Japan travel tips

[JR 500系]

The Hitsatsu Line!

 

My most anticipated railway trip next year too... especially for the SL Hitoyoshi. Nice that they have a signboard with the date to take photos in front of the train with! Very nice!

[katoftw]

26/10/2014

Quiet day today.  I think we were all train lagged from the past few days.  Chilled out and shopped.  Went a little wild at JR City Hakata.

 

Edited October 26, 2014 by katoftw

[JR 500系]

Plarails!   :)

 

Is that the shrine on top of JR Hakata building on the 7th Floor? Didn't know they had a miniature train set that can sit people!

 

Good catch on that E655 Nagomi + Special car. Already starting to turn up on Yahoo at inflated prices, so it's kinda rare and a good catch. Popondetta I presume?

[katoftw]

Plarails!   :)

 

Is that the shrine on top of JR Hakata building on the 7th Floor? Didn't know they had a miniature train set that can sit people!

 

Good catch on that E655 Nagomi + Special car. Already starting to turn up on Yahoo at inflated prices, so it's kinda rare and a good catch. Popondetta I presume?

Yup rooftop of JR Hakata City.  Also yes for Popondetta.  The Nagomi was low on my list of wants, but Popondetta didn't really have any high on my list of wants.  And for the reasons you posted, this is why I got this.

[katoftw]

 

The Hitsatsu Line!

 

My most anticipated railway trip next year too... especially for the SL Hitoyoshi. Nice that they have a signboard with the date to take photos in front of the train with! Very nice!

 

Split it yup if you can.  ie- spend a night at Hitoyoshi or finish at Kagoshima and spend the night.

Edited October 26, 2014 by katoftw

[ToniBabelony]

A tip for restaurants with the kids: go to a family restaurant. They have child-seats and/or low tables that allow for the kids to sit next to mama and papa. They are child-friendly. Regular restaurants and smaller joints usually aren't, as they focus on the working age-groups, drinking and/or students. Go for the places that have cartoon characters in their advertisements or as mascots. Those are usually safe (though Sukiya with Crayon-Shinchan usually aims for a bit older kids).

[cteno4]

Kato,

 

Looks like you are having a great trip! Wonderful you are exposing the kids to a different country and culture at such a young age! Also to the trains!!!

 

Thanks for all the Picts wonderful to live vicariously thru your trip!

 

Jeff

[katoftw]

27/10/2014

Off to Kumamoto today on the Tsubame.  Arrived and boarded a tram to the castle.  The tram line was interesting.  A mixture of concrete, brickwork and grass.

 

The castle was a nice place and a good walk around.  Lots of stairs. haha  View was awesome from the top level.

 

Then had lunch at some sort of covered shopping mall and got another tram to Suizenji Park.  Again awesome place to walk around.  Shame I had the kids with me.  Would've been a great place to sit and ponder for a while.

 

Then boarded a fairly newish 0800 series tram.  Seemed to be for special events.  Interior was fancy woodgrain and had reduced seating, tables added like on a buffet car and lots of places to store cups/food.

 

Rode that to the end of the line. then reboarded and got off at Shinsuisenji-Ekimae and walked up to Shinsuisenji station to catch a train back to Kumamoto Station.  Boarded a 2 car 815 series.  Nice to catch a little of the Hohi Line.

 

Then home on the Sakura and detoured past a sweets place.

 

Edited October 29, 2014 by katoftw

[JR 500系]

Kumamoto castle! They have a samurai there???

 

Nice catch on the Rail star! Did you ride in it? It's one of the few shinkansen (the other being the 500 series and the E4) that I MUST ride on, since it's a 2+2 seating arrangement and I had to see those compartments and it's 'silence' car...

[katoftw]

I didn't ride on it.  But I did see many over the past 3 days.

 

I did however see a square looking blue grey something with WIN350 on the side + 0 series end car + 100 series double decker + other cars in the Hakata shinkansen yards.

[katoftw]

I really wanted to ride both the rail star and 500.  But they are now on very slow all stop services, so couldn't use them this trip.  Probably could've rode them up to Kitakyushu if I had a spare 2 hours.  And ride the blue sonic back to Hakata.

Edited October 27, 2014 by katoftw

[JR 500系]

I really wanted to ride both the rail star and 500.  But they are now on very slow all stop services, so couldn't use them this trip.  Probably could've rode them up to Kitakyushu if I had a spare 2 hours.  And ride the blue sonic back to Hakata.

 

You should, even if it is for a stop or so... The 500 series and the 700 series I reckon will be getting retired very soon, since the museum at Nagoya already has the 700 series on display as 'retired model' and the future Kyoto museum opening in 2016 will have the 500 series on display...

 

By the way, any updates from yesterday's trip? It was really interesting to read your daily blog!  :)

[katoftw]

28/10/2014

Last day in Japan.  Got an early Hakari from Hakata to Shin-Osaka.  Plarail 500 Series Shinkansen was on the platform when we arrived.  Sorry but didn't get great photos are kids decided to play up right at the good moments.

 

Had a near 3 hour layover at Shin-Osaka.  So went down to the commuter platforms and did the railfan thing.  Saw a couple of trains I'm unfamaliar with.  Pics below.  I think the Kyoto/Koke 321 Series is higher on my list to buy due to riding it and seeing it in person.

 

Boarded a N700 to Shinagawa, then the N'EX to Narita Airport Terminal 2.

 

Edited October 29, 2014 by katoftw

[katoftw]

Damage bill was alot less than I had thought it would be the entire trip.

 

 

Kato/Roundhouse

N'EX 3 car basic, Catenary Pole Base Set x2, Single track Catenary Poles, Double Track Catenary Poles, plus tax.

 

TamTam

Convenience Store (FamilyMart), Greenmax Yellow Crew Platforms, Tomix Model Railway System Guidebook (Mini Curved Tracks Edition 1 + 2).

 

Popondetta

Kato E655 Nagomi Imperial Car, Kato E655 Nagomi 5 car set, Plarail 19G container + koki106 set, Plarail 30A container + koki104 set, Plarail 8620 SL Hitoyoshi 3 car set, Plarail DF200 3 car set, plus tax.

Edited October 29, 2014 by katoftw

[katoftw]

[JR 500系]

It's nice to be back home eh?

 

Nice to see you've also covered rails other than JR, like the Enoshima, Randen, Toei Subway and Yurikamome... The ticket to the Kyoto Diorama at Torokko-Saga station is definitely a nice souvenir! Looking forward to that one!

[miyakoji]

Ticket collection looks good, Kato.

[katoftw]

https://www.youtube.com/user/projectrracing/videos

 

Dropped some videos on youtube.  Sorry for shakey hands.  Filming and hold a childs hand doesn't work too well.

Edited October 31, 2014 by katoftw

[katoftw]

Just though I type out some thoughts and surprizes from my experiences:-

 

Japanese people are so warm and welcoming.  Even if you are walking down the wrong side of the stairwell, they still make an attempt to clear a path for you.  Or the 60yo granny will get up and offer her seat to our 3 and 5yo.

 

You might as well just take only your deodourent with you.  The hotels supply toothbrushes, toothpaste, hairbushes, shavers, shampoo, conditioner, body wash.

 

English must be Japans main second language.  They all see to have a little knowledge of it.  Although attempting to speak some Japanese always gets a smile and respect from the Japanese people.

 

The buses are so easy to use.  If you are planning a trip to Japan, don't be afraid of the buses.  Just make sure you have plenty of 10yen, 100yen coins.  Although all coin change machines on buses and trams accept 1000yen notes.  Those coin change machine make the process very easy.  Hard to access the machine if it is peak hour.

 

Big luggage was not a problem.  As told it would be.  But on the Shinkansen, SL Hitoyoshi, Isaburo-Shinpei and the Hayato no Kaze, they was places to fit even the larger size luggage.  But don't attempt peak hour if you do have larger luggage.

 

Pack a few days worth of clothes.  Coin laundrys are everywhere.  You dont need to pack 7-10 days worth of clean clothes.  400-600yen for washing, and 100yen for 20-30 minutes of dryer.  All machines have a minute counter on them, so you know when to come back.  Trick with the dryer is to drop a few coins into it, so it is going for 60-90 minutes.  We did ours in the morning, and went off for breakfast in those 60-90 minutes.

 

If going on the Tokaido Shinkansen.  Ask for seat E.  That is the window seat facing north/Mount Fuji.

Edited November 1, 2014 by katoftw

[kvp]

 

English must be Japans main second language. 

Thanks to Commodore Matthew C. Perry and the US occupation forces after WWII. English is still taught and learnt with the same enthusiasm as russian in the former east block countries. Other than that, today english is the main second language of the whole civilised world, thanks to the internet and the american way of international business.

 

Anyway, thanks for the good tips, especially the seat!

[JR 500系]

Fantastic information, definitely useful!

 

Although it's not my first trip, but these minor minor details are what's actually important to me. The coin laundry is a saviour and good idea to use them during the hotel's breakfast timing.

 

I'm going to do the Tateyama Route, and was really worried about luggage, but luckily that's a luggage forwarding service that collects your luggage at the starting point and send it over to the end point, on either side. I'm also planning to use the station lockers at times to lock up our luggage and pick them up later at the station for our onward trips.

 

It's heart warming to see the warmth of the Japanese people, unlike here in Sillypore. No one ever gives up their seats for the elderly nor children anymore in the buses or trains. Everyone here is just thinking for themselves.... Quite sad. 

[katoftw]

I'm also planning to use the station lockers at times to lock up our luggage and pick them up later at the station for our onward trips.

Careful with how long you leave your luggage in them.  The ones at Shin-Osaka for example only allow 3 days maximum, and the days change over at 2am.  And they day you drop them off is is counted as your first of 3 days.

 

So say you put your luggage in them at 10am Monday morning, you'd have till 2am Thurday to collect your luggage.  So realistictly you'd have to collect on Wednesday.  Otherwise it was a 2800yen collection fee from a place that is most likely hard to find.

Edited November 1, 2014 by katoftw

[JR 500系]

Thanks katoftw. No worries on that as the luggage will only be there during the day when we visit attractions, like for example, throwing them inside the locker in Nagoya when we go visit the JR Central Museum, and then collecting them again later for our onward journey to Toyama via Shirasagi. At least that solves the problem and I don't have to lug our luggage around the museum...

[Jensen]

Thank you very much for your travel report and updates katoflw. 

Some of your pictures bring back some of my trips to Kumamoto (garden and castle)

Really love the place!

 

I totally agree the Japanese people are really warm to people and welcoming.

I always end up going up the wrong way on stairs on the 1st few days, people just go round us and don't say a words. 

 

I find english in Japan is pretty good in big cities or tourist place, however In Aomori and Kyushu is rather limited.

 

I agree the self laundry idea in hotel is wonderful, wish they they could export this to other country too. 

 

Thanks for photo, it has given me some idea of places (Osaka, Kyoto, Nara) I'm going to visit later this year.

[katoftw]

Didn't have a issue with English in Kyushu.  But I did only travel between the big Kyushu 3, Fukuoka-Kumamoto-Kagoshima.  And some wayward stops at Hitoyoshi and Yoshimatsu.  Although at Yoshimatsu Station, I did mainly attempt Japanese, at which the station staff did correct my pronunciation of Hayato no Kaze.

 

Couldn't tell you what Kitakyushu, Nagasaki, Yufuin and Beppu are like.  Didn't get to those locations this trip.  Wife/boss has approved trip V2.