hibiya Line 

    What's here:
    - Transfer at this station to take the Saikyo Line to go Odaiba.
    - Transfer at this station to take the JR Shonan-Shinjuku line to Yokohama
    - Yebisu Garden Place (where Beer Garden Yebisu is also located at)



    Shibuya's famous traffic crossing, just outside JR Shibuya station's Hachiko exit.
    One Piece's official Mugiwara store located at Parco about 5-7 mins walk from Shibuya station.

    Connections: Shōnan-Shinjuku Line, Saikyō Line, Keiō Inokashira Line, Tōkyū Den-en-toshi Line, Tōkyū Tōyoko Line, Tokyo Metro Ginza Line, Tokyo Metro Hanzōmon Line, Tokyo Metro Fukutoshin Line

    What's here:
    - Tokyu Hands store (about 15mins walk)
    - Hachiko dog statue
    - Famous Shibuya traffic junction (opposite JR Shibuya's Hachiko exit)
    - Love hotel hill
    - Transfer at this station to take the Saikyo Line to go Odaiba.
    - Transfer at this station to take the JR Shonan-Shinjuku line to Yokohama
    - Transfer at this station to take Narita Express train to Narita Airport
    - One Piece Mugiwara store (located at Parco)




    Takeshita Dori, located just opposite JR Harajuku station.
    Connections: Chiyoda Line

    What's here:
    - Kiddyland (about 10mins walk)
    - Daiso (100yen store, along Takeshita dori)
    - NHK Studio Park (about 15mins walk)



    Yoyogi station
    Connections: Chūō-Sōbu Line, Toei Ōedo Line 

    What's here:
    - Transfer at this station to take JR Chuo-Sobu line local train to Iidabashi station for Koishikawa Korakuen.
    - Transfer at this station to take JR Chuo-Sobu line local train to Suidobashi station for Tokyo Dome City.



    1 of the shopping streets near JR Shinjuku station
    Connections: Chūō Main Line, Chūō Line, Chūō-Sōbu Line,Shōnan-Shinjuku Line, Saikyō Line, Keiō Line, Keio New Line, Odakyū Odawara Line, Seibu Shinjuku Line, Tokyo Metro Marunouchi Line, Toei Shinjuku Line, Ōedo Line

    What's here:
    - Tokyu Hands store (located inside Takayama dept store)
    - Shinjuku Gyoen (about 10mins walk from "New South Exit" of Shinjuku station)
    - Kabukicho (red light district)
    - Isetan dept store (about 5mins walk)
    - Transfer at this station to take the Saikyo Line to go Odaiba.
    - Transfer at this station to take the JR Shonan-Shinjuku line to Yokohama
    - Transfer at this station to take the Odakyu Odawara Ltd Exp train to Hakone (Hakone-Yumoto).
    - Transfer at this station to take Narita Express train to Narita Airport
    - Transfer at this station to take Keio line to Sanrio Puroland (Keio Tama Center station)
    - Transfer at this station to take JR Chuo-Sobu line local train to Iidabashi station for Koishikawa Korakuen.
    - Transfer at this station to take JR Chuo-Sobu line local train to Suidobashi station for Tokyo Dome City.



    Shin-Okubo station
    What's here:
    - Korean town



    Takadanobaba station
    Connections: Seibu Shinjuku Line, Tokyo Metro Tōzai Line 

    What's here:
    - Transfer at this station to take the Tokyo Metro Tozai line to Iidabashi for Koishikawa Korakuen
    - Transfer at this station to take the Tokyo Metro Tozai line to Nakano station for Nakano Broadway



    Mejiro station



    Near Ikebukura station, while walking towards Sunshine City
    J-World (One Piece, Naruto, Dragonball..etc) inside Sunshine City, about 7mins walk from Ikebukuro station.
    Connections: Saikyō Line, Shōnan-Shinjuku Line, Seibu Ikebukuro Line, Tōbu Tōjō Line, Tokyo Metro Marunouchi Line, Tokyo Metro Yūrakuchō Line, Tokyo Metro Fukutoshin Line 

    What's here: 
    - Transfer at this station to take the Tokyo Metro Marunouchi line to Korakuen for Koishikawa Korakuen and Tokyo Dome City.
    - Transfer at this station to take the JR Shonan-Shinjuku line to Yokohama
    - Transfer at this station to take the Saikyo Line to go Odaiba.
    - Transfer at this station to take the Tobu Tojo line to Kawagoe
    - Sunshine City (observation deck, Namja Town, J-World One Piece/Naruto/DragonBall, Sunshine Aquarium)
    - Yamada Denki



    Otsuka station
    Connections: Toden Arakawa Line (tram)



    Sugamo station
    Connections: Toei Mita Line 

    What's here:
    - Jizu dori (also known as old ladies' shopping street)



    Komagome station
    Rikugien, during sakura season.
    Connections: Tokyo Metro Namboku Line 

    What's here:



    Tabata station
    Connections: Keihin-Tōhoku Line



    Nishi-Nippori station
    Connections: Keihin-Tōhoku Line, Tokyo Metro Chiyoda Line, Nippori-Toneri Liner

    What's here:
    - Transfer at this station to take JR Keihin-Tohoku line to Kawasaki, Yokohama, Yokohama's Chinatown (Ishikawacho)



    Nippori station
    Sakura trees at Yanaka Cemetary, located opposite Nippori station.
    Connections: Jōban Line, Keihin-Tōhoku Line, Keisei Main Line, Nippori-Toneri Liner

    What's here:
    - Transfer at this station to take Keisei Skyliner to Narita Airport
    - Transfer at this station to take JR Keihin-Tohoku line to Kawasaki, Yokohama, Yokohama's Chinatown (Ishikawacho)




    Uguisudani station
    Connections: Keihin-Tōhoku Line

    What's here:
    - Transfer at this station to take JR Keihin-Tohoku line to Kawasaki, Yokohama, Yokohama's Chinatown (Ishikawacho)




    Ueno station
    Ueno Park located opposite Ueno station, during sakura season.
    Ameyoko, near Ueno station.
    Connections: Tōhoku Shinkansen, Jōetsu Shinkansen, Yamagata Shinkansen, Akita Shinkansen, Nagano Shinkansen,Jōban Line, Keihin-Tōhoku Line, Utsunomiya Line(Tōhoku Main Line), Takasaki Line, Keisei Main Line, Tokyo Metro Ginza Line, Tokyo Metro Hibiya Line.

    What's here:
    - Ameyoko (between Ueno station and Okachimachi station) 
    - National Science Museum
    - Tokyo National Museum
    - Ueno Zoo
    - Transfer at this station to take the Tokyo Metro Ginza Line to Asakusa (Sensoji shrine)
    - Transfer at this station and walk to nearby Keisei-Ueno station to take Keisei Skyliner to Narita Airport
    - Transfer at this station for Tohoku Shinkansen, Joetsu Shinkansen, Yamagata Shinkansen, Akita Shinkansen and Nagano Shinkansen. *not the Shinkansen that goes to Kyoto/Osaka.
    - Transfer at this station to take JR Keihin-Tohoku line to Kawasaki, Yokohama, Yokohama's Chinatown (Ishikawacho)



    Okachimachi station
    Connections: Keihin-Tōhoku Line

    What's here:
    - Ameyoko (between Ueno station and Okachimachi station) 
    - Transfer at this station to take JR Keihin-Tohoku line to Kawasaki, Yokohama, Yokohama's Chinatown (Ishikawacho)




    The large Yodobashi Camera store located just opposite JR Akihabara station.

    Connections: Chūō-Sōbu Line, Keihin-Tōhoku Line, Tsukuba Express, Tokyo Metro Hibiya Line

    What's here:
    - Akihabara
    - Gundam cafe
    - AKB48 cafe
    - Transfer at this station to take JR Chuo-Sobu line local train to Iidabashi station for Koishikawa Korakuen.
    - Transfer at this station to take JR Chuo-Sobu line local train to Suidobashi station for Tokyo Dome City.
    - Transfer at this station to take JR Sobu line to Ryogoku station for Edo-Tokyo Museum and Kokugikan (Sumo wrestling)
    - Transfer at this station to take JR Keihin-Tohoku line to Kawasaki, Yokohama, Yokohama's Chinatown (Ishikawacho)




    Kanda station

    What's here:
    - Transfer at this station to take the Tokyo Metro Ginza Line to Asakusa (Sensoji shrine)
    - Transfer at this station to take JR Keihin-Tohoku line to Kawasaki, Yokohama, Yokohama's Chinatown (Ishikawacho)