What We’re Glad We Knew (and What We’ll Remember Next Time!)
We had the most incredible time in Japan – two weeks of temples, vending machines, fluffy pancakes, and monkey marshmallows. But like all great adventures, there were a few things we were very glad we knew before we went… and a few we learnt the hard way! So here’s our round-up of top tips for anyone planning a trip to Japan – especially if, like us, you’re squeezing big adventures into school holidays and real life.
Blog Contents
Plan Smart with Paper Maps
Before we even packed our bags, we popped into Japan House in London and picked up street maps for all the cities we were visiting. Old school, yes—but brilliant. We marked up all the places we wanted to see and do, and then grouped activities by area. It made planning our days so much easier and helped us avoid zigzagging across cities.
Arrange a Pocket Wi-Fi
Through our travel company (Trailfinders), we had a Pocket WiFi device included. It was waiting for us at our first hotel and we just popped it back in the post at the airport just before we flew home. It was a lifesaver – especially for Google Maps, Google Translate, and general “what on earth is this vending machine selling?” moments.
Download Safety Tips App
We downloaded the Japan Safety Tips app before we travelled – it’s a free app developed by the Japan Tourism Agency, and it’s designed to give real-time alerts and updates about natural disasters like earthquakes. Thankfully we didn’t need it, but it was reassuring to have it on our phones just incase anything happened whilst we were exploring.
To Guide or Not to Guide?
We had a few tours booked with local guides, and they were lovely – full of stories, insights, and warmth. But honestly – we could have managed without them. Japan is easy to navigate, and there’s joy in discovering things at your own pace. That said, chatting with guides gave us a deeper understanding of the culture, so we’d still recommend at least one guided experience.
Pasmo Pass = Transport Magic
Before we left the UK, we downloaded the Pasmo Pass and added it to our phone wallets. It was brilliant – quick, easy, and accepted on most public transport and even vending machines. We topped it up directly from our bank accounts as we travelled, and it saved us so much faff.
Cash Is Still King
Japan is surprisingly cash-centric. We were caught out a couple of times, so next time we’ll take more cash from the get-go. ATMs are easy to find, but having yen on hand makes life smoother – especially in smaller shops and restaurants.
Budget-Friendly Delight
We were pleasantly surprised by how affordable Japan was. Eating out, travelling around, museum entries – it all felt much cheaper than the UK. And the quality? Incredible. We ate so well without blowing the budget.
Book Popular Activities Before You Go
Some things need serious advance planning. We luckily booked tickets for Borderless Tokyo from the UK before they sold out, but we missed out on the Ghibli Museum (sold out six weeks before we left!) and couldn’t crack the Pokémon Café reservation system. In hindsight, perhaps we should’ve asked our hotel concierge for help, maybe they could have worked some magic. Lesson learnt!
Don’t Miss the Yen Stores
We only discovered the 50 and 100 yen stores on the day we flew home—and oh, what treasures! Origami paper, cooking tools, quirky souvenirs… things we didn’t need but absolutely had to have. Next time, we’re hitting these early.
Toilets: Immaculate but BYO Towel
Japanese public toilets are spotless and high-tech, but they rarely have hand dryers or paper towels. Locals carry tenugui which are small light hand towels (a bit like our face cloths) in their bags, and we quickly followed suit. We found some beautifully printed ones that now live in our day bags back home.
No Snacking on the Go
One cultural difference we noticed: eating and drinking while walking around is just not the done thing in Japan. It’s considered impolite, so we made sure to pause and enjoy our snacks properly – often in the company of vending machines or scenic benches.
Japan Travel Tips: Useful Links
Japan House – Cultural home of Japan in London
Trailfinders – The travel company we booked our Japan adventure through
Japan Safety Tips App – Just in case
Pasmo Pass – For easy travel
Borderless Tokyo – Advance booking essential
Studio Ghibli Museum, Mitaka – We missed out when I tried to book 6 weeks in advance
Pokemon Cafe – Hope you have better luck than we did!
