Getting from Kansai Airport to Myoko Kogen

Kansai Airport is a modern airport and the flow of passengers is very smooth. If arriving on an international flight you will arrive on the 1st floor which connects directly to Kansai Airport Station. Note that there are 2 rail companies operating out of Kansai Airport. The Nankai line runs a rapid service in to the Namba area of Osaka, but if coming to Myoko Kogen then you will be using JR trains the whole way to Nagano. The respective companies are color coded, with JR being Blue, and Nankai being Orange.

Buying a Ticket

Kansai Airport to Myoko Kogen is quite a complicated route, and while tickets can be purchased via a vending machine, it may be easier to go to the JR Ticket Counter. A word of warning though, if arriving at peak hours, this counter can get very busy.

At the counter tell the staff member you wish to travel to Nagano (you cannot buy a ticket all the way to Myoko Kogen here). They will tap away on their computer finding the next available route, and may even consult the 500 page monthly JR timetable. They may ask you if you’d like a reserved seat or a non-reserved seat. Reserved seats assign you a seat number, while Non Reserved seats are on a first come basis. ALWAYS book a reserved seat to guarantee you have somewhere to sit.

Once they have worked it out they will show you the route, and take payment (approx 15,150yen per adult). Credit Card payment is fine, but there have been cases where foreign credit cards get rejected in Japan, so it pays to bring a couple.

You will probably be issued with 4 tickets.

1. Your base fare from Kansai Airport to Nagano
2. You Limited Express Seat ticket from Kansai Airport to Shin Osaka
3. Your Shinkansen Bullet Train Seat ticket from Shin Osaka to Nagoya
4. Your Limited Express Seat ticket from Nagoya to Nagano

Once receive tickets, head to the ticket gates and you must at least put in ticket #1 above to get you onto the platform. Take the escalator down to the platform, locate you car number and board.

JR Limited Express “Haruka”

The first train on your journey is the JR Limited Express Train “Haruka”. The “Haruka”  runs from Kansai Airport Via Shin Osaka to Kyoto. Some trains make a stop at Tennoji, before Shin Osaka.

The trip from Kansai Airport to Shin Osaka Station takes 50-60 minutes. The Haruka Train generally has 9 carriages. Car #1 is green class (surcharge is required), while cars 2-4 (sometimes 5) are reserved seating. Heading from Kansai Airport to Shin Osaka, Car #1 is at the front of the train.

The first part of the trip is interesting, as you pass over the 5km long Kansai Airport access bridge, but after that is all big city.

Arrival at Shin Osaka Station

The Haruka generally arrives at platform #1 at Shin Osaka Station. This is on the ground level. Take the escalator up to the main concourse on the 2nd floor.

Shin Osaka Station is the Shinkansen Bullet train hub for Osaka. Here trains head east to Kyoto, Nagoya and Tokyo, and west to Hiroshima and Fukuoka.

The station has 10 platforms for commuter and express trains, and 8 platforms for Shinkansen Bullet trains.

There are three types of trains that operate on the Tokaido Shinkansen line.

1. The Nozomi train is the fastest, only stopping at major stations
2. The Hikari stops at a few more stations along the route
3. The Kodama stops at every station.

Boarding the train

From the main concourse, you head through the Shinkansen ticket gates. You need to insert both the base fare ticket and the Shinkansen seat ticket into the machine (insert together). And remember to collect as you pass through the gate.

Beyond the ticket gates are digital screens listing the next 4-5 departures in each direction. As you are heading to Nagoya, you need to look at trains heading east to Tokyo. Locate your train number and verify the platform number.

Shinano Wide View Express

The train from Nagoya to Nagano (via Matsumoto) is called “Shinano Wide View Limited Express”. Limited Express are the 2nd fastest type of train in Japan after the Shinkansen Bullet train. They only stop at larger stations, and by-pass the commuter ones. The train from Nagoya to Nagano will only stop at about 10 stations along the way and take about 3 hours.

There are 6 carriages on the train. #1 is the front of the train heading towards Matsumoto, while 6 is the rear of the train.

Car 1 is Green Class (first class) and a surcharge is required in addition to the limited express fare.
Cars 2-4 are reserved sets. These are for people with seat assignments on their tickets.
Cars 5-6 are non-reserved, meaning these seats are on a first come basis.

There is no food or beverage service on this train so it pays to buy a few snacks at Nagoya Station before boarding.

Boarding the Train

Most of the Wide View Shinano Trains depart from platform #10, but you need to check the digital signs at the station entrance to confirm this as it can change on occasion.

The ticket sales and ticket gates are on the basement level. There are 3 pathways to the platforms (North, Central, and South). You walk along the tunnel like corridor and there are a number of staircases (and escalators on the North and Central pathways). These have the platform numbers on them. At the platform 10 sign, climb the stairs and you will be on the ground level on the platform.

There are small convenience stores on the platform where you can buy snacks and drinks.

The train will arrive 5-10 minutes before departure.

The trip from Nagoya to Nagano takes about 3 hours. After leaving Nagoya the train travels through the suburbs before following a number of river valleys. Between the many tunnels, there are some great valley views on both sides of the train.

For much of the way the train follows the old Nakasendo route. This is the ancient walkway from Osaka to Tokyo through the mountains. Many of the townships you pass through on the way are the old staging towns where weary travelers would stay over night in small Japanese style lodges.

After Matsumoto the train runs through a number of tunnels and up to the Hijiri plateau. The final part of the trip offers great views of Nagano and Chikuma cities from Obasute.

Arrival at Nagano

There is no dedicated platform for Wide View Shinano arrivals at Nagano Station. But most trains arrive at either platform 2, 3 or 5.

Shinano Rail Co

The company operating the line between Nagano Station and Myoko Kogen is called “Shinano Tetsudo”, or Shina Rail Co.

There is only about 1 train per hour from Nagano Station to Myoko Kogen. These are commute trains that stop at every station. The trip from Nagano to Myoko Kogen takes about 45 minutes.

Buying a Ticket

As the Shinano Co is not a JR Line, your original ticket does not cover this part of the trip. However you can pay for your ticket when you arrive in Myoko Kogen. (Make sure you keep you JR tickets to show that you boarded the train in Nagano).

Boarding the Train

On arrival in Nagano, check the digital signage to confirm the next train to Myoko Kogen. There is not set platform for departures to Myoko Kogen, it varies depending on departure time. Make your way to the correct platform and board the train.

Arrival in Myoko Kogen

Trains from Nagano generally arrive at platform 2. This is a hassle as you need to climb stairs, cross the bridge, go down the stairs, and to the exit (all while carrying your luggage).

At the exit, show your JR tickets to the staff member and he/she will charge you 850yen for the trip from Nagano. Cash only.

Myoko Kogen Station is located about 10 minutes drive from the ski resort areas.

Unless your accommodation offers a pick up from the station, taxi is the best option for getting from that station to your accommodation.

There are often taxis parked in front of the station (especially when trains arrive). Kogen Taxi is located in the large building across the road from the station to the south. You may be able to walk in there and order a taxi (but they do not have English speaking staff)