Any sort of trip to Japan is guaranteed to be an unforgettable one. With a distinctive culture, exotic sites, delicious cuisine, and the most interesting historical background, the country is nothing less than impressive.
However, making an itinerary is the easy part of the planning; there are several quite basic yet essential tips to know before setting off, so read through our list for the utmost preparation before you go on!
1. Know Your Transportation
Usually, all trips to Japan are quite extensive, and it is only natural to want to see as much as you can. However, that will require appropriate transportation so that you have an easy time navigating through the desired spots.
Luckily for you, Japan trains are some of the highest-ranking public transportation vehicles in the world, and it is super easy to use them. Learn all you can about the high-speed Shinkansen trains, which is one of the main reasons it is so easy to travel around Japan.
To ride the Shinkansen bullet trains, you will have to organize for a JR Pass before you go, which is, essentially, a universal pass that allows you rides on all Japanese railways. So, make sure you ride comfortably throughout the whole trip!
2. Know Your Budget
Depending on how lavish you want your holiday to be, you must check your budget and how much you can really allow yourself to spend. Having too much than needed is always safe; however, if the trip results to be more expensive than you were planning, it puts a real damper on the whole Japanese vacation!
For your own safety and comfort, do some research on the specific places you plan to visit and see the prices for food, accommodations, tourist attractions, transportation, and so on. Remember that you will have to pay in Yen, so definitely take care of it and make the transitions before you depart!
3. Prepare for Face Masks
Since the COVID-19 pandemic hit in 2020, the world is kind of afraid of paper masks and the whole connotation it brings. And while, yes, the masks are used to prevent diseases, the Japanese have always been way more liberal about the whole thing.
The Japanese take care of themselves and value hygiene and basic safety. So, they wear masks to keep themselves and others around them healthy and strong. Even carrying a whiff of simple flu is enough for the Japanese to cover their noses and mouth and maintain a certain distance.
The main thing to take from this tip is not to be discouraged from interacting with them! Or, even worse, comment on it! The world really could have taken these traits from the Japanese a while ago, and while you may find their behavior unnecessary or weird, just know that they are doing the right thing that brings no harm to you.
4. Bring Cash
While you can go to most locations in the world with a simple credit card in your pocket and think of it no more, you should really make your way to the bank and make sure you have enough money in your pocket!
For some reason, it is quite difficult to find ATMs in Japan, and there are a lot of places that require you to have Yen in cash. And it is always a good idea to have for tipping, transportation, or a street market. Assuming everything else is paid for, we suggest having around ¥8,000 per day for casual spending. It is approximately $75!
5. Know Some Japanese Basics
Just like traveling anywhere else in the world, knowing some basic knowledge of a target language can make your trip fundamentally more fun and convenient!
You might think that Japanese is hard to learn and that it is a lot more complex than any else; however, everything is possible if you put your mind to it, and really, we only suggest knowing some key phrases!
Make sure you know how to greet and say goodbye, give polite answers, and a simple yes or no. It will also come in handy once you need to ask for directions or some general help from the locals. Speaking of, we suggest you print out, write down, or have pictures of the names of the places you want to go and have trouble finding – it will make it much easier to communicate!
There you go! While these five suggestions might not look like much, you should really pay attention and follow them – your time in Japan will highly improve, and some of these are simply about your own safety. So, take care of yourself, be thorough, and have the best Japanese holiday!
And if you’re interested in more travel blogs then why not check out 5 things to do in New York with kids.
