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My Top 5 Tips For Travelling To Japan For the First Time

Get ready to start planning your best vacation!

By PipPublished 4 years ago 4 min read
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Yoyogi Park Torii Gate

In early 2018 I made the best hungover decision in my life: to book an overseas holiday. Fast forward to October 2018 — I was boarding a flight to Japan with my partner and a pretty relaxed itinerary ready to see Tokyo, Kyoto and Hiroshima. I've recently rebooked fights and will be headed there again in 2020, so I thought I'd share with you my top 5 tips for travelling to Japan with all the things I've learnt so far.

By Ross Parmly on Unsplash

1. Download The Google Translate App

I kind of hoped I would learn some Japanese before going on my trip, unsurprisingly I gave up on that pipe dream quite quickly. I was really worried about visiting Japan as an English speaker and kept thinking to myself "is there English in Japan?". Luckily I found most restaurants have English menus, most train stations have stops in English, the train ticket machines have an English option and in shops as well as restaurants there is likely at least one person on staff who knows some basic English. However there were many times in which I found myself in situations where English was nowhere to be found in which the Google Translate App became my lifeline. You just take a photo of what you need translated and it automatically translates it for you! (a side note make sure you download Japanese on the app so you can use it offline.)

2. You May Or May Not Need A JR Pass

Okay so I made a mistake when it came to getting a JR pass, but whether you actually need one or not depends on your travel plans. So first what is a JR Pass? A Japan Rail Pass (JR Pass) is a train ticket that will let you trains owned by the JR Rail Group (as well as some busses and ferries). You can choose between paying a bit more for first class or a little less for ordinary seats and you pay for either a 7 day pass, 14 day pass or 21 day pass. So things to keep in mind on whether or not to buy a JR Pass.

  • Japan has multiple train companies so you will not be allowed to use a JR Pass on all trains. If you plan on staying and travelling within one city you probably won't need to buy a JR Pass.
  • Travelling by train is charged to you by distance. So if you stay closer to where you want to travel, it can be end up being a lot cheaper than buying a JR Pass.
  • Travelling from city to city can be cheaper with a JR Pass, so if you plan on travelling a lot I would suggest getting one.
  • If you don't buy a JR Pass, you can buy train tickets to travel from city to city at major train stations.
  • Buy the JR Pass before you leave! I made the mistake of not buying our JR passes before we left, luckily we could buy them at the airport (usually they don't sell passes in Japan at all) but buying them within Japan cost a lot more than buying them in our home country.
  • Remember exchange rates can play a big part in costs if you're planning on travelling a lot and your countries currency is in flux, it might be better to buy a JR Pass when your dollar is strong instead of going over and paying more or less depending on the days exchange rate.
  • The Japan Rail Pass website also has a lot of helpful tips so make sure you check it out.

3. Free Wifi In Japan

I highly recommend booking accommodation that includes a pocket wifi, it's super helpful when exploring the city and will be a life line for you in outer or more rural areas. If staying within the city there are a lot of other options restaurants, shopping malls, 7/11's and major train stations usually have free wifi. Definitely keep note of Starbucks in the area, they all have free wifi and are on almost every street in Japan's cities. I found they are a great stopping point between locations to check your Google Maps so you don't get lost.

4. Eating In Japan

If you're putting off your Japan trip because of fussy eaters or dietary requirements, let me put your mind at ease. There are a large amount of Western food options as well as fast food within Japan's many cities. As for eating vegan and vegetarian food in Japan I found I had just as many options in both Tokyo and Kyoto as Melbourne, meanwhile Hiroshima had a few good options. When there were no other options available I found 7/11 also offer's a great selection of snacks 24/7! (I highly suggest the HappyCow app to find vegan, vegetarian and veg-options while you're in Japan.)

5. The Most Convenient ATM Is Also The Best

Getting money out at ATM's or currency conversion places within airports, train stations or on the street can end up being pricey when it comes to fees. Surprisingly the best ATM to use in Japan are the 7/11 ATM's located in almost all 7/11's within Japan. They currently offer the smallest fee when withdrawing cash, however that might be subject to change so make sure to check. You also might be able to use your regular bank card while visiting Japan so make sure to call your bank to check and let them know when you're leaving so they know any transactions you make aren't fraudulent.

Have fun on your trip!

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Pip

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