One-month-trip report and impressions/tips (first-time visitor).

Just returned from a month-long trip as a first-time visitor. To be clear, I went there to attend language school. I stayed with a host family in Tokyo and attended school five days a week, so unfortunately I didn’t have much time to explore much outside Tokyo. Regardless, it was still the trip of a lifetime. I went to a lot of the popular attractions often mentioned on this sub. I also spent a weekend in Osaka where I went to USJ, which was amazing.

Below are my impressions and tips based on my experience. **Please note these are targeted mainly at first-timers and may not apply if you’re a seasoned Japan-goer.**

First off, here’s a list of things I’m glad I did before my trip. Take these as tips to keep in mind:

* **Buying a coin purse:** Yes, you’re going to need it.
* **Setting up my Suica card on my iPhone:** If you have an iPhone, this is a no-brainer. The Suica card is NOT just for trains; it’s also accepted by a lot of shops in Tokyo and elsewhere. Notably, you can use it to buy from the konbini or even for meals at McDonald’s. Ran out of cash? You can recharge it in seconds with Apple Wallet. It’s very versatile and makes life much easier.
* **Renting pocket Wi-Fi:** This is another must-have. It’s basically a second phone that you carry around with you, but I had a backpack with me at all times and kept the device in it, so it wasn’t so bad. The only time I took the device out was at night to recharge it for the next day. Typical battery life was ~12 hours which is more than enough for most practical purposes. (Note: I went with Ninja Wi-Fi, which I picked up at Narita upon arrival.)

Other tips/impressions:

* **Learn basic Japanese:** I’ve been self-studying Japanese for a few years, so I was already at a pretty decent level going in, but in general, I’d recommend learning a bit before your trip. At least the kind of language you can learn from a phrasebook. Even a tiny bit makes a huge difference; a lot of Japanese simply don’t speak English (or are too afraid to use it).
* **Google Maps and the Tokyo subway:** Google Maps in Japan is incredible. Chances are you’re already familiar with it, but make sure to put it to use. I can’t imagine what I would have done without it.
* **Cash is no longer a must, but still useful:** I had $500 in cash when I entered the country. I never needed anything more; all my purchases were a mix of “touch” (i.e. Apple Pay) and card payments. This is one of the only good things to come out of the pandemic.
* **Speaking of Covid,** the world may have moved on, but Japan largely still has not. Masks are worn by virtually everyone; if you don’t wear one, you *will* stand out, and not in a good way. Many stores still require you to clean your hands before you can walk in, with some even still doing temperature checks. It’s best to be a good patron and follow the rules wherever you go.
* **Lines, lines, and lines again:** Depending on where you come from, this may or may not be an issue for you, but you should prepare to stand in lines. A lot. Virtually all tourist attractions I’ve been to had me waiting around, even with a ticket and prior reservation in hand. Many restaurants will also tend to let people wait outside for a period of time until a table is ready. This can go for up to an hour or even longer during peak meal times (e.g. Friday evenings). The point is you should prepare for this, as there’s generally nothing you can do about it but to go with the flow.
* **Food:** The food was honestly incredible. I don’t eat pork so ramen was out of the question for me, but I still had a blast. I’d recommend you try and eat at as many places as you can; there’s so many options that it’s impossible to pinpoint a particular place. Even chains like Burger King and McDonald’s are worth trying once. Note that many local restaurants have bar-style tables; *don’t be put off by this*. This is actually the preferred way of serving meals in Japan, and it’s not so bad once you’ve done it once or twice. However, normal tables are also available and common enough. (Standard caveats from the prior bullet apply.)
* **”Everywhere is small”:** You may have heard that Japan is notorious for having smaller indoor spaces (e.g. hotels, restaurants, etc.). The truth is that space is at a premium in Tokyo, and as a result a lot of places are built vertically rather than horizontally. This means everything is probably going to be smaller than you’d like to see, but fear not: you will get used to it very quickly. I actually grew to appreciate the space efficiency and I think it symbolizes the Japanese lifestyle.
* **Toilets:** I will just say this: once you’ve seen Japanese toilets, it will be very hard to go back to whatever else you’re used to.
* **If you’re going to stay in Tokyo, you’re not going to need the JR Pass:** This was the case for me; I only ever used my trusty Suica card, as I wasn’t able to travel outside the city due to school.

If I’ve left anything out, I will be sure to edit the post. In the meantime, feel free to ask me anything and I will answer to the best of my knowledge.