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This week, let’s learn about Japanese people’s favourite transportation: “Densha” (電車)!
Japanese word for train is “Densha” (電車).
Trains are probably the most efficient and used transportation in Japanese cities.
Famous for being super clean and on time all over the world, Japanese trains are also loved by Japanese people themselves.
There are tons of trains related clothes, toys and accessories for babies, children and even grown-ups.
Here are some train-related terms.
Local Train: “Kaku eki Densha”（各駅電車） stops at every train station.
Express Train: “Kyu ko Densha” （急行電車） stops at every major station, but not at the ones in between. It is very convenient when you are going to a major station or trying to travel a distance. On the other hand, be careful if your destination is not on the express stop list, as the train would pass by it, maybe even take you somewhere very far (which then would cost you a lot of time to get back)
Limited Express: “Tokkyu Densha”（特急電車） stops at even fewer stops than the express, usually only at stations that have multiple lines running through it.
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Also, you would always want to be careful of the last train, which is “shuu den（終電）” in Japanese. Most trains in the urban areas like Tokyo and Osaka run until 11pm or midnight, but depending on where you want to go (probably your hotel), the last train could even be as early as 7pm.
Make sure you don’t miss these trains, or else, you’d have to take a taxi which would cost you an unbelievable amount of money depending on the distance. If you don’t want to waste your money on cabs, you would have to find a place to spend the night until the first train starts running at around 5am.
Surprisingly, there are many restaurants and izakayas that are open until 5am so your safety is assured (plus Japan is known to be one of the safest places on earth), but we would highly recommend you take the last train home and get a good night sleep as you might ruin your short stay in Japan.
There are plenty of articles about Japanese trains on Fun Japan, check it out!
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