Traveling by Shinkansen and Bus While in Japan

In this article I'll talk about the best ways to travel within in Japan while living here, or just visiting.

My First Few Times Travelling with the Shinkansen

My first year in Japan I went to two places. I went to Kyoto and Fukuoka. I went to Kyoto in the summer, and I went to Fukuoka at the end of December. One was a lot more pleasant than the other, as far as getting there goes. For both trips I took the Shinkansen, AKA the bullet train. I also took the Shinkansen when I arrived in Japan to get from Osaka to Okayama.
When I traveled to Kyoto, I got my ticket from a traveling agency, so I was able to get a good deal. Not only did I get a good deal but when I got on the train, I already had my seat assigned so there was no problem. Plus, there was not a lot of people traveling because I went during a normal weekend.

My Eye-Opening Experience Traveling During the Holidays

My trip to Fukuoka was not so lucky. My friend asked me to go to her hometown, it was the first time I purchase my own ticket, before I got some help. I was able to do that okay. But I didn't realize it was a really EXTREMELY bad time to get my ticket. I purchased my ticket on the day of, THE DAY OF. In Japan it's doable, but I wouldn't recommend it…at least not during that time. I got my ticket, but Japanese people get their tickets, for the holidays, well in advance. At the time I didn't know that there was assigned seating and unassigned seating. They have different cars allotted to each. There's a car that has assigned seats, and there's a car for people who want unassigned seats. The difference is price, and availability. If you chose to get an unassigned seat, it will be a tiny bit cheaper. If it's not during busy times, I'm sure that it's okay. In Japan there are three holidays that EVERYONE usually gets off. Those holidays are Golden Week, Obon Week, and the New Year's holiday. These holidays usually last for one week, and its hell to travel, or to go anywhere really. People will buy their tickets months in advance to travel during these times.
I got my ticket to Fukuoka the day off, during the New Year's holiday. It was INSANE. I didn't know that on the Shinkansen, they do the same thing as the normal train. Which is, have A TON of people crammed into a small train. I was flabbergasted. I had to stand for about 3 hours after I had traveled about an hour already from my apartment to the train station. I had my medium sized luggage, so it was a little heavy. I saw some people sitting on their luggage, so I finally gave up and sat down myself. If you ever find yourself in this situation, and you are near Tokyo, GO TO TOKYO STATION. It's where the train originates from. I went to Yokohama station, it's about two or three stops away from Tokyo station, therefore you will DEFINITELY NOT be getting a seat. Try to find the first stop of the Shinkansen and go if need be. The travel may be a little out of the way, but you'll thank yourself for it in the long run.
I do love to travel by Shinkansen, but for me, now, it's not so practical. Where I am currently living, I have to change trains a million times, and I feel my trip should be stress free. Changing trains for me is not stress free. Not to mention the price of the Shinkansen. The price is about 180-200 dollars. That's for only ONE trip, and the price may go higher or lower depending.

Shinkansen Deal Offered by JR for Tourists and Foreigners in Japan

If you are a tourist in Japan, the JR train allows you to travel by Shinkansen with a very affordable train pass. So, there's no worries there. I also heard that they are allowing foreigners who live in Japan the same offer. You just have to visit a JR office. I unfortunately don't live near one, so I'm not sure how that works or how much it costs.

Bus Travel

I have been traveling by way of bus travel since the year 2017.
My friend introduced me to a company called Willer Express. We took this bus from Osaka to Yokohama. I loved it, and what I loved most of all was the price! They usually have great prices compared to the Shinkansen. And if you're in a bigger city, it's easier to get from one place to another. I live in the country, and they offer a night bus from where I am to Tokyo. It's a bit on the expensive side, about 89 dollars, give or take. But it's nothing compared to the price of a train ticket. There's also a local bus company where I live that offers even lower prices. If you live in a small city, check to see if there are smaller bus companies that offer travel to big cities. You could save yourself a lot of money. The amenities on these types of buses include a toilet, a plug for each seat, and WIFI, so you can rest easy about that.
I hope you can find a delightful, and stress-free way to travel in Japan!