Mei Tanaka
Analyst, Japan: rail passes, costs and entry rules, based in Osaka
Japan, Kansai. Lives in Osaka
Letzte Recherchereise: Sept. 202646 Guides veröffentlicht
- Rail
- Budget
- Entry rules
Sprachen: English, Japanese
Über
Mei worked five years in a Japanese rail company's fares department before joining the desk, which is why her JR Pass maths is right and her tables are long. She covers Shinkansen pricing, IC cards, tax-free rules and what a week in Japan really costs, and she updates the numbers when the yen moves.
Recherchereisen
Aus Datenschutzgründen nennen wir nur den Monat, nicht das Datum.
- Sept. 2026KanazawaHokuriku Shinkansen weekend, 11 to 13 September
- Aug. 2026NikkoNikko and Kinugawa Onsen by rail, 14 to 16 August
- Juli 2026Tokyo to HakataNozomi vs Hikari timing and seat test, 3 nights
- Apr. 2026KansaiIC card and Haruka pass check, 2 nights
- März 2026TohokuSeven local-train days with Haruki Sato, from 31 March
Guides von Mei Tanaka
AktivitätenDay trips from Osaka by train: five options and when to start
UnterkünfteWhere to stay in Osaka: six neighborhoods compared by trip type
ReiseplanOsaka in 2 days: the south one day, the castle and Umeda the next
Beste ReisezeitBest time to visit Seoraksan: foliage, closures, rain and snow
AnleitungTateyama Kurobe Alpine Route: tickets, direction and how long it takes
UnterkünfteWhere to stay around Tokyo: five bases for day trips and onsen nights
UnterkünfteWhere to stay in Hualien: city, Xincheng or the Qixingtan coast
UnterkünfteWhere to stay in Kaohsiung: four MRT bases from Zuoying to HamasenIm VergleichHualien or Taitung: which east coast base should you pick?
AnleitungHallasan hike: reservations, trails and cut-off times for 2026Im VergleichSeoraksan cable car or Ulsanbawi hike: which fits your day?Im VergleichNikkō, Hakone or Kamakura: which Tokyo day trip should you pick?AktivitätenBest day trips from Tokyo by train: eight options ranked by effortAnleitungTaroko Gorge from Hualien: what is open and how to go without a carReiseplanJeju east coast in one day: Seongsan, Udo and ManjanggulUnterkünfteWhere to base in Central Honshū: five towns, from Nagoya to NaganoAnleitungSeoraksan hiking guide: Ulsanbawi, Biseondae or Daecheongbong
Im VergleichKaohsiung or Tainan: which southern Taiwan city should you pick?
ReiseplanKaohsiung in 2 days: waterfront, Shoushan, temples and a night marketReiseplanTokyo to Kyoto via the Japan Alps: a 7-day route with train timesUnterkünfteWhere to stay in Jeju: city, Seogwipo, east coast or west coast
RegelnK-ETA, explained: who still needs Korea's travel authorization
Trip ideaThree long weekends from Tokyo by rail, none of them Kyoto
AnleitungKamakura day trip from Tokyo: trains, passes and a one-day routeAnleitungNara day trip from Osaka or Kyoto: trains, route and what to skipData storyWe priced 12 Japan routes with and without the JR Pass. Two clearly won
RegelnChina visa-free entry: the 30-day list and the 240-hour transit
UnterkünfteWhere to stay in Kyoto: five bases, from the station to Arashiyama
Im VergleichIs the Kansai Area Pass worth it? What still exists in 2026
UnterkünfteWhere to stay in Hangzhou: four West Lake bases compared
ReiseplanHong Kong in 3 days: harbor, Peak, markets and an island
UnterkünfteWhere to stay in Suzhou: four bases from old town to Jinji Lake
Im VergleichHong Kong to Macau: ferry or bridge bus, day trip or overnightUnterkünfteWhere to stay in Hong Kong: five bases from Tsim Sha Tsui to LantauReiseplanShanghai to Suzhou day trip: stations, getting around, one-day planAktivitätenBest Suzhou gardens to visit: which two or three of the nine
AnleitungHow to visit Mutianyu: real-name tickets, cable car, getting thereRegelnMoney in Japan: cash, cards and IC cards, checked for 2026Beste ReisezeitBest time to visit the Great Wall near Beijing: month by month
RegelnDigital arrival cards in Asia: Singapore, Malaysia, Japan and what they askReiseplanHangzhou in 2 days: West Lake, tea hills and Lingyin TempleIm VergleichWhich Great Wall section to visit: five compared for Beijing tripsIm VergleichShanghai to Hangzhou: day trip or overnight by high-speed rail?
AnleitungHakone day trip or overnight? The Free Pass, Romancecar and the loop
ReiseplanHiroshima and Miyajima in a day: a timed route from 7:30am to dinnerIm VergleichIs the JR Pass still worth it? Price your route first