Read the timetable, hear the chime, and know exactly where to stand when the doors open.

Japan's trains are the most precise and most human way to move through the country, and once you can read them, the whole map opens up.

By the end

You will be able to plan a journey across Japan by train, buy and use the right ticket, read station signs and announcements, and understand why a train can feel like a place in itself.

Who this is for

Anyone who loves trains, plans to travel in Japan, or wants to understand the country through its railway culture — from home or from a platform.