Probably yet another basic beginner question, but I keep seeing and hearing so many different things.
I have a short trip to Japan planned with a good friend soon. We'll be staying around 10 days, mainly in Tokyo, but we also plan to visit Osaka and Kyoto for a day or two.
I'm trying to cover all the bases, but one thing that seems a bit intimidating is the logistics and traveling once we arrive. We'll be landing at Narita Airport, and I've read a lot about avoiding taxis, the need for JR passes, Suica cards, etc.
Our plan is to explore various districts in Tokyo for the first few days—places like Shibuya and Shinjuku—and then head to Osaka, from Osaka to Kyoto, and finally back to Tokyo.
I’ve downloaded some apps, but they’re all in Japanese, so I was wondering: how easy and foreigner-friendly is it to travel throughout Japan, particularly in the areas I mentioned?
Right now, I’m mainly using Google Maps to plan the route from Narita Airport to our hotel near Shinagawa Station. Any tips and tricks would be greatly appreciated, but also, am I focusing too much on this? Are there other things I should be paying attention to outside of transportation?
by Dragon-of-Kansai