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Japan Tavel Tipps

November 12, 2014 in 

🛬 Arrival & Entry

  • Visit Japan QR Form: Log into the Visit Japan site and screenshot your QR codes; show them to immigration upon arrival instead of filling out the paper form on the plane (requires address and phone number of hotel).
  • Always carry passport in Japan (legal identification requirement)

🕐 Timing & Online Services

  • Local Time Matters: Avoid online purchases or registrations between 11:30 PM – 5:30 AM Japan time, as systems may be down and card payments might fail.

📶 Connectivity

💴 Cash

  • Cards: VISA (Plus-Sign), Mastercard (Cirrus-Sign), Girocard / EC-Karte (Maestro-Sign), ...
  • ATMs: Japan Post Bank, Aeon Bank, 7-Eleven, Lawson, FamilyMart (always choose Yen as currency when withdrawing money)
  • paying in cash is common and often required
  • DKB withdrawals free of charge from €50, excluding ATM fees

💳 IC Cards

  • Types:   swika
  • physical and digital (iPhone only =>  add  travel card in Apple Wallet)
  • Download the Suica app to manage and view full IC card number (often starts with “JE” or “SU”).
  • Charge digital cards directly on iPhone in wallet app (requires a registered credit card with Apple Pay), on ticket machines in stations, or in konbini
  • Cards are usable on trains and buses (tap on and off). Also tap-to-pay at most convenience stores.

🚅 Public Transit

  • Transit Planer
    • Websites
    • Google Maps: Enter full destination before traveling to get the correct exit and train car info.
    • Track exit gate numbers (e.g., A1, B3) for smoother station navigation.
    • Fare is calculated by distance; Google Maps shows the cost upfront.
  • Train categories
    • Local (kakueki-teisha or futsu-densha), Rapid (kaisoku), Express (kyuko), Limited Express (tokkyu), Super Express (shinkansen)
  • Limited Express/Super Express (Shinkansen):
    • Need both base fare + reserved seat ticket
    • Book in advance; missed seat reservations become void (can be changed at JR offices often for free) but base fare is still valid the same day (2 days if 100km-200km distance, ...)
  • Tickets
    • IC card: Tap in and out at train gates (entry and exit). If IC card card does not scan correctly at train gates, reset/correct the error at an attendant in office nearby. For Rapid / Express trains you can use Suica, but for Limited Express you need to get an additional ticket, apart from base fare.
    • Ticket machine: (for short-distance travel) If you are unable to find your destination and the corresponding fare, you can purchase a ticket for the lowest possible price, and pay the difference at a fare adjustment machine at the destination station. Always keep tickets (required to exit).
    • Ticket counter:
    • Online: 
    • Info
      • Use SmartEx app for booking Shinkansen tickets: Register through https://shinkansen2.jr-central.co.jp/RSV_P/smart_en_index.htm if app registration fails. Link multiple IC cards per ID. Exiting stations is faster with IC card on your phone than with paper tickets.
      • Advice when using SmartEX shinkansen tickets: Difficulties entering and exiting Shinkansen gates using SmartEX QR tickets in Apple Wallet. Problem: Gates read IC card if present instead of QR code.
        • Disable Express Mode: Turning off Express Mode for Mobile Suica can prevent automatic IC card scanning, allowing the QR ticket to be read correctly.
        • Linking Tickets to IC Cards: Linked the SmartEX tickets directly to IC cards during/after purchase process. / Reserved Shinkansen tickets in the SmartEx app, then designated my Suica/IC card to each individual ticket (also within the app). Then all you do is tap the Suica card at the Shinkansen entrance gate, grab the paper seat information ticket, and head inside. Exit is even easier, just tap IC card at the exit gate and walk out. (Download the Suica app for digital Suica which is all in Japanese to get the full number.Press the “i” button and it will show your full suica # to link to SmartEx app).
  • Luggage Forwarding (Takkyubin)
    • Tokyo to Osaka/Kyoto around 2600 yen

📱 Apps

  • Mymizu => free water refill locations
  • Flush => toilet locations 
  • Eco Cloak => bagge lock locations
  • Tabelog => Restaurants (https://tabelog.com/en/)
  • Go Taxi => Taxi

💬 Communication & Language

  • Translation Apps:
    • Download offline versions of Google Translate and Papago (better for written Japanese).
  • Useful Phrases:
    • Hello: Konnichiwa
    • Good morning: Ohayou gozaimasu
    • Good evening: Konbanwa
    • Excuse me: Sumimasen
    • Sorry: Gomen
    • Please (after you): Douzo
    • Please: Kudasai
    • Thank you: Arigatou gozaimasu
    • Thank you in advance: Yoroshiku onegaishimasu
    • I understand: Wakarimashita
    • It’s OK: Daijoubu
    • Delicious: Oishii desu
    • Where?: Doko
    • Toilet: Toire
  • Etiquette
    • Few public trash bins – people usually take their garbage home.
    • Eating and drinking in public is considered impolite.
    • Smoking only allowed in designated areas; still common in many bars and hotels.
    • Blowing your nose in public is taboo – sniffing is preferred.
    • People queue politely with floor markings, no cutting in line.
    • Bowing is a common greeting and sign of respect; the lower bow shows lower social rank.
    • Point with your whole hand as much as you can. Don't point at people with a finger, it's rude.
    • Even a simple bow can go a long way with Japanese folks, but no need to overdo it.

🍛 Food

  • Dishes
    • Sushi (kaisendon)
    • Ramen 
      • types: soy sauce, salt, miso, tankotsu
      • Tsukemen (no borth, dipping noodles in extra sauce)
    • Gyūdon (beef and rice)
    • Tonkatsu (pork cutlet)
    • Wagyū Beef
    • Kaisendon (seafood rice bowl)
    • Okonomiyaki (pancake)[Osaka]
    • Takoyaki (ball-shaped snack of a wheat flour-based batter filled with octopus)[Osaka]
    • Tempura (seafood and vegetables coated in a thin batter and deep-fried)
    • Mochi (rice cake)
    • Matcha Latte
  • Restaurants: (lunch cheaper than diner), 
    • Oreyu Shio Ramen (Tokyo): ramen
    • Tenkaippin (Kansai): ramen
    • 551 Horai: pork buns
    • Tsukemen Tetsu:  spicy dipped noodles
    • Yayoiken: traditional Japanese breakfast
    • Tsukiji Gindaco: takoyaki 
    • Tendon Tenya: tempura
    • CoCo Ichibanya: curry
    • ... more chains: Matsuya, Hanamaru Udon, Ootoya, Sukiya, Yoshinoya
    • ... more restaurants: Torikizoku, HACHIYA curry Tokyo
    • often free water/tee
  • Supermarket: Sushi/Bento take-away, reduced in local grocery stores after 6-8pm, Konbini like 7-11 or Family Mart more expensive

November 12, 2014 in 

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