Birthplace of the Shinkansen or "Bullet Train", Japan is one of the world's great railway countries, though you shouldn't automatically assume that the train is always the best way to get around the country. Although tunnels and bridges now link all four of the main islands, to reach hundreds of others you have no choice but to board a ferry or a plane. The length of the country also makes flying - say, from Tokyo to Sapporo in the north or Kagoshima in the south - well worth considering, especially since the difference in cost with the fastest trains is negligible. It's also worth considering flying into one airport and home from another.

The time of year is an important factor to consider when arranging your transport around Japan. Peak travelling seasons are a few days either side of New Year, the Golden Week holidays of late April and early May, and the mid-August Obon holidays . During these times the whole of Japan can seem on the move, with trains, planes and ferries packed to the gills and roads clogged with traffic. If you want to be assured of a seat, book well in advance and be prepared to pay higher fares on flights, as all discounts are suspended during peak periods.

Online travel resources
Apart from the airline sites, there are several other useful travel Web sites in English that can help you plan your journey around Japan...

Useful travel phrases
See useful travel phrases...

By train
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 majority of services...

By air
Since the deregulation of the airline industry in 1996, domestic flights in Japan have come down in price. Skymark, a new airline owned by discount travel agent HIS and modelled after no-frills European services such as Go and Easyjet, has...

Discount Ticket Shops
In most big cities, usually in the main shopping areas near stations, you can find discount ticket shops (kinker shoppu) which sell, among other things, cheap...

By bus
Japan has a comprehensive system of long-distance buses ( chokyori basu ), including night buses between major cities such as Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka...

By ferry
One of the most pleasant ways of travelling around the island nation of Japan is by ferry. If you have the time, the overnight journeys to and from the main island Honshu to Hokkaido in the north, and Kyushu and Shikoku in the south, are...

By car
While it would be foolhardy to rent a car to get around Japan's cities, driving is often the best way to tour the country's less-populated and off-the-beaten-track areas, such as Hokkaido or the San-in coast of Western Honshu. Japanese roads are generally of a good standard, with the vast majority of signs on main routes...

By bike
Although you're unlikely to want to cycle around the grimy, traffic-clogged streets of Japan's main cities, in the smaller towns and countryside a bike is a great way to get from A to B while seeing plenty en route. Outside of the...

Hitching
There's always a risk associated with hitching, and if you have a choice it's best to err on the side of caution. That said, Japan is one of the safest and easiest places in the world to hitch a ride, and in some rural areas it's just about the only way...

City transport
All Japanese cities are served by buses and trains, but only the largest have subway systems. Some towns and cities have retained their trams, although...