Japan (JP)

Japan is one of the world's most captivating destinations for expats — a country where ancient temple culture and ultra-modern technology coexist seamlessly.

Capital: Tokyo

Region: Asia

Language: Japanese

Currency: JPY (¥)

Cost of living: Expensive (index 72)

Emergency: 110 (police) / 119 (fire and ambulance)

Getting Around

Transport options for living in Japan.

Public Transport Overview

Japan's public transit is world-famous for punctuality and coverage. Tokyo alone has over 280 metro and commuter rail stations. IC cards (Suica/PASMO) make seamless travel across subway, JR lines, buses, and even taxis possible. Major cities (Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya, Fukuoka, Sapporo) have extensive metro networks. Rural areas rely on buses or cars. Train delays of more than 1 minute are rare enough to make national news.

Main operators:

JR East (東日本旅客鉄道) — Shinkansen and commuter rail in eastern Japan including TokyoJR West (西日本旅客鉄道) — Shinkansen and rail in western Japan including Osaka/KyotoJR Central (東海旅客鉄道) — Tokaido Shinkansen (Tokyo–Nagoya–Osaka)Tokyo Metro (東京メトロ) — 9 metro lines in Tokyo, world-class networkToei Subway (都営地下鉄) — 4 additional subway lines in Tokyo operated by the cityOsaka Metro (大阪メトロ) — 9 lines covering greater OsakaHankyu / Hanshin / Kintetsu — major private rail operators in Kansai regionFukuoka City Subway (福岡市地下鉄) — 3 lines serving Fukuoka city

🎫 Transit Passes

Suica (スイカ) ¥500 deposit + load value as needed; top up at any JR machine or convenience store

All JR lines, Tokyo Metro, Toei, most buses, and compatible IC card readers nationwide including taxis, convenience stores, and vending machines

💡 Issued by JR East. Available as physical card or on Apple Pay / Google Pay (Mobile Suica). Works across Japan wherever IC marks are displayed. The single most useful card for any visitor or resident in Japan.

PASMO (パスモ) ¥500 deposit + load value as needed

Tokyo Metro, Toei, private railways (Tokyu, Keio, Odakyu, etc.), buses, and compatible merchants

💡 Issued by private railway consortium. Functionally identical to Suica and interoperable everywhere. Also available as Mobile PASMO on Android/iPhone.

ICOCA (イコカ) ¥500 deposit + load value

JR West lines, Osaka Metro, Hankyu, Hanshin, Kintetsu, and IC-compatible merchants in Kansai

💡 The Suica/PASMO equivalent for the Kansai region. Fully interoperable with Suica nationwide.

Tokyo Subway Ticket (24h / 48h / 72h) ¥800 / ¥1,200 / ¥1,500

Unlimited rides on all 9 Tokyo Metro lines AND 4 Toei Subway lines (13 subway lines total)

💡 For overseas tourists and domestic visitors residing outside the Greater Tokyo area. Available at Tokyo Metro station offices and tourist information centres. Great value for sightseeing days. Not valid on JR, Toei Tram, or private railways.

JR Pass (ジャパン・レール・パス) 7-day ¥50,000 / 14-day ¥80,000 / 21-day ¥100,000 (2026 rates; raised significantly in 2023)

Unlimited travel on all JR lines including Shinkansen (except Nozomi/Mizuho), JR buses, and JR Miyajima Ferry

💡 Available to foreign nationals on temporary visitor visas only — residents on work visas are NOT eligible. Must purchase before arriving in Japan or in Japan with a temporary visitor stamp. Best value for those doing extensive Shinkansen travel.

Osaka Amazing Pass 1-day ¥2,800 / 2-day ¥3,600

Unlimited Osaka Metro and city bus rides + free admission to 40+ Osaka attractions

💡 Issued by Osaka Metro. Excellent value for sightseeing in Osaka. Available at Osaka Metro station offices and tourist information centres.

Taxi & Rideshare

Japanese taxis are metered, safe, and spotlessly clean — but expensive. Base fare ¥400–500 (varies by city); typical short trip ¥800–2,000. Taxis have automatic doors (do not touch the door — the driver controls it). Night surcharge (30% extra) applies after 10pm–11pm depending on city. Credit cards accepted in most modern taxis but confirm before boarding. Hail on the street, find taxi ranks at stations, or book via app.

Rideshare (Long-distance)

Uber operates in Japan but is more expensive than standard taxis and drivers are licensed taxi drivers. DiDi and GO (ゴー) taxi app are popular alternatives that let you book licensed taxis via smartphone — GO is the most widely used taxi app in Japan, with pre-booking, tracking, and cashless payment. Ride-sharing services like Grab do not operate in Japan.

Cycling

Cycling is popular in cities and essential in rural areas. Many Japanese cycle to train stations and park at cycle parking (駐輪場). Helmet not legally required for adults but strongly recommended — law requires helmets for children under 13. Bell and reflectors required. No cycling on pavements (exceptions for children, elderly, and dangerous roads). Major cycling offences: drunk cycling (0.15mg+ BAC — criminal), phone use while cycling (¥50,000 fine). Bicycle theft is common even with locks — always register your bicycle at the police station (free,防犯登録 sticker provided).

Intercity Trains

Japan's Shinkansen (bullet train) is the gold standard of high-speed rail. Tokyo–Osaka (Hikari): 2h45m, ¥13,870. Tokyo–Fukuoka (Nozomi): 5h, ¥22,220. Tokyo–Sapporo: 4h30m via Hokkaido Shinkansen (opened 2031 — currently 8h via fastest express). Booking via JR website, Ekinet, or any JR station. Reserved seats (指定席) recommended for Golden Week / Obon / New Year. Express overnight sleeper trains (サンライズ) run on some routes. IC cards work on local JR lines but not Shinkansen — buy a separate Shinkansen ticket.

Driving

Japan drives on the LEFT with right-hand-drive vehicles. Road infrastructure is excellent in cities; rural mountain roads can be narrow. Tolled expressways (高速道路) use ETC (electronic toll collection) — get an ETC card with rental cars. Expressway tolls are expensive (Tokyo–Osaka ~¥6,000 one way). Parking in cities is very expensive (¥200–700/hour) and space is limited. Coin parking (コインパーキング) is common. Speed limits: 60 km/h urban, 100 km/h expressway. Strict drunk driving laws: 0.03% BAC for driver (effectively zero tolerance).

Airports

Tokyo has two main airports: Narita International (NRT) — 60–80km from central Tokyo. Access: Narita Express (N'EX) 60min ¥3,070 from Shinjuku, Keisei Skyliner 40min ¥2,570 from Ueno, airport bus ¥1,000–3,200. Haneda International (HND) — 15–20km from central Tokyo, more convenient. Access: Tokyo Monorail 20min ¥490, Keikyu Line 25min ¥610, airport bus ¥930. Osaka Kansai International (KIX): Haruka Express 75min ¥3,640 from Osaka, Nankai Rapi:t 40min ¥1,570 from Namba. Fukuoka International (FUK): directly accessible from city centre by subway in 5min ¥260 — the most convenient major airport in Japan.