Getting around
IC cards, which passes are worth it, Shinkansen, subways and buses.
- Luggage Forwarding in Japan (Takkyubin): Send Your Suitcase Ahead and Travel Hands-FreeFor about ¥2,500 a bag, Japan's courier network moves your suitcase from one hotel to the next, or to the airport, overnight. It is the single best travel hack in the country and almost nobody uses it the first time. Here is how it works, what it costs, the cut-off times, and how to send from a hotel, a convenience store or Kansai Airport.
- Do You Need a JR Pass for Osaka, Kyoto and Nara? No. Here's What to Buy Instead (2026)The nationwide Japan Rail Pass costs ¥50,000 for 7 days. A week of trains around Osaka, Kyoto, Nara, Kobe and Himeji costs about ¥10,000 pay-as-you-go. Here is the math, and the three passes that actually make sense for a Kansai trip.
- Is the Kyoto Subway & Bus 1-Day Pass Worth It? (The ¥700 Bus Pass Is Gone)The famous ¥700 Kyoto bus day pass no longer exists. The replacement costs ¥1,100 and covers subway too. Here is the break-even math, when to just tap your IC card instead, and the routes where you should avoid the bus entirely.
- Is the Osaka Amazing Pass Worth It in 2026? Honest Math for a 1-Day and 2-Day PassThe Osaka Amazing Pass costs ¥3,500 for one day or ¥5,000 for two, and gets you into 40+ attractions plus unlimited transport. It is excellent value for one specific kind of day and a waste for everyone else. Here is how to tell which you are.
- Suica, ICOCA or Tourist Pasmo? Japan IC Cards for Visitors (2026)Which transit card to get, mobile vs physical, why most overseas Android phones can't use Mobile Suica, and what to do about it.