Hack: Visit Japan
Hack: Visit Japan with little Japanese
Firstly, if you’re going to Japan for a two week vacation and you don’t speak Japanese…
Well the obvious answer is to learn some basic greetings and questions. However, don’t forget to learn some possible answers too! You might want to recognise the responses! If you are ready to learn, here are some must-know travel verbs.
If you want to do some sightseeing in Tokyo and are not confident in your Japanese, then your best bet would be to find an English guide service. www.tokyofreeguide.org offers overseas visitors a free walking tour in the Tokyo area. 2-4 hours free of charge!
Hack: Visit Japan using public transport
How are you going to travel? Have you decided on your mode of transport? The more transport you have organised in advance the easier it will be. For help planning your trip download this app 🙂
Major cities
If you’re planning to visit several of the major cities, then travelling between them on the shinkansen (bullet train) is an amazing way to do it. Here is the Japan Rail Pass that MAY allow you to travel more cheaply (not always) than buying individual tickets. Check if it is cheaper to get the JRPass here.
If you do decide to travel by shinkansen, avoid travelling during rush hour. You’ve probably seen videos and photos of the crush in Tokyo during rush hour!
Definitely take advantage of the station specialty food and there are always plenty of vending machines so you should never get hungry or thirsty. In some locations there are even noodle shops on platforms that can whip up a bowl of noodles for you even if your train is arriving in 10 minutes time.
Tokyo
If you are arriving in Tokyo Narita airport, pay cash for your trip on the Nex from Narita to Tokyo. If you’re going to spend a few days in Tokyo get a Pasmo pass to use. Only activate your JR Pass (if you decided to get one) when you plan to travel away from Tokyo.
Hack: Visit Japan by hiring a car
If you’re going to a rural area, then it is a good idea to hire a car. Here is what you need to know if you decide to hire a car. Also be aware that although driving is straightforward, it can be costly to park, even in small towns. There are different styles of parking available and they are explained here.
Also, filling your hire car with petrol (the petrol stations are amazing – they will even check your oil and water if you ask them).
Here is a video on how to take highways in Japan.
Oh and don’t forget to learn the traffic rules!
Hack: Visit Japan and eat ‘conveniently’
It’s fairly cheap to eat in Japan you can get meals from the convenience stores and they heat them up for you.
Restaurants also are not too costly and of course sushi is a lot cheaper in Japan than in many Western countries.
If you are vegetarian or vegan, depending on where you are, it can be quite challenging to find something to eat. Get a translation of your dietary choices to carry with you when you visit restaurants. A lot of sauces in Japan are made with fish or meat and strangely some Japanese believe that vegetarians can eat chicken. Things are changing and you may be able to find a few gems tucked away. I have found a video on 5 vegan restaurants here.
So let me know…
Where are you planning to go in Japan?
What decisions have you already made?
Just drop me a comment below or send me an email and let me know
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