We recently got some bad news with the announcement from JR East (East Japan Railway Company) that they’re indefinitely suspending sales of their rechargeable e-money Suica cards, which are amazingly convenient to use when buying train tickets. Fortunately there’s something for train travelers to smile about over in JR West’s part of Japan,…
It’s pretty hard to pick a bad destination when traveling in Japan. The specifics might vary, but pretty much anywhere in the country you go you can enjoy beautiful scenery, historical sites, and delicious food, and quite often all three. Really, the important thing is just to go somewhere, and to…
This summer, West Japan Railways is sending passengers on what is probably best described as a mystery tour. JR West is based in Osaka and operates a network of lines throughout the western half of Japan’s main island of Honshu, as well as on parts of Kyushu – the large island just southwest of Honshu – including the Sanyo Shinkansen.
Some people say it’s the journey that’s important, not the destination. That’s a pretty good attitude to have in life, but even the most philosophical travelers will have to admit that money is important too if you’re hoping to take a journey of greater than walking distance. Luckily, if you’re…