I went to Japan in 2019 for 3 weeks. It was probably some of the best fun I have ever had. But there are things I wish I knew before I got on my 9 hour flight from Brisbane. Here are some tips from a newbie traveller to help your Japan trip be an easy ride.
1. Make a plan and stick to it
It is so easy when travelling to just want to be lazy and do nothing for the day. Trust me, I have done it countless time. This is why it is so important to make a plan and stick with it so you can get the most out of your trip as you can. Say “I want to go to Universal Studio’s on Wednesday and be there by 10am” and actually do it. Don’t just wake up and say “Today is a wonderful day, let’s go to Universal Studio’s” and only spend half of your day there (and trust me, you need a full day there).
2. Sort out your transport passes before going to Japan
Before departing Brisbane I already had my JR pass and my plan to get a Suica card when I arrived in Tokyo. The JR pass allowed me to ride the Shinkansen between the big cities and the Suica Card let me catch all the public transport (like a go card or opal card). The JR pass only works for a limited time period. The Suica Card can be topped up at any time, can be used at 7/11 and other retailers and any leftover credit on the card can be withdrawn at the end of your trip.
3. Insurance
I know I will sound like your mum nagging you about insurance but I swear I mean it. Every time I have travelled overseas by myself something happens. In Denmark it was for my teeth and in Japan I had serious stomach pains. In Japan I had to find an English speaking doctor and get medication which can culminate into a lot of money. Money I could’ve have spent on food. Final line is, you never know what can happen.
4. When going to Universal Studio’s, get a fast track pass
Not to be generic or anything, but I did go to Universal Studio’s and I LOVED IT. I can guarantee that I would not love it if I didn’t have the fast track pass. I bought mine through Klook and it cut the waiting time for the rides by hours. One of the main rides is called the Flying Dinosaur had a 2 HOUR wait time and it took me less than 10 minutes because of my pass.
5. Accomodation
Throughout my whole trip I stayed in AirnB accommodation. I did this because I like my personal space and wanted a quality place to sleep. Sure I could have spent less by staying in a hostel but that was not what I was looking for in my trip. AirnB was cheaper than hotels and provided more utilities.
There are also certain things you should be looking for in your accommodation:
- Is it near a train station or bus stop?
- Does it have a washing machine?
- Does it have a dryer? (if traveling in winter)
It is important to be near some form of transport so you don’t have to lug around your luggage. There was one instance where I booked accommodation in the middle of nowhere at Mount Fuji and we had to walk 15 minutes to our accommodation after being on a bus for 1 hour. Didn’t make me to happy but it was an adventure.
Washing machine and dryer is important for me. I wanted to pack light and that meant I had to wash my clothes regularly. A dryer was a major plus.
6. Pack Lightly
The Japanese transport system is very efficient and very, very crowded. If you are carrying around a massive suitcase and a backpack, it is going to be hard for you to move around. On the Shinkansen you can either put the suitcase in front of you or above you. Having a small suitcase means you can put your luggage overhead and not feel cramped for your 3 hour train ride.
Thanks for reading! I hope this was useful and you like reading my blog.
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