Railway Station Signs- English?

Hi,

I've been told that the railway signs on stations in Japan are only in kanji and don't have English translations. Is this true? I'm wondering if I should write down the kanji symbols before I go as I've got a few long trips where I need to change trains up to 4 times and I'd like to know when to get off. If I miss my stop there could be mass confusion.

Not true! In main cities and towns the signs are in Japanese and English.

I thought the same before going too Japan but on asking this at a station one time was asked'do you have a watch?' --of course I did therefore as long as you know what time you are due into your change station you don't need to be able to read the signs.We look at our watch and know where we are. The trains are on time!
Signs are also almost always in Japanese and English though.Enjoy your travelling.

I'm not sure who told you that but they are completely wrong.

Virtually and I say "virtually" every station sign I've ever seen has had a Romaji translation of the name on the place card somewhere. Sometimes, you'll see a Kanji, a Hiragana and a English/Romaji version, but there's always one somewhere. "Virtually" might exclude some obscure station somewhere that you'll probably never visit.

HOWEVER, I am speaking in the sense of station place sign "eg station name".

Some stations might have only basic English translations (eg NORTH EXIT, SOUTH EXIT) whist the rest would be in Japanese only.