Japan by Rail

Autorentext

By Ramsey Zarifeh and Anna Udagawa

Klappentext

Japan is steeped in legend and myth, perhaps the greatest of which is the popular misconception that the country is simply too expensive to visit. The truth is that flights to Japan are cheaper than they've ever been, accommodation can be great value, while the warm hospitality which awaits every visitor costs nothing at all. The real secret to travelling around the country on a budget, however, is the Japan Rail Pass. Use this comprehensive guide in conjunction with a rail pass to get the most out of a trip to Japan.

• Practical information – planning your trip; when to go; suggested itineraries; what to take; festivals and events

• City guides and maps – where to stay, where to eat, what to see in 30 towns and cities; historical and cultural background

• Kilometre-by-kilometre route guides – covering train journeys from the coast into the mountains,from temple retreat to sprawling metropolis and from sulphurous volcano to windswept desert; 33 route maps

• Includes new routes – including the extension of the shinkansen route from Nagano to Kanazawa (the Hokuriku shinkansen)

• Railway timetables and frequency charts – Bullet trains and all described routes

• Customs, etiquette, Japanese words and phrases – with kanji

• With kanji/hiragana/katakana for all place name text – readers can point to the text when asking Japanese speakers for directions

• Extended Highlights – extra colour sections make this book even more user-friendly and attractive

Zusammenfassung
All the information you need to enjoy your adventure across Japan by Rail in this fully revised and updated 5th edition.

Inhalt

INTRODUCTION

Why take the train? 7 Routes and costs 9

When to go 14 National holidays 16 – Festivals and events 17

PART 1: PLANNING YOUR TRIP

Rail passes Japan Rail Pass 29 – Regional JR rail passes 31

Getting a rail pass 36 – Exchange orders 39 – How to use the rail

pass 41

Suggested itineraries 41

Before you go Booking a flight 47 – Passports and visas 48

Tourist information 48 – Health and insurance 49 – What to take 49

Money 50 – Suggested reading 51

PART 2: JAPAN

Facts about the country Geography 53 – History 54

Politics 58 – Economy 59 – Religion 59 – The people 60 – Sport 61

Culture 62

Practical information for visitors Arriving in Japan 64

Tourist information 65 – Getting around 65 – Accommodation 67

Where to eat 74 – Nightlife and entertainment 76 – Media 77

Electricity 78 – Time 78 – Banks and money matters 78 – Post and

telecommunications 79 – Language 82 – Assistance 82

Shopping 84 – Museums and tourist attractions 85 – Activities 86

PART 3: THE RAIL NETWORK

Railway history 88

The railway Japan Rail today 93 – The trains 95 – Timetables 98

Buying a ticket 99 – Making seat reservations 100 – Railway

staff 101 – Station facilities 101

PART 4: TOKYO AND OSAKA

Tokyo 103 Around Tokyo 133 Osaka 144 Side trips 155

PART 5: HONSHU

Central Honshu

Route guides Tokyo to Nagoya by shinkansen 161 – Tokyo to

Kanazawa by shinkansen 177 – Nagano to Nagoya via Matsumoto 187

Toyama to Nagoya via Takayama 191 – Kanazawa to Kyoto, Osaka or Nagoya 195

City guides Nagoya 197 – Nagano 206 – Matsumoto 213

Takayama 218 – Kanazawa 226

PART 5: HONSHU (cont'd)

Kansai

Route guides Nagoya to Shin-Osaka by shinkansen 234 – Nagoya

to Shin-Osaka via the Kii Peninsula 237

City guides Kyoto 250, Side trips 263 – Nara 265, Side trips 270

Western Honshu

Route guides Shin-Osaka (Osaka) to Shin-Yamaguchi by

shinkansen 272 – Shin-Yamaguchi to Masuda 282 – Masuda to

Matsue 286

City guides Kobe 289 – Okayama 297 – Hiroshima 301 – Matsue 312

Tohoku (North-eastern Honshu)

Route guides Tokyo to Shin-Aomori by shinkansen 320 – Aomori/

Shin-Aomori to Akita and Niigata 344

City guides Sendai 353 – Niigata 359 – Aomori 363

PART 6: HOKKAIDO

Route guides Shin-Aomori to Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto/Hakodate 368

Hakodate/Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto to Sapporo 371 – Sapporo to

Asahikawa & Abashiri 377 – Abashiri to Kushiro 382 – Kushiro to

Sapporo (or Asahikawa) 388

City guides Hakodate 393 – Sapporo 399 – Asahikawa 407

PART 7: KYUSHU

Route guides Shin-Yamaguchi to Hakata (Fukuoka) by

shinkansen 414 – Hakata (Fukuoka) to Nagasaki 416 – Hakata

(Fukuoka) to Kagoshima-chuo by shinkansen 421 – Kokura to

Miyazaki 426

City guides Fukuoka 434 – Nagasaki 441 – Kumamoto 448

Kagoshima 455

PART 8: SHIKOKU

Route guides Okayama to Takamatsu 464 – Takamatsu to

Tokushima 466 – Tokushima to Kochi 466 – Kochi to Uwajima 473

Uwajima to Matsuyama 475 – Matsuyama to Okayama 477

City guides Takamatsu 480 – Tokushima 486 – Matsuyama 490

APPENDICES

A: Glossary 496 B: Useful words and phrases 500

C: JR service summaries 504

MAP KEY 513 INDEX 514