Japan Travel Guide

Birthplace of the Shinkansen or "Bullet Train", Japan is one of the world's great railway countries, though you shouldn't automatically assume that the train is always the best way to get around the country. Although tunnels and bridges now link all four of the main islands, to reach hundreds of others you have no choice but to board a ferry or a plane. The length of the country also makes flying - say, from Tokyo to Sapporo in the north or Kagoshima in the south - well worth considering, especially since the difference in cost with the fastest trains is negligible. It's also worth considering flying into one airport and home from another .

The time of year is an important factor to consider when arranging your transport around Japan. Peak travelling seasons are a few days either side of New Year, the Golden Week holidays of late April and early May, and the mid-August Obon holidays . During these times the whole of Japan can seem on the move, with trains, planes and ferries packed to the gills and roads clogged with traffic. If you want to be assured of a seat, book well in advance and be prepared to pay higher fares on flights, as all discounts are suspended during peak periods.

The main domestic travel agencies - JTB and NTA - can handle bookings for all types of transport and are also useful sources for checking travel schedules. The assistants there have access to the monthly-updated timetable bible ( jikokuhyo ), an incredible source of information on virtually every form of public transport in Japan. There's always a jikokuhyo available for consultation at stations and most accommodation has a copy too. If you're going to travel around Japan a lot, and especially if you're planning an adventurous trek through rural areas, having your own timetable can be invaluable. Pocket versions are available cheaply from most bookstores, and train stations often give out free mini train timetables for the areas they serve. Although they're all in Japanese, once you've decoded the relevant kanji characters they're simple to use. Easiest of all, especially if you have a rail pass, is to get hold of a JR English timetable for all the Shinkansen and many major express train services, available from JNTO offices in Japan and abroad.