What California Lady said....x's 10!

Regarding your question about exiting the train, I always ask the conductor early on which door, right or left side, will be used when I exit. Then I begin gathering my stuff after we leave the previous stop, and I go stand by the proper door. It is easy to walk around on a moving Japanese train.

>> unlock luggage

Huh? What do you mean?

I need to adjust last part of the title of this topic into something like '(close to) travel zen style'...

Thank u CaliforniaLady for sharing your experience, handy tips!

About the unlocking, I thought the trains don't have an overbin (if that's a correct word, meaning over your head storage compartment). But a central luggage storage facility somewhere in the wagon instead. On those racks there is a sort of lock wire to prevent fellow tourist take your luggage by accident. Appears not to be the case?

There is overhead storage on all of the trains I rode. But if you want specifics, look at the Man in Seat 61 website. There are luggage storage areas at the ends of the cars, particularly on the Narita Express.

I have only seen separate storage areas in the front part of the car in the Narita Express, as Kathie said, and they have some sort of cable lock that the passenger can set up with a password/number. I've never used it though as my suitcase is small enough to fit in adjacent to my legs at the seat....

I really would not worry about the security of your luggage on a Japanese train, or most anywhere else in the country.

All of my train tickets have been printed in English without me asking. I always write everything down and hand the paper to the clerk:

Date. From place to place, From time to time, Name of train. Reserved seat window.

The shinkansen stops are brief, othes more leisurely. I have had one commuter train run late, everthing else on time, so you can go by time. But this trip I am relying on my smart phone.

Thought of some more.

If you are making a connection, put it all one piece of paper (if it will fit, lol).

Main start and end places and overall time, and then each section, places and times. If you are not using a pass you will get one ticket for the whole trip, and one seat ticket for each leg. If you are using a pass you just get the seat tickets.

At the ticket gates, if you are using a pass you do not go through the gates, you show your pass to a person, usually in an office off to the side. You may need to show the seat ticket to the conductor on the train.

If you do not have a pass you will need to feed the main ticket and the first seat ticket into the ticket gate at the start. If you change from a shinkansen to an ordinary train you will need to feed the main ticket, the shinkansen seat ticket and the ordinary seat ticket into the transfer gate together...

There will be an official standing around who can help! And English on the signs.

IIRC, there were signs in Japanese and English at each JR station showing not only the name of the current station (larger, in the center), but also, with arrows, the last and next stations.

I did see some trains with a space for luggage near the doors.

If your luggage is large, you can also take advantage of Japan's excellent luggage-forwarding option so you only need to take an overnight bag with you. Luggage-forwarding is called takuhaibin; here's the info:
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2278.html

So glad with this forum, all the detailed info, it's unbelievable. I've added Matsumoto but skipped Nikko. Two more questions came up.

On contact with people, as a male, asking for help/inquiery should I be reluctant towrds Japanese women? And preferebly ask men?

In Tokyo I saw one can stay dirt cheap via airbnb. Price depends also on location. What are your thoughts on staying in or out of central Tokyo? As I understood, my stay here in comparison to 'standards' is twice as long, six nights. May I ask to share your experience on this?

Yes kja, but the next station on the railway line isn't necessarily the next stop for your train. And I defy you to read the sign when you are whizzing through the next station at speed. You may not even see the station (I went through three in succession on a limited express today, and barely saw one of them). I've found those signs of more use on locals, but then you don't need them on shinkasens.

I highly recommend a smart phone with a data plan. (I'm still happy with T-Mobile) Failing that, know the stop before yours and the time you arrive at your destination. The kind of trains you will be riding will be on time: if you are due in at 16:05, and the train is showing 16:03, better get ready to get off. If you hear music, definitely get ready. However, with your routing, your destination may well be the terminus, so no worries at all.

I am not a fan of Tokyo. I stayed in a budget ryokan in Asakusa, and liked the ryokan and the area. I am also not a fan of AirBnB, so can't help with that.

A bit more specific: Nikko is skipped due to timetables and lodging.

And: I can stay in Tokyo near Morishita station and Rougoku station for ¥15.000 ($145/€131/£117) in dormitory (6p) for six nights. Tempting but I prefer a private room, which is possible (¥24.000/$235/€212/£119) in a shared house. But my request on your experience/advice on location is still on.

My wife added another thing. She asks me why I'm not using our roller suitcase (size of a standard suitcase). Main aspect is her concern for all those breakable/handle with care souvenirs that I'm going to/supposed to bring home. (Think of a smiley here!) I on the other hand prefer to use a soft case, more like a weekend bag, no rollers but traveling light. I mentioned the size of the lockers at the train station but I have to admit that I would be needing them just twice (Osaka and Matsumoto). Please advice...

If you are on a budget requiring you to share bedrooms and baths, what souvenirs do you think you are going to buy? Good stuff in Japan is NOT cheap, what is cheap is not worth hauling home.

Whenever it is of my intrest and good/special, I'm very much willing to pay for it. Not any souvenir/at every price obviously, I do have a budget. The shared bath- and bedrooms isn't a requirement in that way, more of an possibility to save hard earned money. I don't mind sharing those...

I have come to an age that I enjoy good stuff that lasts and was worth every dime/penny. Quality pays itself. Trying to convince my kids on that, it's starting to come...

On the souvenirs itself, I really have no idea. I thought I maybe could wrap that porcelain cup and sent it home by mail.

I agree that most wheeled suitcases are better suited to the protection of gifts that could break than most soft-sided bags, but of course, it would depend on the packaging. Certainly, consider deferring any purchases until your last city so you don't have to lug them around before then. I have no idea what it would cost to ship or mail something from Japan to the Netherlands, but I wouldn't be surprised if it was not inexpensive. Your call!

For Tokyo, I chose a location that maximized my public transportation options and the convenience to the places that I, specifically, wanted to see. I ended up with a place near Ueno Park, but at a place that would not suit a tall person (you commented on your "length" above).

@ thursdaysd: Jeesh! I was just trying to provide a bit more assurance that the trains in Japan are easy for those who use English to use, without repeating all the wonderful information that you and others had already provided!

We too found the trains superbly easy and certainly in the regions you're visiting, there will be English signs on station platforms and the station name will be announced just before arrival to the station. Even if the announcement is in Japanese, it's not usually difficult to pick out the station name amongst that, but in any case, we found most trains in tourist areas certainly announced in English as well.

Buying tickets really not complicated at all. For any intercity trains, we used the manned JR ticket desks and had no difficulty at all. For local metro and buses, we picked up PASMO / SUICA cards and loaded money on to them as and when we needed using the local ticket machines. Most of them had English language option and where that wasn't the case, there was always some kind person to ask for help.

For accommodation, my minimum is private room with en suite bathroom, so I've never stayed in the kinds of places you're looking at. We usually look at budget hotel chains such as Dormy, Toyoko, Route Inn etc. But all are still going to way more than £20 per night!

If you want to also visit Osaka, Kobe and Nara, I'd recommend at least 7 nights in Kyoto area. I can also suggest Uji for tea/ temple/ river and a half day trip to Yamazaki if you like whisky. Kyoto itself merits as many days as you can give it.

For shopping, it's hard to know what you are wanting to buy. We have often bought an extra cargo-suitable bag or case as I've shopped far too much. We also filled such a bag in one place and then used the Takuhaibin luggage forwarding service to send that bag on to our final night's hotel so we didn't need to lug it around.

@kja - sorry if I cam across too heavy. I just don't think those signs are useful unless you're on a Japanese only local.

Hi fellow travellers! Thx again for your thoughts on suitcases and again on travelling the trains! May I ask another thing on this issue? With Hyperdia I found arriving and departing tracknumbers, in some cases they were absent. Does this mean the station has just two tracks? I also found out that prices really differ based on route and, date and time, worth getting to know about Hyperdia, thank u!

I read about the luggage forwarding, probably won't (have to) use it. I decided for the soft pack. We'll see how it works out. I'll get me a Tokyo metro pas for three days in stead of Pasmo card I think. And walk around, guide came in today!

(Nara: 2 nights, Kyoto: 5 nights, not bad for a beginner is it? Lenght: 1.85, that is in meters!)

I think 2 nights in Nara and 5 nights in Kyoto wonderful for a beginner with interests in traditional Japan!

Consider visiting Horyu-ji and Chugu-ji, just outside of Nara in Ikaruga. And as Kavey mentioned, consider visiting Uji (and Byodo-in) between Nara and Kyoto. Fushimi Inari is also between Nara and Kyoto and is open 24/7.

Yes, you are too tall for the place I stayed in Tokyo!

"On contact with people, as a male, asking for help/inquiery should I be reluctant towrds Japanese women? And preferebly ask men?" Yes, as a single male travelling alone, it is better to approach other men for travel help.