2-week trip report June/July 2023: Tokyo – Kyoto – Yakushima Island – Osaka – Tokyo

2-week trip report June/July 2023: Tokyo – Kyoto – Yakushima Island – Osaka – Tokyo

My (38M) wife (38F) and I just got back from an amazing two week trip through Japan. We (as lurkers) used this subreddit quite a bit for inspiration and advice, so I thought I would make a (fairly long and detailed) trip report as first-time visitors that might help other travelers out. For context, we are a married couple from Chicago (dinks). We spoke no Japanese besides basic phrasing we learned (see below). We like to travel (been to most of North America, Western Europe, and Southeast Asia over the last 15 years) but this was our first big trip post-pandemic. Most (all?) Covid restrictions are lifted in Japan and we never were required to show a vaccination card or wear a mask (although we did wear them occasionally and many, many Japanese still wear masks).

For this Trip Report I’ll try to name things to make them easily Google-able if they sound interesting, but if you can’t find information on something, just send me a DM or let me know in the comments and I can provide more info:

**Day 0 – Travel**

**DAY 1 – USA – Chicago to Tokyo**

After we landed we got a taxi from Haneda to our hotel in Shinjuku. Taxis are about the same price as they are in the US, but we felt the splurge was worth it after a very long flight (ours was about 7,000 yen/$50…about what it costs in Chicago for a cab from O’Hare to downtown).

Evening: We checked in to the hotel and then headed out to Omoide Yokocho for food. This is a really cool little back alley area with tiny counter restaurants serving a variety of foods, mostly grilled on sticks. We pretty much found that if a seat looks open, walk up, indicate you’d like to sit down, and the host/chefs will indicate if you can sit or not. It’ll be cramped (I’m 6’1” but fit in at all the counters) but that’s all part of the experience. For us, most places had English menus, but if not, we just ordered a beer and then used Google Translate and point-ordering to choose whatever food we wanted.

Night: We walked through Kabukicho to Golden Gai. Kabukicho is the Red Light district and is a sight/sound to experience and marvel at. We just passed through on the first night but resolved to return later. Golden Gai is a famous series of alleys that are stuffed full of tiny bars. We walked around and popped into a few places for a drink, but honestly, while some are clearly more interesting/fun than others, the vibe was totally dependent on the other patrons. Disappointingly (but understandably), many had a table charge between 500-1000 yen but it was overall a cool place, especially for an introduction to Japan.

**Day 2 – Tokyo**

Morning: We walked to Meiji Shrine – We got there early to avoid the massive crowds. This shrine is set in the middle of a full-on forest in the middle of Tokyo. The towering trees and massive shrine made us feel like we were on another planet from downtown. After the shrine we walked to Shibuya/Harajuku and got 3D coffee art at Reissue. We walked up and put down our name, and explored until our time was called (we learned that this is common practice in Japan at popular places). While we waited, we explored Harajuku and ate/drank some of the craziest stuff available from complicated shaved ice treats to rainbow grilled cheeses. We explored Cat Street and other nearby places as well.

Afternoon: We took a train to Hibiya (Hibiya station is incredible) and walked to Hibiya Park and the National Gardens. This is where we learned that sun protection and hydration would test our mettle this whole trip. The gardens are beautiful but fully exposed with no shade. We popped in to a random café for a snack and a drink late afternoon.

Night: We went back to Shinjuku and ate a couple random noodle bars and restaurants. Travel/heat caught up to us so we turned in early.

**Day 3 – Tokyo**

Morning: Had breakfast at Eggslut (sister lives in LA and we ate there when we last visited her…decent western-style breakfast options/coffee/baked goods). After, we explored Shinjuku National Garden (really beautiful).

Afternoon: We took the train to Kichijoji and walked to Shirohige Cream Puff Factory to get Totoro cream puffs. So tasty and cute, they’re a must if you’re a Ghibli fan. After, we got a bowl of ramen at Ramen Maji. If you’ve never done ‘vending machine’ ramen before, this was a great intro. Basically, wait in line, when your turn comes, put money into the machine (we recommend at least 2,000 per person…you’ll get change), choose a base and ingredients by pushing the corresponding buttons (we used Google Translate), then collect your tiny tickets and your change. Hand the tickets to the host who will direct you to your seat at the counter. This was a really delicious and fun experience! After lunch we explored the neighborhood, did some light shopping and visited a cat café (totally recommend you visit at least one while you’re in Japan…no experience with the other ‘animal café’s but there are lots).

Evening/Night: We went back to the hotel for a rest and then went back to Kabukicho to explore, see the Godzilla head, walk through Don Quijote Shinjuku (wowza) and visit the massive amount of food/bars/clubs. The neighborhood has a bit of an unsavory reputation, but we found that as long as we ignored the touts and hype girls, we were fine (unless that’s your thing, which, if that’s the case, enjoy!). There’s A LOT to see/hear/do.

**Day 4 – Tokyo to Kyoto**

Morning -> Afernoon: We went to Shibuya to get soufflé pancakes only to discover they start serving them at 10:30. Pivoted and went to the Starbucks Reserve Roastery which was impressive. We have one in Chicago but we’ve never been. After, we visited Hachiko, Shibuya crossing, and then traveled to Ueno to explore Ameyokocho and just walk around. Ameyokoho was cool, but not our favorite district we visited…retail heaven/hell.

Afternoon: We took the Shinkansen (bullet train) to Kyoto. It was an easy booking experience online so we could just use a QR code on our phones to get on/off with a reserved seat. There was plenty of luggage storage for our bags (although if you travel in peak season or if you have huge bags, you might need a special oversized luggage seat).

Evening/Night: We stayed at a Minshuku which was a nice change of pace from the Tokyo hotel. This was similar to a B&B and was a full, traditional, Japanese house. We grabbed dinner at local soba shop, both took a bath in the cedar bathtub at the house, threw in a load of laundry (this was SO KEY after being so hot/sweaty for the first few days. We pack fairly light and had gone through a sizeable portion of our clothes) and had an early night.

**Day 5 – Kyoto and surrounding area**

Morning -> Afternoon: Quick Lawson coffee/breakfast and grabbed the train to Kibuneguchi and walked to Kibune and the Kifune Shrine. Our goal was Hirobun to do nagashi somen (flowing waterfall noodles). This is HIGHLY recommended and was really fun. We were the only westerners there but it was an extremely popular spot. We followed the advice of: get there as close to opening as possible, get in line, and put down your name. They’ll tell you about how long to wait (we waited 45 minutes, but waits can be as long as 3 hours). While we waited, we explored the shrine, small town, and grabbed a matcha and small cake at a café. When our number was ready at Hirobun, we worked our way downstairs and followed the directions for our spot. Catching the noodles in such a beautiful place was definitely the highlight of the trip so far.

Afternoon/Evening: Went back to Kyoto proper and explored the Imperial Palace, then traveled to Gion and explored. Lots of shops, sweets places, and fun-to-eat street fare. We walked to Nishiki Market and explored/ate/drank anything and everything that looked fun. We were very surprised at how crowded Kyoto was and how many tourists were there…and it’s not even the high season. I cringe to think about the crowds during cherry blossom season. We stopped at a sake bar and had a sake tasting with some small plates. Good but not particularly memorable and expensive for what we got.

Night: Made our way over to Ichiran for ramen. The Kyoto Ichiran was much more approachable than the location in Shibuya (we only waited about 5 minutes in line), and while it wasn’t my favorite bowl of ramen, it was tasty and reasonably affordable (plus it’s worth it just for the experience of the light-up seating chart board…you’ll understand once you see it). After dinner we grabbed some fancy matcha ice cream and walked around. Kyoto, we found, like a lot of Japan, shuts down pretty early unless you’re into the club scene (which we are not) so we headed back to the house around 10-10:30.

**Day 6 – Kyoto and Nara**
Morning: Woke up early and caught the train to Fushimi Inari Shrine. While beautiful, this was a bit of a disappointment because of how crowded it was (we got there before 8:00 at it already felt crowded…I can’t imagine how nightmarish it would be during peak hours).

Morning -> Afternoon: Got back on the train and headed down to Nara. We grabbed some ice cream (in case you haven’t noticed, we ate A LOT of ice cream on this trip…it’s fun and delicious, but also helps beat the heat). We visited Todai-ji Temple, Kofuku-ji Temple and Yakushi-ji Temple, as well as Nara park to see the deer. Much like Fushimi Inari, Nara looked/felt/sounded CROWDED with tourists and it took away from the experience as it was VERY hot that day (92+ degrees) and many people/groups were pretty cranky by early afternoon and we felt pushed around a bit at all locations. The place is beautiful and worth a visit, but we were surprised and disappointed by the crowds, made worse by the heat. We grabbed Mos Burger for lunch (we knew we wanted to try it at some point, and there was no wait compared to most restaurants at the time) and then walked around shopping/exploring. We wandered off the beaten path a bit and that really helped with the crowds and we found some fun and obscure shops and sweet shops (for, you guessed it, more ice cream).

Afternoon -> Evening: We headed back to Kyoto and saw Yasaka shrine, Nishi Honganji, and then headed back to the house to rest/shower/change/throw in a load of laundry.

Night: Explored Higashiyama and ate at a really fund restaurant/pub. We planned on visiting a rooftop bar, but it started to absolutely pour buckets of rain so we stayed in the neighborhood and just wandered around the beautiful area before heading back to the house.

**Day 7 – Travel to Yakushima Island**

Morning: We took the airport bus from Kyoto to Itami Airport, Osaka. This was cheap and fast, but it was bit difficult to find, so if you want to take it, plan on getting to the station a bit earlier than you think necessary so that you can navigate. We used Yamoto Transport to forward our rolling suitcases to our hotel in Osaka (easy process, highly recommended) so we each just had a backpack and small personal item for the flight. The flights to Yakushima are a bit of a dice roll because of weather but we lucked out and took off on time. There are other ways to get to Yakushima but for us, flying was the best option for time/convenience/price.

Morning -> Afternoon: We landed on time. We had not reserved a rental car before hand (this was dumb, if you go, reserve a car in advance) so we walked across the street and luckily Navi Rent-A-Car (they were amazing) had a car left so we took it (**make sure you have an international driver’s license. This must be obtained in your home country before leaving for Japan…we got ours at AAA**). After getting the car we rented hiking equipment (backpacks, head lamps, boots, socks, pants, jacket), stocked up on trail food/supplies at a grocery store, and headed to the hotel. Our hotel was in Miyanoura which is on the northeast side of the island.

Afternoon -> Evening: After getting settled we hopped in the car and drove to Hirauchi Seaside Onsen. Unfortunately, we didn’t do our homework, so it was high tide and we couldn’t enjoy the hotspring, but it was a beautiful sight and we made a plan to return later.

Evening/Night: We drove to a restaurant called Panorama (for being a relatively small island, there are A LOT of food options) which was unique and delicious. It was raining steadily so after we went back to the hotel to plan and prepare for hiking the next day. They spoke English, were friendly, and offered knowledgeable advice/suggestions about the area and what to do.

**Day 8 – Yakushima Island**

If you haven’t heard/read about Yakushima Island…it rains there…a lot. It monsooned (yes, new verb) all day. Planes and ferries were grounded, shuttles were cancelled, and hiking trails were closed We took it as a rest day, caught up on email/planning/laundry, enjoyed a bath, played video games, and relaxed. For dinner, we went to a cute restaurant and had an absolutely incredible traditional Japanese set meal at (no English translation on Maps): 恵比寿大黒とし and then drove up North to watch the sunset from an overlook.

**Day 9 – Yakushima Island**

Morning -> Afternoon: One of the main reasons to visit Yakushima is the incredible hiking. This day only had light rain in the forecast so we at a quick breakfast at the hotel and then drove up to do the Shiratani Gorge hike. It was easy to find but the drive is a bit nerve-wracking for us Chicagoans as it winds very near a cliff edge and narrows to one lane in a number of places. The hike itself was utterly breathtaking and captivating…easily a life highlight, even with part of the trail closed due to the heavy rains.

Afternoon -> Evening: After the hike we drove to the Yakusugi Land area and completed a short hike there. The area was similar yet different than Shiratani and hitting both areas is highly recommended. Neither hike was difficult and trails were well marked throughout. In super touristy fashion, we appreciated the little gift shop which (while expensive) had lots of wooden items made from Yakushima cedar.

Night: We grabbed a quick bite, showered, changed, and then got picked up at our hotel for a Turtle Tour through YES Yakushima. Our guide (Steve) was great and we head to the beach to (hopefully) see sea turtles (loggerheads and green) nest and lay their eggs. When we got there, there were three turtles on the beach (two loggerheads and a green) so our guides navigated us to the turtle that seemed like it was doing the ‘best.’ It was a pretty surreal experience as you can walk right up to the nesting turtle (within a foot) and observe it make a nest and lay its eggs. A research team catalogues the turtle and marks the nest to protect the eggs before hatching. Really cool.

**Day 10 – Yakushima Island**

Morning-Afternoon: We packed a bento box and headed down to do the Janokuchi waterfall hike. We had originally planned on doing the famous Jomon Sugi hike, but neither of us really felt up for a 7-10 hour hike in the high heat/humidity and unpredictable rain (however, from what we heard, this hike is amazing). Unfortunately for us, we ended up bailing on the waterfall hike after about 90 minutes in due to thunderstorms (the hike is much less traveled than the previous ones and the rain had really done a number on the trail making walking muddy and precarious in sections).

Afternoon/Evening: After a bento box lunch in the car (not our finest moment…felt very American), we caught a break in the rain so we returned to the seaside onsen with correct timing for low-tide. Turns out I picked up a leech on the hike and was bleeding pretty badly after removing it as it had been chowing down on me for about an hour and a half, so I didn’t get into the onsen but my wife got to enjoy the hotspring. It’s a pretty magical place.

After the hotspring we returned the rental gear, filled up the car, and returned to the hotel for a set course dinner, to pack, and to get ready to go the next day.

**Day 11 – Travel to Osaka**

Morning: We had breakfast and then returned the car (again, Navi was great) and boarded a flight back to Osaka. At the airport, we grabbed a taxi to our hotel and checked in.

Afternoon: Osaka is one place in Japan we found (outside of certain places in Shibuya/Harajuku) where there is abundant street food. We explored Dotombori (crowded and touristy, but fun), saw the famous Glico sign, walked around Shinsaibashi-suji, and visited Kuromon Market. We wanted to get to Minami but we were exhausted. Osaka is greatly known for its street food, here a few things which we tried:

*Takoyaki – there are a LOT of different varieties so we split one of the smallest portions available at each stand so we could try a bunch. We may-or-may not have binned some uneaten portions of the ones we didn’t like so much (the SHAME).

*Steamed buns – we got pork and crab versions. Both were delicious.

*Okonomiyaki – we tried one version off the street but my wife found a place where you can sit down and cook your own on a private griddle…which was SO fun. You call in your order on a phone at your table (when they heard I didn’t speak Japanese they sent a waiter to our booth lol) and they bring you the raw ingredients with directions on how to cook it. Delicious and fun.

*Puffer fish – This one is a bit controversial, but we wanted the experience…whenever else would we be able to eat pufferfish? We chose a place that served puffer in four ways so that we got the full experience. The first course if puffer sashimi (it’s chewy like squid and fairly bland tasting), the second course is deep fried puffer and puffer tempura (these were both delicious), and the last course is puffer fish hot pot which you cook at your table and is served to you with the raw fish still twitching (be warned if that’s triggering for you). You boil the fish on a burner along with veggies and broth. When you’re done, a cook comes and reduces the leftover broth and prepares a rice porridge dish that was delightful. Overall, unique and memorable, but not the tastiest meal we had in Japan.

Night: We visited the teamLab Botanical Garden to see their light installations. They let people in starting at 7:30 and you walk around the garden at night to see all kinds of interesting art installations based on light and sound. It took us about an hour to explore the exhibit and it was definitely worth seeing, but was a lot to cap off a long day.

**Day 12 – Osaka and back to Tokyo**

Morning: We grabbed a quick breakfast at a café near our hotel and walked to Osaka Castle. Osaka is an interesting city and it was nice to see parts of it that were outside the wackiness of Dotonbori. We walked along the Yodo River and saw lots of cute parks and recreation areas. Osaka Castle is…impressive. It’s surrounded by a moat, gardens, and is an imposing structure. We really enjoyed the walk, but were disappointed by the VERY long line to enter. We got there about 10:00 and there was a line of at least 100 people waiting to get in, so we skipped it.

Afternoon: We grabbed our bags from the hotel and took the Shinkansen back to Tokyo. Just like last time, we booked our tickets online and had a reserve seat. Easy peasy. We read A LOT of discussion about whether it was worth it or not to get the JR pass…we figured, for us, it was best, to just get the Suica card and pay for the Shinkansen tickets when we rode it. MAYBE we paid a bit more than if we go the JR pass, but it would be minimal if anything, and it was so much easier to just use one card most of the time and then buy the special bullet train tickets when we needed them.

Evening/Night: Two of the final things we wanted to eat/experience in Japan were A5 Wagyu beef and conveyor belt sushi (don’t ask…we didn’t have any desire to eat at a fancy sushi place, but we both really wanted to eat at a conveyor belt sushi place that was popular with locals). This night we did the beef experience so we made a reservation and went to Ginza for Teppanyaki Shima for their Wagyu beef steak course meal. This was a ridiculously indulgent meal, but we had planned for it and it was worth it. Each course was well planned, delicious, and the staff was wonderful. Expensive but worth it.

**Day 13 – Tokyo**

Morning: We went to ‘Character Street’ and visited the Kirby Café Petit (couldn’t get tickets to the full Kirby Café), the Pokémon Store, Sanrio store, Study Ghibli store, etc. to do shopping for friends and family that we hadn’t covered yet. Returned to the hotel to eat treats and drop bags.

Afternoon: We took a train to Akihabara and spent the day exploring the various shops, gaming stations, boutiques, and restaurants. We enjoyed playing the 100 yen claw games (didn’t win), the dancing video games, the DJ games (which were SLAMMED with Japanese teenagers…in the middle of the day during the school week? We know they’re not on summer break yet!) and various other places like Gachapon, Mandarake, and, once again, Don Quijote (although this one had a totally different vibe than the Shinjuku one).

Evening: We went to conveyor belt sushi at Nemuro Hanamaru in Ginza. It was difficult to find as it’s on the 10th floor of a department store and you have to pull a ticket to get in line. We got there around 6:00, pulled a ticket, and there for 50 groups ahead of us. We got a couple of drinks from the surrounding places as we waited with our turn finally getting called about an hour and a half after. When we first arrived, the conveyor belt was in full swing with lots of options coming around. It was fun to experiment and try different plates, even if we didn’t know what they were. After about half an hour though, the crowd had turned more ‘serious’ where 90+% of the plates were special orders that the patrons were making. This was fine, so we did the same (you just mark what you want on a piece of paper and give it to one of the sushi chefs behind the counter), but it wasn’t as fun getting plates of ‘ordered’ food rather than the fun and excitement of seeing something unexpected or new (which was the whole reason we wanted to go in the first place). Overall, really great cost to quality ratio and it was a fun experience.

Night: We returned to our hotel and had a drink at the hotel bar. Felt fancy. We went back to the hotel to pack to go home and realized we didn’t have space for all of our purchases. Thankfully, we found a luggage shop (Ginza Karen) right off the metro that was open until 1:00 a.m. (do they know their audience or what) that sells reasonable suitcases. We got a cheap (though surprisingly quality for the price) suitcase to pack with our goodies (as a checked piece) for our return trip home. Spend the rest of the night packing/reminiscing about the trip.

**Day 14 – Last Day and Travel Home**

Morning: Tsukiji Fish Market. We tried to book a tour but they were all full…and honestly, we were glad we didn’t get a place. We got to the market at about 7:45 and it was already slammed…I can’t even imagine trying to navigate the place with a group. We deliberately chose Tsukiji over Toyosu as we didn’t really care about the Tuna auction and just wanted to EAT. The market is pretty overrun with tourists and there are lines everywhere, but the food is still good. We sneaked in a spot at Nakaya for their sashimi bowls and had a huge and delicious meal for something like 4,000 yen (just under $30 US). Expensive? Maybe, but the meal would have easily cost twice that (if not more) in the US at half the quality, so felt like it was worth it. After, we grabbed bits and bobs from other places (including a HUGE shrimp and octopus rice cracker…what!?), toured the indoor market there, and visited the nearby shrine.

Afternoon: We went for soufflé pancakes at A Happy Pancake in Ginza (finally got them after striking out on Day 4!). These pancakes are unique, delicious, fun, and worth the price of admission. This was a ‘must do’ for my wife so I’m so happy/relieved we got to do it, even if it was right at the end.

Late afternoon-evening – Last minute shopping in Shibuya and Harajuku. We had a couple last-minute things we wanted to buy so we went back to where we started and picked up our final items. It was REALLY hot, so we ended up ducking into a lot of stores to cool off and saw a lot of really cool niche, vintage, and thrift shops we probably would not have otherwise visited. Shout out to the shop called ‘Chicago’ in Harajuku that sold a TON of awesome vintage clothing (including, randomly, an authentic Brian Griese Bears uniform…weird…I’d love to know the story of that jersey).

Evening: Went back to the hotel, picked up our stored bags, and got a cab to the airport. Dropped off the pocket WiFi (again, having the internet available 24/7 was a game changer) at the red box in the international departures terminal between E and F, went through security, and made our way back home.
We felt like we packed a lot into this vacation but like we also missed out on a TON. We really wanted to visit Hokkaido, but just couldn’t make that work if we went to Yakushima…next time. We also didn’t do some of the ‘Only-In-Japan’ experiences like play Pachinko in a parlor, sing karaoke with locals, visit a maid café, visit Disney/Universal, go to the Studio Ghibli theme park, visit the Pokémon/Kirby cafes, etc. Next time.

**Some essentials we learned:**

**As many have written lately, traveling to Japan in the summer is HOT** Plan accordingly and stay safe. By hot, that generally means upper 80s to 90+ degrees F during the hot part of the day with 70-80%+ humidity with full sun that beats down. There are vending machines/bathrooms everywhere so at a minimum you need to make sure you stay hydrated. Many (most?) shops and train stations have AC blasting right now and there is no shame ducking into a shop to ‘look around’ as an opportunity to cool off. We recommend purchasing sunscreen (we prefer the kiddie sunscreen as it is scentless), a bandana/sweat rag, a UV umbrella, and a personal rechargeable fan (all cheaply available at shops like Don Quixote) as these were lightweight ways to cut down on the heat. We walked between 15K and 25K steps per day while in Japan (about 9-12 miles) which really adds up in the heat. Plan your trip accordingly!

**Learning some basic Japanese phrases** is polite and will go a long way to endear you to various people. Understand though, if you speak even a little Japanese, the person you are speaking to will often enthusiastically reel off a bunch of conversation that will go over your head. Smile, nod, and make the most of the experience of moving across and through the language barrier. For the most part, Japanese people are very polite and friendly, but, like in most Asian countries, saving face is critically important. Be hyper aware of not saying/doing anything intentionally that will embarrass someone and cause them to ‘lose face’ as this is a serious social taboo. As a foreigner, you have some flexibility around this as a rule, but be constantly aware of it. Some basic phrases that went a long way that we learned from https://storylearning.com/learn/japanese/japanese-tips/basic-japanese-phrases

**5 essentials**

*Konnichiwa (こんにちは) – Hello

*Ohayou gozaimasu (おはようございます) – Good morning

*Konbanwa (こんばんは) – Good evening

*Arigatou gozaimasu (ありがとうございます) – Thank you

*Sumimasen (すみません) – I’m sorry/excuse me (Hint: you can use this for anything from apologising for stumbling into someone on the train to asking for help or asking for people to move out of your way.)

**5 more good ones to know**

*Gomen nasai (ごめんなさい) – I’m sorry (Gomen nasai is less “excuse me” and more “I’m truly sorry from the bottom of my heart.” Use it if you knocked something over and broke it, not if you interrupted someone’s stroll to ask for directions.)

*Gochisousama deshita (ごちそうさまでした) – That was delicious (Hint: say this after meals as a way to say thank you.)

*Wakarimasen (わかりません) – I don’t understand

*Hai (はい) – Yes and Iie (いいえ) – No

*Tasukete! (助けて) – Help me! (serious trouble only)

**Littering is a BIG no-no** and there are not very many public garbage cans to dump trash. Unlike many other counties, walking and eating/drinking is not common in Japan (although not totally unheard of). Outside of special/designated areas, you typically eat and/or drink whatever you buy at or in front of the stand you buy it and then dispose of your trash there. That was very counterintuitive for us for things like coffee, but overall, Japan is not as keen on ‘take away’ consumables as many other places. If you do take away your coffee/boba/snack, plan on packing out the trash until you stumble upon a garbage. We don’t smoke, but smoking was also regulated in a similar way in that most Japanese do not walk and smoke as there are designated smoking ‘areas’ where you are allowed to smoke and dispose of your butt. In our two weeks in Japan, I did not see a single cigarette butt on the ground.

**Do.Not.Jaywalk** If the sign is red, do not cross the street. Only cross in crosswalks.

**Japan is a fairly conservative country** when it comes to appearance (don’t let Harajuku fool you!) so plan for hygiene and clothing maintenance. For a two-week trip, don’t neglect things like nail care (clippers/file), shaving (razors are fairly available, but we prefer electric options), and laundry. Even in the high heat, most Japanese people will be in long pants and sleeved shirts (men) or covered outfits (women) but tourists mostly get a pass to wear shorts and t-shirts. You will stand out as a tourist, and you should be comfortable for long/hot days, but make an effort to not be icky. Plan on bringing a comfortable sling bag/backpack with you everywhere large enough for sun protection, water, small snacks, pocket WiFi, wallet/coin purse, passport, powerbank/cords, and possibly a change of clothes.

**US -> Japan electronics are fairly compatible** as long as the plugs are two-prong and don’t draw crazy amounts of current. We never had a problem charging phones, laptops, powerbanks, Nintendo Switch, etc).

**We did not get a JR pass** (the savings were negligible on just buying Shinkansen tickets per-ride) but ABSOLUTELY get a Suica pass on your phone. We found it the easiest to just use the Suica app recharged through Apple Wallet. *NOTE* for whatever reason, Visa cards cannot be used to recharge Suica. You will use this virtual pass to board almost all subways/trains across the country and can be used for vending machines and some shops. There is some confusion about Pasmo vs. IC vs. Suica…they’re pretty much interchangeable but we found Suica to be easy and universally accepted.

**Trains are the main mode of transportation in Japan** There are many lines and it can seem very confusing (especially in Tokyo), but using Apple and Google maps made navigating the rail lines a breeze. Generally, if you know your destination, plug it into maps, hit the ‘transit’ button and select the options for trains/subway (we made the decision to avoid buses, but you could easily use them). Maps will direct you to the nearest station, what ticket to buy (if you don’t have Suica), what platform to get on, what stop to get off at, and then how to get to your destination. The Shinkansen is a bit different. You can buy those tickets in the station but we bought our online which gives you a QR code like a flight boarding pass which streamlined the process. Taxis and Uber are also viable modes of transportation and you absolutely can-and-should use them if the heat is getting to you. Yes, you will pay a little bit more than taking the train, but it’s generally not that bad. For example, a train ride might be about $5 for both of us while an Uber to the same place would be $9. Do what’s best for you, it’s your vacation.

**Bring/buy a coin purse** Japan is, to a large degree, still a cash-based society and you will be getting A LOT of yen-coins. The currency is fairly straightforward (10,000/5,000/1,000 notes and 500/100/50/10/2/1 coins). When we were there, the exchange rate was roughly 1,000 yen = $7 US. Make a habit of organizing/spending your coins or you will end up with a massive pile after a week or so. In Tokyo, ATMs are readily available at places like 7-11 or Lawson, but they are less common in non-urban areas.

**If you do not have an overseas internet plan, 100% get a pocket WiFi** WiFi is available in many places, but having guaranteed connectivity everywhere ensured that we could use Maps and Translate everywhere in the country at any time. We went through Japan Wireless, rented it in advance online, and then picked up the device at the airport after landing in Japan (it’s about the size of a deck of cards), and you return it in a red postbox upon departure (there is a box in the International Departures terminal at Haneda airport).

**Target some places, but be flexible** We learned that, by all means, plan out some places you want to go/visit/experience/eat in advance, but also embrace random discovery. Travel can-and-will take a lot of time, so be ready to pivot if your plans go awry. Getting that incredible looking food you saw on Instagram can be a rewarding experience, but so can just randomly wandering into a store/restaurant/park and seeing what you find. For the most part in the trip report, if I name a place, it’s because we planned on specifically going there, but we visited innumerable stores, shops, restaurants, and places just by generally wandering around, getting in random lines, and taking some risks.