Japan has the world's most efficient and frequent trains , with services running to all regions of the country and varying from high-speed Shinkansen to chugging steam locomotives maintained as tourist attractions. The vast majority of services are operated by JR , which split into seven regional networks when it was privatized in 1987 but still runs as a single company as far as buying tickets is concerned. In addition, there are fourteen smaller rail companies, including Hankyp, Odakyp and Tobu, which are based in the major cities and surrounding areas, but in the vast majority of Japan it's JR services that you'll be using.

Individual tickets are expensive, especially for the fastest trains, but there are a range of discount tickets and rail passes available to cut the cost, with Japan Rail Passes providing the best deal . If you have lots of time, and are travelling during the main student holiday periods, the Seishun Juhachi-kippu is also an excellent buy.