The Shinkansen bullet trains in Japan are famous for going 300 km/h across the country. There is a less exciting way to see Japan than the new rail system: taking only local trains. These slower rides not only take you from one place to another, but they also show you the beauty, daily life, and …
How to Travel Across Japan Using Only Local Trains
The Shinkansen bullet trains in Japan are famous for going 300 km/h across the country. There is a less exciting way to see Japan than the new rail system: taking only local trains. These slower rides not only take you from one place to another, but they also show you the beauty, daily life, and interactions of people in the countryside that most tourists never see.
This in-depth guide will show you how to get around Japan using only local trains. It will talk about routes, passes, cultural sites, snack stops, and helpful hints. You can use it as both a travel guide and a journal for slow travel.
Why take the train locally?
At first, it might be hard to give up the Shinkansen. If you take the train, you might get there in three hours instead of ten. But the answer will depend on what kind of trip you want to go on.
At each stop and transfer, you can go to a small village, eat a local meal, or talk to a student from the area. The trip is the goal.
Local trains travel through beautiful places like fishing villages, rice terraces, coastlines, and mountain valleys. The Seishun 18 Ticket is a great deal because it costs a lot less than Shinkansen tickets.
Cultural immersion: Instead of tourists, you ride in carriages with people going to work, school, or the elderly. You see more when you slow down on the local train.
The Seishun 18 Ticket: A Secret Weapon
The Seishun 18 Ticket is the best way to get around by train without spending a lot of money. For ¥12,050 (about $80), you can ride any JR local or rapid train for five days.
- Days don’t have to come in a row. You can spread them out over the course of a trip.
- Only good during the spring, summer, and winter school breaks.
- It includes all of the country’s JR local and fast trains. (Not for Limited Express or Shinkansen).
- With this ticket, it’s very cheap to travel all over Japan. It costs ¥23,000 (about $150) to take the Shinkansen from Tokyo to Fukuoka, for instance.
- For two days, tickets from Tokyo to Fukuoka (with Seishun 18) cost about ¥4,800.
Let’s plan a trip across the country that only uses local trains and stops in major cities.
Day 1:
About 7 hours from Tokyo to Nagoya. Take the JR Tokaido Line from Tokyo Station. If you want soft serve green tea, go to Shizuoka. If you want hot springs, go to Atami. Look at Hamamatsu’s gyoza and instrument stores. We will arrive in Nagoya in the evening. A miso katsu is a pork cutlet that has been deep-fried and is served with miso sauce.
Day 2:
From Nagoya to Kyoto/Osaka (about four hours). Go along the Tokaido line. You can see Lake Biwa up close as you drive through the castle town of Gifu. Kyoto has beautiful temples, gardens, and geisha districts, while Osaka has great street food.
Day 3:
Hiroshima to Osaka (8 to 9 hours). The Seto Inland Sea is where the JR Sanyo Line goes. Go to Himeji to see the most famous castle in Japan. You could go to Okayama (Korakuen Garden) or Onomichi (ramen and bike trails). When you get to Hiroshima, visit Peace Memorial Park and try the city’s version of okonomiyaki.
Day 4:
It takes about six hours to drive from Hiroshima to Fukuoka. Head west toward Kyushu. Visit the Itsukushima Shrine in Miyajima. Try the pufferfish dishes from Shimonoseki. Start in Mojiko Retro Town, go through Kyushu, and end in Fukuoka, where tonkotsu ramen was first made. You could also go along the coast of the Sea of Japan.
The San’in Main Line goes along the less-travelled Sea of Japan shoreline for people who like to be alone. Kyoto is the starting point for this route, which passes through Tottori, Matsue, and Yamaguchi. It passes by fishing villages, hidden onsen towns, and cliffs made by volcanoes. It takes longer, but it’s a lot quieter and more relaxing.
Different Local Train Trips
Even if you don’t go all the way across the country, these routes are worth visiting:
- The Tadami Line runs from Fukushima to Niigata and goes through rivers and past snowy mountains.
- The Gono Line goes along the beautiful coast of the Sea of Japan from Akita to Aomori.
- The Enoden Line (Kamakura to Enoshima) is a nostalgic tram that runs close to Tokyo.
- The Hisatsu Line in Kyushu goes from Kumamoto to Kagoshima and has views of hot springs and mountains.
These phrases all sound like they came from a postcard from a relaxing vacation.
Life on the Local Trains Every Day
If you ride local trains, you’ll get a taste of what life is like in Japan.
- There are a lot of students and office workers in uniform on their way to work in the morning.
- There are no phones on, and people are talking quietly in the Silent Carriages.
- Station Chimes: Every station has its own song, from happy jingles to sad folk songs.
- Unexpected Encounters: Older travellers often talk to foreign guests because they are curious about them. These things make each ride unique.
The Path of Food
You can’t travel by train in Japan without eating. You can try smaller, more local foods when you ride the local train. You can see fancy ekiben (bento boxes) when you ride the Shinkansen.
- Everything in Shizuoka tasted like green tea.
- In Nagoya, you can get kishimen noodles and miso katsu.
- Osaka: okonomiyaki and takoyaki (balls of octopus).
- Hiroshima-style layered okonomiyaki from Hiroshima.
- Hakata-style tonkotsu ramen from Fukuoka. A professional says to get off at a station at noon, walk down a shopping street, and then get on the next train.
Helpful Advice
- To get rid of Shinkansen and Limited Express, use Hyperdia or Jorudan-Filter searches.
- Start Early: You might have to switch buses ten times or more on local trips.
- Pack light because most of the time carriers don’t have luggage racks.
- Bring snacks because not all rural stations have a lot of food.
- Look at the schedules; many lines stop running between 10 and 11 p.m.
- Think about sending your luggage ahead of time. Companies like Yamato Transport in Japan can send your things to your next hotel.
The Good and the Bad
Pros:
- Seishun 18 doesn’t cost too much.
- Rural villages and pretty paths.
- Being completely involved in a culture.
- Adventure and being able to change your plans.
Cons:
- Trips take longer.
- Transfers happen regularly.
- In rural areas, there aren’t many signs in English.
- You can only buy tickets at certain times of the year.
It’s not just a way to get around Japan; it’s a way of life. It teaches you to be patient, watch, and act on the spur of the moment. You don’t rush through a list of “must-sees.” Instead, you enjoy the little things, like seeing fog roll over rice paddies, hearing students laugh, and eating local noodles at an old station. This is Japan at its most real and peaceful.
The Shinkansen is the best way to get somewhere fast. Local trains are the best way to see Japan’s countryside, people, and daily life, though. Get a Seishun 18 ticket, leave early, and pack light. Then watch the fun start. Because the slowest way can sometimes get you closer to the heart of a country.
