I spent two weeks in Japan at the very beginning of October (a business/holidays mix), and I wanted to share a few thought with this sub, which has been very valuable for preparing this trip.
Before starting. I based my plans for Kyoto on this [itinerary suggestion](https://www.insidekyoto.com/kyoto-three-day-itinerary), which I found incredibly useful. I also consulted an itinerary suggestion for [Tokyo](https://trulytokyo.com/tokyo-3-day-itinerary/) (by the same author of the Kyoto one) but, given the very specific plans I had for the big capital, I used it very little (but it can still be useful).
Now to the bullet points.
1. I was there before the country officially reopened to everybody. Kyoto’s temples were a joy to visit. And there was still enough action on the streets to feel the city pulsing. Same for Tokyo. All in all: go before the swarms of tourists get back 🙂
2. Like many others in this sub pointed out: Japanese still wear masks everywhere and all the time. It is annoying coming from a country that has stopped doing that. It’s up to you if you want to be “that guy/gal” (I wore them like the natives did).
3. I planned to buy a coin purse once arrived, but in the end I haven’t felt the need. Just pay with your coins from time to time (by planning in advance) and, when all else fail, make an offering in a temple 🙂
4. I was able to pay with card more often than I thought – even for taxis (with a little bit of luck).
5. Conbini food can indeed be great. I’m Italian, and my wife is French. I know good food when I eat it 🙂
6. If you wish to try out your Japanese while there (like I did), make sure to practice not just how to ask for things, but also how to understand potential answers (with which I struggled…). In my experience, natives were more than willing to explain things to you in Japanese if you addressed them in their language (and for many of them it seemed it was their only option :D).
7. As a lifelong videogames lover, I had an extensive list of places to hit while in Tokyo. Among these, Nakano Broadway was a letdown. It was a very interesting place for everything pop-culture-related but, if you’re only interested in videogames, I’d suggest spending more time in Akihabara instead.
8. The eSIM I bought was the single best investment of the whole trip. I had data on my phone before even landing in Japan. It worked well, it was cheap, and it was so. damn. convenient. You need a fairly recent phone to use it, but it’s the best thing ever. I personally used [Ubigi](https://cellulardata.ubigi.com/data-plans-and-coverage/) (as it was often recommended in this sub), but there are plenty of options out there.
9. I basically lived out of Google Maps. I know there are probably better GPS apps out there for Japan, but it did the job for me. Just a word of warning of the following: a) your phone battery will drain fast; b) it won’t help you much while walking below street level (it will lose you); c) the indication of the platform for your trains is a lifesaving feature.
10. Resist the temptation of blowing your nose while eating. I know: I hate sniffling too. It was torture with ramen (and hot soba) especially. But it is considered quite rude, so try not to be “that guy/gal”.
11. If you’re worried about etiquette (and you should be – at least a little bit), and you’re in doubt: just copy the locals 🙂 One example of this during my trip: one day I suddenly noticed there were rarely any bags on the floor when riding the train. This because the passengers all kept theirs on their laps. Quite neat and practical to move around the train without tripping onto something 🙂 So I started doing it myself.
12. To add to the previous point: don’t be noisy – especially on public transportation. Keep your voice down, and avoid talking on the phone around other people.
13. Taxis are great and reasonably priced. When I couldn’t find one around, the Uber app found a taxi for me.
14. I’m cute and all, but I think there were additional reasons behind all the stares I got… Don’t mind them too much 🙂
15. When planning your sightseeing stops, be very careful with the opening/closing times and days. What happened to me: I was planning to visit the the East Gardens of the Imperial Palace, and made sure avoid a Monday and a Friday (closing days). And so I went on a Tuesday. What I didn’t know is that, if a closing day falls on a public holiday, the Gardens stay close the day after. And this was my case (that Monday was ‘Sports Day’). Luckily I got to visit the Imperial Palace grounds instead 🙂
16. Leave your hotel/accommodation in the morning with an empty plastic bag. Because trash cans are very – very – rare. Just keep your trash with you until you find one (or you get back to your hotel/accommodation). Additional tip: avoid eating and drinking while walking (it’s considered rude by most).
I’m available for questions, if you need something 🙂
Thank you for reading, and have a lovely trip 🙂