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Planning Your Trip to Japan

Photo by B.Sperling Photography

If you're like me, then you've dreamt of visiting Japan for years. Whether it was influenced by a love of the culture, anime, manga, or anything else, visiting a country as interesting as Japan is certainly worth the experience. Using my experience after visiting Japan, here are the tips and tricks that will help you plan out your Japan trip!

Research

Your first step should be to research where in Japan you want to go, how long you want to go for, and when you want to go. Japan is a rather large country with many cities that are worth exploring. Each city has a wide variety of destinations and attractions for every kind of person so you will want to research extensively into each area you're interested in. The Japan Guide's Japan Travel Guide is a great place to start figuring out what cities you want to visit and where you want to go.

When it comes to how long you want to go for, it certainly depends on your trip budget and how many days you have available. Of course, the longer you are somewhere, the more expensive the trip will be. My personal recommendation is to spend at least 3-5 days in each major city you want to visit. Especially cities like Tokyo can take many days to truly explore and enjoy. Keep in mind what cities you want to visit and the relative distance between each to figure out how best to manage your time as well. You may need to account for an extra flight or a bullet train ride to get to the cities you're interested in visiting. It may be helpful to create a spreadsheet or write down the cities you want to visit along with how to get to each of them.

Just like any other country, accounting for Japan's seasons is crucial for planning your trip. For instance, Tokyo is brutally hot and humid in July through August, which makes it unpleasant but cheap to fly during that time. The upper Northern parts of Japan suffer from harsh and cold winters starting in December and lasting until March. You should also be aware that typhoon season in Japan starts from July to October with most typhoons hitting in August and September. Keeping all of those in mind, plan out your trip for a season that will allow you to enjoy Japan to its fullest. Many people gravitate towards the Spring season which is a beautiful time of year to see Cherry Blossoms and enjoy nice weather but be aware that it is the busiest time of year with flights/hotels being the most expensive. Personally, I like to go in early October which is the end of typhoon season. Sometimes we encounter typhoon-like rain, but otherwise, the weather is mild and beautiful in the fall.

Flight

Photo by B.Sperling Photography

This is where it gets expensive! I cannot attest for flying from any other country or location outside of the US's East Coast, but flying to Japan can get very expensive. Depending on the time of year and the airline you pick, it can range from $800 to $1500 per person flying from New York. Luckily, this is the most expensive part of the trip and the costs go down from here.

If you have decided what cities you want to visit and when you want to go, then I highly recommend downloading Hopper on your phone to track when you should buy your airline tickets. When you put in your date range and what airport you plan on flying into, Hopper will notify you when prices are the lowest to purchase. From there, you can either purchase directly on the application or from any other site like Google Flights, Kayak, or etc. It is a little-known secret that some dates are cheaper to fly than others, so be sure to be flexible and keep an eye on when it's the best time to buy.

Depending on what cities you plan on visiting, figure out what airport you would like to fly in and out of. For example, if you are primarily sticking to Tokyo, then Narita International is an airport with many flights and easy access to Tokyo. Otherwise, there are many other airports for the different regions, so do your research and see when it would be the best time to book your flight. Keep in mind that many of these airports may be an hour or longer away from the major city close by, so do take a look at what transportation options they provide to get you to your destination cities. For instance, I recommend taking the Narita Express to get from Narita Airport to your destination in Tokyo.

Accommodations

Japan has many different types of accommodations outside of the typical hotel. There is a range of budget-friendly and safe accommodations such as Capsule hotels and Hostels. Of course, there are more luxurious accommodations with western-style hotels and traditional inns (ryokans) You can learn more about the types of hotels and the general cost of them on Japan Guide. In my travels, I have stayed in both Capsule hotels and budget-friendly ryokans. They both provided unique and comfortable experiences that I would be happy to do again during my next trip. However, with the new Airbnb law, it will be difficult to use Airbnb as Japan has restricted owners very heavily. Even if the option is available to you, I suggest steering away from it not to cause any troubles or uncertainties during your trip.

In Japan, you will be generally charged per person per night. Unlike in the US where hotels charge per room, Japan prefers to keep track of each guest, especially in traditional inns where they serve meals. Keep that in mind as you look for hotels because if you're traveling in a group or in a pair, it can get expensive depending on the accommodation. I personally like to search the mass booking sites like Booking.com and Hotels.com for accommodations. Be sure to book as early as you can to secure your room and check whether or not a deposit is required. Some hotels will take a small deposit when you enter in your credit card information, but others will not, so it doesn't hurt to book as early as you possibly can.

In-Country Transportation


This is one of my favorite things about Japan! Getting between destinations in Japan is generally very easy. The train system is extremely clean, comfortable, and timely to the point where most other countries can't beat it. Most train stations have signs posted in English and stops on the train will be announced or shown in English. With the extra help of Google Maps or Hyperdia, getting to your destination using the train should be fairly easy once you get the hang of it.

For getting around, it is highly recommended you get yourself a train card known as a Prepaid IC Card. Depending on the card, you can use it multiple times for multiple destinations. When I visit Japan, I use the Suica to get around as it's an extremely versatile card for many regions. This card can be purchased when you get to Japan at any of the train ticket buying machines (which also has an English button so you can use it).

If you are planning a trip that will require usage of the bullet train (shinkansen) multiple times, then it may be worth investing in the JR Rail Pass. The pass gives you access to all trains on the JR line and the bullet trains between cities. However, the JR Rail Pass is expensive and must be bought ahead of time to be specifically used for the duration of your trip. Use this Japan Rail Pass Value calculator to see if it is worth the purchase. Personally, I have never bought the pass as my trips did not require multiple usages of the bullet train, but if you plan on going from city to city often then it is certainly worth the investment.

Food

The food in Japan is incredible and can be super affordable, which helps if you want to enjoy a great taste without breaking your budget. If you're a foodie, then Japan will be a country you LOVE as there are many delicacies and regional dishes you must try. The prices can vary depending on the dish and the place you eat at, but in general, getting food in Japan can be extremely budget-friendly.

When I travel to Japan, convenience stores (konbinis) become my best friend. Unlike the convenience stores you think of in the US, konbinis are absolutely amazing. They have a wide variety of snacks, drinks, toiletries and even prepared meals (bento boxes) that taste great. Plus, the staff there are generally extremely friendly and can heat up your bento right there. You will find that the quality of a konbini matches out any convenience store you've been into in the US and it's amazing how you can get good food for such a low price. I personally like to go to the konbini for breakfast as not many restaurants and eateries serve breakfast. My favorite thing to do in the morning is to buy Melon Bread and pair it with a green tea drink or coffee, which comes out roughly to $3 or $4. That is seriously cheap!

Of course, there are higher-end restaurants and places that will be more costly but are absolutely worth the money. Do extensive research on the locations you will be at and what kind of dishes you are looking for. Some restaurants will require a reservation ahead of time (either online or by the phone), so plan for that. If they require a reservation by phone, then most hotels will have front-desk staff that will be happy to help assist you in this process so don't be afraid to ask when you get to Japan.

While food is generally inexpensive in Japan, it is still important to keep in mind as your planning your trip. Balancing out konbini trips with restaurants will be a great way to experience delicious food without busting your budget.

Language

Photo by B.Sperling Photography

Going to any foreign country with a language you don't know can cause a lot of worry and anxiety. However, if you plan on going to any of the major cities in Japan, then knowing a very minimal amount of Japanese can get you far. While most signs and important pieces of information will be translated into English, it is still extremely useful to have a basic knowledge of the language. Knowing basic phrases will help you navigate easier and be useful when problems arise. While I would not rely on people helping you all the time, you would be surprised by how kind and helpful Japanese people can be if they see a foreigner lost or confused. If you approach them politely, they will do their best to assist you. 

However, if you want to take it a step further, I highly recommend learning their writing systems: Hiragana, Katakana, and some Kanji. It's extremely useful to understand Katakana in particular because that is the writing system used to spell out foreign words. For instance, Computer is a foreign word in Japan and is spelled as コンピュータ (konpyu-ta). You will see Katakana often especially when it comes to food or products from foreign locations, so it is very useful to learn Katakana. I learned Hiragana and Katakana through Memrise, which helped me memorize each letter and syllable. While it is tough to learn Kanji and you do not need to know it all for your trip, you may find it useful to know essential Kanji characters so you know where entrances are, which gender bathroom it is, and more.

Overall, while it is relatively easy to get around with knowing little or no Japanese, it is much easier if you have some knowledge of the language. Many Japanese people expect foreigners to know nothing, so if you know even a little bit, they will be extremely impressed and more likely to help you in situations where you need it. Trust me, it is extremely useful when something has gone wrong to have basic knowledge than to rely on Google Translate.


I hope this article proves useful as your planning your trip to Japan! While primarily based on my experiences so far, these tips can help you along the process and ease your worries as you plan your trip. If you would like more specific Japan traveling tips, let me know in the comments below.


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