Posts de blogs

Japan has an interesting relationship to smoking in public spaces having not completely outlawed it as many countries have, but can you smoke on trains, including the famous Shinkansen? Find out here.

Priority seats, called yūsen-seki, are set aside by social courtesy rather than law for specific groups of passengers. Read on for everything you need to know.

Do Japanese trains have power outlets? What kind of sockets do they use? Find out everything you need to know including how to keep your devices fully charged while on the go in our new guide.

For a rail-based trip through Japan, where you sleep is almost as important as where you go. Read our latest article to find out more.

There's something almost improbable about a working steam train in a country that gave the world the Shinkansen. Yet Japan still runs several heritage steam locomotive services on scenic regional lines. Find out more here.

Many first-time JR Pass holders arrive in Japan unsure whether reserving a seat costs extra — or whether they even need to bother. You can find out the answer here.

For most of its history, the JR Pass offered a flat fee covering most of Japan's rail network, including the Shinkansen, at a price that barely moved for decades. That has now changed and you can find out more here.

Japan is a dream destination for cycle tourers, with long coastal routes, mountain roads, and one of the most efficient rail networks on earth to stitch it all together. Want to combine riding with train travel? Find out how to do it for free.

The Shinkansen's speed is so well-known that even individuals who know nothing about trains know about Japan's famous 'bullet trains', but just how fast are they really? Find out here.

Something that trips up many first-time visitors is that the JR Pass is not run by a single company. The nationwide Japan Rail Pass is jointly honored by six separate regional operators. Find out more in our special explainer.