Public transportation

Buses from NAIST

You may take buses from the bus stop directly outside NAIST to Gakken Kita-Ikoma Station, Gakken Tomigaoka Station, Gakuenmae Station, and Takanohara Station.

Bus schedule:

http://www.naist.jp/en/about_naist/accessmap/img/busschedule_en.pdf

Bus time schedule App:

One of our students has created an app for the NAIST bus schedule that can be downloaded from Apple Store or Google Play.

Nearest station from NAIST

Gakken Kita-Ikoma Station:

20 mins. on foot / 7 mins. by bus from NAIST

Travelling in the Kansai Area

You can easily travel around the Kansai area from the stations surrounding NAIST.

  • Nara (An ancient capital of Japan, the Buddhist statue of Todaiji Temple and the deer of Nara park are famous): A 15 minute train ride from Gakuenmae Station
  • Osaka/Namba (The third largest city in Japan, very popular for shopping and sightseeing): Roughly 30-40 mins. from Gakken Kita-Ikoma Station, Gakken Tomigaoka Station, and Gakuenmae Station depending on your destination (You may need to change trains)
  • Kyoto (The historical capital rich in history and culture): A 35 min. train ride from Takanohara Station

To travel outside the Kansai area, you can use the JR and Kintetsu train lines. You can catch the Shinkansen (bullet train) at both the Kyoto and Shin-Osaka Stations.

Driving in Japan

Due to NAIST's location some international students and scholars find driving to be the most convenient mode of transportation. Obtaining a driver's license in Japan can be difficult and expensive for foreigners who do not speak or read Japanese. It is often easier to change from your original license to a Japanese one. Additionally, International Driver's Permits may be used for driving in Japan for a limited time. The rules and regulations concerning changing to a Japanese driver's license and the use of International Driver's Permits vary with the country of origin, length of stay and are specific to Japan, so please check with the Japanese Police Agency about the necessary paperwork and validity of International Driver's Permits before you consider driving
Please refer the International Student Handbook, for further details