The 10 Best Railways in Japan, Japan

August 18, 2021 Fernanda Pittenger

Coordinates: 35°N 136°E / 35°N 136°E / 35; 136
Restaurants in Japan

1. The Railway Museum

3-47 Onaricho, Omiya-Ku, Saitama 330-0852 Saitama Prefecture +81 48-651-0088 http://www.railway-museum.jp/
Excellent
50%
Good
41%
Satisfactory
8%
Poor
1%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 733 reviews

The Railway Museum

The Railway Museum will re-open on 10:00 Wednesday June 10. Advance reservation is required. Ticket can not be purchased at the museum. Advance reservation is required to enter the museum. Please purchase your ticket in advance at 7-Eleven, Lawson, or MINISTOP convenience stores. Some exhibits and hands-on programs are closed/ canceled. The Railway Museum will be operating on shortened hours from 10:00-17:00 (Last entry 16:30).

Reviewed By lyndallb2017 - Brisbane, Australia

This museum is easy to reach - we got a limited express train from Shinjuku, and then the New Shuttle for the short distance from Omiya station to the museum, using our Suica cards for both legs of the journey. We could also have used our Suica cards to enter the museum, but we chose to buy separate tickets, which, sadly, we had to hand back when we left. The museum is well laid out and has many innovative displays as well as plenty of ordinary static ones - the locos and carriages are the real thing, though there are also small models on display. There are interactive scientific displays for children, a mini bullet-train ride and other hands-on activities. We each bought a very nice lunchbox, though we could have chosen to eat at a cafe with a choice of dishes. There was some English information available, but it would be better with more. I gather the museum is trying to attract more foreign tourists, so perhaps the availability of English will be considered. Overall, an excellent museum with exhibits of interest to everyone, not just railway fans.

2. Tsugaru Railways

Goshogawara 037-0063 Aomori Prefecture +81 173-34-2148 http://tsutetsu.com/
Excellent
46%
Good
44%
Satisfactory
8%
Poor
2%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 116 reviews

Tsugaru Railways

3. Tokaido Shinkansen

Between JR Tokyo Station and JR Shin-osaka Station, Chiyoda Tokyo Prefecture https://global.jr-central.co.jp/en/
Excellent
69%
Good
22%
Satisfactory
7%
Poor
1%
Terrible
1%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 1,542 reviews

Tokaido Shinkansen

Reviewed By Trip827830

The experience of travelling on the Shinkansen trains is incredible, sleek, smooth ride and very fast, efficient and on time! Added bonus of seeing majestic Mount Fuji en-route made it extra special. Japan Rail Pass enables unlimited usage of the JR train network including most of the Shinkansen "Bullet Trains" this is an absolute essential to buy for anyone travelling to Japan.

4. Hokuriku Shinkansen

Kanazawa Ishikawa Prefecture http://www.jreast.co.jp/train/shinkan/hokuriku.html
Excellent
52%
Good
34%
Satisfactory
11%
Poor
2%
Terrible
1%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 1,108 reviews

Hokuriku Shinkansen

Reviewed By VinnieLondon_SE2 - Doha, Qatar

The trains and rail network in Japan are truly superb. The trains are all spotlessly clean and maintained, never late and great value compared to Europe. Always advisable to reserve a seat on the main Shinkansen routes. Green class carriages are really comfortable. Trolley service selling drinks and snacks on all Shinkansen trains and again immaculate restrooms. The trains unlike Europe have smoking rooms on the Shinkansens!. The Japan Rail passes are unbelievable value..don’t travel in Japan without one ...will save you a great deal of money on standard fares. Even the Green (first class pass) was only around $360 for 7 days. To note that the JR passes are not valid on the super fast/express trains (Nozomi and Mizuho trains). In some cities you also get free bus services using the pass (in Kanazawa JR buses have a loop route all around the key city sights free with the JR pass for example).

5. Disney Resort Line

Urayasu 279-0031 Chiba Prefecture +81 570-008-632 http://www.tokyodisneyresort.jp/treasure/fantasy/drl/index.html
Excellent
51%
Good
34%
Satisfactory
13%
Poor
2%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 1,118 reviews

Disney Resort Line

Reviewed By mikesand

This is an excellent service which makes you smile and be happy because of the way you are greeted by the staff along with the music on arrival and decoration inside of the train is wonderful. It is advisable to buy a multi day pass for the duration of your stay as if like us you stay at resort hotel you will be travelling backwards and forwards all the time

6. Kanzanji Ropeway

1891 Kanzanjicho Nishi-ku, Hamamatsu 431-1209 Shizuoka Prefecture +81 53-487-2121 [email protected] http://www.kanzanji-ropeway.jp/
Excellent
27%
Good
35%
Satisfactory
35%
Poor
4%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

4.0 based on 104 reviews

Kanzanji Ropeway

7. Choshi Dentetsu

2-297 Araoicho, Choshi 288-0056 Chiba Prefecture +81 479-22-0316 http://www.choshi-dentetsu.jp/
Excellent
37%
Good
51%
Satisfactory
11%
Poor
0%
Terrible
1%
Overall Ratings

4.0 based on 219 reviews

Choshi Dentetsu

8. Shonan Monorail

Kamakura Kanagawa Prefecture +81 467-45-3181 http://www.shonan-monorail.co.jp
Excellent
35%
Good
45%
Satisfactory
19%
Poor
1%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

4.0 based on 213 reviews

Shonan Monorail

Reviewed By wesleywaisiu - Singapore, Singapore

First time to see and ride on the suspended monorail, it’s fun as you can see the street down below. However, the ride is a bit bumpy, make sure to hold the handrail.

9. Yui Rail

377-2 Azaashimine, Naha 901-0143 Okinawa Prefecture +81 98-859-2630 http://www.yui-rail.co.jp/en
Excellent
32%
Good
43%
Satisfactory
22%
Poor
2%
Terrible
1%
Overall Ratings

4.0 based on 4,113 reviews

Yui Rail

Reviewed By PeterthePauper - Ulsan, South Korea

When I made a brief visit to Naha in 2016, I took a taxi from the Airport to my hotel and generally used taxis for getting around .... until I discovered the Yui Monorail. Returning in 2019 for 3-days sightseeing/shopping, I planned an itinerary that involved the extensive use of Yui Rail. A 2-Day Pass purchased at the Airport (Y1,400) saw to all my travel movements for a full 48-hours and a further 1-Day Pass (Y800) carried me through the latter part of the 3rd day until my departure on the 4th day. As well as visiting the main attractions (such as the Former Japanese Naval HQ and Shuri Castle) the monorail also serves the main shopping centres/malls of T-Galleria, Ryubo and Aeon which are directly bridge-linked to the adjacent stations at Omoromachi, Prefectural Office and Oroku, respectively. Useful and enjoyable means of transport; good value too if you can get a lot of use out of your 1-Day/2-Day Pass. With the only commercial airport on Okinawa at one end of the line and the no. 1 attraction of Shuri Castle at the other, the trains always seem to be busy and nearing full capacity.

10. Tokyo Monorail

Minato 105-0013 Tokyo Prefecture +81 3-3374-4303 http://www.tokyo-monorail.co.jp/
Excellent
37%
Good
41%
Satisfactory
21%
Poor
2%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

4.0 based on 858 reviews

Tokyo Monorail

Reviewed By OZS_ATW - Budapest, Hungary

You have got to try it, it is like a scene from the Back to the Future movie. :-) Anyway, it is very clean and you can enjoy so much this fun ride!

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