Japan is a country of fascinating duality. You can land in a modern city with the latest technology while neon lights stream for miles, yet you’re only an hour away from ancient temples that have stood for hundreds of years. Traveling to Japan with friends is one of the most enjoyable experiences you can imagine. It is also a recommended spot for traveling alone.
Solo Traveling Mistakes to Japan and How to Avoid Them
After years of severe restrictions, Japan has reopened its borders to foreign tourists. With the US dollar experiencing a historically favorable exchange rate against the yen, it’s the ideal time to take the solo trip you’ve always dreamed of!
There are some pitfalls to watch out for when planning your own trip to Japan. These are my solo travel blunders in Japan and how to avoid them while traveling.
Compare rail passes and get the best deals
Spending too much money on the rail pass was the biggest mistake of the trip.
Countless friends who have visited Japan before have told me to get a rail pass for the whole country. , on the surface, is a wise purchase. Foreign tourists can buy national rail passes at adult and child prices, which is a better deal. This pass can be used on the Shinkansen and many local JR lines, but not on Rapid Nozomi.
There are also area-limited commuter passes, such as JR East, JR Hokkaido, and JR Tokai commuter passes. I spent most of my time in eastern Japan and southern Japan, so a regional pass might have saved me some money. I have a solo trip that I spend at my own pace. I chose the latter.
Consider when to use the rail pass
Buying a national pass is still a bargain considering the cost of a single Shinkansen trip between Tokyo and Osaka. Timing can affect the cost of your rail pass, depending on where you plan to spend your vacation and how you travel.
Your rail pass can be sent home before your trip. Then you need to activate it at the airport or JR office (popular locations are Shinjuku and Shin-Osaka in Tokyo). Rail passes are available for 7-, 14-, and 21-day durations.
I purchased a 14 day pass for an 18 day trip and planned to spend the last 6 days in Tokyo and Yokohama. We spent a week in Tokyo, a week in Nagano, Matsumoto, Osaka, and a day trip to Kyoto in between.
Since we wanted to explore Tokyo and its surroundings first, we could have saved more money with a 7-day rail pass that was activated just before going to Nagano.
Rail passes have multiple uses, even geographically
Another way I could have gotten more value out of my rail pass was by relying on something other than New Yorker instincts. Public transportation in Japan, even in big cities, can be dizzying for Americans used to having very few operators in one place. Amtrak and local commuter rail lines such as NJ Transit and the Long Island Rail Road are adjacent to New York’s MTA. However, movement within the city is primarily via the MTA. Traveling this way is different in Tokyo and other big cities in Japan.
I spent the departure and arrival sections of my trip in Tokyo. I wanted to see different parts of the city where I could get a decent hotel room for a cheap price, with luggage elevators near Tokyo Metro stations. purchased.
When I first saw the Tokyo Metro subway map, it seemed strangely small for such a large and easily accessible city. Multiple other operators such as JR and Toei Subway go to all these places where the subway does not go.
I’ve learned that many local JR lines offer rail passes, but I hadn’t considered JR as a means of getting around Tokyo yet. It’s the most convenient place to do this. But I was happy to explore Tokyo at my own pace and experience the cleanest subway I’ve ever ridden.
Obtaining a Suica card before travel or after arrival
Many online retailers that sell Japanese rail passes, SIM cards, and related items also sell Suica cards. It’s wise to buy in advance, but you can also find them at airports and convenience stores. Prepaid cards can be used anywhere from local transportation to convenience stores to vending machines!
I remember seeing Suica signs everywhere in Tokyo, but I learned how it works when I saw a video of Japan overseas. It’s wise to have cash on hand before you leave your home country (don’t change money at the airport, call your bank ahead of time to buy yen), but make sure you have the correct change for the bus at random transfers. It can be tedious to decide what to do. A system that cannot use rail passes.
Top up your Suica card with $20 to catch a bus to a random location, find a cab if your feet hurt, and visit Akiba’s infamous Haunted Vending Machine Alley. Putting a small amount on your Suica card will cost you less in the long run and make more funds available on the ground.
Buy a Sim card or get a portable Wi-Fi to avoid international roaming charges.
Before my vacation in Japan, the last time I left the country was when it was customary to leave my cell phone at home or turned it off until I returned home. My cell phone came with it, but my carrier charged me $10 daily for international roaming.
If you have an unlocked phone, the cheapest and easiest way around this is to buy a Japanese SIM card before you leave the country. You can order online for 15-30 days or about 10 GB of data for $35-50. Some can be picked up when you arrive at the airport. At both Narita and Haneda airports, there are shops near JR offices where you can purchase a SIM card on the day you arrive. As a bonus, the SIM card is yours! You can use it again when you return to Japan or give your unlocked mobile phone to a traveling friend.
Depending on the type of phone you have, have a folded paperclip or a unique key handy to pop out the SIM tray and easily replace the card. Later versions of the iPhone made this process notoriously cumbersome.
Portable Wi-Fi is another option if your phone is locked. Portable Wi-Fi bricks are available at the airport. Must be booked at least 1 week in advance. Rental fees are based on the number of days you need, with volume discounts often applied for longer rentals.
The ideal solution depends on the type of mobile phone and how long you plan to stay. I spent $180 on roaming charges when I could have saved over $120 by purchasing a portable Wi-Fi and SIM card. don’t make the same mistake.
When to plan your visit to Japan
Early to mid-May is the best season for traveling to Japan. You’ll miss April’s cherry blossom viewing and the hordes of tourists and influencers trying to snap the perfect selfie with the pink trees. Hotels should be cheaper before the summer rush and the weather should be perfect in May. Summers are unbearably hot and tourists line up everywhere.
Reservations for attractions may still be necessary
There weren’t many tourists when I went, but I needed help getting to the cool anime cafes I wanted to go to. Other “hands-on” cafes, such as cat cafes and reptile cafes, may not require reservations and will have a 3 hour wait upon arrival.
Check each cafe’s website before your trip to see if reservations are required and how far in advance you can book. If you prefer spontaneity, you won’t find Inuyasha pancakes, but there are plenty of other cafes and food stalls that aren’t too crowded at this time of year.
This article was written and distributed by Wealth of Geeks Travel.
