Getting around Japan as a Newbie

Getting around and commuting in Japan could be very much overwhelming for many foreign visitors and you can count me in.

The most common mode of transportation for getting in and around the city, or the country in general, is definitely trains. It could be extremely challenging for people like me who are not used to this kind of transportation back home.

There are just so many things to remember and for a non-train commuter you will definitely be bombarded with so much information about the dos and don'ts when riding the trains, how to change lines to get to your destination, what’s the best route to take to save time, what's the cheapest train schedule.  The list goes on.

Back at home, I would only open my Google Map when I needed to drive to a place I was not familiar with.  Here in Japan I think it is an absolute necessity, especially for new comers like me.

I arrived in Japan three weeks ago and all I can say is that I’m still in the adjustment phase in terms of commuting here in Japan. Well, getting the hang of it could take time but I think you really have to learn fast.

When I got here, my sister guided me on how to take the train in order to go to places I want to be. She showed me how to check the train schedules, how to adjust my time of arrival at my destination so I won’t be late to work, and how soon or at what time should I leave the house to get to the station on time.

I mean, I had no clue that Google's direction function works like this, because again I seldom use this application in my home country. It is really a powerful tool for this generation, like it can be your daily guide when you travel all by yourself to places or areas you’ve never been to before.

Actually, it’s not just Google directions.  You can download other navigation apps that are really handy when you travel around Japan. I heard Navitime is a good app to download, but for now I have to stick to Google Maps and directions. Pretty much I will definitely download other navigation apps in the future and maybe I will discover something new with them.

All I can say for now is that I’m still a work in progress when it comes to getting familiar with transportation in Japan. We just have to take it slowly, just like a baby still trying to learn how to walk independently.

Just like the cliche, “one step at a time”.