Pre-Trip Preparation for Japan

• Visas: Applying for a visa to Japan is fairly simple. The only unusual bit is that you’re expected to share your itinerary in the application form, but it’s not so bad, even if you let one activity per day, it’s fine. Also, it ensures you do a little research on what you want to do in Japan, as one should, considering how very much there is to do and see there! If like I, you hold the passport of a third world country, your visa will be free of cost. If you’re applying from the UAE, you can find all the necessary information on here.
• Vaccinations: While it’s advised for all your vaccinations to be up to date, that’s true for all travel to all destinations and Japan doesn’t pose any extraordinary threats. The one thing thing we did prioritize was face masks. It’s common to see locals donning face masks that look like surgical masks, especially if they have a cold/cough, out of decency towards others. There is a large variety of specialized masks available in Japan, sometimes even fragranced ones.
• Transportation and JR Passes: JR passes are highly recommended, if not crucial, especially if you plan on doing intercity travel. If you make one round trip from Tokyo to Kyoto or Osaka, you’ll break even, and having a pass gives you more peace of mind and flexibility in case you miss a train and need another ticket. Plus, it gives you access to unlimited rides on JR tracks within the cities, which, in case of Tokyo, is the Yamanote Line. The Yamanote Line forms a circle through most of Tokyo, so it’s a great line to have access to. Additionally, you can even go to Wazuka, Hiroshima, Hakone and lots of other places with the JR pass. The important thing to remember though, is you can only buy a JR Pass before you travel to Japan. There are official international agents will provide you with a voucher, (linked here) but you cannot buy a JR Pass in Japan. The JR Pass costs around 270 USD for one week, and a little less than double for two weeks.
• Pocket Wifi: The best way to stay connected in Japan is to rent a pocket WiFi device. We used Japan Wireless and had a great experience. The only thing you need to do is order it online, prepay for it with a credit card, and select where you would like to have it delivered. We picked Post Office at Narita Airport Terminal 1 as the collection point for our pocket WiFi device, but you can also provide a local address (as long as it’s not an AirBnB.

Landing in Japan:

• Which airline to pick: From Dubai, a direct 10-hour long flight with Emirates was costing a whopping AED 2000 more than a ticket on Thai Airways. The only difference was that the flight on the latter was 13 hours long, with a 1 hour layover for a connecting flight through Bangkok. Considering how huge the price difference was, we were happy to transit through Bangkok. Fair warning though, you WILL be tempted to spend a day in Bangkok and eat lots of yummy Thai food!
• Grab a vending machine beverage: After the long flight, you should treat yourself to a beverage from one of the many vending machines you’ll see in the airport and all around Japan. Trust me, you’ll find beverages here that you won’t find anywhere else in the world! Japan has close to 5 million vending machines (!), which is 1 for every 25 people!
• Pick up Pocket WiFi: The airport is very far from the city, so if your collection point is the airport, make sure you pick it up before you head to your hotel/accommodation!
• Activate JR Pass: In order to start using your JR Pass, you need to take the voucher provided to you by your regional JR office, to the nearest JR office in Japan. There are many, and the one at the airport is the most crowded, but if you want to use your JR Pass to book a seat on the Narita Express (which will get you from the airport to Tokyo), then it’s best you activate it at the airport. You need to then keep your pass on you at all times to get through train station gates.
• Book Ticket on Narita Express: If, like us, you want to start using your JR passes a day or more later (as we only had one week validity on ours and were due to take an Osaka to Tokyo bullet train on the 8th day), then you can simply buy a one-way or a return ticket into the city and back to the airport.   In case you’re buying an individual ticket outside of the JR pass, make sure you don’t miss your train, because the ticket can’t simply be replaced with a new one, and you’ll have to pay all over again! The reason I suggest the Narita Express is because it’s a very fast train, and because taxis are extremely expensive. Getting from the airport to Tokyo station can cost you around U.S. $200.

Once you’ve left the airport, here are some things you should be careful NOT to do:

• Don’t leave your passport at the hotel. It’s not a safety concern, it’s simply because you’ll need your passport every time you want to get a tax refund/exemption for your shopping (which is very commonly offered at lots of department stores and drug stores!)
• Don’t wear shoes in someone’s house.
• Don’t blow your nose in public.
• Don’t talk loudly on the phone in the train. Trains are quiet zones, as lots of people sneak in a nap on the metro/subway.
• Don’t eat and walk at the same time
• Don’t stick chopsticks upright into your food, and don’t pass your food to others with your chopsticks, as these are both funeral practices.
• Don’t try to slurp your noodles quietly. It’s considered a compliment to the chef if you slurp loudly and shows you’re enjoying your food.

Recommended Cities to Visit in Japan: 

• Tokyo – 3-5 days are enough for Tokyo, but we are city folk and love shopping so we spent a whopping 10 days there! In our defense, we really like to soak in the culture and explore the alleys and backstreets of metropolitan cities.
• Osaka– 3-4 days. Theres more to do in Osaka than one would think, ranging from Dotonburi, through shopping complexes and department stores, to the Osaka Castle, to nearby Nara Park (where even the deer bow down to thank you for food!), Universal Studios and even Hiroshima.
• Kyoto – 3-5 days. Kyoto is packed with history, culture and art! It was one of the most stunning cities we’ve ever been to, and felt like we had time-travelled to a different era. Kyoto is such a wonderful place to truly unwind and detox from the fast-paced life that consumes far too many of us.
• Wazuka – A day trip to Wazuka would suffice, which is what we did, but I can imagine how absolutely wonderful it must feel falling asleep and waking up amongst those tengcha tea fields!
• Hakone – I can imagine a couple of days would be nice here. We didn’t go to Hakone because I got a weird vibe from the “Valley of Hell” and “Suicide Forest” , but this is also where you can see Mt. Fuji and Lake Ashi, so if you’re more gutsy than I am, please do go here!

Where to Stay in Tokyo: As a rule of thumb, I’d advise first-time visitors to stay close to any of the stations on the Yamanote Line. This is because taxis are very expensive

Shibuya: This is Tokyo’s version of Times Square, NY, where all the fun and games are! I’d call this the place the epitome of Tokyo’s iconic energy! It’s also quite central, and is only one stop away from Harajuku, which is the most hipster part of Tokyo.

Shinjuku: This is the financial district. It feels a little bit like Shibuya and is only one stop away from Shibuya.

Akhihabara: This is the electric town of Tokyo. You’ll find everything electronic, anime, and tech under the sun over here, past present or future!

Asakusa: This is the part of Tokyo that has the most historical feels, perhaps because this is where the Senso-ji Temple (oldest temple in Japan) is. This is also where you’ll see tourists donning kimonos.

Ginza: This is the Oxford Steet of sorts, Tokyo version. This is where we stayed and are super glad. As first-timers in Japan, this was the ideal place to stay in, with plenty of subway stations, and it felt much safer to be walking alone here even late at night (particularly because I’m a hijab-donning muslim). That said, I I must mention that we didn’t experience any racism or awkward stares of any sorts. The Japanese people are awesome.

Common Terms to Know:

• Konichiwa: Hello
• Arigato-gusaimaas: Thank you very much! You’ll hear this a LOT, as the Japanese are some of the politest, most courteous people you’ll ever meet!
• Sumimasen: Excuse me
• Hai: Yes. This can cause some confusion, as you might be saying “Hi”, in English, but to them it means “yes”.

In the next post, I will talk more about Japanese culture, what to eat, what to buy, where to shop and what to do!