Adventurous travellers can take advantage of a number of alternative routes to Japan from Europe and Asia combining rail and ferry transport. There are three long-distance train rides - the Trans-Siberian, Trans-Mongolian and Trans-Manchurian - all of which will put you on the right side of Asia for a hop across to Japan. The shortest ferry route is on the hydrofoil between Pusan in South Korea and Fukuoka (Hakata port) on Japan's southern island of Kyushu. Advance reservations are recommended for all ferries