Hello friends, I’ve just returned from a trip to Japan, made much better than it would have been by all the wonderful advice from fellow redditors. I’d like to pay it forward by writing my own trip report, but for now, here are some general tips that didn’t really fit into specific days in my trip diary. These may be more applicable to people traveling to Japan for the first time, as it was my first trip.
**Travel/Public Transport:**
If you’re flying into Narita after 3pm (or any airport, really) and are planning on traveling to another area, just stay the night near the airport and travel the next day. We landed around 4pm and went straight to Kyoto, and we were dead tired by the time we got to Kyoto at 9pm. It did save us more time, but it really wasn’t worth it to try and figure out public transport while dealing with jetlag and exhaustion related with a long flight.
It also was a pain in the ass, for some reason, to get to Narita Airport from Tokyo Bay using public transport. I’m not sure why, but we ended up transferring like 4 times and the money saved wasn’t really worth it. Next time, we’ll just take the airport limo bus.
When riding on the train/subways, sometimes one line turns into another, if that makes sense? like subway line A becomes the B line. if Google Maps says “stay on board,” take it with a grain of salt. Sometimes it’s right, sometimes it’s wrong. Try to figure out which stops the train runs to, and see if all of them match up to what Google Maps says.
However long Google Maps says it takes to get somewhere, multiply that by like 1.5-2. You don’t know the area well, and that’s okay! It’ll be fun to explore are discover the little things along the way. Just keep that in mind if you have timed reservations anywhere.
Get the suica/ic card! It made everything way more convenient when paying for items, especially when there’s a long line. I didn’t realize, but the ticket machines actually show your remaining balance when you tap you way through, which is nice
**Language/Culture:**
Google Lens is the best, as everyone else says. It was so nice to be able to hold up my phone to a menu to see what it says rather than just struggle.
3 words: Sumimasen. Daijoubu. Arigato. You should probably know these three at a minimum before you go. I know a few other phrases, but these were so applicable to nearly every situation.
Someone said Google Translate is better for Japanese to English translations, and DeepL is better for English to Japanese. I’m not sure if that’s true, but it was easier to have two apps so I didn’t have to switch the language back and forth. Also, I highly recommend downloading Japanese on Google Translate, it’ll still work even if you don’t have internet access.
This is small, but I brought some small American candies to gift to people who were exceptionally helpful or kind. Tips aren’t accepted, and non-edible items are dust bunnies, but everyone likes to try snacks from around the world. So I tossed 12-15 individually-wrapped fun-sized candies and packets of jelly beans into my suitcase to give away. They were accepted and much appreciated.
Bring a washcloth to dry your hands after using the restroom, as paper towels are not provided, and try to store it in an outside pouch of your bag or an otherwise easily accessible place.
**Misc:**
We were previously undecided on going to Tokyo Disneyland, as we live close enough to American Disneyland in California. However, being moderate Disney fans, and seeing how cheap the prices were compared to the awful gouging American prices, we opted to go to both Tokyo Disney Resorts. For some reason, the online Tokyo Disney Resort website decided it didn’t like the mastercard we had gotten specifically to buy Disney tickets even though it had worked for purchasing Disney Sea tickets a month prior, so we ended up having to use Klook. Anyways, Just a PSA. Try to get the tickets sorted out before you go.
Bring some medication from home. This is kinda gross, but it took me 2 days to adjust to the food, and I absolutely shit my brains out the first night. Sure, I bet conbini sells some weird ass weak Japanese pepto, but who wants to run out into the streets at night and try to translate shit to some guy at 3am while battling stomach pain and the shits? not me!
Departments stores are very reliable for good food! They’re usually close to big stations and were great to visit in a pinch when we wanted to get food on the way back to our accommodations.
Don’t bring a hairdryer, all our accommodations had one. Hostels may be different, idk
Even very old inns and hotels are very clean.
To save on luggage space, I only packed 2 sets of clothes in addition to what I wore on the plane. Many hotels/inns have coin laundry, or it’s just down the street. Worst comes to worst, the bathroom sink/bathtub. I would normally do my laundry in the evening. Get back from sightseeing, toss a load of laundry in, shower, and then grab the laundry and throw it in the drier. Eat dessert, brush my teeth, plan out the next day, and the clothes are dry before bedtime. If they aren’t, they can dry in the room overnight+the next day, or I can throw them in the drier before getting breakfast at conbini.
This seems obvious, but try to group your activities by location. It’s easier to travel in one direction then to run around all over the place.
Don’t be gross, wear a fucking mask.
21 comments
Yes, some lines can turn into a different line even from a completely different company. Many of the Tokyo Metro lines continue and turn into various trains. That is what they call thru service. So yes it is absolutely possible that you have to stay in the train and it will just continue on a different line.
Hostel also usually have hair dryer.
I agree with doing laundry, but I would keep more like 4 changes. Only 2 mean you have to do it really frequently.
“Don’t be gross, wear a fucking mask.”
Great closer. While everyone may not do it, doesn’t mean you need to join them. Consideration goes a long way.
Did you mean Tokyo instead of Kyoto?
or just don’t head straight to Kyoto from Narita? It’s like an hour to Tokyo and if you’re not jet lagged you can drop off luggage at wherever you’re staying and explore the city for the first night.
Thank you!!
>but it took me 2 days to adjust to the food, and I absolutely shit my brains out the first night.
What did you eat? As someone with a somewhat sensitive stomach (mild lactose intolerance), I didn’t have any issues in Japan. They don’t seem to use a lot of dairy in their food,which I appreciate.
>Bring a washcloth to dry your hands after using the restroom
Yeah, I did a lot of wiping on my pants which was not exactly ideal. A few places did have hand dryers but they were almost always closed presumably for Covid reasons.
>When riding on the train/subways, sometimes one line turns into another, if that makes sense?
Yeah I ran into this confusion as well, trying to take the train from Tokyo to the Makuhari Messe in Chiba for a concert. Accidentally got off the train when I shouldn’t have, wasting about 10-15 minutes until the next train came. And of course, the next train was a local train, not an express like the one I got off from, adding even more time. Thankfully, I still got to the venue well in time, but it did makes things
a bit more interesting than it should have been.
Narita to Kyoto???
You should of planned better.
*Bring some medication from home. This is kinda gross, but it took me 2days to adjust to the food, and I absolutely shit my brains out thefirst night. Sure, I bet conbini sells some weird ass weak Japanesepepto, but who wants to run out into the streets at night and try totranslate shit to some guy at 3am while battling stomach pain and theshits? not me!*
I feel bad that you had a bad experience. But good suggestion.
> This is small, but I brought some small American candies to gift to people who were exceptionally helpful or kind. Tips aren’t accepted, and non-edible items are dust bunnies, but everyone likes to try snacks from around the world. So I tossed 12-15 individually-wrapped fun-sized candies and packets of jelly beans into my suitcase to give away. They were accepted and much appreciated.
Love these gestures! Those little instances where folks go above and beyond can be lifesavers for many, I’d be more than happy to return the favor with a small pick-me-up treat.
Could you please elaborate on leaving 1.5-2x more time for google maps journeys? I have two 5 hour journeys between some villages and feel like I’m bound to get into some trouble along the way. It’s also gonna be my first time so I assume my planning might not be efficient enough.
Going on my first trip to Japan in a couple months (also a moderate Disney fan) and am trying to decide whether or not to go to both Disney resorts. What was it like? Did you feel it was worth it? And can you do both resorts in one day?
I am lucky to have about three weeks total in Japan, but not sure if an extra day exploring Tokyo would be more valuable than the parks, curious what your experience was! Thanks!
Was the coin laundry pretty straightforward to figure out?
I feel like anyone who goes to Japan for the first time via Narita is going to go to Tokyo first. Seems like a no brainer.
Apple maps is way better in general than google maps. In japan right now and its been great everywhere I go.
As a Japanese American who has traveled back to japan many times (planning my first post covid trip this Spring) your advice about American meds is spot on. Japanese tourists actually bring back home American meds as presents to their friends and family as Japanese meds are weak sauce compared to the strong stuff in the U.S. like NyQuil, Tylenol Flu etc.
Bringing little foreign candies to thank people is such a cool and kind gesture! I can see that going really well. The Japanese often go out of their way to help foreigners and they love candies too; especially ones they aren’t familiar with. Very cool and impressionable. Handing cash (tip) won’t go well at all.
Did you think the Japan Disney / Disney Sea was worthwhile?
Glad you had fun!
Thanks for the tips about doing laundry. I was planning to do the same thing but my friends who’ve been to Japan didn’t approve for some reason. This just sealed it for me.
Google maps usually does not make mistakes about whether you should stay in the train or not, but it assumes you are on the exact same train it suggested. What works for a specific train may not work for the train before or after, even with a 2 minutes difference, because of the “lines turning into another” thing you mentioned
i booked my first international trip to japan for mid October and i appreciate all these posts. i will be there solo for 8 days. and i find these posts so helpful. i already came to the conclusion that i will be spending the first night after landing near the airport. flying from lax to haneda.
> Bring a washcloth to dry your hands after using the restroom
They sell handkerchief-sized towels for this very reason in most conbini. They’re slightly smaller than a washcloth and are a bit more absorbent
I’ve never been but am going in April.
It seems obvious that going straight to Kyoto would be a long ass travel day lol
Just got back from Japan, staying in hostels, and everything was provided (soap, shampoo, hairdryers. Also a towel for minimal fee.)