06-19-2018 01:31 PM - last edited on 11-19-2018 04:06 PM by Atsukot
Whenever I go back home to visit my family, I always have a layover in Tokyo. Rather than trying to find the shortest layover time, I usually try to find the longest time. Sometimes I even extend the trip to 2-3 days so I can roam around the city a bit more. It's come to the point where I was offered a 3 year visa when I applied for a transit visa, after the Japanese Consulate in SF found out I've been in the country for so many times these past few years.
Over the few years, I've noticed some things that might be helpful for those visiting Japan for the first time.
Ok, I wasn't expecting for this post to be this long. Hope you guys find it useful. Also, please keep in mind that I'm not Japanese, and I've only been to Japan as a tourist, so apologies if there are any mistakes. If any of you find something that's incorrect, or want to add something, please let me know in the comment below and I will fix/add (with credits of course).
@YumiSapporo @Atsukot @HiroyukiTakisawa @MasaruKamikura Can you let me know if there's anything from this that's incorrect? Curious to know what you think of it 🙂
06-19-2018 01:48 PM
Hi @iyudhi. It's as though you wrote this post for me and my upcoming trip to Japan. Thank you SO much!!!!
06-19-2018 03:17 PM
Hello @iyudhi - Great tips for people who are going visit Japan! This post is definitely very helpful. Thank you so much for sharing this. I feel your love of Japan 🙂
I just want to add the follwoings:
US green card holders used to be able to get the pass, but unfortunately not anymore 😞 The Japan Rail Pass is now only available for non-Japanese nationals who visit Japan for short visits -- less than 90 days.
Non-smoking areas are becoming increasingly common in Japan. If you are smoker, please check sighs. Some restaurants/cafes offer a smoking section.
I was at a restaurant in Tokyo with a non-Japanese friend who wanted take her leftovers with her, so I asked a waiter if she could have a box. However, he explained to me that they don't let customers take leftovers because they don't know how customers will keep the food – if the food spoils and a customer gets food poisoning, the restaurant may have to close for inspection by the health department.
“Please respect others and line up in orderly fashion, as line-cutters will not be tolerated.” Thank you (THANK YOU) for mentioning this!!! Also - I want to add subways and buses. Please line up for subways and buses to get on. Don’t cut ahead in the line.
06-19-2018 04:15 PM
@TraciC hahah! Have fun on your upcoming Japan trip (so jealous btw 😛 )
06-19-2018 04:17 PM
Thanks for the additions @Atsukot! I will add them later on today in my post.
Hmm.. I wasn't aware that green card holders aren't now allowed to buy JR pass now... that's no good :(. Although I'm now thinking, how would they know if we have a green card, unless we voluntarily show them the card. There shouldn't be any sign of it from the passport right?
06-19-2018 04:44 PM
Sorry for the confusion! @iyudhi, I was talking about Japanese who have a US green card. If you are the US green card holder who have a non-Japanese passport, you can definitely get the JR Pass 🙂 More info, please check out a Japan Rail Pass site.
06-19-2018 08:15 PM - edited 06-19-2018 08:19 PM
@iyudhi That's great report!
Additional tips and idea from me...
If you're thinking of visiting Japan sometime, you should consider renting a car, especially if you want to visit Hokkaido or Okinawa and you can buy the discount express way pass.
The Hokkaido express way pass is so reasonable! I want to buy it if I could! (^o^)
Please think about renting a car next time you visit Japan. @iyudhi
PASMO and Suica can be used even inside a holder by touching it to the ticket gate's IC reader and those cards are very convenient, it can also be used for shopping!
Don't forget to bring the IC card case when you visit Japan!
Mine is a Sapica card ,it's only can use bus and subway in Sapporo, Hokkaido. (You can use the Pasmo and Suica in Sapporo too)
Hope to hear from you next time for your next trip! Best regards, and see you again!
06-19-2018 08:46 PM
Hi, @iyudhi
These are right 🙂 And their information also nice @Atsukot @YumiSapporo
I think a prepaid SIM is very important for a trip to Japan because there is not a lot of free wi-fi spot, especially in the countryside. If tourists stay in the only cityside, they may not need to buy it. But if they want to go sightseeing spots where is not Tokyo or a cityside, they should buy it for their safety.
And Japanese public transportations are very useful. But I recommend avoiding taking the subway in Tokyo around early morning and late at night. It is verrrrry crowded.
In a similar, such as content I like this article as well. Please try to read this 😉
06-19-2018 10:00 PM
Thanks for the awesome collection of tips @iyudhi!
I had no idea that hotels down in Tokyo gave you cellphones! That's incredible!
The JR Pass is extremely helpful if you plan to use the bullet trains.
If you only plan to travel between Tokyo and places north of Tokyo, you can buy a JR East Pass which usually is a little (or a lot depending on your travel plans) cheaper than the one that covers the whole country. This is what I always tell my family to buy if they're only planning on coming up to Iwate to visit us and then spending time in Tokyo. I'm not sure if they have similar passes for the other parts of Japan.
The JR East Pass can also be purchased at the airport and other certain locations in Japan as well as outside Japan.
06-20-2018 12:32 AM
Ahhhh understood @Atsukot.. that's very unfortunate regarding the JR pass for Japanese green card holders 😐
Also, going back to your back story regarding restaurants not providing container boxes for leftover, it actually makes a lot of sense.=.
I also recently learned of the back story on why there are not much trash bins in the city. Apparently it's to prevent attacks, since there was an incident in the past where bombs were hidden in the trash bins, and now they're basically limiting the amount of trash bins in the cities? I read it on one of the replies on this Reddit post showing the Japanese supporters in Russia cleaning the trash in the stadium after the World Cup match win against Colombia (congrats on the win btw! 😄 )