{"id":2950,"date":"2018-03-28T19:59:41","date_gmt":"2018-03-28T19:59:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.f31club.com\/ourtravels\/?page_id=2950"},"modified":"2018-04-10T20:55:27","modified_gmt":"2018-04-10T20:55:27","slug":"wlp-trains","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.f31club.com\/ourtravels\/wlp-trains\/","title":{"rendered":"WLP train experience"},"content":{"rendered":"

 <\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

May 2017 was my 9 day trip in Japan. I would criss cross Japan to meet my friends. One of my missions was to learn the train system when I Japan. I was impressed when my wife Jasmin figured it out in 2016, while I just followed her. Even in my early trips to Japan, I did not figure it out, just followed directions to get to places.<\/p>\n

So\u00a0 I wanted to figure it out and also experience local lines too.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Wandering Leopard Pilgrimage:<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

It was very complex, but here\u00a0 was my timeline:\u00a01st Day, Arrival in Japan<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

1st day:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. San Francisco to Vancouver International Airport (4 hour layover)<\/li>\n
  2. Vancouver International to Narita Airport.<\/li>\n
  3. Narita Airport to Itami Airport (ANA flight)<\/li>\n
  4. Itami Airport to Shin-Osaka Station (via limousine bus)<\/li>\n
  5. Shin-Osaka station to Okayama station (via Sanyo Shinkansen)<\/li>\n
  6. Okayama station to Takamatsu station via JR Seto \u2013 Ohashi Line<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

     <\/p>\n

     <\/p>\n

    \"\"<\/p>\n

     <\/p>\n

    \"\"<\/p>\n

     <\/p>\n

     <\/p>\n

    2nd Day<\/p>\n

      \n
    1. Takamatsu to Okayama station (JR Yosin line)<\/li>\n
    2. Okayama to Bitchu-Takamatsu station (round trip) (Momotaro\/Kibi line)<\/li>\n
    3. Okayama to Nakasho station (Sanyo main line)<\/li>\n
    4. Nakasho to Kurashiki station (Sanyo main line)<\/li>\n
    5. Kirashiki to Soja station (Hakubi line)\u00a0 (error, round trip)<\/li>\n
    6. Kursashiki to Shin-Kurashiki station (Get on Sanyo Shinkansen)<\/li>\n
    7. Shin-Kurashiki to Hiroshima station (Sanyo Shinkansen)<\/li>\n
    8. Hiroshima to Shin-Iwakuni station (Sanyo Shinkansen) (round trip)<\/li>\n
    9. Kintaikyo Bus to Iwakuni station (bus ride)<\/li>\n
    10. Iwakuni to Yanai station (Sanyo main line)<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

       <\/p>\n

      Takamatsu station to Okayama station (JR Yosin line )<\/p>\n

      \"\"<\/p>\n

       <\/p>\n

      Okayama Station to Bitchu-Takamatsu Station (round trip)<\/p>\n

      \"\"<\/p>\n

       <\/p>\n

      Okayama station to Nakasho station (Sanyo Main line)<\/p>\n

      \"\"<\/p>\n

       <\/p>\n

      Nakasho station to Kurashiki station. I made an error and jumped on the wrong train.<\/p>\n

      \"\"<\/p>\n

       <\/p>\n

      Kurashiki station to Soja Station (round trip). I jumped on the Hakubi line. That was the error I made and it cost me about an 1.5 hours.<\/p>\n

      \"\"<\/p>\n

       <\/p>\n

      Got back to Kurashiki station and headed to Shin-Kurashiki station.<\/p>\n

      \"\"<\/p>\n

       <\/p>\n

      At Shin-Kurashiki station, I got on the Shinkansen to Hiroshima station.<\/p>\n

      \"\"<\/p>\n

       <\/p>\n

      Hiroshima station to Shin-Iwakuni station via Shinkansen (later than night, I would return to Hiroshima station the same way).<\/p>\n

      \"\"<\/p>\n

       <\/p>\n

      When I got to Shin-Iwakuni station, I wanted to use the local line to get to Kintai Bridge. Seiryu shin Iwakuni station was at the end of the Shin-Iwakuni station. But the train was gonna be another hour (local lines are not as frequent).<\/p>\n

       <\/p>\n

      <\/p>\n

       <\/p>\n

      So I had taken a taxi to Kintai Bridge. Across the street from Kintai bridge was\u00a0 Kintaikyo Bus center. I got a ticket out a vending machine and it took me to Iwakuni Station.<\/p>\n

      \"\"<\/p>\n

       <\/p>\n

      \"\"<\/p>\n

       <\/p>\n

      Iwakuni station to Yanai station via Sanyo main line.<\/p>\n

      <\/p>\n

       <\/p>\n

      3rd day<\/p>\n

        \n
      1. Hiroshimaeki station to Peace Memorial Park (via Hiroden streetcar\/tram)<\/li>\n
      2. Hiroshima to Shin-Osaka station (Sanyo Shinkansen)<\/li>\n
      3. Shin-Osaka to Namba Station (Subway Midosuji line) (round trip)<\/li>\n
      4. Shin-Osaka to Maibara station (Tokaido Shinkansen)<\/li>\n
      5. Echigawa station to Maibara station (Ohmi main line)<\/li>\n
      6. Maibara station to Gifu station (Shirasagi Limited express)<\/li>\n
      7. Gifu station to Meitetsu-Gifu Station (walk)<\/li>\n
      8. Meitetsu-Gifu station to Meiden-Kakamigahara station (Meitetsu\u00a0Kakamigahara Line)<\/li>\n
      9. Meiden-Kakamigahara station to Kagamigahara station (walk)<\/li>\n
      10. Kagamigahara station to Sakahogi station (Takayama line)<\/li>\n
      11. Sakahogi station to Gifu station (Takayama line)<\/li>\n
      12. Gifu Station to Meitetsu-Gifu station (walk)<\/li>\n
      13. Meitetsu-Gifu station to Shin-Hashima Station (Takehana Line\/Hashima Line) (*Shin-Hashima station has Shinkansen)<\/li>\n
      14. Shin-Hashima station to Nagoya Station (Tokaido Shinkansen)<\/li>\n
      15. Nagoya station (subway section) to Fujigaoka station (Subway Higashiyama line)<\/li>\n
      16. Fujigaoka station to Gei Dai Dori station (Linimo line)<\/li>\n
      17. Reverse trip (Gei Dai Dori station to Nagoya Station)<\/li>\n
      18. Nagoya Station to Tokyo Station (Tokaido Shinkansen)<\/li>\n
      19. Tokyo Station to Sendai station (Tohoku Shinkansen)<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

         <\/p>\n

        I woke up early to see Hiroshima Memorial Peace park. Opposite side of JR Hiroshima station is Hiroshimaeki station.<\/p>\n

        \"\"<\/p>\n

         <\/p>\n

        Took the Hiroden main line to Genbaku Dome-mae station\/stop<\/p>\n

        \"\"<\/p>\n

         <\/p>\n

        Then went back to Hiroshima station from Chuden-mae station.<\/p>\n

        \"\"<\/p>\n

         <\/p>\n

        Hiroshima station to Shin-Osaka station (via Shinkansen)<\/p>\n

        \"\"<\/p>\n

         <\/p>\n

        Shin-Osaka station to Namba station (via Subway Midosuji line) (round trip)<\/p>\n

        \"\"<\/p>\n

         <\/p>\n

        Shin-Osaka station to Maibara station via Shinkansen<\/p>\n

        \"\"<\/p>\n

         <\/p>\n

        4th Day<\/p>\n

        Echigawa station to Maibara station via Ohmi main line<\/p>\n

        \"\"<\/p>\n

         <\/p>\n

        Once I got to Maibara station, I headed to Gifu Station via Shirasagi Limited express<\/p>\n

        \"\"<\/p>\n

         <\/p>\n

        Gifu station to Sakahogi station. (an error in communication and delay in time)<\/p>\n

        \"\"<\/p>\n

         <\/p>\n

        * 2 stations. As soon as I got done with shipping packages at the post office, I went to\u00a0Meitetsu-Gifu Station.<\/p>\n

        \"\"<\/p>\n

         <\/p>\n

        Meitetsu Gifu station to Meiden-Kakamigahara station (Meitetsu Kakamigahara Line)<\/p>\n

        \"\"<\/p>\n

         <\/p>\n

        Meiden-Kakamigahara station to JR Kagamigahara station (walked)<\/p>\n

        \"\"<\/p>\n

         <\/p>\n

         <\/p>\n

        JR Kagamighara station to Sakahogi station via Takayama line<\/p>\n

        \"\"<\/p>\n

         <\/p>\n

        Sakahogi station to Gifu station (Takayama line)<\/p>\n

        \"\"<\/p>\n

         <\/p>\n

        I left my luggage at Gifu Station,\u00a0 packed it up and headed to Meitetsu-Gifu station again<\/p>\n

        \"\"<\/p>\n

         <\/p>\n

        Meitetsu-Gifu station to Shin-Hashima station (via Meitetsu Hashima line)<\/p>\n

        \"\"<\/p>\n

         <\/p>\n

        Shin-Hashima station to Nagoya station (via Shinkansen)<\/p>\n

        \"\"<\/p>\n

         <\/p>\n

        Nagoya station to Fujigaoka station , I had to navigate getting to the subway section.\u00a0 (Subway Higashiyama line)<\/p>\n

        \"\"<\/p>\n

         <\/p>\n

        At Fujigaoka station, I had to get outside and go around to get to the Linimo entrance.<\/p>\n

         <\/p>\n

        Fujigaoka station to Gei Dai Dori station (via Linimo line)<\/p>\n

        \"\"<\/p>\n

         <\/p>\n

        After Toyota Automobile Museum visit, reverse order. Geidai Dori>Fujigaoka>Nagoya station.<\/p>\n

         <\/p>\n

        Nagoya station to Tokyo Station (via Tokaido Shinkansen).<\/p>\n

        \"\"<\/p>\n

         <\/p>\n

        Tokyo Station to Sendai station (Tohoku Shinkansen)<\/p>\n

        \"\"<\/p>\n

         <\/p>\n

        4th Day<\/p>\n

          \n
        1. Sendai station to Ogawara Station via Tohoku Line (round trip)<\/li>\n
        2. Sendai station to\u00a0Tagajo station via Senseki line<\/li>\n
        3. Sendai station to Kitayama station via Senzan line<\/li>\n
        4. Kitayama station to Kita-Sendai station (change to subway Nanboku line)<\/li>\n
        5. Kita-Sendai station to Sendai station (subway section)<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

           <\/p>\n

          Sendai station to Ogawara station (round trip) Tohoku line<\/p>\n

          \"\"<\/p>\n

           <\/p>\n

           <\/p>\n

           <\/p>\n

          Sendai station to Tagajo station (round trip) via Senseki line<\/p>\n

          \"\"<\/p>\n

           <\/p>\n

          Sendai to Kitayama station via Senzan line<\/p>\n

           <\/p>\n

          \"\"<\/p>\n

           <\/p>\n

          Kitayama station to Kita-Sendai via Senzan line<\/p>\n

           <\/p>\n

          \"\"<\/p>\n

           <\/p>\n

          Kita-Sendai to Sendai station via Subway Nanboku line<\/p>\n

           <\/p>\n

          \"\"<\/p>\n

           <\/p>\n

          5th day<\/p>\n

            \n
          • Sendai to Tokyo (Tohoku Shinkansen)<\/li>\n
          • Otemachi station to Takadanobaba Station (Tozai line)<\/li>\n
          • Takadanobaba station to KamiIgusa station (Seibu Shinjuku line)<\/li>\n
          • Kamishakujii station to Kodaira station (Seibu Shinjuku line)<\/li>\n
          • Kodaira station to Hagiyama station (Seibu Haijima line) – Error<\/li>\n
          • Kodaira station to Tokorozawa station (Seibu Shinjuku line)<\/li>\n
          • Tokorozawa station to Hon-Kawagoe station (Seibu Shinjuku line)<\/li>\n
          • Hon-Kawagoe station to JR Kawagoe station (walk)<\/li>\n
          • Kawagoe station to Musashi Takahagi station (Kawagoe line)<\/li>\n
          • Musashi Takahagi station to Higashi Hanno station (Hachiko line)<\/li>\n
          • At Higashi Hanno station, was told wrong platform<\/li>\n
          • Higashi Hanno station to Higashi Agano station (Seibu Chichibu line, going opposite direction)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

             <\/p>\n

            Sendai station to Tokyo via Tohoku Shinkansen<\/p>\n

            \"\"<\/p>\n

             <\/p>\n

            Otemachi station to Takadanobaba statoin (Tozai line)<\/p>\n

             <\/p>\n

            \"\"<\/p>\n

             <\/p>\n

             <\/p>\n

            Takadanobaba station to Kamiigusa station<\/p>\n

            \"\"<\/p>\n

             <\/p>\n

             <\/p>\n

            After biking around, I got to KamiShakujii Station to Kodaira station<\/p>\n

            \"\"<\/p>\n

             <\/p>\n

            I made en error here as I misunderstood the platform manager. I went to Hagiyama station. I got on the Seibu Haijima line.<\/p>\n

            \"\"<\/p>\n

             <\/p>\n

            I had to back track to Kodaira station and get back on the Seibu Shinjuku line for Tokorozawa station.<\/p>\n

            \"\"<\/p>\n

             <\/p>\n

            I stopped at Tokorozawa station to eat and make sure I was going to Hon-Kawagoe station. The issue was, I didn’t know Hon-Kawagoe station<\/em>, I was telling people Kawagoe station.\u00a0<\/em>I didn’t realize there was a difference and that was the confusion! So to break it down, I was NOT on a Japan Rail line, I was on Seibu lines and I was asking for JR Kawagoe station, and these lines don’t go to Kawagoe station directly.<\/p>\n

            As I said before, upon getting to Hon-Kawagoe station, it is deceptively a short distance. I asked information and the lady gave me a small piece of paper showing a path. I figured it was around the corner, but nope, less than a mile away, I was there. Luckily, this was a shopping street, so I walked around and bought stuff.<\/p>\n

            \"\"<\/p>\n

             <\/p>\n

             <\/p>\n

            After that short walk and getting on the Kawagoe Line, I stopped at Musashi-Takahagi station, where I was picked up.<\/p>\n

            \"\"<\/p>\n

             <\/p>\n

             <\/p>\n

            After my meeting with Suenaga, Yamashima, Hiruma and Taguchi-san, I was dropped back off at Musashi-Takahagi station. I was told to go to Higashi-Hanno station via the Hachiko line.<\/p>\n

            \"\"<\/p>\n

             <\/p>\n

             <\/p>\n

            This is where the night took a\u00a0wrong turn\u2026 or in my case,\u00a0wrong direction. The guy at the ticket counter told me the wrong platform and I ended up going the wrong way. The problem was, it was the last train of the night.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

            When I realized I was going the wrong way, I got off at Higashi-Agano Station. To make matters worst, my phone was dying.<\/p>\n

            \"\"<\/p>\n

             <\/p>\n

            All I could do was walk and it was past midnight.\u00a0My phone was nearly dead and it was a small rural station. I didn\u2019t know what to do, so I started walking. In all honestly, I felt safe as it was Japan. I later came to a Family Mart. The guy in\u00a0 Family mart called me a taxi, but also called a local hotel asking for space. I couldn’t thank the guy enough!<\/p>\n

            \"\"<\/p>\n

             <\/p>\n

            \n

             <\/p>\n

            6th Day<\/p>\n

              \n
            • Hanno station to Ikebukuro station (Red Arrow Limited Express)<\/li>\n
            • Ikebukuro station to Tokyo station (Marunouchi line, subway)<\/li>\n
            • Tokyo station to Yokohama station (N’EX train)<\/li>\n
            • Yokohama station to Kamoi station (Yokohama line)<\/li>\n
            • Kamoi station to Nagatsuta station (Yokohama line)<\/li>\n
            • Nagatsuta station to Minami-Machida station (Tokyu-Den-entoshi Line)<\/li>\n
            • Minami-Machida station to Ch\u016b\u014d-rinkan Station (Tokyu-Den-entoshi line)<\/li>\n
            • Ch\u016b\u014d-rinkan Station to Minami Rinkan station (Odakyu-Enoshima Line)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

               <\/p>\n

              After a few hours of sleep at Hotel Heritage at Hanno station, I work up took a quick shower. I had left my stuff in a locker at Tokyo station. I had a busy day ahead (at least I planned it) and so I wanted the quickest route to Tokyo station. The fastest way was the Seibu Red Arrow limited Express.<\/p>\n

              There was no direct train to Tokyo Station, so I had to get off at Ikebukuro station and jump on the Marunouchi line (subway).<\/p>\n

              \"\"<\/p>\n

               <\/p>\n

              From Ikebukuro station to Tokyo station via Marunouchi line<\/p>\n

              \"\"<\/p>\n

               <\/p>\n

              From Tokyo Station to Yokohama station (N’EXpress)<\/p>\n

              \"\"<\/p>\n

               <\/p>\n

              Yokohama station to Kamoi station (Yokohama line)<\/p>\n

              \"\"<\/p>\n

               <\/p>\n

              After visiting Avante and Proudear shops, headed back.<\/p>\n

              \"\"<\/p>\n

               <\/p>\n

               <\/p>\n

              Kamoi station to Nagatsuta station (Yokohama line)<\/p>\n

              \"\"<\/p>\n

               <\/p>\n

              Nagatsuta station to Minami-Machida\u00a0(Tokyu-Den-entoshi Line)\"\"<\/p>\n

               <\/p>\n

              Minami-Machida station to Ch\u016b\u014d-rinkan Station (Tokyu-Den-entoshi line)<\/p>\n

              \"\"<\/p>\n

               <\/p>\n

              At\u00a0\u00a0Ch\u016b\u014d-rinkan Station, changed platforms<\/p>\n

              \"\"<\/p>\n

               <\/p>\n

               <\/p>\n

              Ch\u016b\u014d-rinkan Station to Minami Rinkan station (Odakyu-Enoshima Line)<\/p>\n

              \"\"<\/p>\n

               <\/p>\n

               <\/p>\n

               <\/p>\n

              \n

              This was pretty much the last of my train rides for this trip. My F31 family pretty much took care of me.<\/p>\n

               <\/p>\n

              The last train ride was from Mishima eki to Narita airport.<\/p>\n

              Tamai-san took me to Mishima station and I jumped on the Shinkansen to Tokyo station.\u00a0 At the Tokyo station, I jumped on the Narita Express again.<\/p>\n

              \"\"<\/p>\n

               <\/p>\n

              \n

              Conclusion: I made sure I learned the train system as much as possible this trip. I was impressed my wife figured it out, but this time, as I was on my own, I wanted to make sure I was able to understand, especially from the mistakes that cost me time and money.<\/p>\n

               <\/p>\n

               <\/p>\n

               <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

                  May 2017 was my 9 day trip in Japan. I would criss cross Japan to meet my friends. One of my missions was to learn the train system when I Japan. I was impressed when my wife Jasmin figured it out in 2016, while I just followed her. Even in my early trips […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-2950","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.f31club.com\/ourtravels\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2950","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.f31club.com\/ourtravels\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.f31club.com\/ourtravels\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.f31club.com\/ourtravels\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.f31club.com\/ourtravels\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2950"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/www.f31club.com\/ourtravels\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2950\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4460,"href":"https:\/\/www.f31club.com\/ourtravels\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2950\/revisions\/4460"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.f31club.com\/ourtravels\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2950"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}