Traveling by bullet train

Hi there,

Let's start with the basics and easiest part. The Shinkansen, these are the main high speed railway lines linking all of Japan. You can for instance use the Shinkansen directly between Shin-Osaka - Kyoto - Tokyo. From the Shinkansen lines, local "conventional" lines branch out. Such as the local trains that run directly between cities like Kyoto, Osaka and Nara. Local JR lines also run throughout cities like Tokyo and Osaka, an example is for instance getting from Haneda Airport to Tokyo station. Here you first use the Tokyo Monorail from Haneda to Hamamatsucho station, then you transfer to the JR Yamanote line bound for Tokyo.

It may all seem impossible from the outside but you'll get quickly used to in once you're in Japan.

Hope this helps :)
Daniel