With the exception of very countryside towns, trains are prevalentthroughout Japan. Understanding the train system is essential for any travelwithin Japan. There are several companies that operate trains in Japan, but the“main” operator is Japan Railways, or JR. Japan Railways consists of sevendifferent companies (JR East, JR West, JR Central, JR Shikoku, JR Hokkaido, JR Kyusyu, and JR Freight). Otherrailway companies found in the Kansai region include the Hankyu and the Kintetsu (both found in Kyoto).

Fares are determined by distance travelled. There is a map of the railway lines posted above the automaticticket machines, or 切符売り場 kippu uriba. Find your destination on the map. The fare listed by it is the fare fromthe station from which you first board the train. Buy a ticket for the posted fare. Even if you are transferring, youshould buy the ticket through to your final destination. If you cannot read the kanji and there is no map with Englishor kana, you can buy a ticket for the lowest fare and then adjust the fare at your destination at a fare adjustmentmachine, or のりこし精算 norikoshi seisan.

きっぷ　 う ば

せいさん

Japan has a very advanced public transportation system, with various modes of transportation availabledepending on the area. It has bullet trains, trains, subways, buses, taxis, cable cars, monorails, ferries, ropeways,etc. to help residents and tourists get around. This section will give an overview of the major modes of transportationand how to use them.

There is only one train line running through Kameoka, which is the JR Sanin Line, also known as the SaganoLine. This line runs from Kyoto Station to Sonobe. There is also a transfer to the Subway Tozai Line at Nijo Station.

To avoid having to spend time looking up fares or buying tickets,you can also purchase a pre-paid ICOCA card that will track your fare.These cards can be bought and re-charged at the automatic ticket machinesand used in the place of paper tickets.

To get to Kyoto Station from Kameoka costs ￥400. However, if you want to get to downtown Kyoto, suchas Kawaramachi Street or Sanjo, it is best to take the Sagano Line to Nijo Station (￥320) and then transfer to thesubway Tozai Line and go to either Kyoto Shiyakusho Mae or Sanjo Keihan station (￥200).

To get to Osaka, Kobe, Nara, Shiga Prefecture, etc. take the train to Kyoto Station and transfer to theappropriate train. You can also get to Osaka by taking the Hankyu Line, which is slower but a little cheaper.

Ticket Machine Turnstiles Fare Adjustment Machine

TicketPre-Paid Card

Densha

でんしゃ

電車

Trains

Travel in Japanこうつう

交通Kotsu

Chapter 9

- -

In addition to an above ground train system, most major cities also operatesubway systems. Kameoka does not have a subway, but Kyoto has two lines, the Tozai Line and the KarasumaLine. The easiest transfer point to the subway from the JR train line is at Nijo Station. Exit the ticket gates, turn right,and go down the stairs to the subway station. The two subway lines in Kyoto interestect at Karasuma Oike station.

The subway system is not all that different from the train system. Ticketsare sold at automatic ticket machines, and you can use an ICOCA card on theKyoto subway lines. However, you cannot buy or charge an ICOCA card on thesubway ticket machines.

If you are traveling during rush hour, you should be aware that somesubways, and in some cities, trains, have cars that are designated as WomenOnly 女性専用列車 josei senyō ressha. This is posted on the side of the car,usually in pink, in both Japanese and English.

Only 3 kinds of trains go through Kameoka Station; the futsū, the kaisoku, and tokkyū special long distancetrains (the はしだて Hashidate Express, まいづる Maizuru Express, たんば Tanba Express, きのさき KinosakiExpress, and たんごディスカバリーTango Discovery Express). These special express trains all require anextra surcharge and a special ticket you can buy at the Green Ticket Window. If you accidentally board one, aconductor will come around to check your ticket and you will have to pay the fee directly on the train.

You should also be aware of when the trains stop running. A taxi ride home from Kyoto to Kameoka costs 終電 shūden toward Kameoka

leaves at 12:06 a.m. from Kyoto Station and at 12:13 a.m.from Nijo Station. The earliest train leaves at 5:33 a.m.from Kyoto Station. You can get a copy of the train schedule 時刻表 jikokuhyō at the train station.

普通 futsū: This is a regular train that will stop at each station along the line. It will take longer but is thesafest bet when you aren’t sure which train to take.

1快速 kaisoku: This is a rapid train. It is faster than the regular train and will skip some stations.2急行 kyūkō: This is an express train. It is faster than the rapid train and skips several stations.3

You should double check that the train will stop at your destination before boarding. There is often adiagram on the platform that will help you figure this out.

特急 tokkyū: This is a special express train. It is faster than the express train and skips all of the smallerstations. There is often an extra charge for this train.

4

ふつう

かいそく

きゅうこう

とっきゅう

しゅうでん

There are several categories of trains based on the number of stops made along the line.

Train Diagram

じょせいせんようれっしゃ

Chikatetsu

ちかてつ

地下鉄

Subway

じこくひょう

around 7000 yen, so it is quite expensive if you miss the last train. The last train

The easiest way to get a taxi is from a train station. As with KameokaStation, there is usually a special taxi lane タクシー乗り場 takushii noribawhere the taxis line up and wait for passengers. However you can also flag them down off the street by standing onthe corner and waving your hand at them. In the front passenger window there will be a little sign indicating whetherthe taxi is empty, 空車 kūsha, carrying a passenger, 賃走 chinsō, or out of service, 回送 kaisō.

The back door of the taxi will open and close automatically. Most taxi drivers do not speak English so itmight be a good idea to have the name or address of your destination written out in Japanese, or have a map toshow the driver. Also, taxi drivers are not tipped in Japan.

For foreigners, the bus is probably the most intimidating of the mainmodes of public transportation in Japan because it tends to have the least amountof English support. You can pick up a bus map from the bus office at KameokaStation. For a detailed map of Kyoto bus routes, visit the bus office out in front of the Central Exit of Kyoto Station.They offer some very detailed English maps, as well as daily bus passes for ￥500. These can be great for when youwant to go sightseeing and save a little money.

When riding the bus, board from the rear entrance, not the front, and take the numbered ticket that indicateswhat stop you boarded at. This determines the fare. There will be a lit up board at the front of the bus that will havedifferent numbered boxes. The fare in the box that matches the number on your ticket is the fare you must pay whenyou get off. However, some buses have a flat rate of ￥220. Note that the bus may not stop if the driver does notsee anyone at the bus stop バス停basu tei. When your stop is next, push one of the buttons that can be found onthe walls, hand rails, or seat backs to indicate to the driver that you would like him or her to stop. Exit from the frontof the bus and put exact change in the opening on top of the fare collection machine at the front of the bus. If youneed change, you should try to get to the front of the bus before your stop to make change. You can insert a bill intothe fare collection machine and it will break the bill into coins. However, five and ten thousand yen bills cannot bechanged. Some buses will accept the use of a pre-paid ICOCA card.

てい

の　　　 ば

くうしゃ ちんそう かいそう

It is fairly convenient getting around Kameoka on bicycle. Bicyclesare sold at major department stores or at local bicycle and motorcycle shops.Most bikes come with a key and lock, generally around the back wheel. If you have a bicycle, you need to registerit when you buy it, and write your name and phone number somewhere on the bicycle You should always lock yourbicycle and store it in a safe place. Japan has a very safe image, but bicycle theft is quite common so you shouldtake care to avoid leaving your bicycle unlocked or in a place where it could get stolen. Also, do not park your bike

Basuバス

Buses

Takushiiタクシー

Taxis

Jitensha

じてんしゃ

自転車

Bicycles

Driving in Japan is only permitted with an international permit orJapanese driver’s license. You cannot use your driver’s license from your homecountry on its own. Depending on which comes first, international driver’slicenses are only valid for one year until the license expires, beginning on the initial date of entry. You cannot stay inJapan for a year, return home and get an international driver’s license and then return to Japan and use it, unless youare out of Japan for at least 3 months. Before your international driver’s license expires you will need to get aJapanese license if you wish to continue driving. You can find more detailed information about the process of gettinga Japanese driver’s license on the Kameoka English homepage http://www.city.kameoka.kyoto.jp/english/. Thereis a simplified process for foreign citizen’s that hold a driver’s license in their native country. Depending on yourcitizenship, you may have to take a driving test.

Ordinary licenses are valid for passenger cars, light vans, small trucks, mopeds, and motorcycles less than50 cc. Special licenses are required for large trucks and motorcycles larger than 50 cc and special heavy equipment.As a car owner, you are required to have a valid license, a legal permanent parking place, and compulsory liabilityinsurance. Cars in Japan may seem cheap but they come with various hidden costs, such as the parking space,insurance, taxes, and mandatory maintenance checks, known as 車検 shaken. The following is a list of requirementswhen buying a car.

The CarRegardless of whether you buy from a dealer or an individual, you will need to visit the Inspection Registration

Office 検査登録事務所 kensa tōroku jimusho to submit the following:1. Re-registration 名義変更 meigi henkō (may cost up to ￥25,000)2. Owners cancellation registration papers 抹消登録 masshō tōroku

The Parking SpaceYou must have a registered parking space and you must submit certification of the parking space to the police.

To get a parking space you may have to go through the real estate agent or rent directly from the owner. It dependson the area.

TaxesThere are three main taxes that are required when buying a car (not including consumption tax on gasoline).

1. Acquisition tax: paid only once when you buy the car2. Weight tax: paid at purchase and subsequent inspections3. Annual tax: paid by owner as of April 1st each year

Automobile Liability Insurance and Vehicular InsuranceThere are two types of vehicular insurance: mandatory and optional.

ちゅうりんきんし

someplace where it is illegal. If you see a sign that says 駐輪禁止 chūrin kinshi, then you cannot park your bikethere. When riding at night, be sure to use your headlight or you may be stopped by the police. Japan also hasvarious laws regarding riding bicycles. For example, it is illegal to carry an open umbrella while riding, or to ride withtwo people on one bicycle. You may see many Japanese people doing these things, but they are illegal and as aforeigner you stand out more and are therefore more likely to be stopped by the police. Riding your bicycle afterconsuming even ONE alcoholic beverage can result in up to 5 years in prison or a fine of up to 1,000,000 yen.

しゃけん

けんさとうろくじむしょ

めいぎへんこう

まっしょうとうろく

Jidosha

じどうしゃ

自動車

Cars-

For domestic and international travel, there are also several airports, or空港 kūkō, in Japan. The closest airports (Itami and Kansai International) arelocated in Osaka Prefecture. There is also Haneda and Narita International Airport located in Tokyo. Hokkaidō,Shikoku, and Kyūshū, and Okinawa also have airports.

There are several ways to get to Kansai International Airport, 関西国際空港 Kansai Kokusai Kūkō. Thefastest, and therefore more expensive method, is the Haruka Limited Express 特急はるか, which is one or twoplatforms over from the Sagano Line platform at Kyoto Station. From Kyoto Station, it takes approximately an hourand a half to get to Kansai International Airport by the Haruka Limited Express. A reserved seat on the Haruka costsaround ￥3290. Tickets can be bought at the Express Ticket Machine or the Green Ticket Window みどりの窓口

midori no madoguchi. Another way to get to Kansai International Airport is by bus. It takes about an hour and ahalf from Kyoto Station by bus. A one-way ticket costs ￥2500 and a round trip ticket costs ￥4000. Moreinformation about bus service to Kansai International Airport can be found at http://www.kate.co.jp.

1. Automobile Liability Insurance (mandatory) 自動車損害賠償責任保険 jidōsha songai baishōsekinin hoken

2. Voluntary Insurance (optional) 任意保険 nin i hoken: Although mandatory insurance covers injuryand death, the actual costs accrued in accidents tends to exceed the maximum of the insurance. It is strongly recommended that you purchase an optional insurance.

Mandatory Vehicle InspectionAll vehicles must undergo a vehicle inspection, or 車検 shaken, every two years (￥50,000-150,000)

じどうしゃそんがいばいしょうせきにんほけん

にんいほけん

しゃけん

くうこう

かんさいこくさいくうこう

とっきゅう

まどぐち

When making a long distance trip within Japan, by far the fastest modeof transportation is the shinkansen, or bullet train. Though relatively expensive,at speeds up to 300km/h, it is the fastest way to travel on land. There are sixmain shinkansen lines running across Japan, connecting most of the major cities.

1. 東海道新幹線 Tōkaidō shinkansen: Runs from Tokyo to Shin-Osaka Station2. 山陽新幹線 Sanyō shinkansen: Runs from Shin-Osaka to Hakata3. 東北新幹線 Tōhoku shinkansen: Runs from Tokyo to Hachi-no-he4. 上越新幹線 Jōetsu shinkansen: Runs from Omiya to Niigata5. 長野新幹線 Nagano shinkansen: Runs from Takasaki to Nagano6. 九州新幹線 Kyūshū shinkansen: Runs from Shin-Yatsushiro to Kagoshima-chuoTickets for the shinkansen must be bought prior to boarding. You can purchase

them at the Green Ticket Window みどりの窓口 midori no madoguchi or fromthe special 特急券 tokkyūken automatic ticket machine at a station (only non-reserved tickets). Shinkansen trains are divided into cars for reserved seats 指定席

shiteiseki, and cars for non-reserved seats 自由席 jiyūseki. Reserved seats are slightly more expensive but guaranteeyou a seat on the train. There are also smoking cars 喫煙車 kitsuensha, and non-smoking cars 禁煙車 kinensha.

ひこうき　 くうこう

飛行機・空港

Planes/Airports-Hikoki/kuko--

しんかんせん

新幹線

Shinkansen (Bullet Train)

Shinkansen

まどぐち

とっきゅうけん

していせき

じゆうせき

きつえんしゃ きんえんしゃ

Sign for the Green Ticket Window

If you are not a smoker or are bothered by the smell of cigarette smoke, you should try to avoid the smoking carsbecause they are generally permeated with the smell of smoke.

There are three different types of shinkansen, based on speed, operating on the island of Honshū. The Kodamais the slowest, Hikari is in the middle, and the Nozomi is the fastest (and therefore more expensive). To check forseat vacancy you can go to http://www.jr.cyberstation.ne.jp/vacancy/Vacancy.html (Japanese only). Another goodsite for checking all train schedules online is www.hyperdia.com (English available).

When purchasing shinkansen tickets,you will be asked what you would like to doabout your 乗車券 jōshaken, or rider’sticket. Shinkansen require two tickets: thejōshaken and the 特急券 tokkyūken. Thetokkyūken is the ticket representing the extrafare for riding the shinkansen while the

jōshaken takes the place of a regular ticket, from the first station you board at to the last station you get off at.Therefore if you are traveling to Tokyo Station, you will have a jōshaken starting at Kameoka Station and ending inTokyo and a tokkyūken starting at Kyoto Station, where you board the shinkansen, and ending at Tokyo Station.You can either buy your jōshaken when you buy your shinkansen tokkyūken or you can use your ICOCA card.

Please keep in mind that there is not a lot of space for luggage on the shinkansen, so you may want to sendyour luggage by takkyūbin or other delivery service (see the chapter on the post office).The Japan Rail Pass

Japan Railways offers a special pass for tourists visiting Japan under 90day visitor status. As a resident of Japan it is not valid for you, but it could beuseful if you have relatives or friends planning to visit. With the Japan Rail Pass(JR Pass) you pay a lump sum for a one or two week pass that will allow you toboard any JR train, excepting the Nozomi shinkansen, as many times as you likewithin that time period.The JR Pass must be bought prior to entry into Japan.The purchaser will receive an exchange order which they can turn in to receivetheir JR Pass at the Green Ticket Window at most of the major train stations inJapan. For more information on the JR Pass visit http://www.japanrailpass.net/

Rider’s Ticket Shinkansen Ticket

JR Pass

JR Pass Exchange OrderUseful Vocabulary: Travelこうつう

交通などKotsu nado--

じょうしゃけん

とっきゅうけん

Around here is fine. この辺でいいです。 このへんでいいです。 Kono hen de ii desu.Could you draw me a map? 地図を書いてくださいませんか？ ちずをかいてくださいませんか？ Chizu wo kaite kudasaimasen ka?Does this ___ go to ____? この___は___へ行きますか? この__は__へいきますか？ Kono ___ha___he ikimasu ka?How do I get to _____? __へはどういけばいいですか? __ he ha dō ikeba ii desu ka?How much is it to___? ___まではいくらですか？ ___ made ha ikura desu ka?I am lost. 道に迷っています。 みちにまよっています。 Michi ni mayotte imasu.Please take me to____. ____へお願いします。 ____へおねがいします。 ___ he onegai shimasu.Please turn _at the next corner. 次の角を＿へ曲がってください。 つぎのかどを＿へまがってください。 Tsugi no kado wo __he magatte kudasai.Where are we? ここはどこですか？ Koko ha doko desu ka?Where is the nearest_____? 一番近い__はどこですか？ いちばんちかい___はどこですか？ Ichiban chikai __ha doko desu ka?Where is the_________? ________はどこですか？ ______ ha doko desu ka?

Phrases

English Kanji Kana RomanizationAddress 住所 じゅうしょ JūshoBound for 方面 ほうめん HōmenBus バス BasuBus stop バス乗り場 バスのりば Basu noribaCar 車 くるま KurumaCarrying passenger (taxi) 賃走 ちんそう ChinsōCommuter pass 定期券 ていきけん TeikikenCorner 角 かど KadoEmpty (taxi) 空車 くうしゃ KūshaEntrance 入り口 いりぐち IriguchiExit 出口 でぐち DeguchiFare 運賃 うんちん UnchinHighway 高速道 こうそくどう KōsokudōLast stop 終点 しゅうてん ShūtenLast train 終電 しゅうでん ShūdenNon-smoking car (on a train) 禁煙車 きんえんしゃ KinenshaNot in service (train) 回送 かいそう KaisōReserved seat 指定席 していせき ShiteisekiRoad 道 みち MichiSmoking car (on a train) 喫煙車 きつえんしゃ KitsuenshaSpecial express ticket 特急券 とっきゅうけん TokkyūkenStation 駅 えき EkiStreet 通り どおり DōriSubway 地下鉄 ちかてつ ChikatetsuTaxi タクシー TakushiiTaxi stand タクシー乗り場 タクシー乗り場 Takushii noribaTicket 乗車券 じょうしゃけん JōshakenTicket counter 切符売り場 きっぷうりば Kippu uribaTicket gate 改札口 かいさつぐち KaisatsuguchiTimetable 時刻表 じこくひょう JikokuhyōTo get off (a train, bus, etc) 降りる おりる OriruTo ride 乗る のる NoruTrain 電車 でんしゃ DenshaUnreserved Seat 自由席 じゆうせき Jiyūseki

North 北 きた KitaSouth 南 みなみ MinamiEast 東 ひがし HigashiWest 西 にし NishiRight 右 みぎ MigiLeft 左 ひだり HidariIn front of ～の前 ～のまえ ～no maeBehind of ～の後ろ ～のうしろ ～no ushiroNext to ～の隣 ～のとなり ～no tonariStraight まっすぐ Massugu To be lost 道に迷う みちにまよう Michi ni mayōTraffic light 信号 しんごう ShingōMap 地図 ちず ChizuYou Are Here 現在位置 げんざいいち Genzai ichi

Directions