Public Transport in Japan - A Foreigner's Perspective

During our three and a half weeks in Japan we have experienced virtually every form of public transport available, especially in Tokyo. Our most common mode of transport for gettingw around Tokyo has been the subway system. The subway is incredibly quick, efficient and clean. It is also remarkably easy to use, as most maps and on-board information is also given in English. However, this is not always the case!

For longer journeys around Tokyo, such as for our recent sampling trip to Hakone, we have utilized the train lines; and when we flew to Hachijojima from the domestic airport Haneda we traveled there by monorail. Both of these are just as impressively efficient as the subway system.

Our journeys around the Izu Islands have seen us utilize more interesting forms of transport, such as ferries, planes and helicopters. Highlights include a particularly colorful plane that we saw at Haneda airport and our helicopter flight to Aogashima, when we were privileged to share a ride with the mayor of the island.