Trains
Generally the most common and convenient way to travel is by train. Trains are clean, safe and almost always on time. The main rail company is Japan Rail (JR), but there are also a few privately owned railways around the prefecture. Below is a not-to-scale map that shows most of the lines and their main connections in Gifu prefecture.
Top Tips:
Travelling to the Kansai region
Travelling to the Hida region:
Travelling to the Central Japan International Airport
Travelling during holiday periods
Private lines
IC cards
Travelling to the Kansai region
- You can catch the Tokaido line (in orange) west to Maibara and transfer to the Kyoto and Osaka line (Toakido-Sanyo line, in olive). Though a slightly longer option than catching the shinkansen from Nagoya, it is much cheaper (¥2500 rather than ¥6000 each way from Gifu-shi).
- If you are short on time and plan on going to Kansai for a short trip, try the shuttle ticket (シャトル切符) from Ogaki. This gives a 2 day discount for the shinkansen from Nagoya.
Travelling to the Hida region:
- The Takayama Line (in light green) takes longer than the Hida express line (in yellow), but it is much cheaper (¥2500 and 3hr15m compared to ¥5000 and 2hrs from Gifu).
Travelling to the Central Japan International Airport
- The Meitetsu Limited Express Line (in red) can be caught directly to the Central Japan International Airport. It’s incredibly convenient and relatively cheap.
- From Meitetsu Gifu: costs ¥1700 and taking about an hour
- From Meitetsu Nagoya: costs ¥1230 and takes about 30 minutes.
Travelling during holiday periods
- JR sells a pass called the青春18きっぷ (Seishun 18 Kippu). It allows 5 days of unlimited travel around the country on any local or rapid service local trains for only ¥11850! It is only sold and available for use during three school holiday periods throughout the year (Mar 1 – Apr 10, July 20 – Sept 10, Dec 10 – Jan 10).
Private lines
- Private lines generally have very small carriages that go less regularly than the bigger lines and you will probably have to pay your ticket fee on board directly to the driver.
IC cards
- IC cards are incredibly convenient and are handy to have if you ever plan on taking trains around the bigger cities.
- They cost ¥2000 (¥1500 travel credit and a ¥500 deposit for the card) and can be used on JR lines and most private subway/train lines in big cities. You can get one at the ticket machines (which all have English options) in most decently sized train stations.
- Unfortunately they can’t be used at smaller stations which don’t allow you to tap on and off. In these cases you will have to buy single tickets using the pricing board above the ticket machines or by letting Google Maps calculate the ticket price you need.
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https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT207154
Use Suica or PASMO on iPhone/Watch in Japan |
Caution: If you need to have your device repaired, it is advised to remove your IC card from your Apple Wallet or restore your device prior to the repair if possible. This is especially the case if you're using a repair service other than an Apple Authorized Service Provider (AASP). Any remaining balance can be reobtained by setting up the same card with the previously used Apple ID.
- https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT207155 Add a Suica or PASMO to Apple Wallet
- https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT212742 Top up your transit card
- https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT212171 Use Express Mode
- https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT207155 Add a Suica or PASMO to Apple Wallet
- https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT212742 Top up your transit card
- https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT212171 Use Express Mode
Buses
The other common way to travel is by bus. Buses are convenient for local travel as well as cheap long distance travel.
Local Buses
With most buses in Japan you get on at the back door, take a ticket, and pay as you get off at the front door. You can usually work out your fare using the screen at the front of the bus which tells you the price between each bus stop. In most towns they have a set fee which makes it much easier, especially for community circular buses. Buses only take exact change, but there is typically a change machine that accepts up to ¥1000 to give you various coins in return. Gifu City bus lines are now accepting IC Cards (like Chubu region’s Toica, Kansai’s Icoca, etc).
Long Distance Buses
Long distance buses offer much cheaper alternatives to the shinkansen for travel. Buses can be caught to lots of major cities around Japan from Gifu-shi, Takayama-shi and Nagoya-shi.
Local Buses
With most buses in Japan you get on at the back door, take a ticket, and pay as you get off at the front door. You can usually work out your fare using the screen at the front of the bus which tells you the price between each bus stop. In most towns they have a set fee which makes it much easier, especially for community circular buses. Buses only take exact change, but there is typically a change machine that accepts up to ¥1000 to give you various coins in return. Gifu City bus lines are now accepting IC Cards (like Chubu region’s Toica, Kansai’s Icoca, etc).
- Navi.gifubus.co.jp - Timetables for buses in the Gifu region. It’s all in Japanese, and to search for stops you must type the proper kanji or it will not find the stops. However, the website also has a map that you can click around on to find your stops.
- Jorudan.co.jp - Timetables for buses in the Seino region.
- Gifubus.co.jp - Timetables for buses between Nagoya, Gifu-shi and Mino-shi.
- Tohetsu.co.jp - Timetables and maps for buses the Tono and southern Chuno regions (Kani and Yaotsu). They’re in Japanese too.
- Nohibus.co.jp - Timetables for buses to and from Takayama, with a convenient English Website.
Long Distance Buses
Long distance buses offer much cheaper alternatives to the shinkansen for travel. Buses can be caught to lots of major cities around Japan from Gifu-shi, Takayama-shi and Nagoya-shi.
From Gifu City
- Between Gifu JR and Gifu Meitetsu is the longer distance bus rank. The buses from here go to many touristy destinations in Gifu-ken, like Shirakawa-go and Takayama.
- You have to book these tickets at the ticket office, but you can look the times up online beforehand at nohibus.co.jp
From Takayama
- Most highway and regional buses are operated by the Takayama Nohi Bus Center (sometimes abbreviated as “Takayama BC"). Nohi Bus’ highway routes are the cheapest way for Hidans to get to Tokyo or Osaka, and can get you there without any transfers.
- The NohiBus Center is just outside of Takayama station.
- You have to book tickets for these buses at the ticket office in the center or online at nohibus.co.jp Nohi Bus offers the following highway bus routes:
From Nagoya
- You can catch a huge number of buses from Nagoya station to regions outside of Gifu. They have many day and overnight buses departing from there. You can book tickets online in English using www.willerexpress.com or www.kousokubus.net/JpnBus/en and from a range of other different websites.
- Top tip: Catching a bus from here is the cheapest way for southern Gifians to get to Tokyo and Osaka (From the north of Gifu, buses depart from Takayama).
Tips:
- Be aware that there are only overnight buses during summer.
- There is a once daily Nohi bus route from Takayama to the Central Japan International Airport (Also called Chubu or Centrair). It departs Takayama at 10:00am (arriving at 1:30pm), and departs Centrair at 5:00pm (arriving in Takayama at 8:30pm).
- The bus between Gifu and Takayama is half the price of the express train and takes the same amount of time (¥2570 one way and ¥4630 return, compared to ¥4900 one way on the Hida express line).
Airplanes and Overseas Travel
There is a lot to see around Japan and beyond and luckily there are some budget flight options available to you to fuel your travelling urges! Here are the airports available to you in Gifu prefecture.
On this page you will find information about: Airports, Travel Insurance, Money Exchange and Immigration
On this page you will find information about: Airports, Travel Insurance, Money Exchange and Immigration
Airports
Central Japan International Airport / Centrair / Chubu (just south of Nagoya)
Kansai International Airport / KIX (near Osaka)
Narita International Airport (Tokyo)
Pro tips:
1. Always use a flight compare website to find the cheapest flight and delete your browser cookies before booking!
2. Take into consideration the cost and time you will spend traveling from Gifu to Kansai or Tokyo airport compared to Centrair before choosing your flights!
3. If you don’t have a credit card, check out the Japanese airline options (JAL, ANA, Peach, sometimes Jetstar, etc.) which allow you to pay for your flights in cash at a convenience store.
- This is the closest airport to Gifu. You can easily access it using the Meitetsu Limited Express Line which takes one hour from Meitetsu-Gifu station (¥2000), or 30 minutes from Meitetsu-Nagoya station (¥1230). The first train doesn’t arrive at the airport until 6:30am so keep this in mind when booking your flights. There is also a once daily bus from Takayama departing at 10:00am (arriving at Centrair at 1:30pm), and departing Centrair at 5:00pm (arriving in Takayama at 8:30pm).
- Driving to the airport is quite expensive because of the tolls you will be hit with driving through Nagoya, however parking fees are quite reasonable.
- Low cost carriers Skymark and Jetstar fly from here, as well as ANA and Japan Airlines. You can fly to numerous domestic and international locations from here.
- Always check out the prices from Nagoya before booking because utilising this airport will save you travel time and money!
Kansai International Airport / KIX (near Osaka)
- Kansai has similar domestic options to Centrair, except with the addition of super low cost carrier Peach Airlines (which allows you to pay for your flights at a convenience store too)!
- Kansai also has a much larger range of international airlines flying in and out of it for generally cheaper prices.
- Remember to factor in that it will cost you at least ¥3000 and 3-4 hours each way to get to KIX from Gifu.
- A bonus is that you can sleep in KIX for free if you want to make an early morning flight. Look for the Lawson on the second level of T1. There you will find padded benches with arm rests, low lighting, and you can even get blankets from the information desk! You may be woken by a security guard but they will just want to check your ticket and then will let you go back to sleep. There are also hostels and manga cafes nearby if you’d prefer.
Narita International Airport (Tokyo)
- Narita has the most international flight options, but it’s very costly to get there from Gifu compared to going to Centrair or Kansai airport.
Pro tips:
1. Always use a flight compare website to find the cheapest flight and delete your browser cookies before booking!
2. Take into consideration the cost and time you will spend traveling from Gifu to Kansai or Tokyo airport compared to Centrair before choosing your flights!
3. If you don’t have a credit card, check out the Japanese airline options (JAL, ANA, Peach, sometimes Jetstar, etc.) which allow you to pay for your flights in cash at a convenience store.
Travel Insurance
We are already covered by two types of insurance through JET which can be used to cover costs incurred from health issues and medical emergencies when you’re overseas. However, they do not cover loss or damage to belongings or missed flights/accommodation. If you would like to be covered for these then you should purchase additional travel insurance. Online companies (such as www.worldnomads.com) generally offer the best prices for this.
Here’s a rundown of what the JET insurances cover and how to use them:
National Health Insurance (National Social Insurance)
This insurance is compulsory for all Japanese residents. It covers 70% of the cost of your medical expenses for illness and injuries. You must have your blue insurance card on you to claim this. This may or may not cover fees from injuries incurred overseas.
For more about National Health Insurance, please see JET Insurance.
JET Program Accident Insurance
This insurance is only available to JETs (not their dependents) and aims to help you claim back as much as possible of what isn’t covered by the National Health Insurance (minus a ¥5000 deductible). This insurance covers you wherever you are around the world from the day you depart your home country to come to Japan, until April 30th (April arrivals) or August 31st (August arrivals) of the following year. However, if you temporarily return to your home country you are only covered for the first 30 days after entering your home country. There is no limit of coverage for days spent in other foreign countries though.
For more about JET Accident Insurance, please see Jet Insurance.
Making Claims
You will have to pay all the fees up front and then you will be reimbursed at a later date (sometimes months later). Make sure you keep all of your receipts and any documents provided by the health practitioner or hospital. They may ask for your policy number at the hospital (it may make things cheaper for you!) so provide them with the appropriate number:
Before submitting a claim it is essential that you make a claim to the Accident Insurance company within 30 days of your injury or illness. This report can be made by you or by a representative from your contracting organization.
When making a claim you must first submit it to the National Health Insurance. After they decide what they will cover you can then make a claim through the JET Program Accident Insurance to try and get the rest of the fees covered. For details on this process check out the JET Program website here.
Here’s a rundown of what the JET insurances cover and how to use them:
National Health Insurance (National Social Insurance)
This insurance is compulsory for all Japanese residents. It covers 70% of the cost of your medical expenses for illness and injuries. You must have your blue insurance card on you to claim this. This may or may not cover fees from injuries incurred overseas.
For more about National Health Insurance, please see JET Insurance.
JET Program Accident Insurance
This insurance is only available to JETs (not their dependents) and aims to help you claim back as much as possible of what isn’t covered by the National Health Insurance (minus a ¥5000 deductible). This insurance covers you wherever you are around the world from the day you depart your home country to come to Japan, until April 30th (April arrivals) or August 31st (August arrivals) of the following year. However, if you temporarily return to your home country you are only covered for the first 30 days after entering your home country. There is no limit of coverage for days spent in other foreign countries though.
For more about JET Accident Insurance, please see Jet Insurance.
Making Claims
You will have to pay all the fees up front and then you will be reimbursed at a later date (sometimes months later). Make sure you keep all of your receipts and any documents provided by the health practitioner or hospital. They may ask for your policy number at the hospital (it may make things cheaper for you!) so provide them with the appropriate number:
- April 2016 arrivals and reappointed JETs: Policy Number T900105826
- July & August 2016 arrivals and reappointed JETs: Policy Number T900238830
Before submitting a claim it is essential that you make a claim to the Accident Insurance company within 30 days of your injury or illness. This report can be made by you or by a representative from your contracting organization.
- 0120-881-018 Monday to Friday, 9:00am~5:00pm, toll free.
- 0120-529-955 Outside of business hours contact the Travelers Insurance Support Desk.
When making a claim you must first submit it to the National Health Insurance. After they decide what they will cover you can then make a claim through the JET Program Accident Insurance to try and get the rest of the fees covered. For details on this process check out the JET Program website here.
Exchanging Money
Most people’s banks will only give them an ATM card that works only in Japan, so when you travel you have to take lots of cash with you.
The best way to exchange money is online via a website such as www.doru.jp/en/ as it’s the cheapest option (it will generally save you 5-10% which can end up being a decent amount of money). Fill out the form online and opt to pay via bank transfer (振り込み) or cash on delivery (COD). It will take about a week for the foreign cash to be delivered to your door!
You can also exchange cash at most airports or at your bank, but they will generally charge a higher commission rate. The same goes for withdrawing foreign cash from a foreign country’s ATM using your bank card.
The best way to exchange money is online via a website such as www.doru.jp/en/ as it’s the cheapest option (it will generally save you 5-10% which can end up being a decent amount of money). Fill out the form online and opt to pay via bank transfer (振り込み) or cash on delivery (COD). It will take about a week for the foreign cash to be delivered to your door!
You can also exchange cash at most airports or at your bank, but they will generally charge a higher commission rate. The same goes for withdrawing foreign cash from a foreign country’s ATM using your bank card.
Immigration
With the JET visa, you are allowed to exit and re-enter Japan as many times as you would like now. When you get to immigration at the airport you’ll have to fill out a departure form. Make sure you tick ‘Permanent Resident’ rather than ‘Temporary Visitor’ and give them your Residence Card at the desk. They will staple the other half of the card into your passport. Do not lose this! You will need this stapled card and your Residence Card to re-enter Japan. A bonus of being a foreign resident means you can use the much shorter ‘Foreign Residents’ immigration line at the airport when you return!
Remember to research whether the country you’re visiting requires a visa for you to visit. Some countries have a really easy visa application process (eg: Vietnam) while others have a much more difficult set of hoops to jump through (eg: China).
Remember to research whether the country you’re visiting requires a visa for you to visit. Some countries have a really easy visa application process (eg: Vietnam) while others have a much more difficult set of hoops to jump through (eg: China).