TOKYO TO OSAKA BY BULLET TRAIN
Identify Originating Airport - Narita vs Haneda
Most people will fly from their home base airport to Narita International Airport in Chiba or Haneda Airport in Tokyo. I have heard stories of people going to the wrong airport many times, so make sure you make note of which airport you are flying in and out of Japan from! For me, I flew a direct flight with American Airlines from LAX to Haneda Airport. However, my trip was planned around four nights in Osaka and three nights in Kyoto, with Tokyo being the transit hub to and from Los Angeles. Since I was planning a trip back to Japan after many years, I researched to make sure I was aware of how the bullet train (Shinkansen) system worked, how easily it would be to go from the Haneda Airport to the Shinkansen station, and how often the train goes from Tokyo to Osaka.
I flew a redeye from LAX which landed in Haneda at 4:45 am, and I had to wait until 6:30 am to pick up the pocket wifi I reserved for my duration in Japan. Pay attention to your arrival time to figure out what you will be doing once you land, especially if you are about to embark on another 3-hour journey to Osaka like me. Luckily, some restaurants are open 24/7 at the Haneda airport, so I got my first bite of sushi as soon as I landed! If you arrive at the Haneda airport during normal operating hours, there are many shops and restaurants to check out, so keep that in mind when planning transit routes.
Reserve ahead and Pick up Pocket Wifi
Since I have a locked AT&T iPhone that does not allow me to use an eSim, pocket wifis are my preferred method to stay connected while I’m traveling. With pocket wifi, you can connect up to 5 devices and split the cost with friends traveling together. Data is also crucial for traveling; it helps with getting directions using Google Maps, booking Shinkansen tickets, and doing necessary research if you are lost or searching for something specific. I reserved the pocket wifi through Ninja Wifi, and their pickup location is conveniently located on the 3rd floor of Haneda Airport. You can easily return the wifi via their dropbox at the airport during your departure from Haneda Airport. wifi via their dropbox at the airport during your departure at the Haneda Airport.
Pick Route from Google Maps
You may hear that Google Maps is not reliable in some Asia countries like Korea, but it is the most useful in Japan for getting directions. I simply put my starting location as the Haneda airport, and entered my Osaka hotel (Hotel Hankyu Respire Osaka) as the destination to see which route will get me closest to my hotel without too much walking with my luggages. You will need to take a normal subway line and switch to the bullet train station, so keep in mind while looking at the directions. The directions are very clear on Google Maps, and there are subway stations directly connected to the airport that can easily be found next to the Ninja Wifi booth.
Preload Suica Card
This is the transit card used to access various trains in Japan. You can easily add and preload your Suica card with money on your Apple Wallet so you can take any subway lines prior to arriving at the Shinkansen station. Make sure you have data in order to use it from your Apple Wallet! If you prefer to have a physical card, you can easily purchase one a the airport. Highly suggest you prepare this before leaving the airport! You will see various train lines and the Suica Card makes it easy to avoid having to buy a different ticket each time you hop onto the train or subway. You can also use this card to buy snacks and drinks for your 2 hour train ride from any convenient store or vending machines throughout Japan! It is extra helpful if you don’t have any Yen on hand and want to buy something as soon as you get off the plane.
Purchase your train ticket
There are ticketing machines at all train stations, but if you are traveling with a big group (even just 3 or more) and would like to sit together, I suggest you reserving your train tickets ahead of time. You can easily reserve Shinkansen tickets ahead of time at their website or even mobile app. I highly recommend pre-booking your Shinkansen (bullet train) tickets especially if you have larger luggages that will not fit on the overhead storage compartment. There are 6 seats in the back of each train car that allows for oversized baggage storage behind the seats, as well as compartments that look like lockers which you can reserve. We opted for the storage behind seats since the tickets are slightly cheaper and we were able to find seats available.
There are many bullet trains that operate throughout the day. There are different train companies, and when searching for the route, you will see the train name and number, in my case, Nozomi 13. There can be other trains departing at similar times such as Nozomi 20 or other numerical numbers. Be sure to hop onto the correct train at the exact time! We met a group of travelers who thought we were in their reserved seats only to find that they were on the wrong train! Make note of your train car number so you can get on in the correct area on the train platform. Also note your seat number, in my case, 20-B.
Prepare Snacks and Get Comfortable
Once you have purchased your train tickets and know where you need to go, locate the many convenient stores around the station and pick up some snacks for your ride! It is a an official requirement to start off your Japan trip with an egg sandwich or an onigiri rice ball. For me, I picked up two flavors of onigiri, one chicken katsu and egg sando and a hamburger patty sando to share with my friend.
Make sure you have your mobile battery ready to go. You will most likely be tired from your travels to be browsing the internet, but it is a good opportunity to be charged and ready to go. You will be relying on your phone and pocket wifi to get you around Osaka and looking for good food and shopping.
Lastly, it may seem daunting to see all of this information if this is your first time to Japan, but if you choose to plan for longer transfer times between planes and trains, and allowing yourself to slowly look for directions to get to your final destination, it will be a very enjoyable trip along the way! Safe travels and enjoy everything Japan has to offer!
