Japan Rail Offers Traveler Efficiency, Economical Passes
For no-hassle travel within Japan, nothing beats the Japan Rail pass. Sold only to foreign visitors staying 90 days or less, the pass is an ideal solution for business travelers calling two or more destinations.
Since internal airfares surprisingly are expensive, often involving long city to airport links, and most non-Japanese-literate business travelers find driving extremely difficult, rail is the intercity mode of choice. This choice is made even easier by the fact that Japan's rail network arguably is the world's finest.
As of press time, Japan Rail passes cost $230 for a one-week pass and $370 for a two-week pass. These passes provide unlimited transportation throughout Japan on virtually all Japan Rail trains, including high-speed trains, local service, some subway routes within Tokyo and Osaka, airport shuttles and one ferry. The pass must be bought from official pass distributors before entering the country.
Travelers also can buy JR East and JR West passes covering specific sectors. Prices and ground rules vary, but four-day flexible passes—four days within a month—cost $162 for either service. JR East territory includes such cities as Akita, Misawa, Morioka, Nagano, Niigata, Tokyo and Sendai.
There are two distinct types of rail passes available for travel within the JR West area: a Sanyo area rail pass, which includes the "bullet train," and a Kansai area rail pass, which primarily is a local rail pass in and around the Osaka area. The Sanyo pass is the only pass available for the Nozomi, one of the fastest trains in the world.
To buy passes travelers must contact one of the official North American pass distributors, which are All Nippon Airways, Japan Airlines, Jal Pak, JTB, Kintetsu International Express, Nippon Travel Agency and Tokyu Tourist Corp.
Tokyo Hotel Scene Booming
Meanwhile, various hotels in Japan have debuted or undergone recent upgrades with features designed to entice business guests.
The Cerulean Tower Tokyu Hotel in Tokyo's trendy Shibuya district is located on the 19th through 37th floors of a new office tower overlooking the Mark City shopping complex and Tokyu Plaza. The hotel features several typical, and unique, facilities, including a fitness club, beauty salon, dental clinic, cigar shop, executive business center and its own Noh Theater.
The 858-room Hotel Okura Tokyo now is equipped with ultra high-speed Internet connectivity, which it claims provides guests with the fastest Internet connection speeds available at any Japanese hotel.
The Keio Plaza Inter-Continental Tokyo also now offers high-speed Internet access in each of its 1,485 rooms. The hotel's officials said it is the first major Japanese property to offer free 24-hour Internet access in all rooms.
The 3,008-room Shinagawa Prince Hotel complex in southern Tokyo is completing work on a 31-floor tower, scheduled for completion next spring. The new tower will feature 672 guest rooms and include an IMAX theater, wedding chapels, 10-screen movie complex, restaurants, a food court as well as a 40-lane bowling alley.
Tokyo's 72-room Hotel Seiyo Ginza announced it is the first hotel in Japan to introduce 24-hour personalized butler service for all guests.
Additionally, the 304-room Grand Hyatt Tokyo is scheduled to open in May 2003 in the trendy Rappongi district. The mix-use complex will contain a 54-story office tower, TV broadcast center, a multi-purpose theater and 200 retail shops, restaurants and open-air cafes.