UPON LANDING (AT AIRPORT)

Have heavy or bulky suitcases, and an onward journey or distant hotel booked? Have no fear- Japan has a national luggage forwarding service that many hotels will be familiar with. Kuroneko Yamato has kiosks at all main airport terminals and will happily send oversized luggage to your destination. All you will need is the address of the place you want to send to, and the staff will organise for your suitcases to be sent ahead of you, so you can navigate the streets with ease. Make sure you bring an overnight bag, as it usually takes 24 hours for your luggage to arrive. Many hotels will also be able to send your luggage forward for you, negating the need to book luggage inclusive seats on the bullet train.

We also advise you to either book in advance, or rent at the airport, a pocket wifi machine to give you roaming data for when you need to use your phone. Japanese public wifi hotspots are quite tricky to connect to, and coverage will often be patchy, so be sure to research either a data sim or pocket wifi before you leave (especially as some airports do not offer on-the-spot rental).

General Advice:

• PUBLIC TRANSPORT: For overground/ tube and or bus journeys we would suggest getting a SUICA or PASMO card, both readily available in Japan. There are many regional cards that can only be bought in their respective cities- ie Osaka’s ICOCA, Fukuoka’s HAYAKAKEN, or Nagoya’s TOICA.

These cards essentially work the same as an Oyster card- useable on all public transport in place of paper tickets or cash- with the added bonus of their IC chip also allowing you to use them on vending machines, coin lockers and convenience stores.

The SUICA will be the most commonly provided card, and for first time tourists to Japan it is often recommend that they buy the ‘WELCOME SUICA‘, a prepaid travel card that is valid for one month. These cards will expire 28 days after they are activated, however, and any remaining balance will not be refunded, so take care to use the card at any opportunity you can. If you plan on visiting Japan again, it would be more beneficial to buy a standalone IC card that can be reused.

You can top up the card with cash at train stations and convenience stores around Japan. Be warned that you cannot pay to top up your IC cards with credit debit cards. Your SUICA/ equivalent IC card is a great way to safely travel around Japan if you have a large amount of cash you are nervous about losing, and will save you on foreign transaction fees for small purchases from your bank.

• BULLET TRAINS/ SHINKANSEN: Many of you will have heard about the fabulous high speed trains that connect all of Japan. You can buy tickets online via the official ‘SMART-EX‘ website, and easily co-ordinate your outward journeys from the comfort of your hotel room. It will be easy enough to book a seat on the day of your journey, but you can also get tickets ahead of time. If you’d like guided help, head to the ‘MIDORI NO MADOGUCHI‘ area of the shinkansen station, and an advisor will help you purchase the tickets you need. Be prepared to line up!

If you have large luggage you must book a seat that allows for you to bring it with you. Be sure if you have luggage to try and book your ticket at least 24 hours in advance as they tend to disappear quickly. Cabin size cases/ backpacks/ duffel bags can be stored in the overhead luggage racks, or even (if leg space isn't a concern) in front of you.

All bullet trains will arrive and leave very promptly. Please be sure to be on the platform at least 10 minutes before your train is due to arrive so that you can safely find your correct carriage. Similarly, be ready to depart from the train before it arrives at your stop, so that passengers waiting to board can safely enter. If you forget any belongings on the train, alert a staff member as soon as possible after departing and they will put in a notice to the driver so that it can be retrieved and sent back for collection from your station. Trying to jump back on the train to retrieve it is not only dangerous but very impolite as it will delay both the departing train and subsequent arrivals both in and out of the station.

For those of you who are travelling to and from Tokyo on the shinkansen, we have one sage piece of advice: use Shinagawa Station when travelling. Neighbouring Tokyo station is an overwhelming multi-story maze of shops, underground department stores, food courts, restaurants and tube lines, and it’s easy to get lost even when popping to the toilet before your departure. Conversely, Shinagawa station has very clearly marked JR and shinkansen exits and entrances, and is easily accessible via one connected walkway.

• CASH VS CARD: Japan is still very much a cash-based country. For street food, independent shops and smaller/ non-chain restaurants in particular, be prepared to pay cash over card. Some taxi drivers may not always have card machines, so be sure to double check before you ride. Apple Pay is not accepted as widely in Japan as it is in the UK/US, and for those of you using Google Pay etc., be prepared for that not to work well, either. Make sure you always carry a physical card with you as a backup.

If you find yourself running low on cash whilst in Japan, head to a convenience store instead of a bank. Most banks and ATMs do not allow international cards to withdraw money. Instead, find a 7-11 or LAWSON convenience store and use the cash machine there, as not only do they have English language navigation, they also allow all international cards to be used for cash withdrawal. Be prepared for a small transaction fee (usually capped at ¥200, but results may vary) to be applied, so it’s best to take out larger sums at once instead of many separate times.

• TAX FREE: A lot of the bigger shops and the majority of department stores in Japan offer tax-free purchases over ¥5,500. It’s advised to bring your passport when you decide to treat yourself to a big purchase, and ask when checking out if they offer tax free. Often they will send you to a specific floor of the shop to claim back the money, but a lot of places also will do it at the check out counter. Note that any tax free purchases must be reclaimed on the same day and you must have your receipt with you.

Some places will seal your consumable (ie food, makeup, pharmaceutical) tax-free purchases in a bag strictly not to be opened until you get home, however, so be sure not to ask for tax-free on anything you want to use or eat straight away!

• MENUS AND FOOD: A lot of restaurants/ cafes will have English menu options, but be prepared for not-perfect translations and more than likely a decent upcharge alongside the options. With the upward trend in international tourism in Japan, many people are noticing that restaurants are hiking up prices on the English language menus, so be prepared!

Google Translate app has a decent image translation option for places that may not have English menu options. The app will also come in handy when looking for ingredients and allergy listings in store bought food. A lot of chain izekaya (bars with a huge variety of snack foods) and family restaurants (all day diners) use tablets to order from, with the majority of these having main menu selectable English language options.

For those of you with food allergies or intolerances, especially if they result in anaphylaxis or if you are on a restricted diet for religious or health reasons, we recommend printing out an allergy card and showing it to your server before and during service. They will be able to let the staff know clearly what you can and cannot eat. We are more than happy to help you write one up, but you can find some good examples here.

• ETIQUETTE: Eating/ drinking in the street, public transport is generally side-eyed. With cities so busy, large and heavily pedestrianised, eating on the street can cause not only the risk of spilling and staining but also unnecessary congestion, too- the pause to unwrap your food and take a bite may mean someone not quite making the crossing in time and missing their train! It may seem extreme, but even places like Starbucks will often provide a paper bag containing your drinks if you are taking-out, so you can go to a quiet bench or seating area (or home) to have your drink/ food.

A big thing that may differ from your home country is using silent mode on your notifications/ ringtone when outside of your hotel and not making or taking phone calls on trains/ in restaurants/ crowded places. Listening to music or the latest TikTok on your phone without headphones is a big no-no, and if you are using headphones be sure the noise isn’t leaking out to your neighbour. Japan values peace and quiet, even in public spaces, and especially on public transport, so make sure you keep your voices down if and when you have a conversation with your travel mates.

Tipping is very rarely done in Japan, although times are changing and if you’d like to show your appreciation in monetary form, some places may accept. It isn’t exactly du jour, however, and 9 times out of 10 it will be refused or lead to confusion. If there is a tip jar in the place you are in, feel free to add to it- leaving money on the table may result in you being chased down by worried waitstaff who assume you forgot your change!