Arai
How to Get to Lotte Arai Resort From Tokyo, Niigata or Seoul
How to get to Lotte Arai Resort: a free guest shuttle from Joetsumyoko, booked by 7am, or fly Seoul-Niigata then train (checked Sept 2026).
Transport
Getting there and around: airport access, shinkansen and local transit tips tied to where you're staying.
Tsumagoi
How to Get to Palcall Tsumagoi From Tokyo Without a Car
How to get to Palcall Tsumagoi from Tokyo without a car: Shinkansen to Karuizawa, then the guests-only free shuttle or a bus-plus-taxi route.
Tokyo
Welcome Suica Mobile: 180 Days, ¥20,000 Cap, Top-Ups Not Refunded
Welcome Suica Mobile on iPhone: valid 180 days, ¥20,000 cap, ¥1,000 first top-up, no refunds. Six countries can set it up before landing.
Tokyo
JR East Travel Service Center Tokyo: 7 Counters, Hours, Passport
JR East Travel Service Center Tokyo: seven counters for visitors, 6:45 to 20:00, where each one is, and why you need your original passport.
Kumamoto
Aso Kumamoto Airport: A Terminal Worth Arriving Early For
The 2023 terminal, akagyu beef bowls and basashi on the food floor, and the 2026 limousine fare rise that older English guides still get wrong.
Japan
Sending Ski Bags Ahead in Japan: Takkyubin Sizes and Costs
Ski and board bags exceed Japan's takkyubin size chart. See the size threshold, real costs, shipping deadlines, and which hotels hold gear pre-check-in.
New Chitose
Snow Delays New Chitose: Rebooking, Hotels and Backups
New Chitose snow closures empty nearby hotels within the hour. The rebooking order, real Jan 2026 stranding numbers, and where beds still are (Aug 2026).
Takayama
Renting a Car Takayama Shirakawa-go Winter: Car vs Bus
Renting a car for Takayama and Shirakawa-go in winter, compared against the Nohi Bus on cost, chain regulation, and light-up parking rules (checked Aug 2026).
Japan
Taking Skis on the Shinkansen: Rules, Sizes and Which Trains
Skis and boards count as exempt sports equipment on JR trains, but the 160cm oversized-baggage reservation still applies to other bags on some Shinkansen lines.
New Chitose
Flying Into New Chitose for a Ski Trip: Night One
Flying into New Chitose for a ski trip? See which resort transfers each arrival time still makes, and where to sleep if the last bus is already gone.
Sapporo
Ski Resorts Day Trip From Sapporo: Which Bus Times Work
Ski resorts day trip from Sapporo: first bus out, last back, and skiable hours for Teine, Kokusai, Bankei, Kiroro, Rusutsu and Niseko (Aug 2026).
Hokkaido
New Chitose Airport to Rusutsu: Shuttle and Bus (2026-27)
New Chitose Airport to Rusutsu: the Big Runs direct shuttle (~120 min, from ¥5,000), the free Sapporo route, taxi fares and driving times, checked August 2026.