Getting Around

Japan has an extensive public transport system, the most convenient segment of which is the nation's excellent rail service. You can also travel by plane (good for long-distance hauls but expensive), bus (the cheapest mode of travel), ferry, and car.

By Train

The most efficient way to travel around Japan is by train. Whether you're being whisked through the countryside aboard the famous Shinkansen bullet train or are winding your way up a wooded mountainside in a two-car electric streetcar, trains in Japan are punctual, comfortable, dependable, safe, and clean. All trains except local commuters have washrooms, toilets, and drinking water. Bullet trains even have telephones and carts selling food and drinks. And because train stations are usually located in the heart of the city next to the city bus terminal or a subway station, arriving in a city by train is usually the most convenient method. Furthermore, most train stations in Japan's major cities and resort areas have tourist offices. The staff may not speak English, but the office usually has maps or brochures in English and can point you in the direction of your hotel. Train stations also often have a counter where hotel reservations can be made free of charge. Most of Japan's trains are run by six companies (such as JR East and JR Kyushu) that make up the Japan Railways (JR) Group, which operates as many as 27,800 trains daily, including more than 500 Shinkansen bullet trains.

Shinkansen (Bullet Train) -- The Shinkansen is probably Japan's best-known train. With a front car that resembles a space rocket, the Shinkansen hurtles along at a maximum speed of 300kmph (187 mph) through the countryside on its own special tracks.

There are five basic Shinkansen routes in Japan. The most widely used line for tourists is the Tokaido-Sanyo Shinkansen, which runs from Tokyo and Shinagawa stations west to such cities as Nagoya, Kyoto, Osaka, Kobe, Himeji, Okayama, and Hiroshima, before reaching its final destination in Hakata/Fukuoka on the island of Kyushu. Only Nozomi Super Express trains, the fastest and most frequent trains, however, cover the entire 1,175km (729 miles) between Tokyo and Hakata. Since the Nozomi is not covered by the Japan Rail Pass, most travelers must transfer in Osaka or Okayama if they're traveling the entire line. Trains run so frequently -- as often as four times an hour during peak times not including the Nozomi -- that it's almost like catching the local subway. The Tohoku Shinkansen Line runs north from Tokyo and Ueno stations to Sendai, Morioka, Kakunodate, and Hachinohe, with branches extending to Shinjo and Akita. The Joetsu Shinkansen connects Tokyo and Ueno stations with Niigata on the Japan Sea coast. The Nagano Shinkansen, completed in time for the 1998 Winter Olympics, connects Tokyo and Ueno stations with Nagano in the Japan Alps. The newest line is the Kyushu Shinkansen, which currently runs between Shin-Yatsuhiro and Kagoshima but will extend all the way from Kagoshima to Hakata by 2011.

Shinkansen running along these lines offer two kinds of service -- trains that stop only at major cities (like the Nozomi and Hikari trains on the Tokaido-Sanyo Line) and trains that make more stops and are therefore slightly slower. If your destination is a smaller city on the Shinkansen line, make sure the train you take stops there. As a plus, information on stops is broadcast in English.

Regular Service -- In addition to bullet trains, there are also two types of long-distance trains that operate on regular tracks. The limited-express trains, or LEX (Tokkyu), branch off the Shinkansen system and are the fastest after the bullet trains, while the express trains (Kyuko) are slightly slower and make more stops. Slower still are rapid express trains (Shin-Kaisoku) and the even slower rapid trains (Kaisoku). To serve the everyday needs of Japan's commuting population, local trains (Futsu) stop at all stations.

There are also privately owned lines that operate from major cities to tourist destinations. Kintetsu (Kinki Nippon Railway) lines, for example, are useful for traveling in the Kansai area and to the Ise Shima Peninsula, while Odakyu serves Hakone.

Information -- For the most comprehensive site covering rail travel in Japan, go to www.japanrail.com, which also provides links to the websites of all six JR Group companies, gives fares and timetables for long-distance JR trains (including the Shinkansen), displays maps of Tokyo and Shinjuku stations, and contains information on rail passes.

In Japan, stop by the Tourist Information Center in downtown Tokyo or at the international airports in Narita or Osaka for the invaluable Railway Timetable, published annually in English and providing train schedules for the Shinkansen and limited express JR lines. To be on the safe side, I also stop by the train information desk or the tourist information desk as soon as I arrive at a new destination to check on train schedules onward to my next destination.

Train Distances/Traveling Time -- Because Japan is an island nation, many people erroneously believe that the traveling time between destinations is of little concern. However, the country is much longer than most people imagine. Its four main islands, measured from the northeast to the southwest, cover roughly the distance from Maine to Florida. (Thank goodness for the Shinkansen bullet train!) In addition, transportation can be slow in mountainous regions, especially if you're on a local train.

Train Fares & Reservations -- Trains are expensive in Japan; ticket prices are based on the type of train (Shinkansen bullet trains are the most expensive), the distance traveled, whether your seat is reserved, and the season, with slightly higher prices (usually a ¥200/$1.65 surcharge) during peak season (Golden Week, July 21-Aug 31, Dec 25-Jan 10, and Mar 21-Apr 5). Children (ages 6-11) pay half fare, while up to two children 5 and younger travel for free with one adult (otherwise the third will pay half fare). I've included train prices from Tokyo for many destinations covered in this book. Unless stated otherwise, prices in this guide are for adults for nonreserved seats on the fastest train available during regular season. You can buy JR tickets and obtain information about JR trains traveling throughout Japan at any Japan Railways station (in Tokyo this includes major stations along the Yamanote Line, which loops around Tokyo). If you wish to purchase a ticket using a credit card, go to a Reservation Ticket Office at any major JR station.

No matter which train you ride, be sure to hang onto your ticket -- you'll be required to give it up at the end of your trip as you exit through the gate.

Train Travel Tips -- Pack lightly, since porters are virtually nonexistent, overhead luggage space is small, and most rail stations have lots of stairs. Your best sources for train schedules are at www.japanrail.com or the Railway Timetable available at JNTO's Tourist Information Centers. For routing information and questions about train times once you've begun your trip, call the Tourist Information Center at tel. 03/3201-3331 in Tokyo. You can also call the JR East Infoline in Tokyo for information in English (tel. 03/3423-0111) daily from 10am to 6pm; no reservations are accepted by phone, but you can inquire about time schedules, fares, location of reservation offices, lost-and-found offices, and more.

Seat Reservations -- You can reserve seats for the Shinkansen, as well as for limited-express and express trains (but not for slower rapid or local trains, which are on a first-come, first-served basis) at any major Japan Railways station in Japan. Reserved seats cost slightly more than unreserved seats (¥510/$4.85 for the Shinkansen). The larger stations have a special reservation counter called Midori-no Madoguchi (Reservation Ticket Office) or View Plaza (Travel Service Center), easily recognizable by their green signs with RESERVATION TICKETS written on them. If you're at a JR station with no special reservation office, you can reserve your seats at one of the regular ticket windows. You can also purchase and reserve seats at several travel agents, including the giant Japan Travel Bureau (JTB), which has offices all over Japan. It's a good idea to reserve your seats for your entire trip through Japan as soon as you know your itinerary, especially if you'll be traveling during peak times; however, you can only reserve 1 month in advance. If it's not peak season, you'll probably be okay using a more flexible approach to traveling -- all trains also have nonreserved cars that fill up on a first-come, first-seated basis. You can also reserve seats on the day of travel up to departure time. I hardly ever reserve a seat when it's not peak season, preferring instead the flexibility of being able to hop on the next available train (or, sometimes I reserve a seat just before boarding). If you want to sit in the nonsmoking car of the Shinkansen bullet train, ask for the kinensha.

Tips for Saving Money -- If your ticket is for travel covering more than 100km (62 miles), you can make as many stopovers en route as you wish as long as you complete your trip within the period of the ticket's validity. Tickets for 100 to 200km (62-124 miles) are valid for 2 days, with 1 day added for each additional 200km. Note, too, that stopovers are granted only if your trip does not originate or end in Tokyo, Yokohama, Osaka, Nagoya, Kyoto, Kobe, Hiroshima, Kitakyushyu, Fukuoka, Sendai, or Sapporo. You can, however, purchase a ticket, say, in Takayama bound for Nagasaki (a total of about 1,860km/1,155 miles), stopping in Kyoto and Hiroshima along the way. In short, you can save money by purchasing tickets for long distances even though you plan to break up your journey.

You can also save money by purchasing a round-trip ticket for long distances. A round-trip by train on distances exceeding 600km (373 miles) one-way costs 20% less than two one-way tickets.

There are also regional tickets good for sightseeing. The Hakone Free Pass, for example, offered by Odakyu railways (www.odakyu-group.co.jp), includes round-trip transportation from Tokyo and unlimited travel in Hakone for a specific number of days. If you don't qualify for a Japan Rail Pass , the Seishun 18 (Seishun ju-hachi kippu) is a 5-day rail pass for ¥11,500 ($110) for travel anywhere in Japan so long as you use JR local and rapid trains (that is, no Shinkansen, limited express or express trains), making it a good bet for day excursions in the countryside (go to www.jr.east.co.jp/e/pass/index.html). There's also a Hokkaido Furii Pasu (www.jrhokkaido.co.jp) valid for 7 days of JR train and bus travel in Hokkaido costing ¥23,750 ($226) for one person or ¥43,220 ($412) for two persons traveling together.

Japan Rail Pass -- You can save quite a bit by purchasing a rail pass, even if you only plan to travel a little. How economical is a Japan Rail Pass? For example, if you were to buy a round-trip reserved-seat ticket on the Shinkansen from Tokyo to Kyoto, it would cost you ¥26,440 ($252), which is almost as much as a week's ordinary rail pass. If you plan to see more than just Tokyo and Kyoto, it pays to use a rail pass, which you must buy outside Japan (some regional rail passes, however, described below, can be purchased in Japan if you're a tourist in Japan).

Another advantage to a rail pass is that it offers a 10% discount or more off room rates at 50 JR Hotel Group hotels, including the Hotel Granvia in Kyoto, Okayama, and Hiroshima; the Crowne Plaza Metropolitan in Tokyo; and Hotel Kurashiki, Nara Hotel, JR Kyushu Hotel Fukuoka, JR Kyushu Hotel Kumamoto, JR Kyushu Hotel Nagasaki, ANA Hotel Clement Takamatsu, and many more. A Japan Rail Pass booklet, which comes with your purchase of a rail pass, lists member hotels (or go to www.jrhotelgroup.com).

Japan Rail Pass -- The Japan Rail Pass is without a doubt the most convenient and most economical way to travel around Japan. With the rail pass, you don't have to worry about buying individual tickets, and you can reserve your seats on all JR trains for free. The rail pass entitles you to unlimited travel on all JR train lines including the Shinkansen (except the Nozomi Super Express), as well as on most JR buses and the JR ferry to Miyajima.

There are several types of rail passes available; make your decision based on your length of stay in Japan and the cities you intend to visit. You might even find it best to combine several passes to cover your travels in Japan, such as a 1-week standard pass for longer journeys, say, to Kyushu, plus a regional Kansai Area Pass for visiting Kyoto and other destinations in the Kansai area. Information is on passes is available online at www.japanrailpass.net and www.japanrail.com.

The Standard Pass -- If you wish to travel throughout Japan, your best bet is to purchase the standard Japan Rail Pass. It's available for ordinary coach class and for the first-class Green Car and is available for travel lasting 1, 2, or 3 weeks. Rates for the ordinary pass, as of January 2006, are ¥28,300 ($269) for 7 days, ¥45,100 ($430) for 14 days, and ¥57,700 ($550) for 21 days. Rates for the Green Car are ¥37,800 ($360), ¥61,200 ($583), and ¥79,600 ($758) respectively. Children (ages 6-12) pay half fare. Personally, I have never traveled first class in Japan and don't consider it necessary. However, during peak travel times (New Year's, Golden Week, and the Obon season in mid-Aug), you may find it easier to reserve a seat in the first-class Green Car, which you can get by paying a surcharge in addition to showing your ordinary pass.

Before You Leave Home -- The standard Japan Rail Pass is available only to foreigners visiting Japan as tourists and can be purchased only outside Japan. It's available from most travel agents (chances are your travel agent sells them), including the Japan Travel Bureau (JTB; tel. 800/235-3523; www.jtbusa.com). If you're flying Japan Airlines (JAL; tel. 800/525-3663 in the U.S. and Canada; www.japanair.com) or All Nippon Airways (ANA; tel. 800/235-9262 in the U.S. and Canada; www.anaskyweb.com), you can also purchase a rail pass from them.

Upon purchasing your pass, you'll be issued a voucher (called an Exchange Order), which you'll then exchange for the pass itself after you arrive in Japan. Note that once you purchase your Exchange Order, you must exchange it in Japan for the pass itself within 3 months of the date of issue of the Exchange Order. When obtaining your actual pass, you must then specify the date you wish to start using the pass within a 1-month period.

Once You've Arrived -- In Japan, you can exchange your voucher for a Japan Rail Pass at more than 40 JR stations that have Japan Rail Pass exchange offices, at which time you must present your passport and specify the date you wish to begin using the pass; most offices are open daily from 10am to 6 or 7pm, some even longer.

At both Narita Airport (daily 6:30am-9:45pm) and Kansai International Airport (daily 5:30am-11pm), you can pick up Japan Rail Passes at either the Travel Service Center or the Ticket Office. Other Travel Service Centers or Ticket Offices, all located in JR train stations, include those at Tokyo (daily 5:30am-10:45pm), Ueno, Shinjuku, Ikebukuro, and Shibuya stations in Tokyo; Kyoto Station; Shin-Osaka and Osaka stations; and Hiroshima, Sapporo, Nagoya, Okayama, Takamatsu, Matsuyama, Hakata, Nagasaki, Kumamoto, Miyazaki, and Kagoshima Chuo stations. Stations and their open hours are listed in a pamphlet you'll receive with your voucher.

Regional Passes -- In addition to the standard Japan Rail Pass above, there are regional rail passes available for ordinary coach class that are convenient for travel in eastern or western Honshu, Kyushu, or Hokkaido. These passes can be purchased before arriving in Japan from the same vendors that sell the standard pass. They can also be purchased inside Japan within the area covered by the pass (for example, the Hokkaido Rail Pass can be purchased either outside of Japan or, in Japan, only in Hokkaido). These regional passes are available only to foreign visitors and require that you present your passport to verify your status as a "temporary visitor"; you may also be asked to show your plane ticket. Only one pass per region per visit to Japan is allowed.

If you're arriving by plane at the Kansai Airport outside Osaka and intend to remain in western Honshu, you may wish to opt for one of two different JR-West Passes (www.westjr.co.jp), available at Kansai Airport, Osaka JR station, and other locations. The Kansai Area Pass, which can be used for travel between Osaka, Kyoto, Kobe, Nara, Himeji, and other destinations in the Kansai area, is available as a 1-day pass for ¥2,000 ($19), 2-day pass for ¥4,000 ($38), 3-day pass for ¥5,000 ($48), or 4-day pass for ¥6,000 ($57). Travel is restricted to JR rapid and local trains (that is, Shinkansen and limited express trains are not included in the pass) and unreserved seating.

The other JR-West Pass available is the Sanyo Area Pass, which covers a larger area, allows travel via Shinkansen (including the superfast Nozomi) and JR local trains from Osaka as far as Hakata (in the city of Fukuoka on Kyushu), and includes Hiroshima, Okayama, Kurashiki, Himeji, and Kobe. It's available for 4 days for ¥20,000 ($190) and for 8 days for ¥30,000 ($286). Children pay half price for all passes.

Though not as popular as western Honshu, eastern Honshu also offers its own JR-East Pass (www.jreast.co.jp), which includes travel from Tokyo to parts of the Japan Alps and throughout the Tohoku District, including Sendai, Kakunodate, and Aomori via Shinkansen and local JR lines. Passes for travel in ordinary coach cars are available for 5 days for ¥20,000 ($190), 10 days for ¥32,000 ($305); a 4-day flexible pass (which is valid for any 4 consecutive or nonconsecutive days within a month) costs ¥20,000 ($190). Half-fare children's passes and Green Car passes are also available. Passes are available at Narita airport and JR stations in Tokyo, including Tokyo, Shinagawa, and Shinjuku.

If your travels are limited to the island of Kyushu, consider the JR-Kyushu Rail Pass (www.jrkyushu.co.jp), valid for 5 days for ¥16,000 ($152) and available for purchase at Hakata, Nagasaki, Kumamoto, Kagoshima Chuo, Miyazaki, and Beppu JR stations. Likewise, there's a Hokkaido Rail Pass (www.jrhokkaido.co.jp) valid for 3 days of travel for ¥14,000 ($133) or 5 days for ¥18,000 ($171), sold at Hakodate and Sapporo JR stations.

By Plane

Because it takes the better part of a day and night to travel by train from Tokyo down to southern Kyushu or up to northern Hokkaido, you may find it more convenient to fly at least one stretch of your journey in Japan. You may, for example, fly internationally into Osaka and then onward to Fukuoka on Kyushu, from where you can take a leisurely 2 weeks to travel by train through Kyushu and Honshu before returning to Osaka. I don't, however, advise flying short distances -- say, from Tokyo to Osaka -- simply because the time spent getting to and from airports is longer and flights are costlier than the time spent traveling by Shinkansen.

Almost all domestic flights from Tokyo leave from the much more conveniently located Haneda Airport. If you're already in Tokyo, you can easily reach Haneda Airport via monorail from Hamamatsucho Station on the Yamanote Line. If you're arriving on an international flight at Narita Airport, therefore, make sure you know whether a connection to a domestic flight is at Narita or requires a transfer to Haneda Airport via the Airport Limousine Bus.

Two major domestic airlines are Japan Airlines (JAL; tel. 0120/25-5971 toll-free in Japan; www.jal.co.jp); and All Nippon Airways (ANA; tel. 0120/029-222 toll-free in Japan; www.anaskyweb.com). Japan Asia Airways (JAA; tel. 0120/747-801), is a smaller company with networks that stretch all the way from Okinawa to northern Hokkaido. Regular fares are generally the same no matter which airline you fly domestically. However, fares change often, with the most expensive fares charged for peak season including New Year's, Golden Week, and summer vacation. However, bargains do exist. Some flights early in the day or late at night may be cheaper than flights during peak time; you can also save by purchasing tickets 7 days in advance and even more by purchasing them 21 days in advance (ask carriers for details). Round-trip tickets provide a slight discount.

Purchasing domestic tickets in advance in connection with your international flight, however, may be the most economical way to go. JAL's "Yokoso (Welcome) Japan" air pass, purchased in conjunction with a JAL flight to Japan and sold only outside Japan, provides discount fares (¥10,000/$95 per flight) for domestic travel to 42 cities in Japan served by JAL and its two subsidiaries, JAL Express and Japan TransOcean Air. Visitors flying other airlines into Japan can take advantage of JAL's "Welcome to Japan Fare," which provides discounts on JAL's domestic flights regardless of which international airline is used to reach Japan. Also sold only outside Japan, it costs ¥12,600 ($120) per flight, with a minimum of two flights required. Note that there are blackout dates for both programs. ANA offers a similar program called Visit Japan Fare, which must be purchased outside Japan, allows you to travel any international carrier to Japan, and costs ¥12,600 ($120) per flight (a minimum of two flights required). Contact JAL or ANA or your travel agent for details.

Otherwise, there are small, regional airlines that generally offer fares that are cheaper than the standard full fare charged by JAL or ANA. These include Skymark (tel. 03/3433-7670 in Tokyo, or 092/736-3131 in Fukuoka), operating out of Fukuoka on the island of Kyushu; Skynet Asia Airways (tel. 0120/737-283 toll-free), connecting Nagasaki, Kumamoto, and Miyazaki on Kyushu with Tokyo; and Air Do (tel. 0120/0570-333 toll-free), out of Sapporo on the island of Hokkaido.

It pays, therefore, to shop around. Although it's subject to change, the regular fare for a one-way flight aboard JAL from Tokyo to Kagoshima, for example, is about ¥33,600 ($320) during the regular season, but drops to ¥20,500 ($195) for a 7-day advance purchase of certain flights. Skynet's regular fare is ¥25,300 ($241) but drops to ¥9,800 ($93) for selected days if bought 2 months in advance. For comparison, a train ticket between the two cities is ¥23,420 ($223) one-way. Where airline fares are provided in this book, fares are for regular tickets during the regular season. Tickets can be purchased directly through the airline, at View Plazas located at major JR train stations, or at a travel agent such as Japan Travel Bureau (JTB), which has offices virtually everywhere in Japan.

By Bus

Buses often go where trains don't and thus may be the only way for you to get to the more remote areas of Japan, such as Shirakawago in the Japan Alps. In Hokkaido, Tohoku, Kyushu, and other places, buses are used extensively.

Some intercity buses require you to make reservations or purchase your ticket in advance at the ticket counter at the bus terminal. For others (especially local buses), when you board a bus you'll generally find a ticket machine by the entry door. Take a ticket, which is number-coded with a board displayed at the front of the bus. The board shows the various fares, which increase with the distance traveled. You pay your fare when you get off.

In addition to serving the remote areas of the country, long-distance buses (called chokyori basu) also operate between major cities in Japan and offer the cheapest mode of transportation. Although Japan Railways operates almost a dozen bus routes eligible for JR Rail Pass coverage, the majority of buses are run by private companies. Some long-distance buses travel during the night and offer reclining seats and toilets, thus saving passengers the price of a night's lodging. For example, special buses depart from Tokyo Station's Yaesu south side every night for Kyoto (¥8,180/$78), Osaka (¥8,610/$82), and Hiroshima (¥11,600/$110), arriving at those cities' main train stations the next morning. Night buses also depart from Shinjuku Station's new south exit or from the Shinjuku Highway Bus Terminal (a 3-min. walk from Shinjuku Station's west exit) bound for Kyoto, Nagoya, Okayama, and beyond. Night buses also travel from these cities in reverse back to Tokyo. Slight discounts are given for round-trip travel completed within 6 to 10 days, depending on the city. There are also day buses traveling between Tokyo and Kyoto or Osaka for ¥6,000 ($50). Long-distance bus tickets can be purchased at View Plazas at major JR stations (for JR buses), at travel agencies such as JTB, or at bus terminals.

For more information on local and long-distance bus service, refer to individual cities covered in this guide or contact the Tourist Information Center in Tokyo.

By Car

With the exception, perhaps, of Izu Peninsula, the Tohoku region, and Hokkaido, driving is not recommended for visitors wishing to tour Japan. Driving is British style (on the left side of the road), which may be hard for those not used to it; traffic can be horrendous; and driving isn't even economical. Not only is gas expensive (about $4.60 a gallon), but all of Japan's expressways charge high tolls -- the one-way toll from Tokyo to Kyoto is almost the same price as a ticket to Kyoto on the Shinkansen. And whereas the Shinkansen takes only 3 hours to get to Kyoto, driving takes about 8 hours. In addition, you may encounter few signs in English in remote areas. Driving in cities is even worse: Streets are often hardly wide enough for a rickshaw, let alone a car, and many roads don't have sidewalks so you have to dodge people, bicycles, and telephone poles. Free parking is hard to find, and garages are expensive. Except in remote areas, it just doesn't make sense to drive.

There are approximately a dozen major car-rental companies in Tokyo alone, with branch offices throughout the city and at the Narita Airport, including Nippon Rent-A-Car Service (tel. 03/3485-7196 for the English Service Desk), Toyota Rent-A-Car (tel. 03/5954-8008 in Tokyo, or 0070-8000-10000 toll-free), Nissan Rent-A-Car (tel. 0120/00-4123), and Avis (tel. 03/6436-6404); these companies also have branches throughout Japan. In almost every city with a JR train station, there is also a JR Eki Rent-A-Car office, offering 20% discounts on car rentals booked in conjunction with train tickets; you can reserve these cars at any JR Travel Service Center (located in train stations) anywhere in Japan. Rates vary, but the average cost for 24 hours with unlimited mileage ranges from about ¥8,000 to ¥13,000 ($76-$124) for a subcompact including insurance but not gas; in some tourist areas, such as Hokkaido, rates are more expensive in peak season.

If you do intend to drive in Japan, you'll need either an international or a Japanese driving license. Remember, cars are driven on the left side of the road, and signs on all major highways are written in both Japanese and English. It is against the law to drink alcohol and drive, and you must wear seat belts at all times. Be sure to purchase a bilingual map, since back roads often have names of towns written in Japanese only. Recommended is the Shobunsha Road Atlas Japan, available in bookstores that sell English-language books; it also contains maps of major cities, including Tokyo, Sapporo, Hiroshima, and others.

Breakdowns/Assistance -- The Japan Automobile Federation (JAF) maintains emergency telephone boxes along Japan's major arteries to assist drivers whose cars have broken down or drivers who need help. Calls from these telephones are free and will connect you to JAF's operation center.

By Ferry

Because Japan is an island nation, an extensive ferry network links the string of islands. Although travel by ferry takes longer, it's also cheaper and can be a pleasant, relaxing experience. For example, you can take a ferry from Osaka to Beppu (on Kyushu), with fares starting at ¥7,900 ($75) for the 11-hour trip. Contact the Tourist Information Center for more details concerning ferries, prices, schedules, and telephone numbers of the various ferry companies.