Getting Around Town

Timeliness and “not inconveniencing others” is a very important aspect of Japanese culture that I will discuss further in a following section. That being said, there are also different types of train service offered, and it is best to recognize the differences (from fastest to slowest):

• Limited Express (特急, tokkyuu): The second 'fastest' train after Shinkansen, because it only stops at the biggest stations hubs but operates at normal speeds. 
• Express (急行, kyuukou): This train stops at a few more stops than the Limited Express, but the stops occur only at major stations.
• Rapid (快速, kaisoku): You can consider it as a semi-express, but it doesn't stop at every stop. Make sure to check if this train will stop at your desired destination, or you'll have to transfer train lines.
• Semi-Express (準急, junkyuu): It is slightly faster in speed compared to the local train.
• Local (普通, futsuu): "Local" means it will stop at every single station along the train line.

When navigating inside the train station, you will notice yellow tiles with raised bumps throughout the station. Although they feel awkward when stepped on and odd to look at, their purpose is to enable the visually impaired to navigate the station independently. These yellow tiles are known as “Tenji bricks,” or tactile blocks, and they were first invented in Japan in the 1960s and later adopted in various forms by the rest of the world.

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