Transportation

Trains  Possibly the most practical form of transport.  In Japan they run very smoothly and are always punctual  There are different types of trains…express, limited express etc.

Railways in Ibaraki

Trains  Good points  Punctual  Usually fast.  Reliable  Many different lines to many places. (refer to handbook for some good line information)  Bad points  A little expensive.  Sometimes crowded  Last train can be too early, you may have to stay out if you don’t want to go home early.

Shinkansen Routes

Buses  Buses are a reliable and cheap option for crossing short and large distances.  There are different types of buses.  Local buses  As the name suggests, these are buses which run the local routes around your town.  The way that you use them is a little complicated but it is explained very well in the handbook.  They are reliable and inexpensive but sometimes, like trains, can finish their service early.

 Highway Buses  These buses travel longer distances than normal buses, usually they travel between cities such as Tokyo and Mito.  They are comfy and relatively cheap.  They often run till late at night.  They are also a great way of getting to Narita Airport. But please factor in enough time for a traffic jam, this as never happened to me yet but its better to be safe than sorry.  In the handbook they have links for the airport bus timetable

 Overnight buses  These are for very long distances i.e. Mito to Osaka.  These can be very comfy with your own reclining seat, pillow and blanket.  But they can also be very basic and a nightmare to sleep on.  Make sure to book the right coach when you buy the tickets.  The tickets are relatively cheap, especially compared to the shinkansen.

Flying  Flying can be the most ideal way to travel, especially if you can grab a cheap ticket online. (No1 travel is a great website)  There are many flights internally in Japan and they go to most major destinations such as Kyushu, Hokkaido, Osaka etc.  Domestic flights usually go from Haneda airport but now Ibaraki airport has some good, cheap, domestic routes.  If you want to go abroad then usually you will fly from Narita airport. This is the main international airport in Tokyo although Haneda has a new domestic terminal. Again there are many cheap flights to be found.

Ferries  Ferries are a slow, inexpensive way of getting around.  In Ibaraki the most famous route in the Oarai to Sapporo ferry. This is cheap but very slow. It takes 19 hours but can be fun if you are with your friends.  The ferry is basic, pretty much no restaurants but you get a futon to sleep on.  But with flights only being a fraction more expensive Im not sure if they are worth it.

Bicycles  Cycling is a great way to get around, also the health benefits are a nice bonus too, unless an Ibaraki driver gets you (more on that later).  Bikes are quite cheap but as you may of seen, everyone, the young to old, male and female ride around on grandma bikes.  These have no gears, quite heavy and not meant for hills or long distances.  You can buy better bikes but they are expensive.  Ensure to buy a good bike lock, as Ibaraki is known for its high levels of bike theft.

Cycling in Ibaraki If you are interested in cycling in Ibaraki talk to your block leader or your local bicycle shop for advice on where to ride. To emphasize the greatness of cycling. I have prepared this clip. Rin Rin Road A bicycle path from Iwase to Tsuchiura 40km

Driving  Licences  First of all licences…everyone can drive for a year with an international driving permit (IDP). After which you must obtain a licence.  The licence test is hard and chances are you will fail the first one or two times.  Also it will be in a manual car, not an automatic.  Good news is, if you are from certain countries you don’t need to take the test.  Bad news if you are American…you have to take the test.  With a Japanese licence you can ride a scooter, with only the IDP you cannot.  All of this information applies to motorbikes too.

 Insurance and taxes  This is a little tricky…  Two types of insurance. Shaken which is mandatory and jidoushahoken (vehicle insurance) which is not.  Shaken is a test which your car must go under every two years. It is expensive and you must have it. Driving without it is illegal.  Also in a crash shaken covers the cost of the other parties health care.  Hoken is the non-mandatory insurance. This covers yours and the other parties cars.  I highly advise you to buy hoken, its relatively cheap (from a British point of view at least). Driving without it is a big risk. If you hit and write off a new car, for example a Mercedes, you are facing some very hefty bills with no help.

 Also in a car crash in Japan, there is no such thing as 100% liability. So in every crash you will have to pay out. The percentage is determined between the parties and on the situation. So hoken is highly advised.  Every April whoever owns a vehicle will be taxed according to the engine size.

 Cars  Two types…yellow and white plates.  Yellow plates, also known as kei cars, are very popular in Japan.  They are small and inexpenisve. The engine is only 600cc but surprisingly fast. As a result they use less petrol/gas. Also there shaken, hoken and taxes are cheaper than regular cars.  Sounds great, downside is…small and cramped, useless in wintery conditions and in a big crash, possibly deadly.

 White plates are the regular cars that you are probably more used to.  Bigger, faster, safer but more expensive to run.  Motorbikes  Good way to see Japan  Inexpensive  If you want to ride a bike there are 2 licences. The first one limits you to a 400cc bike. The second one means you can ride any bike you want. You need to do the first one first.

Major Roadways in Ibaraki

More Major Roadways

Major Transportation Routes