train system. (yamanote)

[deepbluevibes]

Ok, so any advice for using the yamanote line in Tokyo?

I.e. when does the train stop running, what are average prices, signs i should watch out for or memorize, how do I get the tickets, any extra dangers I should know of, and for those of you living in California, how similar is it to the BART?

[hapacheese]

Well, it's similar to BART in that it's a train and you buy tickets ;)

Here's a good description of all the stations on the Yamanote Line. (http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2370.html)

And here's a good link to find prices from station to station. (http://www.jorudan.co.jp/english/norikae/)


There is no specific "stop time," since the trains will stop operating out of different stations at different times. For example, the last train from Shinjuku may take you to Shinagawa, but it might just stop there, not going all the way to Tokyo, or some such.

Generally, though, you'll want to try to be on the train a little before midnight.

[deepbluevibes]

Generally, though, you'll want to try to be on the train a little before midnight.

even on the weekend? ;_;

[hapacheese]

Yep.

Or, you can simply stay up and party until 6:00 the next morning and take the first train home ;)

[PopCulturePooka]

even on the weekend? ;_;
Especially on the weekend.
The last train thing is barse ackwards

[stsparky]

even on the weekend? ;_;
Oh yes. I recommend getting a good street map. My mates and I would walk home drunk as one could be from Roppongi to Asakasa quite safely. Cabs are expensive.

[Monkey]

Hmm, I remember walking to the fish markets in the early hours after going out to the clubs. It's about the only thing to do while waiting for the trains to start up.

Hmm free sashimi :D

[Frankey-eh]

yamanote was the train that got the sarin terrorist attack back in 1995. Since then, train security has increased, in addition to 9/11. That's why you see all the signs that say Maximum Security, please alert authorities if you find anything suspicious.

not to scare you.

[hanacker]

yamanote was the train that got the sarin terrorist attack back in 1995. Since then, train security has increased, in addition to 9/11. That's why you see all the signs that say Maximum Security, please alert authorities if you find anything suspicious.

not to scare you.

In English or Japanese? I don't recall any signs or extra security in summer of 2001.

[Frankey-eh]

In English or Japanese? I don't recall any signs or extra security in summer of 2001.
In Japanese and English
You don't? It was all over Japan...Aichi, Hiroshima, Kyoto, Tokyo, Osaka, Narita, Nagoya...etc

Probably caused by a combination of sarin, 9/11, and the Expo.

[Kustom]

yamanote was the train that got the sarin terrorist attack back in 1995. Since then, train security has increased, in addition to 9/11. That's why you see all the signs that say Maximum Security, please alert authorities if you find anything suspicious.

not to scare you.

Sorry, but wrong. The attack was carried in the Tokyo metro (wouldn't make much sense to spread gas in the yamanote, which is out in the open air!)

The lines under attack were: Chiyoda, Marunouchi, and Hibiya.

Stick to the Yamanote! At least you can watch the DHC advertisement, with usually sexy girls, and the stupid Sapporo English lesson where they teach the Japanese the most useless words ever.

[erbiumfiber]

Slightly off topic but at the Roppongi Hills theatre, there are sometimes all night film festivals or even just very late night movies (like from 2AM to 4AM) Yeah, it's 1800 yen but when it's cold outside, it's a nice warm place to hang out inside (and probably a lot cheaper than a taxi ride home, depending on where you live). Very comfortable seats, suitable for sleeping if you don't particularly care for the movie...

[Kustom]

Your best bet is the mangakissa!!!

It's open all night, is only about 400 yens an hour, you get a very comfortable seat and you can sleep, read, play games, surf the net, watch movies, etc. It's funny on week-ends, everyone in the kissa looks like they're here to sleep after clubbing... Does anyone go there to actually read mangas?

[Uh_oh]

Your best bet is the mangakissa!!!

It's open all night, is only about 400 yens an hour, you get a very comfortable seat and you can sleep, read, play games, surf the net, watch movies, etc. It's funny on week-ends, everyone in the kissa looks like they're here to sleep after clubbing... Does anyone go there to actually read mangas?

Do you mean the Gera Gera places? They're great. You can find them in most places in Tokyo.

But yeah, I have seen people there reading mangas.

[Kustom]

I usually go to the Yahoo mangakissa, whatever their name is... But there are plenty if you look for them, they're more common than capsule hotels!

[EIJI]

Yes mangakissa is one of a great way to pass the time.
"GeraGera" is a popular mangakissa-chain.
Actually, threre are ton of mangakissa here.
Enjoy mangakissa in Japan!

General Information
http://www.tjf.or.jp/eng/ge/ge27mangakissa.htm

[hanacker]

Your best bet is the mangakissa!!!

It's open all night, is only about 400 yens an hour, you get a very comfortable seat and you can sleep, read, play games, surf the net, watch movies, etc. It's funny on week-ends, everyone in the kissa looks like they're here to sleep after clubbing... Does anyone go there to actually read mangas?

Or look at books with pictures of topless women!

Not that I'd know... :o

[deepbluevibes]

thanks for the mangakissaka website :D

also, i'm writing down directions here from this tokyo book on how to get places (it has the adress listed i mean, that's what i'm writing down.)

I understand there are main stops on the Yamanote line like Shibuya etc. but let's say I wanted to go to say, this place in Shibuya;

B1F, 33-1 Udagawacho, Shibuya-ku, Shibuya JR station, Hachiko exit.

The three terms I bolded.. what are those?

#1: what is Udagawacho? A chome in the ku?
#2 Shibuya JR station, is that the JR stop on the Yamanote or something else?
#3: Hachiko exit..? I see a ton of exits listed for just this one station...?

If you guys can clear this up, i'd really appreciate it :D also, I use the BART a lot so any relations to that if any would be great.

Also, what about directions to places if I think i'd get lost? Can I ask the hotel clerks or anyone like that?

[hanacker]

B1F, 33-1 Udagawacho, Shibuya-ku, Shibuya JR station, Hachiko exit.

The three terms I bolded.. what are those?

#1: what is Udagawacho? A chome in the ku?



Yeah, a section of shibuya

#2 Shibuya JR station, is that the JR stop on the Yamanote or something else?

Yes, Yamanote is a JR line, so it stops at the JR station

#3: Hachiko exit..? I see a ton of exits listed for just this one station...?

Every big station has a bunch of exits. Look for a sign that shows the way to the Hachiko exit.

[EIJI]

Map,here.The cross point is your destination.
"B1F, 33-1 Udagawacho, Shibuya-ku"
"渋谷区宇田川町　33-1"
http://map.yahoo.co.jp/pl?nl=35.39.27.043&el=139.42.02.347&la=0&fi=1&skey=%b1%a7%c5%c4%c0%ee%c4%ae33-1&sc=3

[deepbluevibes]

Oh wow you can use yahoo maps for that? :O

is Ikebukuro on the JR line? i'm pretty sure it is but i lost my book... >.>

[EIJI]

Yes it is.

[deepbluevibes]

does anyone know where i can find the exact adresses to the stops on the yamanote line?

also, on the system to buy tickets, i'm guessing it's all in japanese. hiragana or katakana? cause katakana i have no prob. w/ but hiragana im still studying and i know about 20 kanji... ><

[seijihuzz01]

Google is your friend (http://www.jreast.co.jp/e/info/map_a4ol.pdf)
Listed by JR line (http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2017.html) :)

As for 'exact addresses' if you mean streets & bldg numbers, good luck! You could be standing in front of the place & it won't have a sign, or it'll be in the 3rd-level basement, etc. In that case, depending what it is, it's best to try to find the places' website or an ad in a magazine & see if they have a map w/some landmarks listed.

[deepbluevibes]

Ok so then if I don't know the exact adresses for being able to get on the JR stops... is there *anywhere* i could find out? Otherwise, how the heck could I even get on the yamanote line ;_;

[hapacheese]

Dude... The link I put up has all the stations on Yamanote o_O

Also, don't even try to find stuff by addresses in Japan. They have a screwed up address system. You simply have to find out via maps or asking people.

[deepbluevibes]

Dude... The link I put up has all the stations on Yamanote o_O

Also, don't even try to find stuff by addresses in Japan. They have a screwed up address system. You simply have to find out via maps or asking people.

1: i can't understand when people give me directions here in america. I have an EXTREMELY short memory (short term).

2: i understand the adress system of japan, somewhat.

Chome>ku>district>block>building or something like that. I already have wroten down about 60 locations I wanted to visit while I was in tokyo; how could I possibly go around asking directions for ALL of those? also, some of them i can't really ask for, if you get what i mean.

3: the link you gave me just tells me what stops are on it; no pictures, no maps, no direct adresses.

[hapacheese]

Oh, that comment was simply about the Ikebukuro question.

And you can memorize the address system all you want, but it won't do you any good. It's not like the "cho," for example, or laid out in any sort of numerical order or anything. Your best bets are either finding someone who can guide you around or buying yourself a good map and locating everything on it yourself.

Unless some of the people living in Japan on these boards have found some sort of magical way to navigate using addresses only, it's not going to help you, unfortunately =\ Directions in Japanese usually consist of, "Okay, you take Yamanote-doori about 2 kilometers down until you see a big white building on your left. Just after the building, you'll see a 7-11... take a left there. Then you'll go about 500 meters and you'll see a bakery on the corner, so you'll want to take a right there..." and so on.

[deepbluevibes]

Oh, that comment was simply about the Ikebukuro question.

And you can memorize the address system all you want, but it won't do you any good. It's not like the "cho," for example, or laid out in any sort of numerical order or anything. Your best bets are either finding someone who can guide you around or buying yourself a good map and locating everything on it yourself.

well, i got a 150+ page bi-lingual atlas...

Unless some of the people living in Japan on these boards have found some sort of magical way to navigate using addresses only, it's not going to help you, unfortunately =\ Directions in Japanese usually consist of, "Okay, you take Yamanote-doori about 2 kilometers down until you see a big white building on your left. Just after the building, you'll see a 7-11... take a left there. Then you'll go about 500 meters and you'll see a bakery on the corner, so you'll want to take a right there..." and so on.

;_; i am horrible with those kind of directions...

ok, so the yahoo-maps system, does it do like american yahoo maps where you can put in two locations?

and if so, is there anyway to translate said page? i have no idea what goes where X_X

[hapacheese]

Not that I know of. Yahoo Japan maps are simply a "click here to zoom" deal.

If you're really worried, it might be best to take a taxi everywhere...

[deepbluevibes]

Not that I know of. Yahoo Japan maps are simply a "click here to zoom" deal.

If you're really worried, it might be best to take a taxi everywhere...

.... im not that rich haha

i have this bilingual atlas and I *think* i get it. i was able to find the exact adress using an index in the back; problem is, it still didn't tell me stops on the individual JR line. (JR line doesn't mean just yamanote, right?)

[erbiumfiber]

It's pretty easy to find subway and train stations if you're anywhere near the neighborhood- the train stops are often elevated and have stations with lots of stores in and nearby the station. Really. I think with the bilingual map you'd do best locating the areas yourself and then figure out by walking. Some bilingual maps (e.g., mine) show major stores and other major buildings. Also, for subways (and depending on where you want to go, you may take more subways than trains- e.g., Roppongi), there are many exits but they tell you which exit goes where. For example, Ueno has at least 8 exits but the one for the park is clearly labelled as for the park. When you get out on the street, you can actually SEE the park so you know what to do. In the park are more maps showing where the museums are. Tokyo KNOWS it's screwed up so on the street level there are often neighborhood maps with the "you are here" sign. My only warning is that you can sometimes overlook a "street" that looks like an alley (but on the map looks like a serious road). I was nervous I wouldn't find my way around but I had a lot fewer problems than I thought. When you are going somewhere, look around and make a mental note of things you are passing (7-11, etc.) Then on your way back, your "visual memory" will sort of take over and you'll feel that you're headed in the right direction.

If you have a good enough map, it will also show you where each of the train/subway exits lets you out. That is 99% of the way there- once you're pointed in the right direction, you usually end up where you want to go.

You could try telling us your hotel and some of your destinations and we could maybe give you some help...don't let the fear of getting lost ruin your fun- remember, unlike most cities, you won't end up in a "bad neighborhood" and most people will stop and show you where you are on your map...

[deepbluevibes]

Well, here's my question.

I made this mockup map of Tokyo here.

Now, see the area circled in pink?

Is that adress; (yes i know it's supposed to be shiMbashi, not shiNbashi)

4-25 Shimbashi, Minato-ku?

[hanacker]

(yes i know it's supposed to be shiMbashi, not shiNbashi)


Either one is ok. Shinbashi is probably more technically correct.

As for your question, in my year and a half of living in Japan, I never learned the address system. I think only postmen do. Everyone else just uses pictures and directions.

[deepbluevibes]

the thing is, i wanna know if i'm right cuz im only gonna be there 10 days, and i want to do a ton of stuff. i don't want to spend half the vacation just learning where places are.

[erbiumfiber]

Yes, you are reading the map correctly- Shinbashi 4 (chome or whatever), section (whatever) 25. I use my map all the time like that and then plan my route down the nameless streets using buildings (labelled on my map) as landmarks. If you do things the way you are planning to do them, you will actually understand the system far better than the average gaijin. I learned the map system to find housing...

After locating the destination on the map, hopefully you can find the nearest train or subway station and then you're good to go!

[mediocre]

Just make sure you carve some space out for yourself


http://media.hugi.is/hahradi/fyndnar/metro-1.wmv

[hapacheese]

The Yamanote-sen isn't as bad these days as it used to be. It's still pretty bad between Shinjuku to Shinagawa, but it's got *nothing* on the Keio line. I got on at a small station where my grandparents live and it was a local train. I got off at the next big station to transfer to an express, and when it came... people literally fell out as soon as the doors opened. I stepped up to the door and the look of horror on their faces as the 200 lb gaijin walked up to them making like he was going to try to squeeze in was priceless :D

I ended up just taking the next local train. Wasn't worth it.

[Frankey-eh]

Not that I know of. Yahoo Japan maps are simply a "click here to zoom" deal.

If you're really worried, it might be best to take a taxi everywhere...

use goo.ne.jp. They have a map where you can input addresses. down to the building number. And their map is so detailed they even show the bus stops and grocery/conbini stores.

[hapacheese]

Wow. Learn something every day. That's pretty nifty :)

Always had to rely on the car-navi in my friend's car to figure out where the heck something is when neither of us knows...

[Scott]

There's only two things I have to suggest from my experiences in Japan...

One, if you're looking for a particular place and have information about that place FROM that place, it will almost always include major landmarks - there's this building here, this McDonalds here, these roads here, etc. This is the information that will help you more than addresses and you can reference it when you ask for directions.

Two, if you need to get somewhere and don't know where it is, ALWAYS, ALWAYS ask directions. Just keep trying - persistence pays off. If you're afraid of looking weird, don't be. Even Japanese people do it because Tokyo is so warped. Ask for directions politely (Chotto ukagaimasu kedo...) and follow them as long as you can (or can remember), then ask someone else. Just make sure you stop to look around and get your bearings every once in a while - it's pretty dumb if you walk to a building, ask for directions multiple times with people ignoring you, then realize that you look like an idiot for asking for directions to the building that has a giant sign right above your head.

Not that I'm speaking from personal experience on that last bit or anything.

As far as the Yamanote line goes, it's pretty easy to navigate and by far the nicest line I've been on. LCD displays in the train proper will show you where the train is, the other stops on the line, and zany advertisements. In the stations, there are maps of the entire loop so you can see which direction would be faster to get to your destination. I stayed at Nippori, which is relatively close to a bunch of things - so that was nice.

Follow signs - a lot of them are written in English and Romaji now, so they can be invaluable if you don't know how to read much Japanese. If you know some Japanese, you can always ask a police officer - they were nothing but friendly to me in my time there, and were very helpful, even to the extent of personally walking me to where I wanted to go or to a person who knew how to get where I wanted to go.

Good luck!

[stsparky]

Foot-Loose in Tokyo: The Curious Traveler's Guide to the 29 Stages of the Yamanote Line (Exploring Japan Series) (Paperback) (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/083480123X/qid=1128272723/sr=8-2/ref=sr_8_xs_ap_i2_xgl14/102-6035420-3113764?v=glance&s=books&n=507846)
by Jean Pearce (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/search-handle-url/index=books&field-author-exact=Jean%20Pearce&rank=-relevance%2C%2Bavailability%2C-daterank/102-6035420-3113764)

39 used & new (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/stores/offering/list/-/083480123X/all/ref=dp_olp_2/102-6035420-3113764) available from $1.52

The Yamanote is the circle line of Tokyo's rail system. And from Jean Pearce's perspective, the line's 29 stations add up to a perfect tour of this marvelous underrated city. Pearce, for 42 years a columnist for the English-language Japan Times, is the ideal guide for the tour. Her sharp eye misses few details, and her delightful style conveys her deep love for the city, its neighborhoods and its people.

Each chapter describes a walking tour of the area around the station, with a mix of historical background and current details. The chapter on Akihabara, Tokyo's electronics district, pays due mention to the area's famous hi-fi and TV purveyors, but wanders on, as you might, to the neighborhood shrines, and then on to neighboring bookshops and an Russian Orthodox church.

The book is long out of print, and it's possible that some of the shops described are no longer there--though in fast-changing Japan, it's always surprising what survives. But even after so many years, there's still no better armchair tour of Tokyo available, and when you do visit you'll no doubt be able to find the Tokyo that Pearce saw.
-------------------------------
Remember Sparky is your pal. Go to the Tourist Information Center (http://www.jnto.go.jp/eng/index.html) desks first thing - Tokyo TIC Office

Address: 10th Fl., Tokyo Kotsu Kaikan Bldg., 2-10-1 Yurakucho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo Tel: (03) 3201-3331 Hours: 9:00 a.m.~5:00 p.m. (Mon.-Fri.)
9:00 a.m.~12:00 noon (Sat.) The information offices listed below are run by the International Tourism Center of Japan (ITCJ).

Narita Airport TIC Office, Terminal 1

Address: Arrival Floor, Passenger Terminal 1 Bldg., New Tokyo International Airport Narita Tel: (0476) 30-3383 Hours: 9:00 a.m.~8:00 p.m. (7 days a week) Narita Airport TIC Office, Terminal 2

Address: Arrival Floor, Passenger Terminal 2 Bldg., New Tokyo International Airport Narita Tel: (0476) 34-5877 Hours: 9:00 a.m.~8:00 p.m. (7 days a week)
-------------------------------
"i" Tourist Information Offices http://www.jnto.go.jp/eng/GJ/common/spacer10.gif
The Information System "i" has been set up especially to assist travellers who are visiting Japan from abroad. There are 120 "i" (Tourist Information System) offis scattered all over the country, usually located in or near major train stations, or in town centers (look for an establishment with a red question mark with the word information underneath). Each center provides information relevant to its local tourist sites.
http://www.jnto.go.jp/info/support/pics/fig_006.gif

List of "i" Information Offices (http://www.jnto.go.jp/eng/GJ/travelSupport/i.pdf) (PDF: 356KB)
Main Service List (http://www.jnto.go.jp/eng/GJ/travelSupport/i-service.pdf) (PDF: 21.6KB)
-------------------------------
Okay - now get busy and pass what you learn down to the next questioners you encounter. Old Sparky worked for Kodansha and says the bilingual street atlas is reasonably handy - but create your own walker's map of where you'll be.

Try and wheedle your way into the Ghibli Museum (http://www2.lawsonticket.com/pc/P54/leisure/ghibli/ghibli_e.html) while you're in Shinjuku - it's 15 minutes away by train. Your dad will like the food - beer and sausages available there.
http://digilander.libero.it/joe.chip/mitaka_map.gif

Have fun! And don't sell yourself short. - Sparky

[koku]

This man should just get his own thread ^^.