16 ESSENTIAL Japan Tips for First-Time Travelers

there is something for everyone in Japan the  culture the food the weird and the wonderful all   wrapped up in some of the most gorgeous landscape  in the world it's not hard to see why Japan is one   of the most desired travel destinations but with  a wide variety of Transport Services dense and   crowded streets and stations compounded by the  language barrier It's Not Unusual to be nervous   on your first trip to the Land of the Rising  Sun not to worry though because I can assure   you that these issues won't prevent you from  having one of the most memorable experiences of   your lifetime and I have compiled this list to  help you on your way there might even be a few   things that experienced Japan Travelers can take  advantage of number 12 is particularly useful for   saving money in these 16 tips for first-timers  traveling in Japan number one luggage delivery   services upon arriving in Japan many Travelers  will feel for fatigue and jet lag from their   long flights so the last thing you'll want to do  while finding your way in a new city is carrying   around heavy bags so why not take advantage of  Japan's excellent network of luggage delivery   services on your first day counters can be found  at all airports and most train stations they can   deliver your heaviest items directly to your  hotel hostel or private residence leaving you   with just the essentials to explore take in the  sights and enjoy your first day in Japan sending   your luggage forward will typically cost between  fifteen hundred and three thousand yen which is   approximately 10 to 20 US dollars at the time  of recording number two internet access the   single most asked question for travelers coming to  Japan is how to get internet access or mobile data   while traveling having access to Maps translation  tools or simply confirming travel reservations is   essential in any foreign country fortunately this  can be sorted immediately on arrival at any of the   internet kiosks found in the airports or electric  shops in Japan you can find both prepaid SIM cards   or better yet rent a portable pocket Wi-Fi that  families or groups of friends can share you can   even order these online before your trip and get  a discount while also ordering a Japan Rail Pass   for incredible savings on your trip I'll leave a  link in the description and also in the comments   on where to find this and while you're down there  why not tell me what city in Japan you want to see   the most and speaking of rail passes don't forget  to exchange your Rail Pass voucher for the Jr pass   when you arrive the Jr pass can save you almost 50  percent of your travel costs which can be hundreds   of dollars based on a two-week trip between Tokyo  and Kyoto but it must be activated before use it's   convenient to do this at the airport to make sure  you don't have any additional train costs but you   can also choose the activation date to maximize  your savings if you're traveling for eight days   with a one week pass and only plan to go to  the hotel and pass out on your first day then   you can actually exchange your voucher for the  Jr pass and ask them to set the activation date   for the next day or any time within 30 days after  exchanging it it's up to you number four getting   from the airport to the city after sending  your bags getting online and activating your   train pass it's now time to leave the airport and  head into the city most Travelers will arrive in   Tokyo at either Narita or haneda airport it often  surprises travelers to learn that they are up to   an hour away from Central Tokyo trains monorails  and buses are great ways to get into the heart   of Japan but don't take the taxis taxis are one  of the most expensive methods of travel in Japan   and I only recommend them in an emergency a taxi  from Narita to Tokyo can cost upwards of 23 500   yen or 174 dollars oh my be smart and use the  train or bus for travelers arriving in haneda   with an activated JR Rail Pass they can use  the Tokyo monorail which is covered Travelers   with other parts can use a monorail for 660 Yen or  around five dollars the KQ train line can also be   used but it's not covered by the past alternative  take the airport limousine bus which costs 1250   Yen which is about nine dollars the buses are also  great for travelers arriving past midnight Narita   is the main gateway to Japan but is further away  from the city than haneda the best option here is   the Narita Express a direct train with special  luggage racks for those not sending their bags   forward and it's free for those riding with the  Jr pass for those without the past it'll cost 3   000 Yen or twenty two dollars the Narita Express  departs every hour and depending on your stop will   bring you to your destination in 50 minutes  to about an hour Narita is also serviced by   limousine buses priced at about the same as the  Narita Express and those traveling on a budget   without the gr pass can take the casa line for  1210 Yen at a slightly slower Pace bringing you   into the city in just over an hour and a half  number five get an IC card for a backup the Jr   pass can take you almost everywhere in Japan but  there are some private lines such as the metro   and Tokyo subway systems that are not operated by  the Jr company for these times save your yourself   a headache fiddling with the ticket machines and  grab an IC card there is no drawback to having one   since they can be refunded at the end of your trip  and they make for a good souvenir to remember your   time in Japan icy cards are especially useful when  traveling between various lines that interconnect   across Japan they can be bought at basically every  train station in Japan and what's more they can   also be used for cashless payment at convenience  stores and vending machines even if you are on   the Jr pass and using Jr trains exclusively you  can still find a use for these cards and they   aren't valuable for anyone not on the past number  six always carry your passport with you now this   might sound obvious but there are those of us who  prefer to leave their passport in a secure place   rather than carry it with them however in Japan  you may be asked to present an ID in the form   of either your passport or foreign residence  card to the authorities though this is quite   a rare occurrence but besides this point you can  also take advantage of tax-free shopping at many   department or retail stores in Japan using your  passport such as big camera or Don Quixote don't   deprive yourself of this flat 10 discount on goods  and keep your passport with you wherever you go   keep in mind though that many of the participating  stores will charge you the full price first and   then you take your receipt and passport to receive  the refunded tax at a customer service desk number   seven using the shinkansen bullet trains it is now  possible for Jr pass holders to book reserve seats   on the shinkansen online or via the green window  ticket machines this is fast easy and instructions   can be offered in English the days of showing  your Jr pass booklet to the station Master are   now long gone and you instead will receive a  ticket that can be used in the automated Gates   non-jr Pass Riders can also book tickets via the  app smartx once this is installed first register   your credit card and then link your IC card this  will allow you to pay for seats via the app and   then simply tap your IC card on the ticket Gates  pick up your ticket on the other side and travel   like a pro while taking the shinkan said don't  forget to grab a trained lunchbox or equiben for   your trip as they are cheap delicious meals that  you can enjoy while watching the countryside fly   by bonus tip you can actually spot Mount Fuji  when traveling on the shinkansen provided that   it is clear when traveling from Tokyo to Kyoto  when traveling down from Tokyo this will be on   the right side of the shinkansen and the left when  traveling back up if you are traveling during the   high season and can't find a seat on that side of  the train then you can also walk around freely and   view it from the window between the cars to get  a peek at Japan's most iconic Mountain number   eight be sure to check the Sakura forecast  many Travelers want to see Japan at its most   beautiful in the one to two week window when the  cherry blossoms are in full bloom and the petals   fall through the air like snow and this happens  roughly the same time between March and April   each year for most of the country starting in the  South and working its way North to Hokkaido every   year one or two months before they bloom the  Japan meteorological Corporation releases the   cherry blossom forecast with updated predictions  for first Bloom and Peak viewing at every location   in Japan making it possible to plan your trip to  get the best views of the Season simply search for   Socrative forecast and you'll find it right away  but be aware that this is the busiest time for   travels in Japan so you might want to book early  if Sakura are a part of your plans number nine   just don't tip while you might want to reward  the excellent service you find in Japan do not   be tempted to leave a tip most establishments  and waiters consider this to be rude and they   will even track you down the streets if you  leave even a single yeti on the table don't   inconvenience The Establishment or the workers by  doing this as I've seen a lovely lady run out into   the street into the rain getting her beautiful  kimono dirty to return a Patron's perceived kind   gesture to them the only exception to this rule  is if they have a dedicated and clearly labeled   tipping jar at the cash register and then it's  optional but never required simple as number 10.   getting your money it's usually cheaper to get Yen  before coming to Japan on your trip but currency   exchange points are available in each airport  and in most major cities in recent years most   ATMs that can be found at convenience stores allow  you to access money using a foreign credit card I   always recommend people carry around 50 000 Yen  or more at any one time in Japan because a lot   of establishments have not yet gone cashless  I understand that some people are nervous by   carrying around large sums of money on them but  remember that Japan is an incredibly safe country   to travel to even alone and most Japanese will  have 50 to 100 000 Yen on their person at any   given time because that's just the norm here  number 11 wear comfortable shoes another one   that sounds obvious but this tip is a real life  saver in Japan many tourist spots are located   close to one another and you'll be putting away a  lot of steps while you explore the country getting   sore feet will only detract from your enjoyment  in addition comfortable shoes are usually easy   to remove and there are many places in Japan that  will ask you to take your shoes off before you're   allowed to enter it's easy to know which places  these are because they will have a dedicated   shoe removal spot and a step to signify where you  need to wear socks or the provided slippers being   able to quickly slip on and slip off your  shoes as to not hold up anyone behind you   is a virtue in Japan and having to fiddle around  for a long time with complicated laces can be seen   as quite foolish because of this number 12. book  hotels from inside the country when I released my   how to spend two weeks in Japan travel itinerary  video one of the most common comments I received   was that accommodation is much more expensive  than what I listed for two weeks now this is   because those commenters were searching from  outside of Japan using a website like booking   it's always cheaper when you're searching from  inside of the country to get around this you can   either book the first few nights of your trip  in your home country and then search for more   after you land in Japan or simply use the VPN  service of your choice to switch your location   to Japan and try searching again now it is true  that I like to book cheap accommodation because   I want to spend my time outside of my hotel when  traveling and also that accommodation is slightly   more expensive since Japan reopened to the world  but even as of today while using this method I was   able to find dozens of accommodations in Tokyo  for half of the price of my original estimate   in my two weeks in Japan video cheap accommodation  in Japan does not mean poor quality or dirty just   simple and Japanese sized my recommended price  range are between three and six thousand yen   per night for a nice city stay number 13 get to  know your companies convenience stores in Japan   really live up to their name they provide many  different services like booking concert or bus   tickets paying bills or serve as a bank and they  can even be used to pick up and send packages the   real draw though to any convenience store is the  food and drinks they have on offer quality cheap   meals can be found here and they make for a great  place to get lunch on the go while exploring Japan   they can even offer hot meals and places to dine  in at some locations Most Japanese like to get a   drink or snack outside of a company to eat so  that they can take advantage of the trash cans   that are rarely found on the streets of Japan  usually only at convenience or train stations   which is often why you don't see Japanese people  eating while walking companies also have a great   selection of cheap alcoholic drinks that make for  a budget-friendly alternative to going to the bank   it's not uncommon to see groups of friends  outside a convenience store on the weekends   fueling up cheaply before hitting the Town bonus  tip that drinking in public is perfectly legal   in Japan and buying drinks to go sit down in the  Park River Beach or under the sakura trees with   friends is a great way to spend an evening in  Japan number 14. don't be afraid of the toilets Japanese toilets have a legendary reputation and the different buttons in kanji can be quite  intimidating but they are really quite simple here   is a quick look at what a typical Japanese toilet  layout will look like with some translations but   you really only need to know the button for the  bidet the bidet stop button and the flush the   rest of the options are really just settings for  changing the temperature sounds or self-cleaning   maintenance with one additional bonus button for  the ladies it's worth noting here that while Most   Japanese toilets would look like this there is  also the dreaded Squatty Potty these are fairly   uncommon in recent years but you do tend to find  them in Parks or more rural parts of Japan if you   wish to know more please check out the pin card  here number 15. make use of coin lockers coin   lockers can be found all over Japan and offer a  place to store your shopping luggage or anything   you don't wish to carry for that day they can be  found most often at train stations but you also   see them on the street or at tourist destinations  they are cheap and secure and cost between 100 and   500 yen many can also be paid for and unlocked  with the swipe of an IC card the largest ones   can easily fit my bigger suitcase and these can  be great alternatives for luggage services on   days when you have checked out of your hotel  but will not arrive at your next destination   till much later when I travel in Japan I often  arrive at the Train Early check my bags into the   station's coin lockers and go explore the new  area however to save more money hotels in Japan   are quite flexible about holding your luggage  until the designated check-in time for that   day which is usually after 1 or 3 P.M number 16  check your last trains Japan has a reputation of   being technologically advanced electric neon and  never sleeping this really isn't the case though   when it comes to trains it often surprises  travelers to learn that most trains across   the country will stop servers between 11 pm and  1am stumbling out of a tiny bar in Golden guy at   2AM only to learn that your last train back to  your hotel has departed hours ago is an all too   common occurrence so either plan ahead or make  alternative accommodation plans for that night   many bars and clubs will stay open until 5am  when first trains start running again because   of this a couple of alternatives are to go to  a manga cafe or karaoke room until the morning   where you can either try and get a few hours  sleep or sing your lungs raw until the sun   comes up at a cost of a few dollars per person  per hour the latter being what the locals do   should they miss their last trains if you're  still undecided if the JR Rail Pass is worth   it for your trip or you simply want to learn  more about how to use it and the alternative   Regional passes available in Japan then check out  this video here if you found these tips helpful   then kindly like the video leave any tips of your  own in the comments and until the next one cheers

Channel: Inaka Adventure

Views: 259,351

Keywords: inakaadventure, japan, 16 tips for japan travel, guide, how to get to tokyo from narita airport, narita airport, atms in japan, luggage delivery, shinkansen tickets, buying bullet train tickets, ic card, luggage service japan, how to get internet in japan, how to get wifi japan, how to get sim card in japan, when do sakura bloom, when do cherry blossoms bloom, tipping in japan, cheap hotel japan, japanese toilet how to use, japan travel tips, japan tips, japan tips and tricks

Id: lzIudok713k

Length: 14min 59sec (899 seconds)

Published: Sun Mar 05 2023