Five Tips For Touring Japan
Japan is a great place to travel; however, due to having such a difficult language and with the population lacking in ethnic diversity, going can seem like a daunting task rather than a simple vacation. Although the language barrier can be difficult to get around, especially outside of main cities, the positives greatly outweigh the negatives on the trip. Japan has a lot of great history, which is juxtaposed with crowded urban cities, and has a unique sense of spirit that can’t be rivaled by any other country. Overall, Japan is an amazing place to visit and can be made easy if you plan in advance. So get your plane ticket cheap using a promo code for Travelocity and start prepping for your adventure.
1. Transportation
Many of the large cities in Japan are spread out. If you really want to travel and make the most of your trip you should invest in a JR Pass. A JR Pass is short for Japan Rail Pass; it will allow you to ride through many types of trains (including the bullet train) for a flat fee upon purchase for a select amount of days. I was able to travel throughout the country without paying a huge price. The pass must be bought before you arrive in Japan and can be purchased through japanrailpass.net.
2. Accommodations
Lodging can be difficult to find in Japan, especially if you are looking for some place cheap. Hostels are always a good option for someone on the go, especially if you are alone. Another option for solo traveling are capsule hotels, which are small pods just big enough for you to sleep in. If you are traveling with a person of the opposite gender, love hotels are fairly cheap; however, two people of the same gender cannot get a room together. Love hotels are cheap and provide basic necessities like toothbrushes and soap.
3. Dining
Japanese food is delicious to say the least but it can be very pricey if you are constantly eating out at nice restaurants. If you must eat on the go, try going to convenient stores such as 7-11. Not only will you be surprised by the large assortment of food, but the price is right and the food is actually pretty good! Experiment with different kinds of rice balls and breads since they are normally the cheapest.
4. Language
In large cities, most of the transportation and main signs are also written in English; however, this is not the case in more suburban and rural areas. If you know you want to travel outside Tokyo, find the kanji (Chinese characters) for your destination and write them down. This way you can easily get off on the correct train stop or get help when you’re lost.
5. Asking For Help
Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Japanese people are very polite. If you are courteous and respectful to them, they will be the same to you. Most people in Japan have studied English at some point or know some basic words; so if you are lost don’t feel hopeless.
Steff Scholl spent two and a half weeks in Japan. She traveled the countryside to Tokyo, back up to Osaka, Kyoto and all the way to Hiroshima. Although she did lose her way a few times, she knew to prepare for such instances ahead of time and got herself out of trouble. Steff recommends using a promo code for Travelocity to save some money for better uses like buying a JR Pass.