Part III: The complicated system of public transport in Japan

I originally planned to write about my time in the capital of Japan but since I spent very little time in Tokyo on this trip, I didn’t dare writing about it for fear that my information would not be accurate enough. Next time I visit Kanto Region and this city formerly known as Edo, I would make sure that I gather all useful tips and tricks for the readers of my blog. For now, let’s skip Tokyo and move on to the public transport system in Japan.

Your friends or anyone who has been to Japan might have told you how much taking trains in Japan could cause you a terrible headache. Fear no more! I can guarantee that navigating through the labyrinth of Japanese public transport system is very challenging yet manageable if you prepare yourself well before the trip.

Let’s start with Osaka. In the past, anyone who wanted to travel to Osaka had to disembark at Osaka Itami International Airport (ITM) which was much closer to the city centre. This airport nowadays only caters for domestic flights while Kansei International Airport (KIX) handles all international flights. Kansei International Airport is located about 40 kilometres away from Osaka city centre. Taxi fare from the airport costs approximately 17,000 Yen (close to 5,000 THB). Hence, in my opinion, the best way to travel to Osaka is by train.

As mentioned in the previous post, Osaka is divided into North (Kita) and South (Minami) zones. If the hotel you choose to stay is near Osaka Station or Umeda Subway Station, then JR Kansei Airport Rapid Service is your best bet. It takes about one hour to get from the airport to Osaka Station. The Airport Limousine Bus also takes as much time to get to Osaka but it may not be as convenient if you have no idea where the hotel is situated. Therefore, it is probably best to take the train to Osaka Station and walk to Umeda Station if you need the subway to get to the hotel. If your hotel happens to be in the south zone, you can choose between Nankai Rapi:t which takes about half an hour to Namba Station or the cheaper option, Nankai Airport Express, which is only 10 minutes more on the train. I have no idea how much the fares of these two trains are because I did not use the train when travelling from KIX to Osaka City Centre. However, any of these choices would still be much cheaper than taking a taxi for sure. In addition to all of the above-mentioned trains and buses, there are other means and routes of transport which you can choose to travel from Kansei Airport. Now now … if you think why so many different means of transport are offered at the airport, wait until you get to the city and you will see many more.

Osaka has 6 train companies (offering different trains and different routes — the well known one is called JR West), 8 subways lines, a tram line called Osaka Loop Line (which circles round the heart of Osaka), buses, and taxis. This can be overwhelming so make sure you study the map to check the locations of the hotel and the attractions or places you would like to visit and find the nearest train, subway or bus stations beforehand. In this post, I will list only a few places I visited.

Universal Studios Japan (USJ): To get there, take Osaka Loop Line (JR Yumesaki Line heading toward Sakurajima Station) and get off at Universal City Station. Make sure you get on the one heading to Sakurajima otherwise you would be stuck on the loop line.

PS. Those whose command of Japanese isn’t great can buy the USJ admission ticket at Travel Desk at the airport. The ticket costs a bit over 6,000 Yen (about 2,000 THB). When you arrive at USJ, there is no need to go to ticket booth. Just enter the park at the Entrance. If you are a Harry Potter fan, once inside the park, keep walking until you find The Wizarding World of Harry Potter and present your ticket to get a Timed Entry Ticket and pick the time you want to go into this zone. Anyone who is confident with his or her ability to speak Japanese can buy the admission tickets at ticketing machine at a local convenient store called Lawson. The staff there can help you with the purchase of USJ 1-Day Pass. Good luck! If you are lucky, you would come across Japanese staff who can speak English. It is possible to enter Lawson and find two Chinese staff who can speak only Chinese and Japanese. That happened to me! English was out of the question. I was also asked where I was from and, despite my answer, if I could speak Chinese. I suppose my Chinese look encourages people to question my ability (or inability!) to speak certain language. Oh well…

Osaka Castle: Catch Osaka Loop Line to Osakajo-koen Station or take the dark green (see Subway Map) Subway — Chuo Line — heading Nagata direction and get off at Morinomiya Station (C19). I chose to use subway because I crossed over from Kaiyukan Aquarium on the other side of the city. From Morinomiya Station, enjoy the walk in Osaka Castle Park. At the entrance to the castle, there are several shops selling food, drinks and souvenirs. Try some grilled squid before you enter the castle. You won’t be disappointed.

Kaiyukan Aquarium: One of the top aquariums in the country has just welcomed its newest member, Yu-chan — a beautiful whale shark. To go there to see her, you should take the dark green Subway — Chuo Line — heading toward Cosmosquare or get on the red line — Midosuji Line — from Umeda Station (M16) or Namba Station (M20) and change to the dark green line (Chuo Line) at Hommachi Station (M18). The closest station to the aquarium is Osakako (C11) on Chuo Line, which runs from west to east.

If it is your first time in Japan, there is a possibility that you would be mesmerised by the number of ticketing machines which are placed at the train or subway station entrance. The network map on the wall lists all stations and routes as well as the fare for each station. Calm yourself first then look for the station you want to travel to and note the fare. Then walk with confidence to the ticketing machine and press the button which corresponds to the fare. If you travel with other people, then choose the number of travellers (unless you want to leave them behind ☺). Insert banknotes or coins and take the ticket(s) and any change there is. It is pretty simple really. The most difficult part would be to look up the station on the map because it is rather confusing in general with almost everything in Japanese. The stations where many tourists travel to, though, are stated in Japanese and English so that makes things a bit easier.

The electronic signage is available at the train platform of each station of Osaka Loop Line and other train lines. The first section indicates the type of train and the train number. The second is either a circle or a triangle with numbers. This is the part which tells us where the doors to the train will be when the train stops. Look down and find the symbol and the numbers and line up accordingly. The third section tells the time when the train will arrive. The fourth is the destination of the train. See, not complicated at all!

Next time I will write about bus and subway network in Kyoto. Stay tuned!