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Planes, Trains, and
Automobiles
This page presents some of
the details for getting to Matsumoto and the
wedding.
I am beginning to feel as
though I am organizing a tour group to the holy land.
Although all the information here may appear daunting at
first, it is more or less a complete compendium and guide
for all the guests that will be coming from all corners of
Japan and the world. For the most part, getting to the
wedding will merely mean finding out which group is leaving
at which time, and then sticking with the group.
Trains:
Check this page out for information on trains and subways in
Japan
Transportation
from Narita Airport
Azusa
train schedule
Transportation
to Azumino Family
Chapel
Transportation
to Myojinkan
As we get closer to the
wedding date, and the arrival of guests and logistics have
been better worked out, we will be able to let our guests
know who is travelling by which means, and there will be
opportunities to travel by group. The wedding party and a
number of guests will be travelling up to Matsumoto the day
before the wedding.
Transportation to
Matsumoto
Train
/ Plane
/ Bus
/ Automobile
Matsumoto is located
approximately 225 km northwest of Tokyo, in the middle of
the Japan 'North Alps'. Matsumoto is a city of approximately
200,000 inhabitants, and is situated on the central east
side of the Matsumoto valley. You can get to Matsumoto by
train, plane, bus, automobile, or bicycle (it's been
done).
Click
here for
information on getting to Matsumoto and the wedding by
car.
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By Train:
the train is probably the easiest way to get to
Matsumoto. From Tokyo there are 'limited express'
trains (called "Azusa"
or "Super
Azusa")
leaving every hour, and more often during peak
season. The express trains from Tokyo leave from
Shinjuku station, but there are some trains which
originate further east of Tokyo. The total travel
time varies from 2h36 to 2h55. Trains are very
punctual, leaving and arriving on the minute they
are scheduled. Click
here for
information about the express train schedule to
Matsumoto.
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By
Plane: JAS operates regular flights from
Fukuoka (in Kyushu), Matsuyama (in Shikoku), Osaka
(in the West), and Sapporo (in Hokkaido). There are
no flights from Tokyo, as this travel corridor is
well served by the trains and highways. Matsumoto
airport is located in the south part of Matsumoto
valley, and taxi transportation to Matsumoto (25
minutes; 2,500 yen), and then a short
trip by train
to Azumino is necessary. Check plane schedules:
there may be only one flight per day. Furthermore
the majority of flights seem to arrive in Matsumoto
in the early or late afternoon.
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By
Bus: there are a number of "highway" buses
which travel the expressway to Matsumoto. The
primary advantage of the buses is that they are
less expensive than the train, and one doesn't have
to concentrate on the bumper to bumper traffic
jams. The bus costs 3,400 yen one-way and 5,950 yen
for a round trip ticket. The primary drawback of
the buses is that since they travel the same roads
as the summer tourist car traffic: on a bad day you
can expect to be held back by 40km traffic jams out
of Tokyo. The variance in the estimated time of
arrival is greater than the mean expected travel
time, and bounded on the fast side by a travel time
of approximately 3.5 hours.
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