Two weeks in Japan with kids is enough time to enjoy Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka without packing up every morning. The key is to choose a few useful bases, give the Shinkansen its own travel day, and leave space for the ordinary parts of a family trip: breakfast, playgrounds, laundry and an early night. This … Read more
Traveling from Osaka to Hiroshima by train is fast and straightforward thanks to the Sanyo Shinkansen. Direct Shinkansen trains run from Shin-Osaka Station to Hiroshima Station, with the fastest services completing the journey in around 1 hour 20 minutes. For most travelers, the main choice is between Nozomi, Mizuho and Sakura. All three can take … Read more
Traveling from Tokyo to Osaka by train is one of Japan’s most popular long-distance journeys, and the Tokaido Shinkansen makes the trip fast and straightforward. Shinkansen trains run directly from Tokyo Station and Shinagawa Station to Shin-Osaka Station, with the fastest Nozomi services completing the journey in about 2 hours 20 minutes. For most travelers, … Read more
The Kansai-Hiroshima Area Pass is one of the most useful JR West rail passes for travelers combining Osaka or Kyoto with destinations farther west such as Himeji, Okayama, Hiroshima and Miyajima. The pass is valid for 5 consecutive days and includes reserved-seat travel on the Sanyo Shinkansen between Shin-Osaka and Hiroshima, along with covered Limited … Read more
Traveling from Tokyo to Kyoto by train is one of the easiest and most popular long-distance journeys in Japan. The Tokaido Shinkansen connects Tokyo Station directly with Kyoto Station, with the fastest Nozomi trains completing the journey in about 2 hours 10 minutes. For most travelers, the main decision is simply whether to take the … Read more
This 17-day Japan train itinerary takes you from Tokyo through Kyoto, Nara, Osaka and Hiroshima before continuing deep into Kyushu to Fukuoka, Yufuin, Beppu, Nagasaki, Kumamoto and Kagoshima. It combines many of Japan’s classic first-trip destinations with a much deeper journey into southern Japan, where hot-spring towns, historic port cities, regional food and volcanic landscapes … Read more
This 8-day Central Japan train itinerary takes you from Tokyo to Osaka through Nagano and the Hokuriku region, offering a scenic alternative to traveling directly along the traditional Tokyo–Kyoto route. Instead of taking the Tokaido Shinkansen straight west, you will travel through the Japanese Alps and Hokuriku, visiting Nagano and Kanazawa before continuing through Fukui … Read more
This 15-day Japan train itinerary travels from Sapporo in Hokkaido all the way south to Fukuoka in Kyushu, covering an extraordinary variety of cities, landscapes and historic destinations along the way. The journey combines Hokkaido, Tohoku, Tokyo, Central Japan, Kansai, Hiroshima and Fukuoka using Japan’s long-distance rail network. It is an ambitious trip, but it … Read more
The JR Kansai Area Pass is a short-term regional rail pass for travelers exploring destinations such as Osaka, Kyoto, Nara, Kobe, Himeji and Wakayama using JR West trains. With 1-, 2-, 3- and 4-day options, it can be particularly useful for travelers arriving at Kansai International Airport or making several JR journeys around the Kansai … Read more
This 4-day Kansai itinerary combines Kyoto, Nara, Himeji, Kobe and Osaka while making practical use of the 3-Day JR Kansai Area Pass. The route is designed for travelers arriving at Kansai International Airport who want to see several of the region’s major destinations without buying a nationwide Japan Rail Pass. 4-Day Kansai Route at a … Read more