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The Saga of the 50cc license (2007) images

The Saga of the 50cc license (2007)

I've been struggling to get a 50cc motorbike license since May. You would think it would be easy but the thing is that I was determined to take the test in Japanese like all the other Japanese people in this country. After I went to day school for the certificate showing that I had taken a 50cc dri…(512 words)

Kenji image

Kenji

Saga City Bus English May Stay School Rain speakers
Japan Travel: Train Information Boards and How to Read Them images

Japan Travel: Train Information Boards and How to Read Them

When you visit Japan, did you ever wonder how to get from point A to point B? I did many times and I use information boards all the time. There are many information boards in and around train station/platform but unless you study well, it may be challenging to decipher so in hope of assisting y…(1441 words)

AustinA image

AustinA

Train Japan Travel Park Building Visit Ticket Bus Train station Airport English
Tokyo Doitsu Mura images

Tokyo Doitsu Mura

I never have figured out why places, that are clearly not in Tokyo, are still designated as "Tokyo" something or other. Tokyo Disneyland and Disney Sea are in Chiba folks, not Tokyo. That being said, Tokyo Doitsu Mura or German Village (in the middle of Chiba Prefecture) is the best place to visi…(153 words)

Kevin image

Kevin

Tokyo Sea Bus Chiba Tokyo Disneyland Trip Christmas
Amazing Kyoto- Sanjusangendo Hall images

Amazing Kyoto- Sanjusangendo Hall

Sanjusengendo hall is the MUST visit spot in Kyoto among many sightseeing destinations.A large, wooden statue of a 1000-armed Kannon (Senju Kannon) sits in the center of the main hall and there are 500 statues of human sized 1000-armed Kannon standing in ten rows on each side. To walk through t…(166 words)

EmiOnishi image

EmiOnishi

Kyoto Visit Tera (Temple) Bus Walk Statue Guide
Kinuta Park as one of the best hanami park in Tokyo images

Kinuta Park as one of the best hanami park in Tokyo

My recommendation is Kinuta Park in Setagaya-ku, Tokyo. You can visit there by bus from Futako Tamagawa station of Tokyu Den'en Toshi Line or Yoga Station of Tokyu Den'en Toshi Line, or Seijyo Gakuen Mae station of Odakyu Line. It is very big park with much of greenery atomsphere. The best season …(125 words)

kurukurugurume image

kurukurugurume

Tokyo Park Hanami (Cherry Blossom Viewing) City Bus Cherry blossom Beauty Cherry Tama River
Mt. Fuji access guide; trains and buses for Lake Kawaguchiko area. images

Mt. Fuji access guide; trains and buses for Lake Kawaguchiko area.

If you will visit Mount Fuji (富士山), Kawaguchiko Station (河口湖駅) or Mt. Fuji Station (富士山駅) are major gateways for magical Mount Fuji, designated as a world cultural heritage site in 2013, and the magnificent Fuji Five Lakes area (富士五湖). Deepjapan published "Mt. Fuji Travel Guide" …(2106 words)

Hagi image

Hagi

Train Trip Ticket Mount Fuji Transportation Yamanashi Bus Lake Kawaguchiko Fujikyu Mount Fuji 5th Station
Hamamatsuya : Observe Hakone’s Traditional “Yosegi Zaiku” Wood Mosaic Technique images

Hamamatsuya : Observe Hakone’s Traditional “Yosegi Zaiku” Wood Mosaic Technique

osegi Zaiku marquetry, or wood mosaic, originated in Hatajuku in Hakone. The wood mosaic technique is said to have been created here by a man named Nihei Ishikawa in the late Edo period (1800s), and the craft has since been passed down from generation to generation. Hamamatsuya’s president Mr. Ichi…(700 words)

Kanagawa P.G.T.D. image

Kanagawa P.G.T.D.

Hakone Traditional Art History Bus Beauty Cherry Region Trip Japan
Himeji Castle in Hyogo Prefecture images

Himeji Castle in Hyogo Prefecture

Often said to be Japan's best example of a complete fortress castle, Himeji Castle is a picturesque beauty, sitting atop a hill in Hyogo Prefecture. It is often referred to as either a white egret or heron, referring to its white exterior and elegant shape, much like a great bird in flight.Som…(280 words)

mikekato image

mikekato

Castle Hyogo Himeji Castle Building Bus Beauty World Heritage Site Mie
Akihabara & Studio Ghibli Animation Movie Museum – "Pilgrimage” to both of them in one day images

Akihabara & Studio Ghibli Animation Movie Museum – "Pilgrimage” to both of them in one day

Animation is now recognized as one of the representative cultures of Japan globally. We have many animation pilgrimage spots throughout the country and many people visit them from all over the world. Here I would like to share the efficient route to visit such holy animation spots in one day! J…(415 words)

Eddie image

Eddie

Akihabara Anime Bus Museum Ticket Visit
Etiquette on the train/ subway and public places... images

Etiquette on the train/ subway and public places...

As you may know, Japan is the country of courtesy and helping each other as well as trying not to bother others. Well, used to be, at least. These days, I find that it is becoming the "lost art", sadly. Nonetheless, I would like foreign tourists and visitors to know and understand Japanese way t…(537 words)

KIH image

KIH

Train Etiquette Subway Bus Transportation Cafe Phone Priority Seat
Fuji Shibazakura Festival! images

Fuji Shibazakura Festival!

I am going to introduce the reasonable way from Tokyo to Fuji Shibazakura Festival site, which is held between 18 April and 31 May.Fuji Shibazakura Festival is famous scenic site that you can admire 800,000 shibazakura (moss phlox) and Mount Fuji together.The most reasonable way from Tokyo to t…(147 words)

OH image

OH

festival Tokyo Hotel Shinjuku Bus Mount Fuji Highway moss
Minami Boso Penninsula, Chiba images

Minami Boso Penninsula, Chiba

The other day I took a trip to the Minami Boso area of Chiba which is a great place to visit for a day trip from Tokyo. Jump on the bus from Tokyo Station for the scenic 90 minute ride through the city, over the famous Rainbow Bridge, and the unique Aqua Line expressway to the south of the Chiba Pe…(414 words)

Adstev73 image

Adstev73

Chiba Visit Trip Tokyo City Spring Walk Jinjya (Shrine) Bus Cherry blossom
Yokohama City Bus in Japan images

Yokohama City Bus in Japan

Since I was born and raised in Yokohama, I can tell you economic ways to use the Yokohama city buses. As a tourist, the best way to ride buses economically would be to purchase a one day pass. These special passes are available for sail on board the bus. A one day pass costs 600 yen in Yokohama. Wi…(187 words)

GenS image

GenS

City Yokohama Bus Tokyo Yen
Assistance/Help button: Subway ticket machine images

Assistance/Help button: Subway ticket machine

Tokyo is covered by a dense network of train, subway and bus lines. They are operated by about a dozen different companies. The train lines operated by JR East and the subway lines are most convenient for moving around central Tokyo. Although smartphones and mobile phones can provide great navigati…(129 words)

EmiOnishi image

EmiOnishi

Ticket Subway Ticket machine Tokyo Train Bus Movie Mobile network
Magical Cat Bus Ride to the Airport (1 of 3) images

Magical Cat Bus Ride to the Airport (1 of 3)

In the thirteen plus years that I’ve lived in Japan, I’ve never once taken the bus to the airport. That seemed to me an incredibly peculiar thing to admit, so I took it upon myself to do something about it. Living in Yokohama and very near Yokohama Station, it was a no brainer to finally give the Y…(433 words)

Former Deep Japan Writer image

Former Deep Japan Writer

Bus Airport Yokohama Travel Transportation Narita International Airport Haneda Airport Trip Tourist Tip Yokohama City Air Terminal YCAT
A Summer Day Tour in Misaki Port and Jogashima images

A Summer Day Tour in Misaki Port and Jogashima

If you have a day to get out and adventure, I suggest you make your way to Miura's Misaki Port and neighbouring island, Jogashima. Only one hour away from Yokohama, it makes for a perfect day trip.Misakiko, now a thriving tuna port (the locals call it the "City of Tuna), it boasts a fish market…(424 words)

Former Deep Japan Writer image

Former Deep Japan Writer

Visit Yokohama Trip Summer port Tokyo City Shopping Jinjya (Shrine) Bus
Kokonotuido Home-Fired Suenosato Hand-blown Glassworks Make your own original glass creation images

Kokonotuido Home-Fired Suenosato Hand-blown Glassworks Make your own original glass creation

“Kokonotuido Home-Fired Suenosato Hand-blown Glassworks”, where you can try your hand at glassblowing, is a 10-minute bus ride from JR Ofuna Station. After walking through a peaceful rural area for around five minutes, Haruka Sato and Kaname Onoguchi came to meet me from the glassworks (photo 1).…(777 words)

Kanagawa P.G.T.D. image

Kanagawa P.G.T.D.

Make your own Tokyo Restaurant Food Summer Art Shibuya Bus Sake (Rice wine) Cuisine
Going wild in Tokyo images

Going wild in Tokyo

Ueno Zoo is by far the most well known zoo in Tokyo. It is especially well known for its most popular animal, the Giant Panda. But possibly the best zoo in Tokyo is the Tama Zoo, in the foothills west of Tokyo. The zoo is spread out over a huge area, so wear good shoes. One of the highlights is…(107 words)

mikekato image

mikekato

Tokyo Bus Ueno Shoes Ueno Zoo
Zushi...Isshiki Beach! images

Zushi...Isshiki Beach!

My favorite beach this summer is the Isshiki beach. There are many beach around Zushi area, and definitely it is a must beach to stop by during the summer. Around Zushi, there are plenty of music festivals too. The Isshiki Beach is about 10-15 minute ride by bus from Zushi Station. (JR Yok…(159 words)

Mido image

Mido

Tokyo Music Sea Bus Beaches Summer
Cheapest or Quickest Transport from Narita Airport to Tokyo (TOP3) images

Cheapest or Quickest Transport from Narita Airport to Tokyo (TOP3)

Cheapest transport from Narita Airport to Tokyo (TOP3) : Any of the below takes about 90 minutes to Tokyo 1. Bus (Tokyo Shuttle) 900 yen : Adults and Children pay the same price. Without a reservation, it will cost you 1,500yen for early morning and late night buses. 2. Bus (Acces…(427 words)

Eddie image

Eddie

Airport Tokyo Train Yokohama Hotel Bus Taxicab Narita International Airport
Hoeiso ryokan in Hakone images

Hoeiso ryokan in Hakone

Hoeiso is a ryokan, a Japanese traditional style inn, situated in the beautiful green mountains of Hakone, right by a river. Hoesio is a family owned Ryokan, opened in 1956, with around 20 rooms that are big enough to fit a family. Enjoy indoor and outdoor onsen, and feast on traditional Japanese d…(170 words)

Emelie Fågelstedt image

Emelie Fågelstedt

Hakone Japanese inn Bus English Mount Fuji Onsen Outdoor recreation Park River
Are You a Roller Coaster Fanatic? Don’t Miss Fujikyu Highland in Japan images

Are You a Roller Coaster Fanatic? Don’t Miss Fujikyu Highland in Japan

Located in Fuji Yoshida, right below Mt.Fuji, Fujikyu Highland is world renown for its multiple award winning rides. This brief description of each of the crazy rides at Fujikyu will surely get you on that bus leaving Shinjuku early in the morning to the land of mind-blowing rides. FujiyamaAs…(366 words)

GenS image

GenS

Fujikyu Highland Roller Coaster Japan Bus Mount Fuji Amusement park Haunted House Tokyo Bus Trip
Asakusa and Tokyo Skytree images

Asakusa and Tokyo Skytree

On my first visit to Tokyo, I signed up for a half day tour of Tokyo Skytree and Asakusa via Hato Bus tours. Hato, http://www.hatobus.com, has a number of different tour packages ranging from half day to full day. The full day tours include lunch. Our tour guide was a Japanese woman who spoke En…(169 words)

Dolores image

Dolores

Tokyo Asakusa Tokyo Skytree Visit Building Tera (Temple) Ginza Bus English Akihabara
Escape To Nikko images

Escape To Nikko

If you really want a chance to experience a taste of ‘traditional’ Japan, like you might see in the movies, you should check out a place like the city of Nikko. It is only a two hour bullet train, shinkansen, ride away from Tokyo station. Frequently you hear about going to Kyoto, the old capitol t…(508 words)

Alex image

Alex

Hostel Nikko City Tokyo Train Restaurant Park Trip Kyoto Bus
Take the Pandabus in Asakusa or at Tokyo Skytree images

Take the Pandabus in Asakusa or at Tokyo Skytree

If you do not want to walk from Asakusa to Tokyo Skytree, you can choose between train, taxi, ricksha, and panda. There is a boy panda bus and a girl panda bus with faces, ears, and paws. All the passenger seats inside have their own small ears. And the bus is free.Take the Asakusa line route to vi…(325 words)

David image

David

Asakusa Bus Pandabus Panda Tokyo Skytree free Visit
How to Plan a One-Day Shopping Tour in Japan, From Haneda Airport images

How to Plan a One-Day Shopping Tour in Japan, From Haneda Airport

Yokohama Shopping Day with Lunch and Dinner, Various Options from Fancy Japanese Department Stores to Popular Local Discount Shops!If you have only one day available for shopping, how can you spend a day most efficiently? Would you love to enjoy shopping experience in Japan such as fancy famous…(480 words)

Eddie image

Eddie

Haneda Airport Shopping Yokohama Bus Food Ramen noodles Souvenir Train Visit
Hanami, Yakata-bune, and don't be selfish! images

Hanami, Yakata-bune, and don't be selfish!

As with last few years, we (our ever so shrinking family) reserved the Yakatabune to do the annual Hanami. There must be lots of posts about Yakatabune or Yakata-bune or Hanami on this site.Basically, the boat is equipped with Tatami (but you can throw your legs down, so no worry there) and wo…(557 words)

KIH image

KIH

Hanami (Cherry Blossom Viewing) Tokyo Cherry blossom Bus Cuisine Wine Cherry Yakatabune
Awa Odori (阿波おどり) – Summer Festival in Tokushima Prefecture images

Awa Odori (阿波おどり) – Summer Festival in Tokushima Prefecture

Tokushima Prefecture is located on Shikoku island and they hold one of the most famous dance festivals across Japan once a year in summer. Awa Odori has a very long history whose origins date back 400 years and everybody knows this traditional arts in Japan. The festival attracts large numbers of d…(380 words)

OKAKI-sun image

OKAKI-sun

Summer festival Tokushima Visit City Japan History Music Bus Osaka
The many different ways to get to Kusatsu images

The many different ways to get to Kusatsu

Kusatsu is less frequented by foreign visitors given that it doesn’t have a train station, never mind a bullet train stop. That isolation is one of the reasons Kusatsu has managed to maintain its special atmosphere, but for those that want to go there it’s actually not difficult to get to.On my…(535 words)

AndrewShuttleworth image

AndrewShuttleworth

Tokyo Japan Train Trip Spring Ticket Bus Onsen Transport
Main idea first images

Main idea first

Using English with non-native speakers has its own general rules to follow, but I have found some decent techniques when needing to be understood in English in Japan. Japanese is a subject-initial language like English, but in many cases, the object of English could very easily be the subject in Ja…(146 words)

KurtisW image

KurtisW

Train Ramen noodles Bus
Taking the bus in Tokyo images

Taking the bus in Tokyo

With so many buses and bus stations, how can anyone get around Tokyo by bus? Although you can get fairly near anywhere by trains, sometimes the bus is the best way to get around. Sometimes a bus takes a much more direct route between two spots. One clue is if you think two places are pretty clos…(142 words)

mikekato image

mikekato

Tokyo Train Ticket Bus Subway
Start Train-ing! images

Start Train-ing!

There are sooo many trains in the Tokyo Metropolitan area! It is a maze for people who live here; for a visitor, it may seem a huge mess. But getting around by train is often the best way to get around, so start your train-ing early in your visit.I recommend two things to make train riding ea…(241 words)

mikekato image

mikekato

Train Tokyo Bus Railways
A super store! images

A super store!

It is important to know that a convenience store isn’t just a place to buy drinks, food, masks, stationery, magazines and other everyday products. It has developed to the extent in which you can send domestic mail, have your suit dry cleaned, photocopy, fax and scan and purchase bus, concert and sp…(96 words)

RieS image

RieS

Convenience store Sport Bus Concert Stationery
Cheapest and Most Reliable Train Line, Yokosuka Line images

Cheapest and Most Reliable Train Line, Yokosuka Line

If you want to save some money on transportation but don't want to take the bus fearing traffic, you should take the Yokosuka line. The Yokosuka line will only take about 30 minutes longer than the Narita Express but you will only have to pay about half the price. Also, since it is a local train, y…(83 words)

GenS image

GenS

Train Yokosuka Tokyo Bus Airport Transportation Narita Express
What is Japan's Transportation Like? images

What is Japan's Transportation Like?

The answer to this question really depends on where in Tokyo you ant to go to. If you want to get to the Shinagawa area or anywhere on the Keikyu and Asakusa lines, you should take the Keikyu line. It only takes about 15 minutes to Shinagawa. The Tokyo monorail will get you to the Hamamatsu-cho are…(134 words)

GenS image

GenS

Bus Japan Transportation Tokyo Train Airport Monorail
Are Taking Taxis Affordable in Japan? images

Are Taking Taxis Affordable in Japan?

In the Tokyo city area, taxis are everywhere. If you are on a main road it would be rare if you couldn't catch one in 5 minutes. Taxis are easy to find and a quick way to get around. The metro and bus system will also take you pretty much anywhere but will usually be more time consuming since buses…(162 words)

GenS image

GenS

Transportation Taxicab Tokyo City Bus
Ask the Driver images

Ask the Driver

I've lived in Japan for about 4 years, and I'm still very confused about the bus system, mostly because all of the stops listed between the starting and ending point are very small neighborhood areas with names that you really won't know unless you are a regular rider, or you live in the area.T…(149 words)

KurtisW image

KurtisW

Tokyo Train Restaurant Museum Train station Bus
Not only for Transport images

Not only for Transport

The Suica IC card is truly the ultimate IC card which makes transportation so much easier, obviating the need to buy a ticket. However, it does so much more. Suica can be used for shopping at most convenient stores, all kiosks at stations, and all vending machines at stations. The number of pla…(267 words)

AustinA image

AustinA

Train Shopping Ticket Train station Bus Transportation
Train, Limousine bus, cabs are few options to arrive in Tokyo from Narita airport images

Train, Limousine bus, cabs are few options to arrive in Tokyo from Narita airport

Trains - Narita airport liner, Keisei liner, Yokosuka line, Keisei line are diff type of train options. Cheapest is the Yokosuka line or keisei line which are regular trains. If you take Narita express or Keisei liner these trains are fast and the tickets are around 3000 JPY. These trains typical…(268 words)

suku image

suku

Tokyo Train Bus City Yokohama Shinjuku Ticket Shibuya Airport Ueno
My best recommendation is Oomiya Kokusai Country Club. It takes about one hour from Tokyo either by car or by train. images

My best recommendation is Oomiya Kokusai Country Club. It takes about one hour from Tokyo either by car or by train.

Oomiya Kokusai Country is located in Saitama prefecture. The nearest train station is SASHIOGI of JR-East. ( There is Club shuttle bus running from there.)Play fee is very reasonable. Even if it's the first time you play golf in Japan you can relax and appreciate a help from caddies with pro…(198 words)

Suetsumuhana image

Suetsumuhana

Tokyo Train Train station Bus Saitama