Since Japan opened its airports back up to the world at the start of 2023, it seems every other person I know seems to have been or is planning a visit to this magical country. If you’re reading this post then it’s likely the case that you’re beginning the organisation (or maybe you’re already in Japan and forgotten all of the advice you were given and now you’re frantically googling for tips – that was me 😉) and there’s an awful lot to figure out.
Whilst I was only in Japan for a couple of weeks I made enough mistakes, although also discovered some very handy tips, to be able to share a super helpful guide of tips for you to look through. It will be most beneficial to read through before you get to Japan and in the trip itinerary planning but it would also be useful to save it to come back to since there are things on this list that will be very useful whilst you’re there. Twenty might seem like a lot of tips but I’ve broken them down and tried to make them very specific so it’s easier for you to navigate. Happy planning and please leave a comment if you’ve got any questions or if you have any other tips you’d add 🚆
JR Pass:
1. Spend time planning your trains
This is one of the most important parts of planning your trip to Japan. You’ve probably saved a hundred and one places on Google Maps that you’ve seen on social media because there are stunning places to see all over the country. But it’s quite a lot bigger than you might think. It’s very worthwhile sitting down and trying to figure out where you most want to visit and then checking (with Google Maps) how long it will actually take to get there. Whilst the train network is pretty awesome and reaches lots of places you might not want to spend every day sitting on trains. With the time that we had, it became apparent that unless we wanted to spend four hours every day on a train we’d need to make some priorities and a couple of places dropped off our trip list.
2. Get the JR Pass if you’re in Japan for at least a week and plan to visit a lot of places
Spending time planning your trains will also help you decide if it’s worthwhile getting the JR Pass or not. Plenty of people will tell you that you absolutely need it but before you make the jump and purchase one (especially now they’ve increased in price), check how much each individual journey would cost you to figure out if it’s worth it overall. Also important to note is 4. because the JR Pass can’t be used on any train without exception so factor this into your decision.
Most likely, if you’re in Japan for at least a week and you’re planning to head to a number of different places taking the Shinkansen (bullet train) it will be worth it for you. We visited Matsumoto Castle which we wouldn’t have otherwise done if we didn’t have the JR Pass because we only had a couple of hours so this is a perk to having the Pass.
Top Tip – Data Roaming
If you’re visiting Japan from overseas then getting online with an eSIM from Holafly is such a game changer. No swapping SIMs. No complicated data roaming. Lots of choice. If your phone is compatible, just download the eSIM and get going!
Holafly
3. Get your JR Pass before you plan on using it
When you arrive in Japan you’ll need to activate your JR Pass. Unfortunately I misheard a work colleague and thought you could only activate it on the day you wanted to use it. Don’t do that! The queues can end up being quite long at the activation office (there aren’t many) which means wasting precious travel time.
It is absolutely worth spending a morning when you arrive, getting it activated and booking some of your most important journeys as well as those you’ll need to take luggage on (see 13). More trains were reserved than I was expecting so knowing you have your critical journeys with reservations is good peace of mind.
4. The JR Pass can’t be used on every train
Because it’s called the Japan Rail Pass it would be easy to assume that it can be used on any trains in Japan, however, the JR Pass is for the JR company trains. This means there are actually quite a number of services that you won’t be able to use the pass on. Don’t get caught out and use this information to plan what days you want your pass to cover. For example, the JR Pass does not cover the whole journey to Lake Kawaguchiko to see Mt Fuji. You can use the pass to Otsuki Station and from there you switch to the Fujikyuko Line. This might mean you choose to ride out to Lake Kawaguchiko outside of your JR Pass validity.
Train Etiquette:
It’s common knowledge that manners and etiquette are extremely important in Japan so follow these tips to lower the likelihood of standing out!
5. Don’t eat or drink on shorter trains
It’s a little confusing because there are vending machines all over the place in Japan which you can find selling just about anything and this includes selling food and drink in stations on platforms. On shorter, commuter trains and the subway around cities like Tokyo and Kyoto don’t eat and drink on the train. It’s considered impolite to eat or drink in public or whilst walking. The exception is water and on longer train journeys (such as Shinkansen) where eating and drinking is ok and indicated by the presence of a tray table and cup holder. Avoid eating anything that has a strong smell and might put others off.
6. Don’t talk loudly
In the UK I must admit I’ve unfortunately got used to the ‘quiet carriage’ not really being very quiet any more and most trains are noisy with loud voices and conversations. It’s fine to talk on the train in Japan but don’t be loud and disturbing other passengers. Some trains felt eerily quiet despite being rather full so you’ll stand out if you do talk loudly.
7. Don’t play music and videos out loud
This one should go without saying although sadly is another one that’s becoming more common around the world on public transport. If you’re expected to talk quietly on trains in Japan then you’re absolutely expected to keep your music and videos in your ear and not demand the rest of your carriage listen as well. Bring your headphones if you want entertainment and if you forget them then unfortunately it’s tough.
8. Don’t leave your litter behind
You shouldn’t expect someone else to tidy up your litter so make sure you either put it in the bin by the door of the train carriage or take it with you and dispose of your litter at home.
9. Follow the queue markings
Before you get on a train it’s customary to form a queue. In Japan, they’re on another level of queuing with markings mapped out on train platforms to guide you to your door. There are lines marked for different types of train, first train arriving vs second train arriving and even different lengths of train. As someone who enjoys a queuing system this made me very happy 😂
10. Follow the signage
On top of following the queue markings to get onto the train, make sure to follow the signs onboard as well. This includes priority seating which is at the most accessible location on the train. If it’s quiet then you’re fine to sit in the priority seating but make sure to get up and offer it to someone else when it gets busier. Please remember that not everyone that requires priority seating may visibly require it. Another sign to watch out for is women only carriages which have been designated on some commuter trains at certain times of the day. The sign is pink (obvs) and they’re designed to help women feel safer when traveling at particularly busy times of the day.
Luggage:
Traveling with luggage can make navigating busy trains and station even harder. These three tips will help make this easier.
11. Use the luggage transfer service
First of all, if you can avoid traveling with oversize luggage then do it! Train stations and the trains themselves are so big and busy that hauling around your backpack or suitcase with all of your items adds an extra dimension of stress whether that’s getting in people’s ways or finding that the lift is at the opposite end of the platform.
In Japan there is the most incredible luggage transfer service which can deliver your bags from your hotel in one city to another. The price depending on the urgency. Most will arrive overnight so make sure you pack essentials in a smaller bag for one night without it and then you can enjoy your train journey without lugging it all around. We shipped our big bags from Tokyo to Kyoto and then kept a couple of smaller bags with us for a couple of nights in Nagano & Lake Kawaguchiko.
My advice would be to organise this in advance or at the very least check with the hotels that you want to send luggage between that this is a service they can offer (sending hotel) and that they can accept your luggage (receiving hotel).
Top Tip – Booking Activities & Tours
My favourite app for booking tours, adventures and plenty of fun is Get Your Guide. There are so many epic memories that you can choose to make from food tours to entry tickets, laidback wine tasting to adrenaline filled adventures. Make sure you use my discount code catthomson10 for 10% off your first booking when you download the app as a new user 👇
Get Your Guide App
11. Station Lockers
There are lockers everywhere. Seriously everywhere. In train stations around Japan, there are (sometimes) hundreds of lockers of varying sizes which can be used to store your belongings for up to three days. You pay per day to use the locker and we used them on separate occasions when we wanted to get rid of some bulkier things to be able to explore. They’re very convenient but you just have to remember exactly where you left it… we may have had to go round in circles at Kyoto station trying to track down which was our storage location because there were so many! You can usually either pay by IC card (see 16) or with coins (see 17).
13. Book reserved tickets when you have oversized luggage
If you do need to take your luggage on the train and you have oversized baggage (check JR site for what oversized means dimensionally) then you’ll need to reserve a seat. The Shinkansen does have ample overhead shelving (sometimes to 60cm depth) and pretty good leg room between chairs but the most comfortable way to travel with bigger bags is to reserve the end of carriage seats. These come with storage behind them so your bags won’t be in danger of rolling or falling into you in the journey. These spaces can only be used by the passengers in the seats directly in front of them.
Other Tips:
14. Check if it’s a holiday
When we booked a trip to Japan in November, I didn’t see anything that said avoid holiday season but I didn’t do enough research and when we arrived in Tokyo it was actually a bank holiday Friday. This meant that there wasn’t commuter traffic on the trains that day but instead a lot of the popular day trips from Tokyo were fully booked. We had planned to go to Nikko on the Sunday but all of the express trains were booked until lunchtime. We were only going to do a daytrip and all the trains back were also reserved so it was impossible to do and we had to make other plans instead.
So my tip here is double check what holidays might be on when you’re visiting Japan and if you plan to take a train (particularly to anywhere that is touristy with locals as well as visitors) then reserve it to avoid disappointment.
15. Reserve your most important journeys
This comes from the above. You don’t always quite know which trains are going to be popular and already have lots of reservations so make sure you reserve the ones that are critical (eg where you’ve booked accommodation already and can’t flex). We actually ended up just reserving all of our trains that involved accommodation when we visited the JR office. After our debacle with missing out on Nikko because of full trains it was great to know we would be able to make everything else work.
I know it’s not ideal for flexibility but Japan is such a popular place to visit and the population itself is so large that it’s sometimes necessary to avoid missing out on the places you most want to see.
16. Get an IC card at the airport (you’ll need your passport)
One of the best things you can do when you arrive in Japan (no matter how long that flight might have been!) is to get yourself an IC card. After you’ve left the airport they’ll be a lot trickier to find so you’ll be doing your future self a favour by getting it sorted when you arrive. There are a number to choose from and I chose the PASMO Tourist card which you’ll need your passport to buy. Not only is this really helpful for being able to tap on and off trains like an Oyster card in London, but you can also use it in lots of corner shops, vending machines and other places as well.
You need to make sure it’s topped up with cash. But if you make it to the end of a journey and find you’ve not got enough on your card, there’s nearly always a top up machine on hand!
17. Bring lots of cash
Before going to Japan my mum suggested we should get lots of cash out. ‘I’m sure we won’t need it’ I replied thinking that Japan is very technologically advanced so surely that includes using your card? How wrong I was. Cash is definitely king in Japan and often it’s not only king but also queen, prince, judge etc etc. So basically quite a lot of places where you can only use cash and this includes many of the trains (particularly the trains in Tokyo). If you have an IC card this makes life a lot easier but you do need to top these up with cash as well. To buy tickets in Tokyo, the machines will only take cash – card is not even an option and the same at the ticket offices as well. Most of the lockers and vending machines around train stations are also coin operated.
Top Tip – Booking Activities & Tours
My favourite app for booking tours, adventures and plenty of fun is Get Your Guide. There are so many epic memories that you can choose to make from food tours to entry tickets, laidback wine tasting to adrenaline filled adventures. Make sure you use my discount code catthomson10 for 10% off your first booking when you download the app as a new user 👇
Get Your Guide App
18. Make sure you’ve got the right ticket
I know this sounds very obvious but in practice it’s a bit trickier than it sounds! We made two mistakes as examples of things to watch out for one with different types of train and one with different train companies.
The first is that in Tokyo there are three different train operators: JR, Tokyo Subway & Toei Metro. They all charge separately. The best way to avoid making a mistake here is to get yourself an IC card (16) because this allows you to tap on and off any of them. If you don’t manage to get yourself an IC card (and my parents didn’t) then make sure you’re buying the right ticket for the right train. On the first day I thought I was buying them an all day ticket to ride any train and turns out it was only valid on the Toei Metro line – not ideal. Typically, you should use the ticket machine located closest to the line you’re going to take and read the instructions thoroughly.
The other tip I have for you is when you’re riding express vs limited express vs rapid vs local. And that is make sure you know what you’re paying for and what you need to ride the train you’re on. When we travelled from Kyoto to Nara we paid for the fastest 35 minute train. But we didn’t realise until we got on and sat in the fanciest seats (they literally rotated with a button so you could face outside) that we’d paid so much money vs the local train – whoops. Our other mistake with the type of train was at Fuji where we didn’t realise that a base ticket was required as well as the upgrade ticket to ride on the Fujisan View Express.
19. Google Maps will be your best friend
If you checked my screen time for my phone while I was in Japan I’m pretty sure that the majority of it was taken up by Google Maps. This was an absolute lifesaver when navigating, particularly in Tokyo. Google is very up to date with train times and things like platforms as well as telling you which exit to get out of and even which carriage is best for the quickest transfer!
20. Give yourself enough time to make it to your train
There are a couple of reasons for this. Japan is notorious for punctuality so you can’t count on the train being delayed or leaving at the end of the minute it’s due to set off which means it’s super important to get to your platform on time. Trains can be very long (ten or twelve carriages can be standard) so if you have a reservation it might be at the other end of the platform. Some of the larger stations are very tricky to navigate with lots of platforms and many entrances and exits which add time onto your journey to your train. Even some smaller stations might require extra time if you enter by an entrance that’s actually quite far from where the platforms are located (particularly for underground stations in Tokyo).
Keep planning your trip to Japan with some Instagrammable inspiration in Tokyo and Kyoto:
Cat x