Japan Transportation Guide
Japan Airlines (JAL) has teamed up with four regional companies in the Japan Railways Group to launch a new tourism initiative focused on three legendary Japanese pilgrimage routes. JR East, JR Central, JR West, and JR Shikoku are all taking part in the project, which aims to shift travelers away from overcrowded urban centers and toward enriching regional experiences that combine memorable hikes with deep spiritual journeys.
Pilgrims on the Shikoku Henro
The Narita Airport Transit & Stay Program will return this autumn after a six-year suspension, giving travelers the opportunity to explore attractions and communities around Narita International Airport during a stopover or stay in the area.
Free Volunteer-Guided Narita Tours
The program will fully restart on October 1, 2026, with free tours led by volunteer guides. A new selection of paid tours offering more specialized local experiences will begin earlier, with the first tour scheduled for September 5.
The program originally launched in 2015 and is aimed particularly at international travelers making connections at Narita Airport or staying nearby. More than 200 volunteer guides, including local residents and students, take part in the program.
Tokyu Railways has launched a “Green Lifestyle Train” to build excitement for GREEN×EXPO 2027, an international garden exposition that will be held in Yokohama next year. Fittingly, the exterior of the train is decorated with bright images of green trees and blue skies, which are meant to foster a sense of anticipation both for the exposition itself — and for a greener future more in harmony with nature.
Tokyu Green Lifestyle Train
NYK Line (also known as Nippon Yusen) has released details of its new cruise ship, Amane, which will have its debut cruise on Tokyo Bay in 2027. The new ship is a successor to the Lady Crystal, an iconic restaurant ship that has cruised the bay for 36 years but which is scheduled for retirement in November 2026.
An exterior view of the Amane cruise ship
Amane, whose name means the “sound of the sea,” is designed to carry NYK’s long-standing passenger ship culture into a new era. Measuring approximately 48 meters in length with a gross tonnage of 480 tons, the ship has a capacity for around 90 passengers. [Read more…]
Railway fans will soon be able to collect new collectible merchandise celebrating two of Kyoto’s best-known sightseeing trains.
The new Eizan Railway “Traveling Train” magnets
Kyoto’s Eizan Railway runs two sightseeing trains through the scenic countryside of north Kyoto. The Kirara train runs from Demachiyanagi Station to the villages of Kibune and Kurama, while the Hiei train runs from Demachiyanagi to the base of Mount Hiei. [Read more…]
Keihan Bus has announced that it will operate a limited-time sightseeing loop bus, called the “Kiyomizu-dera Line” from July. The aim is to help alleviate congestion on Kyoto City buses caused by overtourism.
A Keihan sightseeing bus at Kyoto Station
If you regularly take trains in Japan, you will be familiar with some of the departure melodies that are played on station platforms just before a train departs. The tunes differ by railway company and locality and are meant to have a calming influence on passengers, letting them know that a train is about to leave without causing a sudden panicked rush. Departure melodies are generally very pleasant and many people grow fond of them as they associate them with particular areas or a favorite railway line. [Read more…]
A new train named “Kizashi” will begin running on the JR Sanyo Main Line in Yamaguchi Prefecture this summer. This is the first new train to be introduced to the Yamaguchi section of the JR Sanyo Main Line in 45 years.
JR West’s new Kizashi train
Travelers to Japan’s Tohoku region will have a new accommodation option in the region’s largest city of Sendai from this April. Hotel Metropolitan The Base Sendai is located just two minutes from the West Exit of Sendai Station and is intended to be a home-like base for accessing the region for both tourists and business travelers.
Hotel Metropolitan The Base Sendai
The new hotel has nine floors above ground with guest rooms from the second floor upwards. A total of 56 rooms are available, which include double and twin bed rooms, one universal twin room, and family-sized rooms that can accommodate up to four guests. The four-bed rooms come in two kinds with either flat beds or bunk beds, and are intended to serve the needs of families and group travelers. [Read more…]
Two spring tours in Japan’s central Tokaido region have been announced for the luxury cruise train, the Royal Express.
The Royal Express Tokaido-Fuji Cruise Train
Jointly run by the railway companies Tokyu Corporation and JR Central, the Royal Express Tokaido-Fuji Cruise Train will run two distinct itineraries both of which include scenic views of Mount Fuji. These unique travel experiences will include a brand-new tour to Lake Biwa and a tour that runs to key cultural sites in Gifu and Shizuoka prefectures. Both tours begin and end in Yokohama, last for 4 days and 3 nights, and include high-end accommodation in the plans. [Read more…]
