Taxis at cruise ports inJapan?

[kbert92069]

We have never cruised around or visited Japan.  In many places we've cruised there are taxis waiting at the pier which can be hired to take us to a destination or even drive us around all day.  Does this happen in Japan?  We are looking at Celebrity's 14 day around Japan next spring.  The specific ports are Shimazu, Kobe, Kochi, Hiroshima, Nagasaki, Hakodate, Aomori.

 

Secondary question would be if these hovering taxis exist what's the likelihood  the drivers speak a little English.

 

Third question: have people had success with Google translate in Japan?

 

Thanks,

 

Karl

[BruceMuzz]

Japanese people own far fewer cars than Americans, relying on public transit far more than you do. As a result, there are far more taxis in Japan than in many other countries.

You will be surprised at how nice the Japanese taxis can be; spotlessly clean, drivers in coat and tie, lace doileys on the seats, automatic doors, telephone charging stations in the back, televisions, etc. These taxis are also not cheap. You get what you pay for.

 

There is some Uber in some parts of Japan, but those taxis are more expensive than regular taxis.

 

In most ports there will be plenty of taxis at the pier. In the bigger cities (Tokyo, Osaka), many drivers will speak a bit of English. You should be prepared to show them a map or a Japanese translation of where you want to go. You should also learn just a bit of Japanese language to make it easier.

It is unusual in Japan for a taxi driver to offer a day long drive or tour. This sort of thing is best arranged in advance with a tour company.

 

Japan's public transit is the best in the world. It is remarkably easy and inexpensive to take a train or subway to just about anywhere. You should do a bit of research on this before you go.

If your smartphone has GPS and maps, your travels will be far easier.

Translate.google.com is not very precise with Japanese, but it can be very helpful in getting around. In most cases it can get your basic message across.

 

[kbert92069]

20 hours ago, BruceMuzz said:

Japanese people own far fewer cars than Americans, relying on public transit far more than you do. As a result, there are far more taxis in Japan than in many other countries.

You will be surprised at how nice the Japanese taxis can be; spotlessly clean, drivers in coat and tie, lace doileys on the seats, automatic doors, telephone charging stations in the back, televisions, etc. These taxis are also not cheap. You get what you pay for.

 

There is some Uber in some parts of Japan, but those taxis are more expensive than regular taxis.

 

In most ports there will be plenty of taxis at the pier. In the bigger cities (Tokyo, Osaka), many drivers will speak a bit of English. You should be prepared to show them a map or a Japanese translation of where you want to go. You should also learn just a bit of Japanese language to make it easier.

It is unusual in Japan for a taxi driver to offer a day long drive or tour. This sort of thing is best arranged in advance with a tour company.

 

Japan's public transit is the best in the world. It is remarkably easy and inexpensive to take a train or subway to just about anywhere. You should do a bit of research on this before you go.

If your smartphone has GPS and maps, your travels will be far easier.

Translate.google.com is not very precise with Japanese, but it can be very helpful in getting around. In most cases it can get your basic message across.

 

All helpful information. Thank you.

[Miaminice]

As mentioned above taxis are available but public transport is the preferred method.

 

Maybe our travelogues can give you some ideas: 

 

Japan on Celebrity Millennium:

https://www.travelandcruise.net/travellove_en/Our-Trips/Celebrity-Millennium-Japan/celebrity-millennium-japan.html

 

Japan on HAL Westerdam:
http://www.travelandcruise.net/travellove_en/Our-Trips/HAL-Westerdam-Japan-01/hal-westerdam-japan-01.html

 

A local guide for small groups would be a good idea - especially in Shimizu, Kobe and Aomori.

 

Edited August 17, 2021 by Miaminice

[MDTrip]

On 8/17/2021 at 5:02 AM, Miaminice said:

As mentioned above taxis are available but public transport is the preferred method.

 

Maybe our travelogues can give you some ideas: 

 

Japan on Celebrity Millennium:

https://www.travelandcruise.net/travellove_en/Our-Trips/Celebrity-Millennium-Japan/celebrity-millennium-japan.html

 

Japan on HAL Westerdam:
http://www.travelandcruise.net/travellove_en/Our-Trips/HAL-Westerdam-Japan-01/hal-westerdam-japan-01.html

 

A local guide for small groups would be a good idea - especially in Shimizu, Kobe and Aomori.

 

Thank you for your great travel log and wonderful photos.

 

For your cruise leaving out of Yokohama, do you wish you had spend the two nights in Yokohama and just took the train to Tokyo each day, so you did not need to travel from Tokyo to the port with luggage?

 

We are flying into HND, and spending two nights before the cruise departs, want to see Tokyo and are trying to decide if we should get a hotel in Tokyo or Yokohama.

[BruceMuzz]

You can travel from Tokyo to Yokohama’s Osanbashi Cruise Terminal with luggage, quickly, cheaply, and easily - if you do your homework.

Japan Railways Narita Express goes between, Tokyo Station, Shinjuku Station, and Yokohama Station about every 30 minutes all day long. The fares are low, the cars are designed with baggage storage at each end of the car. Seats are assigned, and there is free WIFI onboard.

Tokyo Station to Yokohama Station is about 40 minutes.

Shinjuku Station to Yokohama Station is about 30 minutes.

A taxi from Yokohama Station to Osanbashi Cruise Terminal takes about 10 minutes, depending on traffic.

 

Two streets away from Osanbashi Terminal is the Nihon-Odori Subway station. This is on the Minato-Mirai Line, which passes through Yokohama Station, Shibuya Station, ending in Shinjuku. This is a commuter subway line. It is busy from 06:00 to 09:00, carrying workers into Tokyo. And again from 16:00 to 19:00, carrying the workers back to Yokohama. The rest of the day, together trains are nearly empty, with lots of room for suitcases. Fare is 450 yen per person.

If you time it correctly, the Express (same price and same route) gets you to Shibuya in Tokyo in 29 minutes, and Shinjuku in 40 minutes.

[Miaminice]

6 hours ago, MDTrip said:

For your cruise leaving out of Yokohama, do you wish you had spend the two nights in Yokohama and just took the train to Tokyo each day, so you did not need to travel from Tokyo to the port with luggage?

 

No, definitely not! We’ll be sailing out of Yokohama again this October and we are planning to do it exactly the same way. Flying into Haneda, staying at the Gracery and taking the train to Yokohama on embarkation day. Going back and forth is taking away to much time and traveling to Osanbashi port with luggage is no problem for us.

 

If you want to do it a bit more relaxed, take a taxi from Yokohama station to the port and skip the local subway. But we’d never consider going back and forth.

 

On our next cruise we’ll stay in Yokohama for a night after the cruise before taking a train to the airport on the next morning. But that’s just because we have been to Tokyo a couple of times.

[ROCruiser]

There is so much to see in Yokohama alone, even spending a day will not be enough. We stayed two nights in Yokohama in March and went to Tokyo on one day but spend one whole day in Yokohama. This time in May, we plan on just staying in Yokohama and see the sites that we've missed before boarding the Cunard QE. Senken Garden will be my goal and then spending time at the Yokohama Station underground shopping should be fun too. But then, we have been to Japan many times and saw most sites in Tokyo.

[skipsaur]

On 5/9/2023 at 7:24 AM, MDTrip said:

Thank you for your great travel log and wonderful photos.

 

For your cruise leaving out of Yokohama, do you wish you had spend the two nights in Yokohama and just took the train to Tokyo each day, so you did not need to travel from Tokyo to the port with luggage?

 

We are flying into HND, and spending two nights before the cruise departs, want to see Tokyo and are trying to decide if we should get a hotel in Tokyo or Yokohama.

So the interesting thing about Japan public transport is that the map/physical distance doesn't matter as much as the train station you have access to, due to faster express trains. So even if you stay in Yokohama, chances are your commute could take less time than staying somewhere in Tokyo.

 

To illustrate this, I just used Google maps and going from Ebisu station (fun area near Shibuya) to Sensoji temple, 41 minutes/about 12 km. Yokohama station to Sensoji = 43 minutes/34 km. Much farther away but takes basically the same amount of time. You'll also want to factor in if your hotel is a 2 minute or 12 minute walk from the station.

 

So basically, it doesn't really matter where you stay. Personally I'd probably stay in Yokohama near the cruise terminal to avoid having to move my luggage. It's easier to fit myself on a train than myself and my luggage. Also the Minato Mirai skyline is beautiful, but that's just personal preference.

[MDTrip]

2 hours ago, skipsaur said:

So the interesting thing about Japan public transport is that the map/physical distance doesn't matter as much as the train station you have access to, due to faster express trains. So even if you stay in Yokohama, chances are your commute could take less time than staying somewhere in Tokyo.

 

To illustrate this, I just used Google maps and going from Ebisu station (fun area near Shibuya) to Sensoji temple, 41 minutes/about 12 km. Yokohama station to Sensoji = 43 minutes/34 km. Much farther away but takes basically the same amount of time. You'll also want to factor in if your hotel is a 2 minute or 12 minute walk from the station.

 

So basically, it doesn't really matter where you stay. Personally I'd probably stay in Yokohama near the cruise terminal to avoid having to move my luggage. It's easier to fit myself on a train than myself and my luggage. Also the Minato Mirai skyline is beautiful, but that's just personal preference.

Thank you. I was thinking the same thing, i.e. transport the luggage once, and the commute to Tokyo really depends on where you are going. 

[skipsaur]

4 hours ago, MDTrip said:

Thank you. I was thinking the same thing, i.e. transport the luggage once, and the commute to Tokyo really depends on where you are going. 

Yep, that'd be my thoughts too!

[Peelboy]

On 8/10/2021 at 8:04 PM, kbert92069 said:

We have never cruised around or visited Japan.  In many places we've cruised there are taxis waiting at the pier which can be hired to take us to a destination or even drive us around all day.  Does this happen in Japan?  We are looking at Celebrity's 14 day around Japan next spring.  The specific ports are Shimazu, Kobe, Kochi, Hiroshima, Nagasaki, Hakodate, Aomori.

 

Secondary question would be if these hovering taxis exist what's the likelihood  the drivers speak a little English.

 

Third question: have people had success with Google translate in Japan?

 

Thanks,

 

Karl

I go to Japan every winter for two months.  Below is my experience 

 

Google translate works.  Make sure you google the destination with a picture to show to the driver.  I have hired taxi for a few hours but only in small towns not in the port.   Taxis are abundant at train stations.  Uber exists and doesn’t exist in Japan.  You use Uber app to call a taxi.  Pay the fare by meter but calculated by the app.  You also pay like $4 admin fees.  
 

I am booked on the same itinerary and most of the ports you can diy.  I plan to use the local trains and buses to spend the day.  Kochi in particular has the 12 castles which is a must.  

[micruiser2002]

On 5/8/2023 at 6:24 PM, MDTrip said:

Thank you for your great travel log and wonderful photos.

 

For your cruise leaving out of Yokohama, do you wish you had spend the two nights in Yokohama and just took the train to Tokyo each day, so you did not need to travel from Tokyo to the port with luggage?

 

We are flying into HND, and spending two nights before the cruise departs, want to see Tokyo and are trying to decide if we should get a hotel in Tokyo or Yokohama.

We are doing the same and plan to stay in Yokohama.  We arranged a private tour of Tokyo with pickup and dropoff at our hotel the first day.  2nd day we are doing a Mt. Fuji/Hakone tour with hotel pickup and port dropoff.  

[Novastar]

Who are you using for your private tours?

[ARandomTraveler]

On 5/8/2023 at 4:45 PM, BruceMuzz said:

You can travel from Tokyo to Yokohama’s Osanbashi Cruise Terminal with luggage, quickly, cheaply, and easily - if you do your homework.

Japan Railways Narita Express goes between, Tokyo Station, Shinjuku Station, and Yokohama Station about every 30 minutes all day long. The fares are low, the cars are designed with baggage storage at each end of the car. Seats are assigned, and there is free WIFI onboard.

Tokyo Station to Yokohama Station is about 40 minutes.

Shinjuku Station to Yokohama Station is about 30 minutes.

A taxi from Yokohama Station to Osanbashi Cruise Terminal takes about 10 minutes, depending on traffic.

 

Two streets away from Osanbashi Terminal is the Nihon-Odori Subway station. This is on the Minato-Mirai Line, which passes through Yokohama Station, Shibuya Station, ending in Shinjuku. This is a commuter subway line. It is busy from 06:00 to 09:00, carrying workers into Tokyo. And again from 16:00 to 19:00, carrying the workers back to Yokohama. The rest of the day, together trains are nearly empty, with lots of room for suitcases. Fare is 450 yen per person.

If you time it correctly, the Express (same price and same route) gets you to Shibuya in Tokyo in 29 minutes, and Shinjuku in 40 minutes.

Wow I can't thank you enough for this!

[hawkesbaynz]

@Novastar we have booked our tours thru www.gowithguide.com & www.ToursbyLocals.com

[micruiser2002]

On 5/16/2023 at 1:47 PM, Novastar said:

Who are you using for your private tours?

Not sure who you were asking but I booked mine with Viator.  The actual tour operator is Dokotrip but booked with Viator.  I wanted to make sure we had a vehicle especially for the boarding day so we can bring our luggage while we go on tour.

[PaulMCO]

For a cruise out of Yokohama, I would still make Tokyo your base.  I do not like cookie cutter hotels so we like to stay in the Old Station Hotel.  The porters will even come and meet your Narita Express train, or limo bus if you give them advance notice.  The Tokyo station area is close to many sites and allows us to chill after a long flight.  Then you have easy access via Tokyo Station to Yokohama on the Express train (under an hour) to catch your cruise.  Did this in the past and likely again in 2024.

[LittleFish1976]

I'm experienced at using Tokyo trains but I'm not able to do so with my luggage for personal reasons (non-negotiable).

 

So my question is, I'm interested in the ease and cost of taking a cab from a hotel in Yokohama to the cruise terminal in Tokyo Port as I would rather stay in Yokohama prior to my Tokyo-departing cruise. Can it be done easily and at a non-prohibitive cost?

 

Ditto the ease of picking up a cab at Haneda airport when arriving at around 11pm to travel to Yokohama hotel.

 

Any information from your experiences would be appreciated.

[BruceMuzz]

Japanese taxis are fantastic. Great cars, great services, great drivers. As many Japanese do not drive, there are taxis just about everywhere, all the time.

They are also a bit expensive.

There will be a long taxi queue at Haneda Airport, just outside the arrivals hall.

Haneda to Yokohama Hotels by taxi will cost you around 5,000 yen, depending on the hotel location. That is about US$35 by today’s exchange rate.

Japanese Taxi drivers do not expect nor accept tips.

 

There are 6 Tokyo Cruise Port Terminals.

2 of them are actually in Yokohama, not far from your hotel.

The new Tokyo International Terminal is located just North from Haneda Airport.

The other 3 Cruise Terminals are in Tokyo City.

You will need to sort out which Terminal your cruise is departing from.

If you use Rome2Rio website, you can easily determine the cost to each terminal. 

[Hlitner]

We love Japanese taxi drivers.  They are clean, well regulated, and the drivers very professional.  And you do not even need to open/close the door (they are operated by the driver).  That being said, when in Tokyo we much prefer using the Metro or Yamanote Line since the traffic can make using taxis a bit frustrating,

 

Hank

[LittleFish1976]

On 12/29/2023 at 10:37 AM, BruceMuzz said:

Japanese taxis are fantastic. Great cars, great services, great drivers. As many Japanese do not drive, there are taxis just about everywhere, all the time.

They are also a bit expensive.

There will be a long taxi queue at Haneda Airport, just outside the arrivals hall.

Haneda to Yokohama Hotels by taxi will cost you around 5,000 yen, depending on the hotel location. That is about US$35 by today’s exchange rate.

Japanese Taxi drivers do not expect nor accept tips.

 

There are 6 Tokyo Cruise Port Terminals.

2 of them are actually in Yokohama, not far from your hotel.

The new Tokyo International Terminal is located just North from Haneda Airport.

The other 3 Cruise Terminals are in Tokyo City.

You will need to sort out which Terminal your cruise is departing from.

If you use Rome2Rio website, you can easily determine the cost to each terminal. 

 

My ship is definitely departing from the International Cruise Terminal in Tokyo proper. My concern is whether it's reasonable to expect to get a taxi from Yokohama to that Tokyo terminal on departure day but having checked with the hotel I've booked at in Yokohama they say they will assist me to book a car so that should be all okay.

 

Thanks for your reply Bruce. I normally stay away from Rome2Rio but seems they're quite useful for this particular topic.