Blog posts

Japan often experiences heavy rain during the summer months as well as during typhoon season. Do trains run in these conditions? Find out what you need to know when travelling during typhoon season.

Shisa kanko is one visible piece of a much larger culture of precision on Japan's railways. Find out what it is in our latest guide.

Midori no Madoguchi is JR's staffed "green window" ticket office found in stations across the country and crucially it's where you activate your Japan Rail Pass. Read on for more.

Our latest JRPass guide covers why the nose of Japan's famous 'bullet train' is shaped this way, how the Shinkansen nose design has changed across series, and where that thinking is headed next.

Our latest guide covers what the Kintetsu Rail Pass includes and how it varies to the Japan Rail Pass, how versions compare, where it shines, and whether it is worth adding to your itinerary.

Nozomi and Mizuho are not free with the Japan Rail Pass, but since the 2023 rule change, you can ride them by paying a supplement, and the free Hikari, Sakura, and Kodama cover the same routes with only a small time difference.

Are you allowed to drink a cold beer with your ekiben on a Japanese train? Find out in our latest guide.

Japan's railway history began in 1872, with the country's first line connecting Shimbashi and Yokohama. More than 150 years later, the country is famous for is lightning fast, super safe, and exceptionally efficient 'bullet trains' and rail network.

The Shinkansen is built to handle earthquakes with an exceptional safety record. Find out more in our latest JRPass guide.

Anyone who drives a rental car in Japan or boards a train notices something familiar: both keep to the left. It's not a coincidence. Japan's trains have run on the left since the country built its first railways in the 1870s, but why? Find out here.