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GETTING THERE |
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To begin, select a topic in the navigation bar to the left
Getting there from Britain and Ireland
Japan's two main international air gateways from Britain are Tokyo and
Osaka. Four airlines (All Nippon Airways, British Airways, Japan
Airlines and Virgin) fly nonstop from London into New Tokyo
International airport (better known as Narita), while JAL also fly daily,
nonstop to Kansai International airport, built on an artificial island
in Osaka Bay, and twice a week to Nagoya airport in Western Honshu.
There are plenty of airlines with indirect flights to Narita and Kansai
- some also offer connecting services to major regional airports, such
as Nagoya and Fukuoka. Direct flights from London take around twelve
hours.
There are no direct flights from Ireland - you'll need to stop over in
Europe en route, with the cheapest deals usually being via London (Ryan
Air fly daily from Dublin to London for IR£50).
Getting there from the USA and Canada
A number of airlines serve Tokyo International airport (Narita) and -
less often - other Japanese international airports non stop from North
America, with connections from virtually everywhere in Canada and the
United States. The recent Asian financial turmoil has led to a sharp
decline in inter-Asian tourism, and the airlines are trying to make up
the slack by increasing volume from North America. As a result, many
flights are offered at up to half-price, so keep a sharp eye out for
special offers. It's also possible to reach Japan via Europe, though
this can be a lot more expensive
Getting there from Australia and New Zealand
There's plenty of choice of flights to Japan from Australia and New
Zealand, with both Australasian, Japanese and other regional airlines
regularly serving Tokyo (Narita airport) and Osaka (Kansai International
airport). In addition, there are a limited number of flights to the
regional airports of Nagoya, Fukuoka and Sapporo.
Increased competition, particularly on services from Eastern Australia
(Sydney, Brisbane and Cairns) to Tokyo and Osaka, means that fares on
these routes are generally the cheapest. All the fares quoted are for
travel during low or shoulder seasons, and exclude airport taxes; flying
at peak times (primarily mid-Dec to mid-Jan) can add substantially to
these prices. Whatever kind of ticket you're after, first call should be
one of the specialist travel agents , which can fill you in on all the
latest fares and any special offers. If you're a student or under 26 ,
you may be able to undercut some of the prices given here; STA is a good
place to start.
Land and sea routes to Japan
Adventurous travellers can take advantage of a number of alternative
routes to Japan from Europe and Asia combining rail and ferry transport.
There are three long-distance train rides - the Trans-Siberian, Trans-Mongolian
and Trans-Manchurian - all of which will put you on the right side of
Asia for a hop across to Japan. The shortest ferry route is on the
hydrofoil between Pusan in South Korea and Fukuoka (Hakata port) on
Japan's southern island of Kyushu. Advance reservations are recommended
for all ferries
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