Japan By Rail by Trailblazer Guide Books
Recognised and critically acclaimed worldwide

I think my favourite place to visit is the ancient mountain-top temple town of Koya-san. It is stunning at any time of year, and a world away from the hi-tech, neon-lit cityscapes Japan is famous for. On Koya-san, visitors have the opportunity to stay overnight in a temple, eat a delicious vegetarian meal prepared by resident monks, and take part in meditation and early-morning prayers. It’s a unique place and worth the trip by rail that winds its way up into the mountains.

There are plenty of other highlights: for a fun urban shopping and entertainment experience, I like to head to the regional capital of Kyushu, Fukuoka - a city that always feels to me to be very open to the world, where pop-up fashion boutiques and street-side noodle bars are always packed in the evening with young and old alike. From Fukuoka, I recommend taking the bullet train further south to Kagoshima, on the southern tip of Kyushu, from where it’s just a short boat ride to the volcanic island of Sakurajima. A truly out-of-this-world experience! Also from Kagoshima you can take a really stylish train (whose name means Ibusuki Treasure box) to Ibusuki and have a sand bath in naturally hot sand – another out-of-this-world experience!

I always tell people that the secret to travelling around Japan is the Japan Rail Pass. But the key to making the most of the pass is ‘Japan by Rail’. The book is a one-stop shop for planning any trip around the country, and for seeing as much of what Japan has to offer as possible. The railway can take you into the biggest cities and tiniest remote villages, to hot-spring and ski resorts, along the coast, and even to the desert.

Our book shows how you can do all of this and more, with stop-off suggestions along all the routes we cover, together with suggestions for where to stay and what to eat. We even give you tips on which side of the train to sit on to enjoy the best views (including that iconic Insta shot of snow-capped Mt Fuji!). I like to think that a true adventure awaits anyone who has a rail pass in one hand and our book in the other. With ‘Japan by Rail’ there’s really no limit to what you can see and do, as you glide effortlessly around the country on a railway network that is quite simply the best in the world!

In all honesty, and this would be my advice to anyone going to Japan, try both! The bullet train is an experience like no other, where you glide across the country in comfort. The views can become blink-and-you’ll-miss-it territory, but for me there is nothing more satisfying than settling back on a bullet train, kicking back for a few hours, seeing the country flash forward before your eyes, while enjoying an ekiben (tasty lunch boxes bought at railway stations and consumed on board). Shinkansen are all about getting you where you want to go as quickly as possible but they also offer other experiences: Genbi shinkansen has an art gallery and on the Toreiyu Tsubasa you can watch the world go by with your feet in a warm foot-bath.

Of course, the bullet train is only part of the adventure of travelling around Japan. Jump on board one of the local railway lines, and you’ll see a very different Japan. Trains pass - at a far more leisurely pace - through rice fields and deep into the mountains. On board local trains you might find yourself sitting next to a family on a day out, a grandmother on her way to the shops, a farmer heading to market, or school children on their way to or from school.