I am convinced that your travel guides are currently THE absolute best resource for a self-directed trip to Japan. The reason I found your channel was because for the past month I was traveling around Japan. I'm sure this video would have helped me out as your Kansai guides did! Thank you for making such valuable, entertaining, and inspiring videos :)
I agree, the explanations are precise enough to figure out and the little tips like not having to memorize train codes, etc. makes it easy for first timers. I used the Tokyo subway pass with a JR pass and it covered a lot of my traveling around Tokyo. 👍
I’m not being hyperbolic when I say this was one of the most informative and well put together instructional videos I’ve seen when researching future travel. It’s really helped me a lot and I appreciate it.
What many first timers often don't know is that several stations operated by multiple different companies may exist in one area with the same name, unfortunately each with their own ticket gate. For example, Akihabara station. There are 3 different train companies operating 3 separate stations with the same name, of course each has its own separate gate. I often see clueless tourists wrongly enter the JR ticket gate, as it's the most prominent gate if you come from the electric town side. However where they actually want to go is to Asakusa which is more convenient with Tsukuba express line instead of JR. What they ended up is usually taking a detour using JR line and later transfer to Asakusa line in Asakusabashi, or paying the platform ticket only to cross to the Tsukuba Express station side through the JR station, costing them 150 yen of what supposed to be free if they don't make the mistake. And of course they waste a lot of time inside the JR station trying to look for a non-existent line belonging to another train company. The opposite also often confuses tourists, like a single station with two different lime may have 2 different name on each line. For example Tokyo Metro's Yurakucho station on Chiyoda line and Hibiya station on Hibiya line are actually connected and considered as single station.
That's true. Osaka has this issue too, it was confusing as hell, but it should get clear after the first time. I had this in the original script but ultimately cut it out.
was so happy to see you uploaded another Japan Guide video. Absolutely rate your videos my dude, and the editing is *chefs kiss*. This vid and the Osaka one have are super straight-forward, helpful and insightful for my upcoming trip in Nov. Appreciate the work you put into these!
Most informative video i found. Exactly the answers a savvy and informed traveller requires. Kudos a big Thank you for putting in the time! Good luck. Peace ✌️
Note that, unlike most other countries, when travelling in Japan you can't just rely on the subway and using a Subway day pass to get around. Japanese cities have a combination of Subway lines and suburban/commuter train lines run by JR and a number of other companies. E.g. To get from Akihabara to Shinjuku the easiest & fastest ways are to catch the JR Chuo-Sobu or Yamanote lines. To catch the subway you need to either walk 8 minutes to Iwamatocho Station or catch the Hibiya Subway line to Ginza Station then change trains to the Maronouchi Subway line. (Note: JR East (the "JR" company serving Tokyo) is a private company, it is not semi-state owned).
From my experience, the subway is good enough. There are very few places where you absolutely have to take a train to reach. Maybe only a handful of them would require an additional transfers or two but that is not common. Consider the value you get from the pass, this is a trivial compromise.
Also, whether or not you could rely solely on subway would depend on the subway coverage of that city. Tokyo and Osaka have amazing subway coverage, but not so much in Kyoto or Nara.
@@Will_Zhao yes it really depends where you are going. JR East has a daily pass for ¥760 which gives travel over a slightly larger area which is also great value for money.
@@Will_Zhao I was born and raised in Tokyo, so I have a soft spot for the subways here. I agree that subway passes offer great value, but it's actually quite the opposite of what you said. While some areas, like Asakusa or Roppongi, only have subway stations, you can't rely on the subway alone to get around Tokyo. Simply put, you can't. Many overseas travelers, especially those accustomed to subways in their home cities, often assume that Tokyo's subway system is the primary mode of transportation. In reality, that's not the case. Tokyo's main transportation network consists of JR and private railways, which run both at ground level and on elevated tracks. The subway system complements this network quite well.
@@kentokyo I've never said that you could go ANYWHERE with the subway in Tokyo. I thought I've made it very clear at the start of the video that the subways AND the trains are usually the primary ways of getting around Tokyo. With that said, travelling by subway alone in Tokyo is very much doable. I suspect your definition of 'getting around' differs from mine. From a tourist's perspective - which is what I'm trying to offer through this video, 'getting around' is mainly to reach the most popular tourist spots within the city- Sensoji, Tokyo Sky Tree, Shibuya Crossing, Meiji Jingu etc. If you've bought the pass and actually tried to get to those places by subway only, you'll be surprised by how viable it is. Most, if not all these places are directly connected by subway. Of course, there are times the subway isn't be the 'default' route, such as going from Akihabara to Shijuku as mentioned by kc3302 here, taking the Chuo-Sobu line is the fastest. But if you plug it in Google Maps, you'll see the subway Shinjuku Line gets you there almost as fast. With the very reasonable price tag, I'd imagine most tourists to the city would be very happy with the Tokyo Subway Ticket. Even in the worst case scenario (which I personnally never encountered) there is absolutely no way you could get to your destination by subway, I had a reminder at the end telling people to always have their IC card so that they can still take a train when needed.
Don't worry too much about it. The fact that you are leaving a comment about this tells me that you are self-aware enough to not be a nuisance. If someone decides to give you a hard time just because you have luggage with you, they are a douchebag, no matter where they are from.
I'd give one warning for Google Maps: for longer trips, they will sometimes say that your train will reach a station and will change to another line but to remain on board *but that's not always accurate*. I got hit three times with that in three different cities where Google told me to "remain on board", but the train went a totally different direction. Therefore, if Google says "remain on board", you'd best check the station ahead to see if that train really will continue forward or if you have to get off and rush to another platform. That said, I totally agree Google Maps is the best way to go for navigation.
Strange, I've never had issues with the 'remain on board' info, in fact, the one time I doubted it was the time I exited at the wrong station travelling from Nara back to Kyoto using Kintetsu. But I'd imagine trains like the Kansai Airport rapid would have this issue, since it'd split and head towards different directions at a certain point.
I've travelled extensively and never had that issue. You generally only get that problem if you board the wrong train as Google uses the official timetable data. E.g. if google tells you to catch the 09:59 train but you board the 09:56 train.
the "remain on board" scenario happens because it is though a train. However some through trains only operate during certain hours of the day, the line to Universal studios in Osaka is an example of this. Some trains continue onto the loop line other times it operates just as a shuttle from Nishikujo station so you have to change. Even tho every train line in the major cities run frequently some specific stopping patterns don't, so even changing the departure time in Google (even by a couple of minutes) can change influence the route it gives you
Really wish I had considered the subway passes on this trip. Just came back from my first trip to Japan and it felt like I was constantly recharging my IC card. Also you'd never here me sing praises about the NYC subway but fuck me do we do transfers better than Tokyo (no 5 to 6 block walk to a different line).
Some transfers involve a long walk, but when you use Google Maps to plan a train/Subway trip in Japan it shows you how many minutes walk is involved in each transfer between lines, so you can decide if a long transfer is worth it or you can choose another option. You can also tell Google Maps to choose a route with least walking - click Options and tap "Least walking".
Very helpful for first timer in 🇯🇵, May I ask if I get the 72hr unlined subway pass, and I will just travel in Tokyo, how will I know if the unlimited subway pass covers my route which is in Tokyo only? Second, can I use my welcome suica card if I ca5ch a bullet train from Tokyo to Osaka?thanks
1. It can be used for all Tokyo subway lines (05:06), marked by a letter in a circle, which should be easy to recognise. There is no range or region, as long as you go from a subway station to another, you can use the pass. You can also see it on Google Maps. 2. No, you'll have to buy a ticket first. You can use the IC card as a payment method to buy the ticket though.
I think you might have answered in the video, but I just need clarification. If I were to buy the 72 hr metro pass and need to use a limited express train, I would need to buy that ticket with my IC card right? Honestly the limited express train stuff is super confusing to me. we'll be going to tokyo, kyoto then osaka and back to tokyo. I just don't want to get stranded lol
Yes and no. You usually will have to buy tickets for them, that is correct. But the payment method can vary, most but not all ticket machine/ticket counter take IC cards for payment, so cash would be your safest bet.
You didn't mentio that you need to use cash to top up these 'IC Cards' which sound a lot of faffing about. The irony of ahigh tech elctronic transpor tsystem which still requires old fashioned cash to use!! I think the 1, 2 or 3 day metro/subway passses ar a MUCH better option and cheaper if you use the system a lot.
No need to hate the IC cards, it is what it is. The passes offer better value for the subway sure, but you'd still need the IC cards for trains or buses. Also, buying a pass requires cash too, what's the difference then? Calling cash old fashioned is like a tesla owner driving on natural gas-generated electricity calling fossil fuels old fashioned - totally uncalled for. 😐
I have a bit of a particular issue, and was hoping someone could provide clearance: if one lands in NRT from int’l, and has ~2 hours layover to go through immigration, pickup baggage and drop it off for a separately booked domestic flight, how likely is it to be able to get IC card within that time? Will airport exit be required to do this?
If you watch from 3:36, that's the walk to get the IC card. I can't say for sure if you could do everything within 2 hours, but the walk is just like 5 mintes after you exit immigration and when you get there, getting the card itself is like a 10 minute procedure tops.
I am convinced that your travel guides are currently THE absolute best resource for a self-directed trip to Japan. The reason I found your channel was because for the past month I was traveling around Japan. I'm sure this video would have helped me out as your Kansai guides did! Thank you for making such valuable, entertaining, and inspiring videos :)
Thank you!
I agree, the explanations are precise enough to figure out and the little tips like not having to memorize train codes, etc. makes it easy for first timers. I used the Tokyo subway pass with a JR pass and it covered a lot of my traveling around Tokyo. 👍
This video should be mandatory on all flights landing in Tokyo! Super informative and funny
I’m not being hyperbolic when I say this was one of the most informative and well put together instructional videos I’ve seen when researching future travel. It’s really helped me a lot and I appreciate it.
Thank you!
You can also use the IC card to make purchases at stores too 😊
I'm headed to Japan in less than two weeks, so I'm extremely grateful to come across your videos! ありがとうございました
Im here again because of the chill music and your osaka kyoto and nara vids help us a lot when we went there.
This. Couldnt. Have been. Clearer. Every detail was necessary. Youre a genius
Thank you SO much
you're pumping out top tier content. keep them coming king, you're doing gods work 👑 💪
What many first timers often don't know is that several stations operated by multiple different companies may exist in one area with the same name, unfortunately each with their own ticket gate. For example, Akihabara station. There are 3 different train companies operating 3 separate stations with the same name, of course each has its own separate gate.
I often see clueless tourists wrongly enter the JR ticket gate, as it's the most prominent gate if you come from the electric town side. However where they actually want to go is to Asakusa which is more convenient with Tsukuba express line instead of JR. What they ended up is usually taking a detour using JR line and later transfer to Asakusa line in Asakusabashi, or paying the platform ticket only to cross to the Tsukuba Express station side through the JR station, costing them 150 yen of what supposed to be free if they don't make the mistake. And of course they waste a lot of time inside the JR station trying to look for a non-existent line belonging to another train company.
The opposite also often confuses tourists, like a single station with two different lime may have 2 different name on each line. For example Tokyo Metro's Yurakucho station on Chiyoda line and Hibiya station on Hibiya line are actually connected and considered as single station.
That's true. Osaka has this issue too, it was confusing as hell, but it should get clear after the first time. I had this in the original script but ultimately cut it out.
thanks! was waiting on you to post one for Tokyo! :)
The fact that your video havent gain that much view is a sin!!! Love all of it! Truly helpful for my journey later
Thank you! We'll get there😂
Very helpful and well explained. Thank you so much for making Japan more accessible for newcomers.
Best Tokyo travel info I have ever sen ❤
love that 2:20 fallout new vegas new quest notification lmao. anyway thanks for the vid. very informative!~
Thanks for all the info you share. Was overwhelmed and anxious with how to go around Kyoto…but your vlogs saved my sanity! Thanks! 🧘🏻
was so happy to see you uploaded another Japan Guide video. Absolutely rate your videos my dude, and the editing is *chefs kiss*. This vid and the Osaka one have are super straight-forward, helpful and insightful for my upcoming trip in Nov. Appreciate the work you put into these!
Most informative video i found. Exactly the answers a savvy and informed traveller requires. Kudos a big Thank you for putting in the time! Good luck. Peace ✌️
Note that, unlike most other countries, when travelling in Japan you can't just rely on the subway and using a Subway day pass to get around. Japanese cities have a combination of Subway lines and suburban/commuter train lines run by JR and a number of other companies.
E.g. To get from Akihabara to Shinjuku the easiest & fastest ways are to catch the JR Chuo-Sobu or Yamanote lines. To catch the subway you need to either walk 8 minutes to Iwamatocho Station or catch the Hibiya Subway line to Ginza Station then change trains to the Maronouchi Subway line.
(Note: JR East (the "JR" company serving Tokyo) is a private company, it is not semi-state owned).
From my experience, the subway is good enough. There are very few places where you absolutely have to take a train to reach. Maybe only a handful of them would require an additional transfers or two but that is not common. Consider the value you get from the pass, this is a trivial compromise.
Also, whether or not you could rely solely on subway would depend on the subway coverage of that city. Tokyo and Osaka have amazing subway coverage, but not so much in Kyoto or Nara.
@@Will_Zhao yes it really depends where you are going. JR East has a daily pass for ¥760 which gives travel over a slightly larger area which is also great value for money.
@@Will_Zhao I was born and raised in Tokyo, so I have a soft spot for the subways here. I agree that subway passes offer great value, but it's actually quite the opposite of what you said. While some areas, like Asakusa or Roppongi, only have subway stations, you can't rely on the subway alone to get around Tokyo. Simply put, you can't.
Many overseas travelers, especially those accustomed to subways in their home cities, often assume that Tokyo's subway system is the primary mode of transportation. In reality, that's not the case. Tokyo's main transportation network consists of JR and private railways, which run both at ground level and on elevated tracks. The subway system complements this network quite well.
@@kentokyo I've never said that you could go ANYWHERE with the subway in Tokyo. I thought I've made it very clear at the start of the video that the subways AND the trains are usually the primary ways of getting around Tokyo.
With that said, travelling by subway alone in Tokyo is very much doable. I suspect your definition of 'getting around' differs from mine. From a tourist's perspective - which is what I'm trying to offer through this video, 'getting around' is mainly to reach the most popular tourist spots within the city- Sensoji, Tokyo Sky Tree, Shibuya Crossing, Meiji Jingu etc.
If you've bought the pass and actually tried to get to those places by subway only, you'll be surprised by how viable it is. Most, if not all these places are directly connected by subway. Of course, there are times the subway isn't be the 'default' route, such as going from Akihabara to Shijuku as mentioned by kc3302 here, taking the Chuo-Sobu line is the fastest. But if you plug it in Google Maps, you'll see the subway Shinjuku Line gets you there almost as fast.
With the very reasonable price tag, I'd imagine most tourists to the city would be very happy with the Tokyo Subway Ticket.
Even in the worst case scenario (which I personnally never encountered) there is absolutely no way you could get to your destination by subway, I had a reminder at the end telling people to always have their IC card so that they can still take a train when needed.
I realy love your guides. They are exacly what I need for planing my trip.
dude your channel is underraaaated
Very well explained dear. Thanks a lot. 👍
Amazing and helpful video
Just the video I was waiting, your videos have been a relief to plan my trip…. Thanks so much and keep great and bonkers😂
Assuming this is also applicable to all of the JR lines and other transit, then I will be sure to watch.
Your video is stunning😮
Will! Always bringing' the goods, thank you!
YES JUST WHAT I NEEDED
great video
Informative, clearly explained, and nice background music to boot.
Very helpful! Thanks!
dude....thanks again...
Please make guides on where to stay in Tokyo
Just to add there are more local using Subway Metro so around peak hours they will push and shove to get in.
Thx very helpful
pls make a video for kyushu too 😭 what will i ever do without your video
Thanks
Thank you so much!
What I’m more complexed is the moving of lugagges. Scared of disrupting the Japanese when I take public train,
Don't worry too much about it. The fact that you are leaving a comment about this tells me that you are self-aware enough to not be a nuisance. If someone decides to give you a hard time just because you have luggage with you, they are a douchebag, no matter where they are from.
Thanks !
I'd give one warning for Google Maps: for longer trips, they will sometimes say that your train will reach a station and will change to another line but to remain on board *but that's not always accurate*. I got hit three times with that in three different cities where Google told me to "remain on board", but the train went a totally different direction. Therefore, if Google says "remain on board", you'd best check the station ahead to see if that train really will continue forward or if you have to get off and rush to another platform. That said, I totally agree Google Maps is the best way to go for navigation.
Strange, I've never had issues with the 'remain on board' info, in fact, the one time I doubted it was the time I exited at the wrong station travelling from Nara back to Kyoto using Kintetsu.
But I'd imagine trains like the Kansai Airport rapid would have this issue, since it'd split and head towards different directions at a certain point.
I've travelled extensively and never had that issue. You generally only get that problem if you board the wrong train as Google uses the official timetable data. E.g. if google tells you to catch the 09:59 train but you board the 09:56 train.
the "remain on board" scenario happens because it is though a train. However some through trains only operate during certain hours of the day, the line to Universal studios in Osaka is an example of this. Some trains continue onto the loop line other times it operates just as a shuttle from Nishikujo station so you have to change. Even tho every train line in the major cities run frequently some specific stopping patterns don't, so even changing the departure time in Google (even by a couple of minutes) can change influence the route it gives you
Really wish I had considered the subway passes on this trip. Just came back from my first trip to Japan and it felt like I was constantly recharging my IC card. Also you'd never here me sing praises about the NYC subway but fuck me do we do transfers better than Tokyo (no 5 to 6 block walk to a different line).
Some transfers involve a long walk, but when you use Google Maps to plan a train/Subway trip in Japan it shows you how many minutes walk is involved in each transfer between lines, so you can decide if a long transfer is worth it or you can choose another option. You can also tell Google Maps to choose a route with least walking - click Options and tap "Least walking".
Very helpful for first timer in 🇯🇵, May I ask if I get the 72hr unlined subway pass, and I will just travel in Tokyo, how will I know if the unlimited subway pass covers my route which is in Tokyo only?
Second, can I use my welcome suica card if I ca5ch a bullet train from Tokyo to Osaka?thanks
1. It can be used for all Tokyo subway lines (05:06), marked by a letter in a circle, which should be easy to recognise. There is no range or region, as long as you go from a subway station to another, you can use the pass. You can also see it on Google Maps.
2. No, you'll have to buy a ticket first. You can use the IC card as a payment method to buy the ticket though.
@@Will_Zhao for example if I want to go to Disneyland, I can use the 72hr unlimited subway ticket as long as it is in Tokyo?
@@mishunot Do a Google Maps search. If it can be reached through subway then yes. If not then no.
You don't board in the back of the bus like Kansai busses? Tokyo seems reversed entry/exit
You don't, every city is slightly different, they can't seem to agree with each other.
💯
I think you might have answered in the video, but I just need clarification. If I were to buy the 72 hr metro pass and need to use a limited express train, I would need to buy that ticket with my IC card right? Honestly the limited express train stuff is super confusing to me. we'll be going to tokyo, kyoto then osaka and back to tokyo. I just don't want to get stranded lol
Yes and no. You usually will have to buy tickets for them, that is correct. But the payment method can vary, most but not all ticket machine/ticket counter take IC cards for payment, so cash would be your safest bet.
You didn't mentio that you need to use cash to top up these 'IC Cards' which sound a lot of faffing about. The irony of ahigh tech elctronic transpor tsystem which still requires old fashioned cash to use!! I think the 1, 2 or 3 day metro/subway passses ar a MUCH better option and cheaper if you use the system a lot.
No need to hate the IC cards, it is what it is. The passes offer better value for the subway sure, but you'd still need the IC cards for trains or buses. Also, buying a pass requires cash too, what's the difference then? Calling cash old fashioned is like a tesla owner driving on natural gas-generated electricity calling fossil fuels old fashioned - totally uncalled for. 😐
What camera do you use will? Your videos look so good
I was using a Sony A7Cii
Heya question is there a pass for Trains like the subway ones?
There are, but all of them are aimed at travelling longer distances and are thus quite expensive. Go check out the JR east website.
I have a bit of a particular issue, and was hoping someone could provide clearance: if one lands in NRT from int’l, and has ~2 hours layover to go through immigration, pickup baggage and drop it off for a separately booked domestic flight, how likely is it to be able to get IC card within that time? Will airport exit be required to do this?
If you watch from 3:36, that's the walk to get the IC card. I can't say for sure if you could do everything within 2 hours, but the walk is just like 5 mintes after you exit immigration and when you get there, getting the card itself is like a 10 minute procedure tops.
Thanks!
You're gone 😂
I came to comment on nothing more than the Fallout New Vegas sound effects when touching down in Japan. Just...🤌🏿💋
Haha thank you! I knew at least some people would appreciate details like that.