Hello savvy Japan travelers,
in a few short days I'll be embarking on my second trip to Japan, but this time stepping up the difficulty level: going outside of the most beaten touristy path. The itinerary is: Sapporo -> Noboribetsu onsen -> ferry to Matsushima Bay -> Morioka -> Lake Tazawa -> a section of Michinoku trail (along the Pacific), from Kuji to Tanohata -> final few days in Tokyo, all in all about three weeks.
I have thought of several questions, but would love any tips you might have.
- Should I get a SIM / eSIM with a mobile number, or is data-only good enough? The trip is planned using public transit, but I'm worried about missing a train / getting too tired on the hike / some other reason we could need a ride. Websites recommend mobile apps for calling a taxi, but would there always be internet connection in places outside of towns? (also, if you think I might need to use phone to call a taxi… how do I do it? Should I look up taxi phone numbers in advance? How do I explain where we are if we are just on the side of the road somewhere? My Japanese is… um, "sukoshi dake", so definitely a bit of a scary perspective!)
(If you think eSIM with a mobile number is a good idea, I'd love to hear your recommendations. I just started looking it up and there's lots of info.)
Should I try to get IC cards in Narita / Chitose? Are the same ones used in Tokyo and in Sapporo? Can they be used in the more remote areas as well?
How easy is it to withdraw cash in the more remote areas?
We used luggage forwarding on the last trip to Japan and it was so convenient. That being said, how much in advance can one forward luggage? Let's say we buy some gifts in the first half of our trip, can we just ship it to the last hotel weeks before the check in date?
What's the situation with swimming in Japan? We will be on the lake, and also along the shore of the Pacific. I don't see much of beach / splash in the water content from Japan, outside of Okinawa. Is there a reason for it? Are there any unpleasant beasts in the water? Any vocabulary that would be useful to know? Any tips on beach attire / etiquette?
Any hiking tips? Should we get bear bells? Any plants to avoid? (like, here in California I'm always on the lookout for poison oak… anything similar in northern Japan?)
Also… are the trails well marked or is it easy to get lost? 😬
- We are planning for hot and humid weather, but how likely is cold and rainy?
If there's anything else you think would be good for us to know but I didn't ask, please tell me! Thanks a lot!
by Sentient-badger