Japan Transportation Experience
Because we wanted to experience Japan's transportation, we didn't buy a JR Pass or Suica card. We bought a ticket for each ride. Just after arriving in Osaka, we were overwhelmed by the incredibly complex bus transfers, spinning around the station several times, taking the wrong train, and buying the wrong ticket. Later we figured out some tricks. First, using Google Maps for navigation requires a good mobile signal that can locate you accurately in time. If you don't know where you are, even the best route is useless. The SIM card and data package we bought weren't great; inside stations (especially underground) we often couldn't find a signal or connect to the internet. This was the main reason we kept getting lost at first.
Second, given this situation, I later discovered that with Google Maps you should look up your route in advance where the signal is good, and then follow the entrance/exit numbers specified in the route plan. You must remember the numbers, such as Exit 4 or West Gate. Also note the platform and direction when boarding. That way, even if you lose internet, you won't panic. Most large stations in Japan are built like shopping malls, crowded and lively, with exits in all directions. But their signage is clear; following the station signs is often more reliable than following a Google Maps that can't connect.
Third, most stations have ticket vending machines. Provided you are at the correct station (make sure whether it's a subway, train, or bus stop), when buying a ticket, remember the station's code number, not the station name. Once we entered the wrong station, so we couldn't find the route ticket on the machine. Sometimes we tried to buy tickets using the station names from the Norikae Annai app, but even if the station name was in Chinese, it wouldn't appear in Chinese on the vending machine, and you couldn't type it in. Later we realized you enter the station code, for example, Tokyo's private subway Asakusabashi Station is code A16 (see photo).
At the departure station, input your destination station code, and the machine will tell you how much you need to pay for the ticket. Another way: look up at the route map on the wall; below each station name are numbers like 180, 220, etc. These numbers indicate the fare to that station. Usually the minimum fare is 180 yen, it becomes 220 after three or four stops, and more for longer distances. So just find the fare to your destination and insert that amount. If you buy a ticket that is insufficient, before exiting, use a "fare adjustment machine" (Seisanki) to pay the difference. Insert your entry ticket, and it will automatically calculate how much more you need to pay. We mostly used the subway in Japan; only in Kyoto did we take a bus once. On that bus you pay when you get off, with a flat fare of 230 yen per person regardless of stops. Now they have abolished the one-day bus pass and replaced it with a combined bus and subway one-day pass, costing over 1,000 yen, suitable for those who travel a lot. We didn't visit many places, so we didn't buy it.
Fourth, if you buy tickets on the spot like we did, the ticket is a small slip. When entering the station, insert it into the ticket gate; it comes out from the other side, now stamped. You must take it and keep it for exiting. When exiting, insert the ticket; if the fare is correct, the gate swallows it. If the fare is insufficient, it spits it out, and you need to go to the staffed gate to pay the difference or use the adjustment machine. Because we bought a wrong ticket once, we got to keep one as a souvenir.
Japan is very safe; there is almost no security check. The subway does not require security; at important attractions like museums or the Imperial Palace Outer Garden, security just asks you to open your bag for a quick glance. No ID is needed to buy tickets; anyone can buy them. This at least reflects a stable and safe society.
Most of Japan's attractions are temples, free of charge and open 24 hours. It's recommended to visit temples during off-peak hours, such as early morning or evening; you'll get a different experience. The only places we bought tickets for were the Tokyo Skytree and the National Museum. We wanted to go to the Ghibli Museum but didn't book in advance (reportedly need three days' notice), so we missed it. But the Tokyo National Museum was also excellent. Adult tickets are 1,000 yen for the permanent exhibition; children of middle school age enter free just by showing their passport date of birth. I think the museum is far more worth visiting than Akihabara.
