Photos by Jenny Liu Photography
Damon and I went to Japan for just under three weeks back in April and it was the trip of a lifetime. We got engaged, which would have made any trip memorable, but even if we hadn’t, Japan is a place that just fits us. We felt that Japan was safe, that it was great value everywhere we went, that no one tried to take advantage of us because we were tourists, and that the service was unparalleled. We know that Japan is a place we will return to over and over again.
Here are 10 things we learned to help you plan a smooth, fun, and memorable trip to Japan.
1. Order your JR Rail Pass
Order your JR Rail Pass at least two months before you leave if you’re planning to travel to multiple cities in Japan. This must be done before you leave because they only offer the deal to tourists, so you can only order this outside of Japan. Do this in advance because it takes time for them to process and ship it to you. You get the approval certificate in your home city, which you exchange for the pass at the airport when you arrive. The JR Rail Pass is a great deal and allows for unlimited JR Rail use during the dates you purchase. You can purchase 7, 14 or 21 day passes. We bought a 14 day pass and used it to travel from Narita Airport to Tokyo, Tokyo to Kyoto, Kyoto to Osaka, Osaka to Shiga and back, and Osaka to Narita Airport.
2. Get an International Driver’s License
You may have heard of Maricar, the street-legal go-karts that you drive on the real streets of Tokyo and Osaka. It’s a very unique experience that you absolutely must try if you want an adrenaline rush. We drove in go-karts through the busy streets of Tokyo and through Shibuya, the world’s busiest intersection. An International Driver’s License is required for Maricar and similar activities. We got it from BCAA in Vancouver and it was about $25 per license, valid for one year. 
3. Reserve a pocket wifi rental.
A pocket wifi is basically a unit the size of a portable external hard drive that allows you to have wifi wherever you go. It’s the next best thing to having data, and I don’t know why they don’t offer this everywhere in the world because and it completely changes your travel. You no longer have to be on the hunt for wifi everywhere you go. You can look things up on the map on the go, browse the internet on the train, use Instagram, text on Whatsapp, and so on. Having a pocket wifi made our travel in Japan so easy and convenient. My friends used www.globaladvancedcomm.com, but they were out of pocket wifis when I inquired so I rented from Japan Wireless and had it shipped to my hotel. It came with a return envelope that I used to ship the pocket wifi back at the airport when we were leaving. The wifi was fast and very reliable. and the whole experience was convenient. Some Airbnbs might already offer a pocket wifi, but if you’re staying in hotels this is a must.
4. Get a copy of the Lonely Planet guide book on Japan.
It’s a thick book that you might be tempted to leave at home, but I found that it was actually more helpful to read the book when we were in Japan. It can be a bit abstract to plan things when you’re not familiar with the neighbourhood you’re staying in or what the train system is like. Once we were settled in our hotel, it was easy to flip to the exact neighbourhood in the Lonely Planet book and see what was recommended in the area. The choices are fewer and a lot less overwhelming. There are several places that we visited and several things that we booked based on the recommendation of the Lonely Planet book, such as the Instant Noodle Museum in Osaka, restaurants in Tokyo, Maricar, the “Golden Turd” building, and more. It’s a well researched book and a great resource. You can get it here.
5. It’s easy to get cash from the ATM
We had brought about 100,000 yen with us to Japan (about $1,000 US), but it turned out to be very convenient to get cash from the ATM at 7-Elevens in Japan, and Damon thinks it was actually a better conversion rate to get cash from the ATM. There are ATMs everywhere, but we were only able to withdraw from 7-Eleven (the ATMs didn’t work for us at Lawson or Family Mart). We had a daily withdraw limit of $600 CAD. If you are nervous about carrying around a lot of cash, this is a good option. Hotels, major convenience stores like 7-Eleven, and major stores accept credit card, so you don’t need cash for everything. It’s good to have cash on hand for taking the subway, playing addictive claw machine games, and buying cute things from the vending machine! If you have cash in other currencies, you can easily convert at exchange-ATMs in large train stations.
6. If you get seasonal allergies, bring your allergy medication / eye drops / nasal spray.
Japan may be a concrete jungle, but we visited right at the peak of cherry blossom season and I wanted to claw my eyes out my first day there. Thankfully, I realized it was allergies and luckily had eye drops on hand, which made the rest of my trip much more comfortable. Make sure you pack other medication you might need as well.
7. Don’t stay in Narita
Don’t be tempted to stay in Narita if you’re flying into Narita. It’s a convenient train ride to Tokyo. We stayed in Narita for one night and in our opinion, there is not much worth doing there, compared to Tokyo. Much better to get into Tokyo and enjoy all that Tokyo has to offer! 
8. Bring comfortable walking shoes that are nice and clean
You’ll be walking a lot, so it’s important to be comfortable, but keep in mind that big cities in Japan are very formal places. Most people are in suits, and people who aren’t are in suits are still dressed very smart. Both Damon and I wore brand new running shoes (I wore these) and a trench coat, which worked out well because every single person wore a trench coat in Japan. I also brought ankle boots for dressier occasions and for photos. If you’re wondering what to pack, I’d lean more towards business casual than athleisure.
9. Be prepared to hold on to your garbage for long periods of time
At least be prepared to hold on to your garbage at the train station. Have a bag or a purse where you can stash wrappers and used tissues. We definitely spent some time looking for garbage bins and was perplexed when we couldn’t find any. Our friend who lives in Japan explained to us that due to the population density in Japan, they don’t have a lot of garbage bins in public spaces to prevent garbage overflow. Therefore, most people carry their garbage home to throw out.
10. Try everything at the “conbini”!
It’s perfectly appropriate to eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner at convenience stores, known as “conbinis”. The most ubiquitous ones are 7-Eleven (the North American 7-Elevens are garbage in comparison), Family Mart and Lawson. What do I miss most about Japan? Probably the convenience stores!
I hope this was a helpful guide, and I hope that I’ve made you consider Japan if you haven’t considered traveling there before! Let me know if you have any questions, or if there are any other tips I should include!
In our photos, I wore a Muji sweater (bought in Japan), Club Monaco dress, and Blondo ankle boots (waterproof!). Damon wore a Reigning Champ sweater and what he calls the most comfortable sneakers ever. I took all of the photos, including the ones of us. If you’re looking for a wedding or engagement photographer, check out my work here.
