Shinkansen (Fukuoka -> Kumamoto)

Go to Kumamoto to meet my friend!

Excited for my first Shinkansen ride ㅋㅋ

I had to wait in line to buy a ticket,

It was very confusing, but luckily there was Korean support, so I was able to select what seemed right.

I chose the departure and destination, the time,

round trip, adult, and non-reserved seat (free seat).

If you know the exact date of your return, it's better to buy a round-trip ticket because,

the line to buy Shinkansen tickets in Kumamoto was long too.

And buying a non-reserved seat is also good because,

the price difference between reserved and non-reserved seats is quite significant, and if you wait about 15 minutes before the train departs, you can usually find a seat.
(However, on busy holidays or national holidays, you might not be able to find a seat. But since Hakata -> Kumamoto is about 30 minutes, standing for 30 minutes should be fine too..! )

On the train we took, non-reserved seats were available in cars 1-3, and we could sit anywhere. There were plenty of seats, so everyone could sit.

The ticket was issued in two parts (boarding pass, limited express ticket) when you boarded the train. You have to insert both tickets into the ticket gate at the same time, and then both holes will be punched,

if you insert only one, it will beep and not pass.

The boarding pass seems like an entry ticket for regular trains, and the limited express ticket is the fee for using the faster Shinkansen.

I had no idea what train to take or which platform to go to. I kept going back and forth to the platform, asking station staff, and it was quite confusing.

Then, my sister, who was with me, searched on Google Maps,

and the train number and platform number for the earliest train you can take at that time were listed on it! (Platform 14 Sakura 575 train)

If you're confused, just enter your destination on Google Maps and it will show you immediately ㅋㅋ

Google knows the answer

The train we took had seating for 3 people - aisle - 2 people. The spacing between the front and back seats was wide, and it was also wide to the sides, which was surprising.

Even with my bag in front of my knees, there was still plenty of space~

Tram

I was told to take a bus-like vehicle to my destination, so I went out to see what it was.

Huh..? A tram..? I had no idea.

The tram we took looked like a tram from the 1980s, and it was so cool that it was still in operation.

There were also trams that looked brand new, and trams with advertisements, so there were many different types.

A lot of people rode it, so it was packed. There are two types of trams, A and B. We took tram A.

Like the train, you had to tap your Suica/Pasmo IC card when you boarded the tram from the back, and when you got off, you had to tap it at the front door.

You were supposed to press the bell before getting off, but I didn't know how to press it and there were too many people, so I almost missed my stop.

Luckily, there was a Japanese-speaking woman sitting in the front, so I was able to get off in time.

I don't know what I would have done on this trip to Japan without her... She's a lifesaver..

The tram we took