Hey guys! Amy here! It's been about two months since my trip to Japan, and I'm excited to finally share my stories with you! Tips are embedded within, so give it a look!
Without further ado, Japan Trip: Volume 1 - Planning!!
Without further ado, Japan Trip: Volume 1 - Planning!!
Phase 1: Planning
I know I've already talked about this, but obviously you have to have a plan! Have an idea of what you want to do, and be prepared for what you might experience...
Accommodation
We stayed at 3 hotels over the course of our stay - The Hotel New Otani Makuhari, Kyoto Century, and Hotel Granvia Hiroshima.
Sightseeing
You'll obviously want to go see the major tourist attractions like the Golden Pavilion (Kinkakuji) or Mt Fuji (good luck!). We went on four tours over the course of our trip, two through Sunrise Tours and one personal tour.
Food
You're in Japan, so enjoy the food!!! The one thing I will say is that where I live, we do not have much authentic Japanese food. My tastebuds were in no way prepared for the true Japanese taste, so don't be surprised if your miso soup is stronger and your tofu has a different texture!
There are lots of American fast-food chains (KFC, McDonald's, Burger King, etc), so no need to fear if you, just like my grandad, find real Japanese food a little... interesting.
My uncle and I, on the other hand, really enjoyed it! I highly recommend Zaru Soba, tempura, and, if you get to Hiroshima, a dessert called Momiji Manju!!
Bathrooms
Yes, I do need to bring this up. There are basically two types of toilets in Japan - Western and squat. Western describes the way it looks more than the way it functions, because our hotel bathrooms had multiple buttons with different functions (like the bidet pressure!). Squat is exactly what it sounds like - you squat and go. Squat toilets can be found almost anywhere, since they are the traditional Japanese toilet - I saw them at a beach, a bank, and a shrine. However, the latter two were also equipped with Western toilets just on the other side of the bathroom, so no need to worry (unless you're at the beach!)
Transportation
Chances are you've heard of the bullet train (shinkansen/新幹線), but you can't use that as your sole mode of transportation. All of the hotels we stayed at were at max a 5-minute walk from a train station. (We actually lucked out - Kyoto Century was about 2 minutes away, and Hotel Granvia Hiroshima is literally part of the station!)
You may want to consider buying a Japan Rail Pass. These passes get you on all JR lines and most shinkansen for a flat rate depending on how many consecutive days you plan on needing it. Be sure you are familiar with its limits. The Nozomi shinkansen, for example, is one of the fastest shinkansen in Japan, but it is not covered by the JR Pass. However, you will be surprised at how many times you can use it!
A Suica or Passmo card may also be of use, or used as an alternate to the JR Pass. These IC cards are used by the Japanese, since JR passes are not available for purchase in Japan, or by Japanese citizens. With just a swipe, you can board almost any train with your Suica or Passmo. Keep in mind that, though virtually the same, what you can use depends on the region you're in. Our Suica worked fine in Chiba and Tokyo, but a different IC card was used in Hiroshima. (We only used our JR Pass for the shinkansen going in and out of Hiroshima, so we didn't have to worry about that problem.)
* Bonus! * You can also use your IC card to purchase drinks from vending machines! Fun, right?
The last option I can think of is the one everyone uses on vacation - walking. Yes, I know, it's nowhere near as fun as a bullet train. But that's not necessarily true. We walked a great deal, from tours to just getting to the nearby 7-Eleven. You'd be surprised how much you actually see and learn about your surrounding area by strutting on your own two feet.
Money
The necessary evil. Although, not so evil, because there are so many cool things to buy in Japan!
I exchanged my money at our local bank, where they did it for little to no charge. My mom gave me some extra cash so it would come out to an even ¥30,000 (about $300 USD). I didn't purchase any of my own meals, but I used all but about ¥1400 on souvenirs and snacks. Needless to say, I brought home a lot of things. I actually brought more than each of my family members brought for themselves, and they even had some yen left over to exchange back at the airport. So, from my experience, 12 days and $300 is a good combination!
7-Eleven also has ATMs that can take yen out of a foreign credit card for little to no charge! (Trust me, 7-Eleven will be your best friend during your stay.)
That's all I can think of for the planning stage! Next will be a day-by-day recollection of our trip, complete with pictures, tips, and stories!
Thanks for reading!
ではでは!読んでくれてありがとう!また今度!
ー 永美♪
Accommodation
We stayed at 3 hotels over the course of our stay - The Hotel New Otani Makuhari, Kyoto Century, and Hotel Granvia Hiroshima.
Sightseeing
You'll obviously want to go see the major tourist attractions like the Golden Pavilion (Kinkakuji) or Mt Fuji (good luck!). We went on four tours over the course of our trip, two through Sunrise Tours and one personal tour.
Food
You're in Japan, so enjoy the food!!! The one thing I will say is that where I live, we do not have much authentic Japanese food. My tastebuds were in no way prepared for the true Japanese taste, so don't be surprised if your miso soup is stronger and your tofu has a different texture!
There are lots of American fast-food chains (KFC, McDonald's, Burger King, etc), so no need to fear if you, just like my grandad, find real Japanese food a little... interesting.
My uncle and I, on the other hand, really enjoyed it! I highly recommend Zaru Soba, tempura, and, if you get to Hiroshima, a dessert called Momiji Manju!!
Bathrooms
Yes, I do need to bring this up. There are basically two types of toilets in Japan - Western and squat. Western describes the way it looks more than the way it functions, because our hotel bathrooms had multiple buttons with different functions (like the bidet pressure!). Squat is exactly what it sounds like - you squat and go. Squat toilets can be found almost anywhere, since they are the traditional Japanese toilet - I saw them at a beach, a bank, and a shrine. However, the latter two were also equipped with Western toilets just on the other side of the bathroom, so no need to worry (unless you're at the beach!)
Transportation
Chances are you've heard of the bullet train (shinkansen/新幹線), but you can't use that as your sole mode of transportation. All of the hotels we stayed at were at max a 5-minute walk from a train station. (We actually lucked out - Kyoto Century was about 2 minutes away, and Hotel Granvia Hiroshima is literally part of the station!)
You may want to consider buying a Japan Rail Pass. These passes get you on all JR lines and most shinkansen for a flat rate depending on how many consecutive days you plan on needing it. Be sure you are familiar with its limits. The Nozomi shinkansen, for example, is one of the fastest shinkansen in Japan, but it is not covered by the JR Pass. However, you will be surprised at how many times you can use it!
A Suica or Passmo card may also be of use, or used as an alternate to the JR Pass. These IC cards are used by the Japanese, since JR passes are not available for purchase in Japan, or by Japanese citizens. With just a swipe, you can board almost any train with your Suica or Passmo. Keep in mind that, though virtually the same, what you can use depends on the region you're in. Our Suica worked fine in Chiba and Tokyo, but a different IC card was used in Hiroshima. (We only used our JR Pass for the shinkansen going in and out of Hiroshima, so we didn't have to worry about that problem.)
* Bonus! * You can also use your IC card to purchase drinks from vending machines! Fun, right?
The last option I can think of is the one everyone uses on vacation - walking. Yes, I know, it's nowhere near as fun as a bullet train. But that's not necessarily true. We walked a great deal, from tours to just getting to the nearby 7-Eleven. You'd be surprised how much you actually see and learn about your surrounding area by strutting on your own two feet.
Money
The necessary evil. Although, not so evil, because there are so many cool things to buy in Japan!
I exchanged my money at our local bank, where they did it for little to no charge. My mom gave me some extra cash so it would come out to an even ¥30,000 (about $300 USD). I didn't purchase any of my own meals, but I used all but about ¥1400 on souvenirs and snacks. Needless to say, I brought home a lot of things. I actually brought more than each of my family members brought for themselves, and they even had some yen left over to exchange back at the airport. So, from my experience, 12 days and $300 is a good combination!
7-Eleven also has ATMs that can take yen out of a foreign credit card for little to no charge! (Trust me, 7-Eleven will be your best friend during your stay.)
That's all I can think of for the planning stage! Next will be a day-by-day recollection of our trip, complete with pictures, tips, and stories!
Thanks for reading!
ではでは!読んでくれてありがとう!また今度!
ー 永美♪