Japan Travel Info Guide

Japan Travel Info Guide-An Essential Guide:

So you decided you want to take a trip to Japan? Great, now read all you can on travel in Japan. The more you read about Japan, the less apprehension you will have and the more confident you will be when you get there. Use this Japan Travel Info Guide as an essential guide for your trip.

Plan your trip by reading articles about Japan on the internet, by reading travel articles in books, or by watching programs about Japan on your TV. See what interests you, whether it’s the history of Japan, feudal Japan, or whether it’s the Japan culture, or whether it’s the interesting or unusual places to visit in Japan. If you’re like me, you may be interested in the delicious foods of Japan, or the Japan onsen(hot springs). You may be interested in the Japan religion, or you may be interested in Japan clothing. Whatever your interests, careful planning will make it easier for you once you arrive in Japan.

Once you’ve decided what you want to do or see, look at a Japan map and find out where the focus of your interests are located, whether in Tokyo, or Kyoto, or Hokkaido, or Niigata, or Nagasaki, or Kagoshima, or Okinawa. Aside from your air flight over to Japan, determine your entry and exit points, whether it be Tokyo Narita Airport or Kansai in Osaka, then determine your route and time in Japan. Whether you’re traveling independently or as a part of a tour group, determine where you want to go. Remember, even as a member of a tour group, you can ask your tour company if you can extend your tour and visit places that may not be on the itinerary.

Now determine the best mode of transportation to get you from point A to point B, noting the time of travel and relative distance to travel per day. As an example, if you are in Tokyo and want to get to Sapporo Japan, you would consider a flight on Japan Air Lines or All Nippon Airways, or Air Do to save you time. With air specials which would make fares on airplanes close to rail travel, consider flying. 1 ½ hours from Tokyo Haneda Airport to Chitose Airport in Sapporo makes sense, compared to rail travel of over 8 hours. A trip from Tokyo to Kyoto, on the other hand, would be a nice trip by rail travel. If you have time, consider a trip on the Shinkansen bullet train Kodama, using a Japan Rail Pass, currently about $413, for unlimited travel on rail other than Shinkansen Nozomi trains good for one week. Using the Japan Rail Pass over long distances really maximizes your savings over regular fares, and you can enjoy the wonderful sights and see life in Japan along the way. Consider side trips to Atami Onsen and Hakone Onsen to see Mt. Fuji, Japan’s landmark mountain, which are along the route from Tokyo to Kyoto. Better yet, spend a night at either place and have a very memorable and pleasant hot spring and dining experience. Please note that persons with tattoos will not be admitted to most hot springs in Japan, supposedly to prevent tattooed Japanese yakuza(gangsters)from using the hot springs.

Japan Travel Info-Entry Requirements:

For US and Canadian citizens, travel requirements to Japan for tourist and business travel are as follows:

1. US or Canadian passport valid for at least 3 months beyond intended stay in Japan.

2. Valid air tickets showing an entry to Japan and final return to the US (or Canada if Canadian).

3. No Visa requirement if Japan travel is limited to 3 months.

4. No vaccinations are required.

When going to Passport Control for entry to Japan, go into line for foreign visitors and have your passport and Japan entry slip showing airline flight info filled out and ready for inspection. Upon reaching passport control, you will be fingerprinted using digital technology and have your picture taken. After passport and entry slip inspection, you will be allowed to go to claim your luggage at baggage claim area.

Japan Travel Info-Japan Currency:

As a banker and frequent traveler to Japan, my experience in talking to most clients who are first and second time visitors to Japan, the common questions asked are:

1. Should I bring travelers checks to Japan and

2. How much Yen should I bring along with me?

A simple answer to both questions is this. Depending on how much money you are planning to use, if it is a large amount, yes, bring travelers checks, but also bring or purchase enough yen for shopping and eating outside of your hotel. Although Japan is a very high-tech and industrialized nation, there are many areas outside of large cities that do not take travelers checks, and do not take foreign currency. For sure, you will find that many small and large restaurants in Japan do not take travelers checks. You may use your credit card, however beware the foreign transaction fees that your bank may charge you for using that credit card overseas. Either purchase your Japan currency at your bank, or purchase it in the Currency Exchange booth in the Japan Airport where you land.

Japan currency is as follows:

10,000 yen note - ichi man en, equivalent to about $112 currently

5,000 yen note - go sen en, equivalent to about $56 currently

1,000 yen note - I(ee)sen en, equivalent to about $11

500 yen coin - go hyaku en

100 yen coin - hyaku en

50 yen coin - go jyu en

10 yen coin - jyu en

5 yen coin - go en

1 yen coin - ichi en

Japan charges a consumption tax on food and goods and services, so if it is not included in the price, you will be charged for it on purchase of food, goods and services, and that’s when you need smaller denomination coins. These coins are also good for purchases of drinks and food in the vending machines all throughout Japan.

It is not unusual for office salary men(businessmen) to carry large amounts of yen. Japan is probably one of the safest countries in the world in terms of crime. If carrying currency makes you nervous, give half of the Yen to your spouse/partner to carry, and decide who will pay for the meal or activity beforehand.

Japan Travel Info-Japan Transportation:


Here are some Japan travel info tips on traveling in Japan. “What is the best way to get from Tokyo Narita airport to Tokyo? I have lots of baggage.” Upon exiting baggage claim at Narita Airport, Wheel your luggage on the luggage carts and go directly to the airport bus limo booths-don’t worry, the signs are in English and the clerks speak English. Tell them which hotel you are going to-they will sell you a ticket(s) on a bus limo to your destination. As an example the Grand Prince New Takanawa in Shinagawa runs every 35-45 minutes at 3,000 Yen($34) per person(Child 1,500 Yen). Exit the doors after you get your ticket(s) and look for the bus stop with the sign of your hotel on it. Wheel your luggage and get into the line and show your ticket to the employee. They will tag your luggage and ask you to wait for the bus. Your luggage will be loaded by the employee when your bus arrives and unloaded by the bus driver upon arrival at your hotel, 1 ½ to 2 hours later, depending on traffic. Taxis are expensive in Tokyo-It will cost you upwards of 25,000 yen($280)to get from Narita to downtown Tokyo. With lots of luggage, the bus limo is your best bet.

“What is the best way to get around Tokyo?” Japan has one of the most efficient, clean, and inexpensive rail systems in the world. Take full advantage of it. Railway stations are easy to find and rail is easy to use in Japan. Signs are all in English and Japanese, and now in Chinese and Korean. For local rail travel, tickets are purchased from machines that are in Japanese and English. First look at the large railway map on the wall above the ticket machines. Determine where you are starting from, and then look for your destination. The fare is shown in Yen. You can get almost anywhere on the Yamanote(color code green) loop for between 130 to 260 Yen. From Shinagawa station Shibuya is only 5 stops away and will take you mere minutes to get there. The ticket vending machines have a button you can press for English. You purchase your ticket by putting in coins or Yen notes(machine will give you your change automatically). Take the ticket and find your platform number from the English signs overhead. When you enter the ticket area, insert your ticket, but DO NOT FORGET TO GET IT BACK once you pass the turnstile. You will need your validated ticket to exit the railway station once you reach your destination by again inserting the ticket into the ticket collector next to the turnstile. If you underestimate your fare, prior to exiting the station you go to a ticket adjustment machine, pay the additional amount you owe, then use the new ticket to exit the station. If you cannot figure this out there are English speaking employees at the information booths to help you.

For Shinkansen tickets, I recommend you go into the Shinkansen ticket office to purchase your ticket(s). Be sure to tell the clerk your destination, and be sure to ask what track and platform you will need to get to, and the time of departure. Once you get that information follow the overhead signs to your platform. Shinkansen tracks are normally upstairs.

“How do I bring my travel luggage aboard the train?” You don’t, frankly. The Japan railway system was not designed for US travelers. There is very little space on board the trains other than overhead racks and some space between your legs and the seat in front. Not to mention that fact that there are few elevators in train stations and escalators are small, and stairs are steep. Plan ahead, as I do. On a trip from Tokyo to Kyoto with an overnight stay in Atami on the Shinkansen, I pack one small overnight bag which my wife and I share, and send my travel bags to the hotel in Kyoto by takkyubin(express delivery service). There are several including Yamato(black cat logo), or Nittsu Pelican-san(pelican logo)which the bell desk in your hotel can arrange for you. I think I paid about $40 US for 2 large suitcases last trip. Since it may take 2 days to get your bags across Japan, be sure to plan carefully. Your bags will be waiting for you when you check in at your destination hotel if you planned correctly.

“I have bad knees, I don’t know if I can climb steep stairs.” Unfortunately, Japan is still struggling with ADA issues regarding physical disabilities. In large train stations, elevators and escalators make it easy to get to the platforms, however in smaller stations, elevators and escalators may not be present. If that is the case, you might want to travel by bus or airplane. Here’s another issue-toilets. Throughout Japan there are Japanese and Western toilets, with Japanese toilets requiring that you squat to do your business. With bad knees, please use the ADA or disabled toilets, as those are Western and are a lot easier to use. Even if you don’t have bad knees, you might want to use the Western toilets.


Japan Travel Info-How to use Onsens:

“What do I need to do when I go to an onsen?” First of all, find the correct changing room. Usually a pink or red curtain(noren) with a character for woman 女 is the woman’s changing room and onsen. As most onsens are separated, be sure you go into the right one. A woman friend of mine went into the men’s changing room by mistake. Although she was more embarrassed than the men changing, she won’t soon forget what she saw. Men’s changing rooms normally have a blue curtain with a man’s character 男　on the curtain. Be very careful, some onsens change rooms during the day between men and women sometimes because the onsens are a little different. Look for the colors. Wash towels and yukata(cotton kimonos)are provided in your room in an onsen. First change into your yukata and bring your wash towel with you when you go to the onsen bath.

Once you have selected an area where you will change, find a basket on the shelf and place your clothing in the basket. Please remember your number(in English)so you can find your own clothing after bathing. Once you have taken all of your clothing off, use the wash towel(about the size of a face towel, possibly slightly longer)and enter the baths. Once inside, go to a wash area and sit on a stool. Each bathing area has its own shower and a small tub for pouring hot water over yourself. Find the bath gel and shampoo and conditioner on a shelf next to the small shower. When bathing, DO NOT STAND UP. Sit on the stool and soap up and shampoo, and when ready use the shower head or the tub to rinse yourself. Also PLEASE DO NOT GO INTO THE BATH WATERS WITHOUT WASHING UP FIRST. This is considered very bad manners. When you are done rinsing off, take your towel and proceed to the hot springs. DO NOT JUMP OR DIVE IN. Slowly step into the pool and leave your towel outside the pool. Do not bring your towel into the water. Have your body get acclimated to the hot water. On your first onsen bath, do not stay in for longer than 30 minutes, as you may get so relaxed that you may become dizzy. Take in the waters, which are good for a variety of ailments, and when ready exit the pool don’t forget to take your towel with you. Head back to the wash area and sit on the stool and wash up again, when finished rinsing off, you can go into the changing room(don’t forget to bring your towel with you) so you can use the towel to dry off. You can comb your hair, have a drink of cold water, dry your hair, and relax before changing and returning to your room. Note, please do not wear jewelry or watches in the bath. The waters are sulfurous and acidic, and may damage your jewelry. After a few visits to the onsen, you’ll be an aficionado like me too!

Japan Travel Info-Japanese Toilets:

As stated before, Japan is a highly industrialized nation. However I offer a caveat with that statement. In the large cities, the latest high-tech toilets are the rage, with built in bidets, music, seat lifting, deodorizers, dryer fans, and flush options. That being said, in those same large cities, the traditional Japanese toilets still exist. Japanese toilets are not like Western ones like we have here. There is no toilet bowl, only a hole on the floor with a porcelain basin that you need to squat over to do your thing. If you would like to experience the traditional Japanese toilet, great! Squat down facing the small hood on the porcelain basin. However, if you have bad knees or are unable to bend down, or are uncomfortable with the traditional, please use the ADA toilet-never mind that you are not disabled. Believe me, you’ll thank me later. Getting back to the high-tech toilets. After my first trip to Japan, I bought a Toto bidet toilet for my home, and my wife loves it. At over $900 for a seat, she should! The seat is connected to a water source and the seat is heated, sprays a jet of water for front wash and back wash, dries you after you’re finished, closes the seat and is controlled by a panel that we mounted on the wall next to the toilet. Similar to my unit, but now more advanced is the new Japanese toilet, which still heats, washes, dries, lifts and closes the seat and deodorizes, but also plays music and flushes a large or smaller flush. 大　means large flush, and 小 means small flush. A picture of the shape of a rear end is rear wash, and the picture of a water spray is for frontal wash. Be sure to use the wash and dry for a most interesting Japanese experience. Who knows, you might buy a seat like I did.

Japan Travel Info-Tipping:

As you may already know, tipping is not required in Japan. That being said, you may want to take care of those that are especially good to you. On one of my trips to Kyoto, I stayed for a few days at the ANA Kyoto Hotel. Much to my surprise, the bell desk was manned by petite girls wearing beautiful kimono. As this was toward the end of our trip, my wife and I had very full large and heavy suitcases, along with several boxes. One of these girls brought the luggage to our room. Knowing that they would not accept tips, and being from Hawaii, we had brought some small packs of macadamia nuts for this purpose. Giving her a few packs of unusual nuts must have made her very happy. On our most recent trip last year we stayed at the New Miyako Hotel in Kyoto, and one of the bellman was an American boy, who again struggled to bring up our luggage. Giving him a few packs of macadamia nuts did much to have him remember us and give us good service. We would give the macadamia nuts to the housekeeping staff too, but with them you would need to hand it to them directly. If you left on the pillow, it would still be there when you came back to the room. Bring something small from home that you can give away, you’ll be surprised at the extra service you receive.

Japan Travel Info-Cheap Eats:

Tired of expensive hotel food, but are afraid or unsure of how to get good, inexpensive food? Tired of those $30-$40 breakfasts, those $50 lunches and those $100 dinners? Take a chance, venture just outside of your hotel, around the train stations, and find the tastiest, best meals for a fraction of the price of hotel meals. About two minutes from the Hotel Pacific Tokyo in Shinagawa, just outside the entrance to JR Shinagawa station is a restaurant with American breakfasts(eggs, with ham, rice and toast and coffee)for around $5. About 1 minute from the hotel is a McDonalds where you can buy an Egg McMuffin and coffee for around $3 to $4. In Kyoto station, in an arcade across the New Miyako Hotel, is a restaurant where you can have breakfast for around $5 - $8, and if they see you more than a few days, they give you a discount. In every city in Japan are Ramen-ya, or noodle shops, where you can get an inexpensive hot bowl of noodles and toppings for under $10. You can get a delicious meal in world-famous restaurants for around $10. A tonkatsu(pork)set lunch at Maisen Restaurant in fancy Omotesando, Tokyo cost me $10 and a katsudon set cost just over $8. Can’t speak Japanese? Speak slowly in English, ask for an English menu, or look at what others are eating in the restaurant and point to what you would like to eat, or most restaurants feature plastic versions of what they serve in their restaurants outside in a showcase at the entrance to the restaurant-take the waiter outside and point to what you want to eat. When it’s time to pay, the bill may be in Japanese, but the total will be in Yen, just give them the appropriate amount-and remember no tips.

I would like to acknowledge my good friend Dennis Leatherman, a very popular and talented local artist, and his wife Mieko, who collaborated with me on this article and others.  To see more of his drawings please click on the link here:  http://www.flickr.com/photos/hageta/.
 
Well, good luck and happy traveling in Japan. Share some of your experiences with me when you get back.

For further information on this and other Japan subjects, please click here:  http://www.traveljapan-us.com/.