I would like to firstly thank all of those who have signed up to receive our newsletter. We have had a lot of people showing interest in TS Japan Rail and we hope that we can help many of you have a meaningful trip to Japan.

We would also like to thank our clients. We have had some very interesting assignments this year, which we have enjoyed working on. As one of our missions is to help visitors get off the beaten path and explore & experience the different facets of Japan and Japan's railways we really enjoy working on these assignments.

TSJR's strength is our local knowledge and access to information. We have had a lot of feedback from clients on how we have made their trips so much easier.

A final comment: Travel around Japan is not wasted time, it can be part of the experience. Many lines (off the shinkansen network) are very scenic.

By the way, the picture above with the panda faced train is advertising the Wakayama Adventure World at Shirahama. Until recently it was home to several pandas (now returned to China). JR West has, however, said the three such trains will continue to have its panda faces at least until their next major overhauls.

Stephen Turner

A hidden secret of exploring Japan by train is the 60 or so tourist trains. 

These range from site seeing trains, like JR East's Resort Shirakami, restaurant trains like JR Shikoku's Iyonada Monogatari, and themed trains like JR West's Hello Kitty shinkansen.

JR Kyushu and JR Shikoku in particular have some interesting tourist trains. One example being the 36 plus 3 train, which operates throughout Kyushu, running in a different area each day and offering local dishes to passengers.

Some trains also have on board performances highlighting local culture.

Many of these trains operate on scenic routes in areas that you would not normally travel, for example because those routes are not the quickest way between A & B.

When we plan our clients itineraries we are on the look out for interesting trains to enhance your trip to Japan. They are also a good way to experience Japan as much of the clientele are Japanese and some have short stops at interesting places along their way.

An area that does not get on may inbound visitors itineraries is the San'in area which is part of the West Japan / Honshu region of Chugoku. 

Apart from lots to see, from the Tottori Sand Dunes, Matsue  "the City of Water", Izumo Taisha, one of the most important shinto shrines in Japan, getting to and from San'in can also be part of the experience. Travelling from Kyoto along the Japan Sea coast, travelling from Okayama on the recently upgraded Limited Express Yakumo or on the San'in leg of the Sunrise Express sleeper train (Sunrise Express Izumo).

Reaf more in our recent website article...

We know that rail enthusiasts want hotel rooms with view of...railway lines.

Recently Pan Pacific Hotel Group invited TS Japan Rail to take a look of the views of the busy Yamanote Line, Chuo Main Line, Saikyo Line and Seibu Railway Lines from their two hotels in the new Tokyu Kabukicho Tower in Shinjuku.

Rooms in both of these hotels have spectacular views and on the west side you can see the busy JR and Seibu Railway lines running in and out of Shinjuku (and Seibu Shinjuku) station. On the 17th floor there is the JAM17 TERRACE which is open to the public and also offers views of the railway lines below.

This is may be a good choice of hotel for the rail enthusiast bringing along a partner on their Japan trip, who wants a bit more comfort than business hotels!

The other sides of the hotel offers great views of central Tokyo, whilst the west side (railway side) also has good views of Mt Fuji on clear days.

For more information:

Bellustar Tokyo 

Hotel Groove

[Note TSJR is not a travel agent. for bookings please contact the hotel or your travel agent etc. TSJR does not receive any commissions and this section is provided purely for information]

An expert opinion:

We often see comments on social media that "JR Rail Passes are not worth it" particularly since the massive price increase in October 2023.

For the majority of visitors coming to Japan, particularly those just doing the "Golden Route" or the "Golden Route Plus" then the above statement is true. In fact for those just doing the Golden Route even under the old price, despite social media saying you must have one, you probably just broke even plus or minus a little but limited what trains you could travel on.

The truth is that whether a pass is worthwhile 100% depends on your itinerary, and not only includes the distance you travel but the days you are travelling on / not travelling on.

It also may be that Regional Passes are a better pass to use, or a combination of tickets / passes.

As part of TS Japan Rail's Itinerary and Travel Planning services we will look at what tickets and passes are available (including those available to everyone, not just inbound visitors and also Non JR passes). As well as cost we also look at convenience.

Although their are various JR Rail Passes and our TSJR Japan Rail Pass Guide has all the details. This guide is updated regularly.

Our article Understanding the Japan Rail Network – fares and tickets, may also be useful, as it offers some local advice on how to save money on buying train tickets for long distance travel that can save you money!

For rail enthusiasts we publish most months the TS Japan Rail Japan Rail Enthusiasts Updates and news. The September edition has just been published. You can also see back issues on our dedicated railfan website (https://railfan.tsjapanrail.net).

We have several articles in the works that we think will provide you with some good travel ideas, both for tourists and rail enthusiasts

Any questions, queries, suggestions or complaints please contact us!

Go to our Websites: