Canadian visiting Japan for one month - questions?

[Hiromaso]

Hello, I am planning to visit Japan for one month starting in October and I have a fascination with Asian history, so I figure that I am going to have some fun.

Now, I already have planned city tours of Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto, and Hiroshima. I also plan on visiting Mt. Fuji.

Are there buses that link all the major Japanese cities? Would it be quicker to travel by bus or by rail (I heard Japan has an amazing train system)?

Last but not least, will I need a Japanese tourist visa from the consulate to visit Japan for one month or would my Canadian passport suffice?

[godwine]

Originally Posted by Hiromaso

Hello, I am planning to visit Japan for one month starting in October and I have a fascination with Asian history, so I figure that I am going to have some fun.

Now, I already have planned city tours of Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto, and Hiroshima. I also plan on visiting Mt. Fuji.

Are there buses that link all the major Japanese cities? Would it be quicker to travel by bus or by rail (I heard Japan has an amazing train system)?

Last but not least, will I need a Japanese tourist visa from the consulate to visit Japan for one month or would my Canadian passport suffice?

Yes, there are both bus and rail (Bullet train, the Shinkanzen) that links all the mentioned stations. But is the cheapest way to go, but the shinkansen really shave a lot of traveling time. The price is irrelevant if you planned on getting a JR pass before hand, but at most you can get a pass for is for 3 weeks.

Each major cities have their own local transit system. Kyoto also have a local sightseeing bus route call the Raku