Hi. I wanted to give back to this community by sharing our recent travel experience in Japan and hope it might be helpful for those of you currently in the planning stage. This will be a long report but given that there is already so much information available on the Golden Triangle, I will focus more on the other destinations.
As a brief background, my partner and I are in our mid-30s and this was our 5th trip to Japan. We hadn’t been to Japan for a couple of years due to the pandemic, so for this trip we decided to mix in old favorites (Kyoto, Kanazawa) and new places (Kyushu). In our previous trips we had always bought a SIM card (Mobal, Sakura or Bmobile) to either pick up at the airport or send directly to our first hotel, but this time we were concerned with the VJW entry procedures so we chose Ubigi, and it worked just fine throughout the entire trip.
Having a IC card (Suica, ICOCA, Pasmo, etc) is extremely useful if not outright necessary. I already had a physical Suica from previous trips, but for convenience I added the mobile Suica on my iPhone wallet and it was great. More details below, but I was unable to load my Suica with my Visa credit card so I chose to load it with cash on the vending machines at the stations. As you can look up online, unfortunately the mobile IC does not work for Android phones outside of Japan.
The JR Pass didn’t make sense for us since our travel days were spread out, and we wanted to try other ways of travelling (jetfoil and ferry). SmartEx was incredibly convenient for buying Shinkansen tickets, not only does it allow you to just use your IC card directly but you can also easily cancel or reschedule trips as long as you haven’t issued the tickets at the ticket machine yet. They also accept credit cards.
As for payments, just like recent trip reports pointed out, things have changed a lot in Japan and contactless payments are widely accepted (note: there ARE a few places which only accept cash, so do carry backup cash just in case. In general, the smaller a non-chain business is, the more likely to prefer cash, especially out of the Golden Triangle area). No more scrambling around with coins at the combini counter when you can just ask for Suica, then tap your phone. As a matter of fact, if I were not trying to keep some 100 yen coins around for goshuin payments, I could go for days without reaching for my wallet. About credit card, a warning to Visa cardholders: it was hit-and-miss. In some places, it worked, in others it didn’t, and having a backup option (cash or a Master/Amex card) is safer.
Now a specific warning for those using Wise, we had a very weird experience and I am sure we probably screwed up somewhere, but I can’t explain it. We heard about the Visa 3d authentication issues for foreign card in Japan, but we still chose Wise because the exchange rate was better (and plan B was to use Wise card for ATM withdrawals). My Wise card was rejected in all shops for the first 2 days, and then it suddenly started being accepted everywhere. No clue why, the same Family Mart which had rejected my card suddenly accepted it (yes, both transactions were inserting my PIN). I used my Wise card the rest of the trip with no issues. The only thing which never worked was loading my Suica. On the other hand, my partner’s Wise card was rejected in every store except the very rare one which swiped cards instead of asking for PIN. His card ended up being almost useless for the trip so we just withdrew his yen balance in cash and used that instead.
In prior trips, we never had any issues with our lack of Japanese (although I am sure those who do speak a little Japanese probably have a better time chatting with locals) because usually there are English-speaking people (even if sometimes very basic) and plenty of English menus, signs and pamphlets. However this time in Kyushu we really wished we had learned a bit of Japanese, and we made do with Google translate (camera and voice modes).
We usually like to have a slightly flexible itinerary, with some fixed days and other unplanned / open. For this trip, we had our Kyushu part locked down due to lodging and transportation, and the rest of the itinerary we decided as we went along.
**Days 1-3: Tokyo**
Landed in Narita, we had Internet access from the get-go with our Ubigi plans. No issue with the VJW entry procedures, but there was a long line and it took us over 2 hours from landing to catching the train to Tokyo. It may be bad timing (several flights coming in at the same time), but the process was definitively longer than our other trips. On the 3rd day, had our luggage shipped directly to our Kagoshima hotel (takuhaibin).
**Days 4-6: Yakushima**
Flight from Haneda to Yakushima, with a layover in Kagoshima. As a tip, since the flight rate was a bit expensive, we bought the sections separately: HND-KOJ using the JAL explorer pass (fixed ¥11k) and KOJ-KUM with regular fare. This was cheaper than buying HND-KUM flight on the JAL website, but please note it only worked because both flights were operated by JAL and we let them know in Haneda to send our checked in backpackts to the next flight. The layover time is impossibly short otherwise. It was lucky we decided to fly into Yakushima, because the ferry had suspended operations due to the weather.
For Yakushima, BOOK YOUR ACCOMODATION WELL IN ADVANCE. Since it was winter (low season) and late December, many places I had checked out were already closed. In our trips we try to book directly with hotels and ryokans as much as possible, and Steve from Yes Yakushima was really kind and helpful. Do rent a car, we unfortunately couldn’t because Japan does not accept our driving licenses (even IDPs), and relying on the infrequent bus made it much harder to go around. As soon as we landed, we were informed that Jomon Sugi and Yakusugi Land were closed due to snow. We thought that the hiking trails themselves had been closed due to the snow, but we found out 2 days later that it was rather the road access (bus). On foot and under a terrible rain, we decided to kill time around Miyanoura before our check in time and there was absolutely nothing to do. It was a disappointing first day in Yakushima, and we probably should have booked some activity, even for a half day. Shoutout though to the incredible coffee at Isso Cafe at the Miyanoura Port.
On the 2nd day, we caught the first bus to Shiratani Unsuikyo and it is absolutely amazing, one of the best experiences we ever had in Japan. The moss is so beautiful, even in winter, and it was very empty, we ran into only 4 or 5 guided groups the entire day. We were warned at the entrance not to go on top of the Taiko-Iwa rock because it was very slippery, but we decided to go for the lounger route anyway and just turn back at the rock. We had no doubts of making it because the hike was lovely, we were at a good pace and having a great time. Then the snow in the path began: at first it just made the forest look even better, and barely hindered us in our Goretex hiking boots. Close to the Shiratani Hut, the snow was getting deeper and slowed us down, we had to be careful but were still game. After the Mononoke forest we had to pick our steps carefully and we were slipping every few minutes (especially on descents). I was jealous of the older lone Japanese gentleman who passed us by walking so swift and easily in his crampons and poles. We gave up close to Tsuji-Toge pass and decided to slowly enjoy our way back, and eat the bentos we had brought.
For the 3rd and final day in Yakushima, we did the Island tour with Yes Yakushima and had a great time. It was the perfect way to go see the interesting places around this beautiful island (especially given our car-less state) and we learned so much from our guide.
On the 4th day, we took the jetfoil back to Kagoshima. The cost is pretty similar to the flight (it was even slightly more expensive), so if you are pressed for time, the flight might be a better choice. In our case, we had already flown our way in and seen the amazing view from above, so we wanted to take the jetfoil and see Sakurajima from the sea.
**Days 7-8: Kagoshima**
Kagoshima is a nice little relaxed and laid-back city. We felt the vibe overall in Kagoshima and Fukuoka to be much more relaxed than Tokyo and Osaka. While it was harder to find English speaking people, we ate and drank our way around the Tenmonkan area and chatted to as many people as we could find. We ate as much Kurobuta as we could (the tonkatsu is just perfect), got the Cute Pass (yes, that’s the name) to sightsee, spent hours in Sengan-en, took the ferry to see more of the Sakurajima volcano.
**Days 9-10: Fukuoka**
We took the early Shinkansen from Kagoshima to Hakata. We didn’t have a lot of time in Fukuoka because we would take the ferry to Osaka in the following day, 1st sailing. After a week of smaller cities, Fukuoka was a shock of lights, crowds and noise. We went all out to try as many Hakata style ramens as we could (and the ubiquitous queues). We ended up not going to yatais for dinner, but we bar and izakaya hopped around for our only night in Fukuoka. We will definitively come back in the future to explore the city better (and maybe do a tour of Northern and Central Kyushu).
The following day we sent our luggage forward to the next hotel and took the Meimon Taiyo ferry from Shin Moji port to Osaka. For those interested, you can book directly on their website (there is English as well). Reservations only open 2 months prior to the travel date, but I tried to reserve a deluxe room on the very first day possible and it was already booked out. The schedule for the 2nd sailing is more convenient but it was also booked out. You fill out the form online, receive a confirmation (or rejection) email and pay for the fare at the ferry terminal prior to boarding. The ferry was a really nice experience, we saw the Kurushima-Kaikyo bridge and gave up on the others since it was late and cold (if you are interested in the bridges, do the reverse journey leaving from Osaka. The bridges are closer to Osaka and for the 1st sailing, you will see them at 18:10, 21:35 and 23:50). If you want to use the ferry’s public bath, bring your own towel (towels are sold in the souvenir shop).
**Days 11-15: Osaka and Kyoto**
There is already so much helpful information online that we don’t have much to add on Osaka and Kyoto. We had a great time in both cities, the only thing was to plan around the NYE. In our experience, the main thing about the NYE is that most of the restaurants, cafes and bars we wanted to go were closed up until January 5th or so. That does NOT mean there was nowhere to eat or all stores were closed, as I’ve seen asked in some threads. Most places tourists go to will be open, as shown by the bustling shopping streets Shinsaibashi-suji in Osaka and Teramachi and Shinkyogoku in Kyoto. But if you want a specific place you’ve been checking online, for example Bar Nayuta in Osaka, or reserve the shigure-meshi lunch box from Kikunoi Salon de Muge, there’s a reasonable chance they will be closed or unavailable right after the NYE.
On the other hand, the temples and shrines were fun with so many locals doing hatsumode. While they were all crowded, it was the typical well-behaved and quiet crowd. I believe it’s the first time in our experience there were clearly a lot more Japanese people than foreign tourists like ourselves. On the actual New Year day, we went to Katsuo-ji temple, where they handed us a bamboo stalk at the entrance and we could buy several charms and trinkets to hang upon it. Many people were bringing in their old and withered bamboo stalks, I assume to be burned. There were so many people in lovely kimonos in Kyoto (in addition to the kimono-renting tourists), it was a sight to behold, and for some reason every family seemed to have dog(s).
**Days 16-18: Kanazawa, Shirakawago and Takayama**
We have been to the Chubu region before and had not been planning in coming back. In fact, we had briefly considered catching a flight to Sapporo. However, it had snowed recently in the region and the landscape just looked magical. In addition, the heavy December snowstorms in Hokkaido reminded us just how cold it would be further north. Thus, we booked a last minute hotel in Kanazawa and took the Thunderbird train.
We also decided to take advantage of the snow to visit Shirakawago. As a warning for last minute travelers, the buses sell out very fast at this time of the year and especially on weekends. When we got to Kanazawa station, we found out that ALL buses were booked out for the next 3 days. Just like the smiling lady at the tourist center where I had stopped to ask for directions to the Nouhi bus terminal had warned us. So don’t do like us and do book your bus online (can be done 30 days in advance). Unwilling to give up, we went back to the tourist center to discuss all alternatives and chose a one-day bus tour operated by JR West, covering Gokayama, Shirakawago and Takayama. We usually prefer to travel on our own and have our own schedule, but we ended going for this more expensive tour for lack of better options. It was worth it, the Hida region is really nice and yes, everything looked great blanketed with snow. We were also travelling light since we had sent out luggage in advance to Tokyo.
**Days 19-21: Tokyo**
Finally back in Tokyo, attending the sumo tournament was definitively one of the highlights of our trip. We bought our tickets directly on the official Oosumo website (no third parties): you choose the date and seat, pay with credit card and receive a confirmation code to pick up your physical tickets at a 7-11 store. Easy and straightforward. Tickets sell out fast, so our advice is to choose in advance the type of seat (look up the arena’s layout online) and the preferred date (tournament schedule on the website). Put a reminder in your calendar for the first day they start selling tickets so you won’t forget. I knew nothing about the sport (and had no interest in), but it was an amazing day and we loved the experience. If you are lucky enough to be in Japan during a sumo basho, you can’t miss it! I also recommend you bring your own bento, I saw many people had apparently reserved their lunch boxes from vendors (and were picking it up in the side hall) but we just stopped by a nice restaurant on our way to the Ryogoku Kokugikan and bought their takeaway bento sets.
That’s it! I didn’t do a detailed report on our activities because I think it’s so unique to each traveler, but I hope this report will be helpful to you all and happy travels in Japan!
4 comments
Excellent trip report! I’m bookmarking this because it’s full of things I might like to try out on my next trip.
How did you find out about the ferry? Did you just google it when you already had a destination in mind, or is there some sort of 3rd party site where you can get information on all kinds of different ferry connections?
I’d like to know about the JR West Tour. I s it something you’d have to book on arrival in Kanazawa or do they have a website? This is an absolutely fabulous itinerary. I’m considering next year doing 21 days but kinda want to fit in Sapporo and Hakodate too. The JAL air passes sound like a good deal too.
Your trip report was fun to read, thanks for sharing!
We are a group of 3 interested to watch a sumo match in May. I’m thinking we would be fine with the cheapest seats but also unsure if we would be able to see much… Do you mind sharing which seats you chose and what you think of the viewing experience from afar?
So much useful info in this trip report, thank you! I’ve made notes about many things for our trip this Dec/Jan, especially the sumo basho.