How to Ride a Bus
In large cities such as Tokyo and Osaka, buses exist as a secondary means of transportation aside from the train and subway networks. Not only in big cities can you find buses but they are also operating at countryside or less dense areas in Japan.
Using buses in Japan can be intimidating to foreign tourists because there are different ticketing systems depending on the company, and recognizing the stop that you want to get off can be challenging. Recently, many buses in big cities provide English signage and announcements although, there are still a lot of buses that do not provide English or other foreign language assistance. Below is the most common system followed by almost all of the buses.
１．Enter the bus through the front door.
Upon entering, pick up the ticket from the small machine next to the driver. Pay attention to the number since this will be the basis of your fare. If you have an IC Card, touch your card against the sensor to pay the fare.
A small monitor is found at the front of the bus that shows the next stop and the fares for each stop in yen. To determine your fare, look for your ticket number on the screen. If you use an IC Card, then you do not have to worry about this.
２．Pay attention to the screen and when your stop is approaching. Press one of the buttons located on the walls or edges of the seats to signal the driver that you wish to get off at the next stop.
３．To avoid hassle, prepare the exact amount of the fare before the bus reaches your stop.
When getting off, put your ticket and the exact fare into the box next to the driver. If you use an IC Card, touch the card against the sensor.
４．There are also buses which have flat rates or charge the same amount of fare regardless of how far you travel. In this case, you do not need to scan your
IC card again when you get off the bus.
Riding the bus can be a nerve-wracking experience, especially if you do not know how to ride it properly and are unable to read the signs of the bus stop. But with this guide, we hope that it will lessen your burden and make you want to try to ride the bus and explore a bit around your neighborhood. Who knows, you might find a cool shrine or supermarket that offers cheap items!
