#Japan. One of my favourite countries in the world. And I knew, even though back then I have never been there before that I would fall in love.
I visited Japan once, I will be there twice. And at some point maybe I won’t return to Europe for a while. Of course Asian countries are not meant for everyone. It is the same with every culture that is completely different from yours.
But for me that’s even more interesting. Still, a lot of people think all of them eat cats and dogs. But did you know that Japan has an own Isle, dedicated to cats? That’s right. And no one is allowed to eat them or would dare to do so, because they are loved.
The same for China, Vietnam or South Korea. Yes, it is true that there are still areas that celebrate dogs and cats as a delicious piece of meat. But a lot of people and organizations are fighting to stop it. From my side I could not imagine eating cats or dogs. But all over the world chickens, cows, sheep, pigs and other animals are slaughtered every single day with not even shrugging your shoulders. With that said, and these negative thoughts pushed out of your mind I would like to introduce you to one of the most beautiful, cleanest and friendliest countries in the entire world. Are you ready for your newest adventure? I am.
First of all you have to figure out if the trip to Japan that you are planing right now in this very moment requires a Visa. A lot of countries don’t need one and it is totally enough to have your passport. Without a passport you actually can’t really travel anywhere. To help you out a bit there is the direct link to a website which is explaining to you whether you need a Visa, or not, for how long it is valid and how to get it.
Be aware that you maybe have to pay for it. JAPAN VISA and PASSPORT REQUIREMENTS
Just in case you cannot find your country in the list: Only open google.search and write: "name of country - visa requirements Japan"
It is important to have an insurance that is keeping you save in case of an accident. Even though you “just” have to go to the doctor or worse to the hospital you make sure that you get help fast. Often the insurance covers your stay in the hospital or paying for the return ticket in case you need intensive professional care that the country where you are being on a holiday cannot provide. The same goes for an insurance that cover your flights. There has just to be the problem that you miss the flight or you have to cancel them. With the insurance you get back your money and don’t have to worry about anything. Just ask the company of your health insurance what they offer. Sometimes they work together with other companies that are specialized on travels and accidents. Usually it is only a small fee that you have to pay and you are completely covered. Get it done and relax. One thing less to worry about. GET A QUOTE NOW
#JR JAPAN RAIL PASS
Basically it is a train ticket that is valid in a lot of regular, but also Bullettrains of Japan. Only foreigners who want to explore the country for 7 to 21 days are allowed to purchase. Don’t get it wrong. You can stay longer in Japan without a question, but the JAPAN RAIL PASS is only valid for a maximum of 21 days. And of course it’ll cost you some money. But better spend up to €500/$ for three weeks travelling non-stop than spending each time a minimum of €60/$ per train. I highly recommend it. It saves you money and less stress. And in case you want to know where to order, just click here. After you got your Japan Rail Pass by mail you are good to go. But before you enter a train in Japan you have to go to a JR office which you directly will find in the Airport by your arrival. Just go there and talk to the person behind the counter. They can help you with questions and show you on a map, which is inside of your JR Pass, what Bullettrains or so called Shinkansen you are allowed to take. Sometimes it’s good to book a day trip in advance, because some routes you need to get a booked seat, otherwise you can’t enter the train. Even though you have to pay for some trains it is much cheaper to have your JRP. Besides, you should know that the subways and trams are not included in your ticket. The same for the express-busses. Always check that your accommodation is not too far away, other than that it may get expensive again.
The problems with accommodations is that you should book them right away after you got the tickets for your flights. Depending on the season it gets really booked out and with that you have to look very deep for the last coins and colourful buttons inside your wallet or use a small hammer for smashing your piggy bank once and for all.
For booking an accommodation you should figure out what type of person you are. Is it OK for you to sleep with strangers in a room or do you prefer a single, double bedroom that you share with your best friend? There are Hostels, Hotels, B&B, Ryokan which is a traditional Japanese Inn where you usually sleep on tatami, capsule hostels, friends where you could stay for a couple of nights or even rent a room or a flat. The range is wide and you should do your research right. Because to look for a Hostel and you finally found a cheap bed does not necessarily means it is near a bus stop or train station. Often I saw Hostels for Men-Only and for me as a woman it was a bitter feeling of how men are treated sometimes better than women. But whatever, life is not always a “Ponyfarm” where you always get what you want. Spring, specially March to April is the worst for travelling to Japan, specially Tokyo. It is cherry blossom and everyone wants to go there to celebrate one of the most beautiful holidays that Japan has to offer.
In case you don’t know where to look for accommodation just open your preferred search engine and begin with your search. A few hashtags may help you find what you are looking for. Tags such as: #HostelTokyo, #HostelTokyoShibuya, #KyotoHotel, B&B #Osaka, #RyokanHiroshima work well.
Or pages such as Hostelworld.com, Booking.com, TripAdvisor
are making your life so much easier.
Another tip is to open a map of the specific city that you are about to visit. To be more precise it’s good to see all the train stations and tram’s as well so that you don’t have to walk that long.
#SEASONS & CLOTHES
All seasons have their difficulties. Specially when you are coming from a country where summer is more like a warm spring. Temperatures are rarely above 30 °C / 86 °F. And those are rare as well. The average is 25 °C / 77 °F. Japan in summer is almost from minimum 28°C / 82°F up to 35°C / 95°F which is quite hot.
Next to it’s very humid during the day. The nights are not much better, just a little bit. Pack light and not too much. You won’t need a warm jumper when you like to visit Japan during that season. Maybe a nice cardigan for spring would be good during the night while you are walking around and a thin scarf, since it gets very windy depending on where you are about to explore. Take a fan with you and get something for mosquito bites in the pharmacy. There is no need to share the experience of really itchy and even hurting arms and legs which are covered in big red spots. On the other side winter can be really cold. So you should have warm clothes with you and ask for an extra blanket in the accommodation just in case. Extra pair of socks made out of wool are a good idea as well. The further north you go the older it gets.
Hokkaido is beautiful, but the northern part of Japan and therefore always a bit colder in summer and much colder during winter. The monkeys in the Jigokudani Monkey Park do it right. Just relaxing in a hot spring and enjoying the day with a hot bath.
#SAKURAMOBILE SIM CARD
After you arrived at the airport in Japan, usually Tokyo Haneda, you should get your SIM Card for Japan. With that you have unlimited access to the internet and won’t have to pay any extra fees just because you want to let know you mom and dad that you landed well and everything is alright. All the sellers in the shops which are in the airport speak English. And normally they know what you need as a foreigner while you entered their store.
There are several providers in Japan, but I would go with a brand that is one of the most common. With that you can be sure that there won’t be so many problems such as lack of Wi-Fi, upgrading or any other problem that has to be solved while you are on the road. SAKURA Mobile is a brand which was shown most of the times during research.
And back then while I have been in Japan for the first time they provided me with a SIM Card and didn’t really have issues with it.
In the past 10 years a lot happened in Japan. Specially when it’s about speaking English. Most of the staff in Hostels, Hotels, B&B, convenience stores, service centres in the train stations, maps, cash machines and so on is translated. Of course here and there you’ll have some little problems of understanding each other, but in general Japanese are very helpful and take their time. They even learned in school to help foreigners and ask them if they actually need some guidance in the very often crowded city jungles. Once, I had a bigger problem with talking to a receptionist in a Hotel. But with some help of body language, sketching what I meant and google.translate it wasn’t troubling me any more. And we solved together the cold case of the broken flush of the toilet.
Don’t be afraid to ask for the way or show the place where you like to go on a map. There can be always the problem of bad Wi-Fi connection or the battery of your phone is almost down to zero. And even though there are still a lot of people that are afraid to speak in English, very shy or speak Japanese only, it is nice to get in contact and to learn from each other. Be open-minded and smile.
It can be really annoying to know that you have to sit up to 14 hours in your seat and you can’t really do anything. Of course there are things to do such as sleeping, eating, watching film. But what about staying healthy and do some stretching? Specially your back and neck will thank you. Because since most of us are not rich enough to fly first class and do lye down whenever you like we are sitting in the same boat, or better plane. You can move the upper part of your seat a little backward, but it is still not that comfortable. Therefore, in case you need some inspiration for your long distant flight just check out the following posts:
There is no need to get some cash in your country. Just make sure that you have a credit card. It does not matter Visa or Master, as long you have one you are on the save side. Ask your bank or get one with a bit of research on the internet. The really convenient thing in Japan is that they have cash machines in convenience stores such as FamilyMart or 7-Eleven. And the food in those are incredible.
Just pass by the fridge area and you know what fresh made means. Every day, two times they provide people with freshly cooked food that you only need to buy. Often they have small areas with microwaves where you can warm up your meal and enjoy it while you are exploring the city. Or you just buy something small such as triangular shaped rice balls with all around good fillings so called Onigiri.
It won’t be long to finish the last topic on the list, because all that matters is time. In case you have enough of it you can explore a lot of Japan. The opposite when there is not that much time you should focus on cities that are close to each other. That means you don’t spend all day long jumping from one train to the other, taking a bus or a taxi, suddenly it’s sunset and you missed one full day of your holiday that you actually could have invested in something more valuable. And since some distances are through one mountain to the other you won’t see that much of the landscape which is breathtaking.
Plan good, think twice. You always can return to Japan for a second trip. First time you just explore the area around Tokyo, second time only the west with all its beautiful tropical Islands and third time maybe up north for some skiing and enjoying the cold and the snow.
In case you have some questions, down below I linked some more blog posts about travelling that may be from interest. But you are still not sure about a small detail? Don’t hesitate to get in contact with me by writing a comment, sign up to get updates or send me a mail in general with all your questions. TRAVEL SICKNESS STAY HEALTHY ON YOUR VACATION TRAVEL ALONE – TRAVEL IN A GROUP HOW TO SAVE MONEY BEFORE AND DURING YOUR VACATION
You need some inspiration where to go and what to see in Japan? Check out the following links: TOKYO KYOTO SHIMODA BEACH UJI & NARA SENDAI
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Give me a shout, in case you need some more advice and leave a comment below to let me know! I am always happy to help out. :)
Thank you so much and see you in the future,
Sina
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