Japanese travel trips

So you want to go to Japan...

First off, if you're going, congrats! It's a cool very unique country with strong ties to culture and tradition and yet they fully embrace technology too.

This will focus on Tokyo. I can do one for Osaka later if you wish.

The flight:

We flew ZipAir which is a new cheaper flight over to Japan. We flew LAX to Narita airport. 11 hours or so. Zipair is cheap but you'll have to pay extras including checked luggage and meals. You can bring your own food and I highly suggest it. If you order something from them, you'll need to retain your boarding pass so they can confirm your seat. So keep that handy or in a pocket.

We pre-paid and reserved a ticket on the train going into town. You'll still have to find the ticket office to get your assigned seating. It took us an hour to get into Tokyo proper from Narita.

Jet lag: Because Japan's time zone is so different, I would suggest going to sleep at 11pm local time. That was one piece of travel advice that has been the most helpful. I also suggest scheduling something late the first night to keep you up and to schedule something in the morning to help you get up and out the door. Of course, you can choose to do things differently.

Getting around:

Public transportation is safe, efficient and cheap. Most people use either JR or the subway. It used to be that you could get a JR pass that would pay for itself but sadly the locals got upset (rightly so) that it was cheaper for tourists than for locals to get around so the Japanese government raised it by 70%. So I would suggest only buying one if you know you're going to be doing a lot of travel in and around Japan. Even then, I suggest to do the math and make sure you come out at least even. This time to Tokyo, we just used the subway and we bought a 72-hour pass which we totally used more than a few times going hither and yon in the city. 

IC cards. I love this. If you're planning on using the JR system, I suggest getting and loading an IC card. You can get them at the train stations. This allows you to "zip" through the turnstiles and get on any JR rail without having to buy a ticket. It's a pre-bought ticket and similar the London's Oyster card. Only with the IC card, you can use it for coin lockers and vending machines.

Shink

If you are planning to go long distances, it might be worth it to take the shinkonsen, they are fast and it's like flying without all the security. They have nice bathrooms and comfy seats with tray tables for work or eating. You must buy these tickets in advance at the train station. You can buy reserved seating and unreserved seating. Reserved seating costs more but in unreserved seating, there is no guarantee that you can sit together. If you are taking luggage, please store bigger pieces of luggage in the areas at the end of the car. Small bags and carryons can be stowed overhead. If you get a reserved ticket, please notice that the tickets will tell you which car you're in as well as the row and the seat. So 9 13-A. There is a place along the platform that will show you where to line up for car 9. This will help boarding to move quickly. Shink stops usually last around 1-2 minutes so it's best to get on, stow baggage and get seated. One advantage of the shink rather than a bus is that you can get up and walk around on a shink and they often have vending machines and nice bathrooms. 

Addresses are weird. Just be aware that not everything you put into google will work perfectly. It's helpful to know a little Japanese or have a translation help on your phone.

Putting places or addresses in to a map app will tell you the stop and the stations. In Tokyo, everything was in Japanese, English, and sometimes Chinese. Plus the stops have numbers. Super easy!

Money

Right now the currency is the JY 100 of which is about 75% of one USD. Which is nice. How to do quick calculations: 800JY Move the decimal over two places, 8, take 75% of 8, which is roughly $6.

Where to get cash?

7-11. I'm not kidding. They are everywhere in Japan. These mini-markets are a great place to get cash. They will have an ATM at the eki or train station. You can always get a quick meal at these, little steamed buns can even have pizza filling. If you can't find a 7-11, they have a Lawsons.

Credit cards

Most places will take credit cards, but it's best to ask first. (cred-it card-o). Most of the major stores will have touch-e pay, which is Apple Tap Pay, but you can ask for that too. I always suggest bringing a debit card and just get cash from the ATMs at the 7-11s. Some small vendors only take cash. So how much should you get? That depends on how much you want to spend. :) My rule of thumb is use the credit card when you can at the stores etc and use cash for small vendors or vending machines.

Culture

I want to spend a few minutes talking about some things to do to be respectful of their culture.

Remove shoes inside. Usually in rentals and AirBNBs you'll have a cupboard to store shoes and little disposable slippers for inside use, even if it's not tatami mat floors. 

Give and receive things with both hands. Receipts, bags, etc. Take and give with both hands.

Don't drop change into the vendor's hands and don't expect them to give you change in your hand. Every cashier (except the auto-change giver thingies) will have a little plate to put your cash or card into. They will also return money into that same tray. It takes practice to do this. If you've traveled to other countries like Europe, you may have already seen this.

Bow. When you go in a store, when you go out, when you greet people, when you say sorry on the train. Even a simple nod will do. 

Learn to say thank you. And use it with a bow. I don't speak Japanese. Not even a lick, but I do know how to say thank you. And I used it often with a bow.

Be quiet on trains and buses. Mostly buses. One thing that makes Americans stand out in other countries is their loud talking and their smiling. If you must communicate, please whisper.

Shower before you get into a bath. Onsens are amazing. Japanese have been bathing for years. If you go to a public or semi-public bathhouse please shower before entering.

I'll write more about specific experiences. What would you like to hear about? Onsens (hot springs) or places to go? Food? Tell me!