GIGANTIC POST INCOMING!

I was blessed with the rare opportunity to take my first legit big boy vacation with three other friends to explore Japan for the very first time. We departed on 6/26 and returned on 7/19 (yes, we were smack dab in the middle of all the Crowdstrike stuff leaving Japan and it SUCKED), for a total of 24 days in the country. It was absolutely magical and as I write this I am crying a bit – Japan is honest to goodness the best place I've ever visited and am already trying to figure out when I can visit again ASAP.

This trip came with a lot of challenges, and I want to share the various learns and esoteric tips that we found to be insanely helpful! Feel free to ask me any questions – the little things are always the trickiest to get a clear answer on from randoms online, and with the trip this fresh in my mind I'm happy to share anything that can help your trip be amazing!

I'll break down our journey into three sections:

1. Building the trip of our dreams
2. Itinerary and recommendations from our adventures
3. Tips and Tricks!

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Creating the Trip:

• The idea of going to Japan has been a long time desire for each member of our group, and we really began to plan in earnest a year before the trip began (June 2023).
• We originally used Google Maps and a shared group to start plotting locations/restaurants/attractions we wanted to go see and do.
• We later found out about Wanderlog, which is an outstanding collaborative tool especially if you're going as a group. You can create custom categories that helps keeps things organized, add costs and notes to each place, create an explicit day to day itinerary, and so on. We moved all our Google Maps locations to there and never looked back.
• We met as a group for an hour each week to work on the trip via Discord. Consistency is key!
• For our trip, we blocked out a chunk of days for each city and then filled in the rest with food/activities, focusing on exploring a different part of a city each day. This really helps to focus people on what to do and where we were.
• Once we settled on the dates for our trip, we bought our plane tickets in December 2023 (roughly six months out). We flew United, IAD -> SFO -> KIX (Osaka). Flying back: HND (Tokyo) -> ORD -> IAD (original plan, 2024 Crowdstrike outage made an absolute mess of our travels back to the States). Plane tix round trip were $2273.
• This was my first international trip in a long time, so a few things about flying in and out of the country as US citizen:
  • As of 6/26/2024, we did not need a Visa.
  • Get the boring stuff like passport and Real ID out of the way early. You'll thank yourself later.
  • Flying to Japan with a Domestic connection was super easy. Checked bags were automatically routed to KIX after our flight out of SFO.
  • Once at KIX, Customs and immigration was so simple. Do the Visit Japan Web immigration declaration prior to arrival to make things super quick. Customs and immigration took 10 minutes at KIX, totally painless.
• Once we had lodgings and plane tickets locked in the reality of the trip really started to sink in and people started participating more actively in the trip planning process.

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Itinerary

While I love simply exploring a brand new place, having a mix of structured activities on some days in combination with "free" days worked well to discover the unexpected while also hitting the "must do" stuff. Below is our whole itinerary with brief remarks for each place (and time estimations for places!)

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June 26 -> June 27

Travel Day to Japan! Plane landed 2:50 PM local time, which really worked well since it takes some time to get bags, get oriented, get some cash and IC card, and make your way to your lodging. It forced us to stay awake until about 9 PM or so.

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June 27 -> July 1st – OSAKA

Lodging: https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/38493640?source_impression_id=p3_1721689693_P3B6u334WA74wp7H

June 27 – Land in Osaka, check in, and explore close by.

Lodging for us was really close to Dotonbori, which took about 1.5 hours with our bags on the train from KIX. We hit up a Matsuya beef bowl shop for dinner before we crashed. Our first proper meal: Dirt cheap and delicious.

June 28 – Wander around Osaka, soak in the sights and sounds

Explored Dotonbori in earnest, discovered the wonders and delights of Don Quijote, went to the Osaka Pokemon center, had 511 Horai pork buns, bought games and trading cards at EdiOn, discovered how much we loved Gacha! Really got immersed in the city and it was delightful!

June 29 – North Osaka – Osaka Castle, Umeda Sky building 

Osaka Castle (4 hours) was delightful – take your time to read about its incredible history. Gorgeous views and lots of energy here. We ended up at a mall by Osaka Station to get some lunch and cool off, then went to Umeda Sky Building (3 hours) an hour or so before nightfall. Incredible views and seeing the city at night is breathtaking.

June 30 – Minoh Park, Cup Noodle Museum, and Kobe for Dinner

Took the train up to Minoh Park, got a delicious breakfast at https://cafegreenery.info/. Took the leisurely hike up to Minoh Falls (3 hours) which was gorgeous. Hiked back down and took the train to the Cup noodle museum (2 hours). The factory was chaotic but fun, and the museum part was small but still worth going to. Then we took the train to Kobe and went to Royal Mouriya for an exquisite dinner to experience A5 beef (2 hours). Highly recommended. Pricey!

July 1 – Osaka Aquarium AM, Osaka Explore PM

Osaka Aquarium (3 hours) has tons to see, the main tank with whale sharks is awesome. It was a rainy day so maybe a bit more packed than usual. Came back to Dotonbori area, got some food at an izakaya (tablet ordering), and wandered the city before it started pouring buckets.

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July 2nd -> July 8th – KYOTO

Lodging

Hotel in Kyoto – https://www.kishotei-kyoto.com/en, 384 Kawaranochō, Nakagyo Ward, Kyoto, 604-0837, Japan

July 2 – Train From Osaka to Kyoto, then keep it local

Took local trains to Kyoto and checked into our hotel. Spent the day wandering about, finding cool places to eat and visit. Walked down the Kamo river in twilight, utterly beautiful. Got Gyoza at a little itty bitty place, cheap and absolutely delicious.

July 3 – Kyoto Wander Day – Shopping, eating, and soaking in Kyoto sights

The Nintendo Kyoto store was one of the nicest licensed stores I've ever been in. Hit up Nishki Fish Market for local eats, a local video game store, then headed towards Gion but got distracted by a hike at dusk at Yasaka Shrine. One of the most serene places we found!

July 4 – Biking around Kyoto, Nijo castle, Kamo River Soak, burgers!

One of our group twisted an ankle and another got heat exhausted from the day prior, so me and another group member rented ebikes as a spur of the moment idea. This was INCREDIBLE. Kyoto is lovely to bike around, and we really got explore so much more than just walking. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. We rented from Kon's Bicycle, a chain in Kyoto. We went to Nijo Castle (it was HOT) but definitely worth going for the historical significance. We biked around the suburbs of Kyoto and found a lovely small cafe stuck in an alley, then made our way to the Kamo river and soaked our feet. Maximum refreshment. It was July 4th in Japan time, and as Americans we were craving burgers. We met as a group at Upit Burgers in Kyoto. Put so many American burgers to shame honestly. Terrific staff and insanely good onion rings. Vibes were on point!

July 5 – Arashiyama Bamboo Forest, Jojakkoji hike, Kyoto Backstreets

Got up super early to get the Bamboo forest before the crowds. While small, definitely worth visiting. Beautiful landscapes and is a great break in the shade. We then just decided to wander and went on a temple hike at Jojakkoji. Quiet, away from tourists, really beautiful and most covered in trees and lush foliage. Wandered our way back after some curry and took the train back to chill out the rest of the day.

July 6 – Nara, Todai-ji, and legit Katsu

Took the train to Nara (about an hour) and fed the deer! We half expected this place to be swarmed by tourists, but after you make your way deeper into the park things thinned out nicely. Genuinely fun to feed the polite deer. PRO TIP – Stick the senbei crackers that you feed the deer in your armpit and show empty hands to curious deer. They will ignore you (mostly) if they don't see anything in your hands! Started wandering about and ended up at Todai-ji, which was just stupendous. The larger than life sculpture gave me chills. Had some legit Katsu at a local joint for lunch as well, absolutely delicious. Also we got some McDonald's late at night. The Japanese menu was unique, but otherwise it was mostly mid.

July 7 – Matcha morning at Ippodo, Kyoto Pokemon Center, Fushimi Inari Taisha

Went to Ippodo as a group to get legit Matcha for the first time (at least for me). It was intense but definitely an experience I valued. Highly recommend getting a latte after to experience the tea in a different way (also the cinnamon crackers they give you on the latte are INSANE). Headed to Kyoto Pokemon Center to get more schwag as a group, then headed late day to Fushimi Inari Taisha. FIT was absolutely stunning. The hike is way more than people expect, especially in the Japanese Summer, but so worth it. Crowds quickly thinned out as we got further on the hike. The hike ended at dusk for us, and we were able to enjoy the Kyoto skyline as it became lit up for the evening. 100% a must do activity. (5 hours, but we took our sweet time)

July 8 – Kinkakuji Temple AM, Kiyomizudera PM, Quick Gion explore at night

Two Other must dos in Kyoto. Kinkakuji in the Northwest offers incredible views of a gorgeous temple, but doesn't take too long (1 hour). Stopped by a local Soba shop for lunch, unreal Unagi and Soba noodles here. Headed back to hotel to recharge then hit up Kiyomizudera temple. Arrestingly beautiful in person, so many incredible photos to be taken and sights to be seen. Ended up in Gion at the end of the day, taking pictures of the famous pagoda and walking around the Gion district until we finally headed back for the day.

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July 9th -> July 12th – Conquering Mount Fuji (almost)

Lodging(s)

• Hotel in Fujinomiya – https://shorturl.at/23oas – 15-14 Chuocho, Fujinomiya, Shizuoka 418-0065, Japan
• 8th base station – https://www.yamatan.net/en/hut/ikedakan – Obuchi, 富士市 Shizuoka 418-0011, Japan
• Nishiyama Onsen Keiunkan – https://www.keiunkan.co.jp/en/ – Japan, 〒409-2702 Yamanashi, Minamikoma District, Hayakawa, 西山温泉 慶雲館July 9th – travel from Kyoto Station to Shizuoka via Shinkansen (12:08 -> 13:37)

July 9th – Train rides from Kyoto to Fujinomiya

Took the Shinkansen from Kyoto Station to Shizuoka, then took local trains from Shizuoka to Fujinomiya Station. Went to the local Aeon mall and got some chow. Fujinomiya was definitely our quietest and calmest town on the trip, but honestly was quite pleasant for a few days stay.

July 10th – Fuji Hike, Day 1

8:15 AM -> 9:35 AM Bus from Fujinomiya Station -> Fujinomiya 5th Base Station, Ascend to 8th Base Station Ikedakan, ~4-5 hours at leisurely pace

This plan honestly went off without a hitch – aside from the weather. This was the first day of the climbing season on this trail, and the beginning of the hike was insane. We were surprised with the mayor and local members of the community wishing us safe travels at the Fujisan Hongū Sengen Taisha Shrine with music, shinto blessing ceremony, and more. The bus ride from there took about 1.5 hours up the 5th base station. 5th to 6th base station was leisurely and absolutely stunning. 6th -> new 7th was getting steeper, but still lovely. Turning after new 7th -> old 7th was when things got instantly intense. Gale winds really cut the temperature dramatically, and terrain got more wild.

Old 7th -> 8th was undeniably brutal. We got caught in a rain storm, where the rain felt like bullets on our face and the wind was getting even worse. Conditions were white out at points, and the terrain was as difficult as it comes. Once arriving at the 8th Base Station we fought our way indoors (it was a bit chaotic, mainly because of the conditions) and cleared our reservation. Our whole bodies were cold and everything was soaked through. The hut was at least shelter from the wind and rain, but nothing distracted from how cold and tired we were. Dinner was curry and rice, which we wolfed down instantly. We ate our breakfast too. Despite being prepared gear and food wise, the insane weather really wore on us. Accommodations were spartan at best – sleeping back on top of a thin foam pad on top of an insulated pad. Remarkably uncomfortable! We "slept" from around 7 PM to 5 AM the next day, waiting for a break in the weather.

July 11th – Fuji Hike Continues, Day 2

Unfortunately, the weather did not break. It was extremely intense in the middle of the night, but "calmed" down by 5 AM. Took one of the most uncomfortable poops ever, packed up, and talked game plan. My three friends were convinced that enough was enough, so they headed down the mountain. I wanted to push to the summit, and with just enough gas in the tank I set out solo. 8th -> 9th was insane. Gale winds, white out conditions, but little rain besides mist thankfully. A few swears and screams at the mountain didn't help much. Made it to the 9th slowly, and once arriving there headed inside for a quick warm up and break. I was about to turn the corner to make it to the 9.5th station, but a mountain policeman stopped me and told me to turn around. Two people had died on the trail, which was my sign to to turn around. I wanted to reach the summit so bad, but it wasn't worth risking my life for. Made the slow descent down (where I found a third corpse) and made it safely back to the fifth base station. Spent a REALLY long time waiting for a taxi (the bus that I took up had a weird schedule and another one wasn't coming for another 4 hours) so I took another bus to Mizugatsuka Park to try my luck there. There's a nice Resturaunt where I greedily wolfed down some curry and rice (shaped like Fuji) then luckily a Taxi driver showed up and took me back to Fujinomiya Station.

Was Climbing Mount Fuji the most intense physical thing I've ever done in my life? Yes.

Were the conditions on the hike the worst imaginable to the point of near death at times? Yes

Would I do it again? In a heartbeat – BUT I would dedicate a window of time during a visit to watch the weather and make the hike when the window is right. Mount Fuji is NOT a tourist attraction (some people were hiking in flip flops and fancy dresses). Please treat the mountain with respect and be properly geared up, or it'll eat you alive.

July 12th – Nishiyama Onsen Keiunkan

After the brutal physical challenge of making it up and down Fuji, we treated ourselves to pure pampering at Nishiyama Onsen Keiunkan in the Japanese Alps. We packed our bags, departed Fujinomiya Station and headed to Minobu Station. Our IC cards didn't work at Minobu, so cash came in clutch! The Onsen has a shuttle that picks up from Minobu Station at 1:30 PM (I emailed them a few weeks beforehand to confirm a spot on the shuttle) and takes 1.5 hours to get the Onsen. Once there, time just seemed to slow down entirely. This was the finest hospitality I've EVER received, and for the price – attendant services, multiple hot springs, unbelievable dinner and breakfast – for about $165 USD per person was outrageous. This was my first time in an Onsen, absolutely incredible. Definitely tougher to stay in than I expected (I am a weak boy apparently!), but absolutely lovely experience. Million dollar views, incredible service – the perfect reprieve after Fuji. We really didn't want to leave.

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July 13th -> July 19th – TOKYO

Lodging

Airbnb in Shinjuku (near Shin-Okubo) – https://orionresort.tokyo/ – 1-chōme-11-7 Ōkubo, Shinjuku City, Tokyo 169-0072, Japan

July 13 – Travel From Minobu Station to Shin-Fuji Station via local train -> Shinkansen from Shin-Fuji station to Shinagawa station, local train to Shin-Okubo

Lots of train rides but we were ok with sitting after our crazy hike :). Rural Trains in Shizuoka weren't too bad with our bags, and the Shinkansen was lovely as usual. Once we got to Shinagawa we were BLASTED by Tokyo's sights and sounds – and PACKED trains – a far cry from our previous few days spent with the rural side Japan. Getting around with our bags wasn't tricky until we got off at our station in Shin-Okubo. Definitely sucks to drag bags through Tokyo's city streets if only because it's crowded as heck! After we got settled in we went to a Korean Yakiniku for dinner, then hit up our boy Don Quijote for some souvenirs/snacks. I LOVE THE DON!

July 14 – Shinjuku City day

Our first day in Tokyo was spent exploring our immediate surroundings in Shinjuku. We hit up a local cafe for breakfast, then walked to the SQUARE ENIX shop (ARTNIA). If you're a Square fan you must go – the shop has so many cool items (and way cheaper than importing, but you're still paying the Square tax for sure). Hit up a local mall to do more shopping, then had some pizza from a really nice place (and it was actually good). Walked to Shinjuku Gyoen National Park for some nature photos, Then doubled back and walked through Kabukicho (around dusk, so things were just starting to get lively). Dropped off our purchases from the day and then had Go Go Curry (DELICIOUS) then headed back into Kabukicho to see the night life. This place is NUTS on the weekend. Seeing the sights and sounds and walking around the streets was awesome though, especially as a Yakuza game fan. Wasted a ton of cash on crane games, and then crashed for the day.

July 15 – Shibuya City day

One of my most anticipated moments of the trip! We took the Yamanote line to Shibuya, walked across the Scramble, took pictures with Hachiko, and ate all sorts of great food. Went to the Pokemon, Capcom, and Nintendo Tokyo stores (they're all on the same floor right next to each other), blew a ton of cash, then went to Tower Records and bought tons of music (this store is INCREDIBLE and as a fan of physical media it made me happy). Wandered back to our airbnb in Shin-Okubo, chilled for a bit, then went back to Kabukicho to the batting cages. This is such a fun and cheap activity! Did some more backstreet wandering and then crashed for the night.

July 16 – Tokyo Disney Sea all day

Took the train from Shin-Okubo to Tokyo Disney (a good 1.5 hours) and went to Tokyo Disney Sea! Lots of fun here – and best of all it's a park that won't break the bank. I think I spent roughly $75 dollars for the whole day, including ticket and several meals/snacks and a nice t-shirt. It started raining hard by 4 PM so we decided to head back, and one of our squad members had a really bad lactose intolerant episode so we split a taxi all the way back from the transit center outside the park back to Shin-Okubo. Pro Tip – Go Taxi doesn't like to pick up from here, but an Uber will (which was just a taxi ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ )

July 17 – Akihabara, Pokemon Cafe

Another big day for me – I've wanted to visit Akihabara for decades ever since I first imported something from Japan from Super Potato off Ebay years ago. Took the Yamanote Line and got there before a lot of places opened up, which was useful to scope out all the places to visit later. Blew some cash on VERY EXPENSIVE crane games, then went to the Pokemon center (by train) to shop and go the cafe. This was a really pleasant Pokemon center to be at, I think because it's a bit more out of the way when compare to the ones in Kyoto, Osaka, and Tokyo (Shibuya). The cafe was super cute and had surprisingly good food, but it ain't cheap! I really liked the cafe exclusive merch, especially getting a cool mug with my coffee. Headed back to Akihabara and wandered through a dozen huge stores, which was a BLAST. So much weeb junk and gaming goodness!

July 18 – Ghibli Museum AM, Tokyo Tower PM

First thing in the morning we took the trains out to Mitaka to go the Ghibli Museum, which was absolutely delightful. Totally worth going if you're a Ghibli fan. From the private short film, the storyboard exhibit for Boy and the Heron, or the surprisingly decent cafe, this was a nice "last day thing" to do after being in the city for several days. We headed back into the city for a late afternoon ascent to Tokyo Tower, where we got to see the city light up from the sky. Absolutely breathtaking. We also did upper deck tour, which was totally worth it if only to cut back on the crowds! It's absolutely worth doing *some* sky view activity in Tokyo, the skyline is infinite and absolutely incredible.

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July 19th – Heading back (aka the day of infinite travel torment)

Before leaving for the airport we walked around Shinjuku one last time. I wanted to go to Yodobashi Camera to grab a new game release, and we got one last Fami-Chiki for posterity's sake. Had a 5:25 PM flight out of HND, so we took taxis from our airbnb to the airport (which took about an hour from Shinjuku, was about 60 bucks). Got to HND and the United check-ins didn't open until 12:45 PM so we just wandered and chilled for a bit. Dropped our bags full of goodies off, headed through security and customs (This is so fast and efficient as compared to US airports) and then beelined it straight for the Pokemon vending machine. They have exclusive HND airport pikachus! Spent a lot of time in the terminal shopping and grabbing food (there's a 711 in the terminal that offers the same great and cheap food as you'd expect) then it was time to board.

Little did we know that the Crowdstrike issue occurred 30 mins prior, and once we figured out that we were going to be in air travel purgatory we found a quiet spot and settled in.

Our flight out of HND was delayed roughly three hours, then our 11 hour flight put us in Chicago for even more hell. The delay screwed up our connection, Customs took almost two hours in US (this being the first experience back in the states customs makes you feel like a criminal here) then fought for flights for hours at customer service. "Slept" the night outside the terminal since security and bag drop off didn't open until 3:30 AM, so we ate Fritos and overpriced water from the vending machines for dinner. I missed Japanese airports desperately. This was such a shock coming back to the States – things are just way too expensive. My flight wasn't until 2:50 PM the next day, so we checked out bags and got into the terminal and just waited, eating overpriced overly salty food once again. I was missing Japanese connivence stores badly by this point. Finally made the quick flight from ORD back to DCA FINALLY, only to find out my bags were left on a cancelled flight the morning prior and still in Chicago. (bags didn't make it to DCA until way later that day on a rush delivery). Still, finally made it back home a full 24 hours (or more, idk) after I had originally planned. Ate some Black Thunder chocolate I had squirreled away, took a long hot shower, and hit the sack. TRIP DONE.

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Tips and Tricks for days!

• In the trip building process it's really fun to find restaurants ahead of time, but as a group we referred to our list of hundreds of restaurants only a few times. For food, we found it was best to follow our noses and cravings, go off the beaten path, and find really unique places!
• Please study Japanese in whatever capacity you can before going to Japan. Knowing survival phrases, asking for prices on things, and ordering food is so much more fun when speaking the language, but more importantly speaking Japanese to locals definitely helps. It shows you're being open and vulnerable in speaking their language, and in turn many people attempted to speak English back. Of course there were still some language barriers, but it helps to instantly establish rapport with a stranger and exchanges were much more fruitful as compared to speaking straight English.
• practice your "sumimasen", quick bows, "arigatou gozaimasu", and contextual "dozo". Asking where the toilet is is super helpful too 🙂
• As someone that feels "ok" when reading Katakana and Hiragana and speaking phrases and basic sentences, I was NOT prepared for hearing people say things to me. Conversational Japanese is crazy! Also, Kanji is INSANE and I need way more practice to feel comfortable navigating Japan and soaking in billboards/ads/etc.
• For cell service, I used AT&T International Plan. It was simple as can be and I didn't have any issues. https://www.att.com/international/day-pass/ Public wifi is EVERYWHERE too. One member of our group used Airalo and that was also a great experience.
• Purchasing things Tax Free in Japan is amazing, but some stores are better than others with the policy. Some places will put your items in a sealed back to be opened when you return to the States, other places just put it in normal shopping bags. We were a bit worried about what the process of buying things tax free and declaring them upon leaving Japan and entering the States, but honestly the process was so painless I doubt customs even cares. I bought the usual stuff: plushies, video games, figures, and souvenirs. I think they really only flag your tax free purchases if you buy like 500 of something to bring back and are attempting to turn profit.
• Explore Japan "Home Base Style" – Don't drag your bags from lodging to lodging day after day, you will HATE getting around. Rather, pick a place that is a convenient walk to a train station to connect you up to the metro system. I see some itineraries where people bounce between new lodgings every day or every other day – trust me, you will hate dragging your suitcases around and constantly transitioning to new lodgings will be an absolute pain.
• Not a sponsor: I decided to get the United Chase Explorer Card exclusively because of this trip. When I signed up for it I got $500 off my first purchase (basically taking $500 off my plane ticket), got 60,000 bonus miles for spending a certain threshold within my first few months with the card, and earned a boatload of miles on the hotels and food I bought in Japan. After having the card for only 6 months I have almost enough miles to fly back to Japan roundtrip (which I plan on doing next year!) If you have a good credit and are ok with having a secondary card, let the trip pay you back.
• If you're not used to being on your feet all day your feet will get VERY sore. My recommendation is several months prior to the trip start walking outdoors or using a stair stepper at a gym, amongst other exercise. It'll really help. Don't raw dog Japan without any physical preparation.
• Don't plan to do much if you're transitioning from one major city to the other. At least for us, the amount of time it takes to lug our bags, get oriented and settled in a new city, and then feel refreshed takes way more time than you think!
• Giving yourself and the group a "wander day" as you get to each new city/town was the best method to find great places to eat, shop, and explore. Again, this really just lets you truly explore without the pressure of any sort of itinerary.
• We found a good rhythm by the end of the trip, but I would highly recommend MAX two "touristy" things a day. Factoring in travel time, eating, and just overall enjoying the country, DON'T OVERLOAD YOUR DAY!
• Go Taxi is a must for an alternative to riding trains. We used Uber once too. Gives you options for those moments when you are tired from exploring, somebody twists an ankle, or someone has tummy troubles!
• Japan gets up late and stays up late. Traditional breakfast places are out there, but lots of places don't open until 10 or 11 AM.
• Need an extra suitcase or did yours get busted on the trip? Don Quijote is your man – and you can buy them tax free and use them right away! They sell duffels too, great for getting stuff out of your main suitcase that you don't care about (like clothes). Just be warned – the theme song will forever live rent free in your brain!
• If you plan on hiking Fuji it's honestly quite difficult to "pre-plan" nowadays thanks to the weather, the newly implemented QR code reservation system (enacted in 2024), and base station hut reservations for a night's sleep. I had researched and plotted this part of the trip to death, but if the weather doesn't cooperate then the conditions (at least for us) you're better off waiting until they are better. We got really unlucky, as repeat hikers we met said that Fuji was the worst they'd seen it in many years. My recommendation is to really have a solid few flexible days where you can begin the hike and complete it in pleasant conditions, and watch the forecast like a hawk. https://www.mountain-forecast.com/peaks/Fuji-san/forecasts/3776
• Hiking Fuji? Bring plenty of 100 yen coins to pay for toilets, drinks, and food at the base stations.
• One of my friends had a really bad lactose intolerance episode (at Disney). Lactaid and other similar products are prescription only in Japan, so be prepared if you are affected by such things or other health issues.
• If you are traveling with large bags and taking the Shinkansen, make sure to get a reserved seat where you can place your luggage right behind you. These are typically at the end of the cars ONLY and very limited. We used the Smart EX app and reserved them a few weeks ahead of our trip, which made things super easy!
• Trying to get reservations for Ghibli Museum, but got wrecked by the site? I used a service on Fiverr, which came out to roughly $35 bucks/ticket. Sean was super responsive and responsible, and my tickets were waiting at my airbnb when we arrived in Tokyo. Ghibli Tickets Service (buys physical in Japan and mails them to your hotel/airbnb)
• Trying to get reservations for the Pokemon Cafes? I tried getting the reservations but bots snatched them up. I used Experience Japan to reserve my Pokemon Cafe reservations in Tokyo, and went off without a hitch! https://www.experience-jp.com
• We went in the Summer, and if you sweat a lot YOU WILL SWEAT BUCKETS. Potentially packing spare clothes, wick-away clothes, and traveling light day to day is helpful. Portable fans, umbrellas, and menthol wipes (sold at conbinis) will help you beat the summer heat big time.
• You can dump all your "smaller" yen coins at convince store checkouts to get bigger more useful coins back. I had two coin purses on me, one with 100 yen coins (for gacha of course) and then another purse for all my 1, 5, 10, 50 yen coins ready to dump at a 711. Absolutely clutch!
• If a member of your group has an Android device and you're in Tokyo, they're gonna have a bad time due to the Suica shortage. However, if you or another member of a group has both an iPhone and Apple Watch you can get two separate Suica cards digitally on both devices. Scanning the Suica on both devices was painless, as was adding funds.
• Bidets are amazing and we live like cavemen in USA.
• ADDITION ONE (7/26) – For Fuji Hike bring hand warmers! They are super helpful in both your shoes if your feet get cold and for your hands. Also, Please do the hike with someone else. Buddy system helps tremendously to cheer each other on, for safety, and you get to share the hike with someone!

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Thanks for reading this massive post. If you have any questions about any of the things we did or other little random trip planning things, drop a comment!!!

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EDITS ONE (7/26) – Reddit ate some of my post in regards to flying to KIX, so added that back in.