One of the worrying aspects of visiting a foreign country is being able to navigate the public transport network. Now we all know Japan is home to one of the most robust and reliable train networks of the world but I was never aware of just how extensive it actually is or the huge amount of different tickets available.

First up is the Tokyo Metro:

On first glance this beast looks like a complete nightmare, however to my delight on further inspection it works exactly like the London Underground. Presumably the major difference being it'll run on time and without any tramps.

It gets better. Tokyo Metro even has its own Oyster Card variant in the form of Pasmo and Suica. This far reaching electronic payment system is even accepted in vending machines, 7/11 convenience stores and the Tokyo Disney Monorail! In typical Japanese style it also comes with its own cute characters or "Kawaii" as they're known.

Yeah. Beat that TFL.

Next up will be the Shinkansen or Bullet Train as we know it. Check back tomorrow!