7-day Cycling and Rail Tour of Japan using Japan Rail Pass
In April 2017, we used 7-day standard Japan Rail Pass to do a rail and cycling tour of Japan. We did a day trip on the Day 1 to Kagoshima then 5-day trip covering Shimanami Kaido, Mt Fuji and Noto Peninsula, with the last day travelling to Osaka to catch our flight from Kansai Airport. This […]
Bike Carrying Bag Review: Doppelganger Carrying Bag (dcb168-bk)
In Japan you can take bikes on trains including Shinkansen free of charge with no need for prior booking, but you need to carry them in bike bags called Rinko 輪行 bag. Please refer to our article below or further information on taking your bike on trains in Japan. Travelling-on-trains-including-shinkansen-with-bicycles-in-japan
Tokyo Station cloak storage for bikes
When I went to Tokyo to attend a meeting, I needed to leave my bike somewhere near the station so that I could pick it up for further journey later on the day. In non-metropolitan areas it is easy to find bike parking areas, but in central Tokyo it is not the case as you […]
Carrying a bike on international flight to Japan in Brand-X EVA Bike Pod
We needed to take a road bike from England to Japan on international flight, so bought a bike box or 'pod' from Chain Reaction Cycles. This is basically a suitcase for a bike which is semi rigid, made of sturdy EVA (Ethylene Vinyl Acetate) foam. It costed £100 which was at a promotion price (reduced from […]
Cycle trains in Japan
In Japan there are several 'Cycle Trains' which allow bikes to be transported as they are without dismantling. Some of these operate all the time while others run during limited periods only such as weekends or when special events are planned. Many are offered by smaller private rail companies in non-urban areas but some major […]
Japan Railway Timetable and Map
Japan is covered by an extensive and reliable network of railways. 70% of this is owned and operated by the Japan Railway Group, more commonly known as JR Group (JRグループ). This consists of six passenger railway companies of JR Hokkaido, JR East, JR Central, JR West, JR Shikoku, and JR Kyushu, and one nationwide freight […]
Japan Rail Pass : for JR trains bus and ferry
A Japan Rail Pass (or JR Pass) offers unlimited travel on most trains including Shinkansen, buses and ferries operated by Japan Railways Group throughout Japan, for one, two or three weeks. It is available only for those travellers visiting Japan from abroad as tourists and you have to buy an exchange voucher BEFORE you travel to Japan. You […]
Travelling on trains with bicycles in Japan
In Japan, traveling on the train with a bicycle is permitted, even on Shinkansen with no extra charge. You can take a bike on any train at any time for free of charge if you store it in a bike bag called 'Rinko bag' 輪行バッグ.
Japan Korea Kampu Ferry transport - Shimonoseki to Busan in 14 hours
The Kampu Ferry Company sails daily between Shimonoseki (下関)on the western tip of the main island of Honshu, and the South Korean ferry port of Busan (釜山). Kampu ferry ships are conventional ferries with cabins, sailing overnight and departing daily at 18:00 arriving 08:30 next morning. The journey takes approximately 14 hours.