Japan is a country that can fit inside the state of California, but with over three times the amount of people! Due to the close nature of Japan, many people walk or bike, but the main method of day-to-day travel is by train. Japan has an incredible train system, able to take you between major cities or right back to your hometown.
The most common form of transportation in Japan is the train and subway systems. Since Japan is such a condensed country, many people do not feel it is necessary to purchase a car. With such a high population, it would be more harmful for everyone to own a car and the traffic would be unimaginable. Using the train system is quick, efficient, and allows people to move in large groups easily! In order to keep the people moving in the station, cards that are loaded with money can be swiped when entering the train area (almost like a train gift card).
Initially, the train systems were extremely confusing and hard to navigate. The price for each stop is different depending on how far away it is from the station you start at. Even now, I have to use Google Maps in order to know where I need to transfer trains. This isn’t just an issue amongst foreigners, either.
