Japan (Lonely Planet, 11th Edition) - Chris Rowthorn [130]
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JR LINES
Undoubtedly, the most useful line in Tokyo is the JR Yamanote line, which does a 35km-long loop around the city, taking in most of the important areas. Another useful aboveground JR route is the Chūō line, which cuts across the city centre between Shinjuku and Akihabara. Tickets are transferable on all JR lines.
The major JR stations (Tokyo, Shibuya, Shinjuku, Ikebukuro and Ueno) are massive places with thronging crowds and never enough English signposting. Just working out how to buy a ticket can drive a newcomer to the edge of madness. If it’s a JR train you’re taking, look for the JR sign (usually green) and the rows of vending machines. If you don’t know the fare, put in the minimum ¥130 and push the top left-hand button (the one with no price on it). When you get to your destination you can pay the balance at a fare adjustment machine, found near the ticket gates. English signposting points the way to the railway platforms.
Travellers planning to spend an extended period of time in Tokyo might consider getting a Suica smart card – the Suica card can be swiped without being removed from a wallet, and they can be recharged at any JR vending machine. They can not only be used on most other metropolitan railway lines in addition to JR lines, but can even be used as debit cards at convenience stores and restaurants in the stations. Suica cards require a ¥500 deposit, refundable when you return it to a JR window.
For English-language train information, you can call the JR English Information line (050-2016-1603; 10am-6pm Mon-Fri).
SUBWAY LINES
Ticket prices on the Tokyo Metro start at ¥160 (¥170 on TOEI lines) for short hops, but if your trip involves a change of train, it will probably cost upwards of ¥190. As with the JR system, if you’re in doubt at all (there are still subway stations where the only pricing maps are in Japanese), buy the cheapest ticket and do a fare adjustment at your destination.
There are 13 subway lines in Tokyo, of which nine are Tokyo Metro lines and four are TOEI lines. This is not particularly important to remember, as the subway services are essentially the same and have good connections from one to another. However, you’ll need a special transfer ticket to switch between Tokyo Metro and TOEI subway lines. If you can’t read Japanese, the easiest way around this is to buy a Pasmo card, which works in the same way as a Suica card but is sold by the Tokyo Metro system. The Pasmo card can be used on Tokyo Metro, JR and most other metropolitan lines, saving you time, money and confusion when switching between the various systems.
DISCOUNT TICKETS & TRAIN PASSES
There are no massively discounted tickets available for travel around Tokyo. The best deal is the Tokyo Combination Ticket (¥1580), which allows travel on any subway, tram, TOEI bus or JR train in the metropolitan area until the last train of the day. It’s available from subway and JR stations and post offices.
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Around Tokyo
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NORTH OF TOKYO
NIKKŌ
AROUND NIKKŌ
GUNMA-KEN
MITO
WEST OF TOKYO
GHIBLI MUSEUM
TAKAO-SAN
OKU-TAMA REGION
MT FUJI AREA
HAKONE REGION
IZU-HANTŌ
SOUTH OF TOKYO
YOKOHAMA
KAMAKURA
EAST OF TOKYO
NARITA
IZU-SHOTŌ
Ō-SHIMA
NII-JIMA
SHIKINE-JIMA
KŌZU-SHIMA
MIYAKE-JIMA
HACHIJŌ-JIMA
OGASAWARA-SHOTŌ
CHICHI-JIMA
HAHA-JIMA
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If you’ve never spotted Mt Fuji from Tokyo, it can take your breath away. Japan’s tallest peak looms over the distant Tanzawa mountains, hinting at amazing outdoor experiences right on Tokyo’s doorstep. In summer, you can climb through forests towards the jagged summit of Japan’s national symbol, as pilgrims have done for centuries, or the towns of Hakone or the Fuji Go-ko (Fuji Five Lakes) make for ideal hiking and soaking in onsen (hot springs) anytime