Public Transport in Japan/公共交通機関

このブログでは、公共交通機関（こうきょうこうつうきかん）について書きます。(英語は下にあります。)

日本で公共交通は速くて、使いやすいだと思います。日本の電車がとても頼もしいと言われています。

電車やバスはICカードというスマートカードを使います。日本全国で同じICカードを使えます。

日本の券売機（けんばいき）：

どれか駅で、券売機事によってカードにお金を入れます。同じ所で500円のICカードを買います。これは日本に来た人が初めにすることをします。券売機から紙のチケットも買えます。

小さな駅はたいてい二つ線路があります：

大きな駅は、よくその中にお店があって、近いでデパートが付いています：

乗り場に入る改札口（かいさつぐち）：

ICカードをカードリーダーの上に置いて、通り行きます。人々が改札口の両方向に通り歩けるので、気をつけなさい。

たくさん電車会社があるので、違う駅によく歩かなくてはなりません。心配しないで、ほとんどの時に駅は隣り合っています。

電車が色々な種類:

• 普通 (ふつう)

• 快速 (かいそく)

• 急行 (きゅうこう)

• 特急 (とっきゅう)

• 新幹線 (しんかんせん)

北は北海道のさっぽろ市から南は九州のかごしま市まで新幹線で旅行できます。たしかに乗り換えなしではありません。とても遠くに旅行に行く場合、高いかもしれませんが、飛行機で旅行するより安いです。

新幹線のチケットは指定席のほうが、自由席より高いです。そして、グリーン席は指定席よりも高いです。

JRパスはとてもすばらしくて、たくさんお金を節約できます！しかし、学生ビザがある人はJRパスを買えません。ですから、私はがっかりしています。

普通のバスは同じカードシステムを使うので、都市内を行きするのに便利です。前か真ん中に入口があるので、そこからバスに乗れます。そして、反対側の出口からバスを降ります。バスに乗る人を見てみてもいいです。

高速バス(夜行バスもという)は日本の主な都市間を走ります。旅行にかかる時間を気にしない人にとっては、ひとつの方法です。でも、夜行バスで眠りにくいかもしれません。それに、高速バスでは、ICカードを使えませんから、チケットを買う必要があります。それが、少し不便かもしれません。

公共交通のルール:

• 大声で話さないでください。

• 食物を食べないでください。

• 電話をかけないでください。

• 優先席（ゆうせんせき）の近くで電話を使わないでください。

• お年よりや体の不自由な人がいたら、席をゆずってください。

Public transport in Japan is quick and easy to use, and it is well known for being reliable and consistently on time. When a timetable says 10:36, they mean 10:36 exactly! The Japanese transport system (both trains and buses) mainly uses prepaid smart cards called an “IC Card” to pay for fare instead of paper tickets. Which specific one you get changes depending on where you are, I got the ICOCA version because I live near Osaka, but they all work on eligible routes no matter what area you go to.

You can load money onto your card at any train station, outside or inside the gates via these ticket machines.

The physical cards are bought from the same machines, and they cost 500 yen - plus whatever amount you want loaded onto the card initially. Buying one is pretty often the first thing people do when arriving in Japan, at least if they want to go anywhere. From these you can also buy physical paper tickets if need be (e.g. longer trips with set seating, or just in advance). On very out of the way and rural train lines you might only be able to buy physical tickets from station staff, but that’s not the norm in most places.

There are specific `Fare Adjustment’ machines where you have the option, if you don’t have enough money on your card already, to pay only exactly as much as your journey to that station cost you. Obviously these are only found within the confines of the station gates:

Smaller train stations typically have two platforms. Whereas bigger stations will be buildings in and of themselves, and often have shops within them and attached shopping centres.

When using the gates to get into a train platform: You put your IC Card against the reader and pass through the gate, however you need to pay attention to oncoming people as most gates are double sided and will change what way they are accepting people if someone has just gone through one, (you also might walk into someone!).

You often have to walk between different stations because different areas and routes are covered by different companies, but most connecting stations are right next to each other.

There are different types of trains that run on most lines:

• 普通 (ふつう) Local - stops at every single station on the line.

• 快速 (かいそく) Rapid - slightly fewer stops than the local.

• 急行 (きゅうこう) Express - stop at most stations, but fewer than the rapid.

• 特急 (とっきゅう) Limited Express - stops at major stations, and can cost more than the others.

• 新幹線 (しんかんせん) Bullet Train - has routes through Japan’s major cities, and is Very Very Fast.

Shinkansen (aka Bullet Trains) connect the entire country making it possible to travel from Sapporo in Hokkaido to Kagoshima in Kyushu, though not without getting connections. It can be expensive if you’re travelling far, but still be cheaper than going via plane - and without the hassle of security and the time-waste of getting all the way out to the airport in the first place. Getting a reserved seat costs a bit more than an unreserved seat, and a green seat (it’s slightly nicer) costs a bit more than that.

JR passes are fantastic and can save you a lot of money! Buying one gives you free travel on all JR trains (including Shinkansen!), for a period of 1, 2, or 3 weeks. However, if you have a student visa you cannot use one at all. It’s still useful if family or friends visit you, or if you want to travel in Japan another time.

Buses within cities are good for getting between places or sites, and work on the same IC Card system as the trains. Most buses in cities work on a flat fare that you either pay at the start or the end of your journey which will differ between cities and bus companies, and you get on at either the front or the middle of the bus also differing between the same. My best advice for catching buses is to look at what the people in front of you are doing and you probably won’t go wrong. Be especially careful that you have enough money on your card for buses, as they do not have machines to top up your card on board, nor at the stops.

Highway Buses (aka Night Buses) can be another option for travel between cities on a budget, especially if you don’t care about how long the journey takes. There are various routes and different companies that run both during the day and overnight. Travelling through the night can get you to a new city and save you having to get accommodation, but sleeping can be difficult to get. These buses also require purchasing a separate ticket which can be a little inconvenient.

There is also basic etiquette you should follow on Japanese transport:

• Do not talk, and if you have to, do it quietly.

Japanese trains are seriously silent, it can take some getting used to.

• Do not eat food.

• Do not take or make phone calls.

I saw a businessman do this once, he got quite a lot of glares.

• Do not use your phone near the priority seats.

• Give up your seat if there is an elderly person or someone who needs it.

Obviously.

I hope this is useful when you’re in Japan!