As someone that recently came back from a solo trip to Japan (your videos were SUCH a help btw), I found that I saved a lot of money by eating my breakfast/snacks from convenience stores! An option for the more budget conscious. Thank you for this series. I am already dreaming about my future trip, and these videos will help a lot.
Natasha, your videos have reduced my traveling anxiety by 70%. Pretty worried about not knowing Japanese as an independent tourist with a husband that likes everything to go smoothly. We are planning a 17 day Princess Cruise in June 2022 (rainy season) but we plan to do independent travel before and after our cruise. I can’t say enough about how helpful your videos are! Thanks a million... 😎
My husband and I went in April 2019 for 9 days. For us, the most expensive part of the trip is getting to Japan (from the Midwest USA). Cheap accommodations were relatively easy to find, but a good tip is to find a hotel near a train/subway station. I started learning Japanese just about 2 months before hand (after having some previous knowledge like greetings, and picking stuff up from anime) and we didn't have any trouble at all. There were two instances where a retirement-age person approached us, one to practice their English, and one because we looked lost in Tokyo Station. It was very cute and appreciated! One thing I did learn from this video is Silver Week, I hadn't heard that one before! So thank you very much, your videos are a wonderful resource. I watched hours of Japan travel videos on TH-cam and yours are the ones that had things that actually I put into practice there, especially regarding getting around. We're planning a second trip for October 2020 and I'm looking forward to this series. There's always more to learn :)
Thanks so much Faye!!! Glad you found it easy to get around and language wasn't an issue! October 2020 will be fun! Cooler than summer but still warm, and those autumn light ups should have started! Thanks so much for the comment again and for watching the videos! :D
This is a fantastic planning video! The last time I went to Japan was nearly 10 years ago (eep!) so my knowledge is super outdated... this was great. Have you ever visited in May? (not golden week... later)? Totally agree about how safe and friendly it is! So many people would come up to help us when we were lost without even asking (we would look at a map and someone would just start talking to us!). One person even took us all the way to the door of our hostel (although we didn't have the heart to tell them we realised they had taken us to the wrong one, and just stood waving at them from outside the hostel pretending we were about to go in until they had gone out of sight!) 😂 Look forward to more of your planning series!🙂
I went in May this year, just after GW - the Japanese people are so nice and friendly / helpful as you say - saving for a return trip in a couple of years.
@@antonyjackson2324 How did you find the weather at that time of year? I have only been in August and loved the heat & humidity :) Good luck with your savings!
I love that!!! My friend invites us round to his family's house often and they do that too; it's awesome! I have been in May! I like it a lot; there's festivals and it's hot, as long as it's not Golden Week it's a great time to go!!!
@@thisNatasha ooo glad to hear the posi reviews of May! We LOVE hot! Festivals you say... interesting! I will keep eyes peeled when we start properly planning for what's going on 🙂
We used all of your vlogs to plan the trip we took a few years back. Your advice/videos were extremely helpful! The people of Japan are amazing, so kind and thoughtful. If we seemed lost strangers who barely spoke English would go out of their way to direct us. It was such a wonderful experience, can't wait to go back in 2020
I think the hardest bit for me is definitely the budget part. I remember you mentioning to look at lunch sets as a way to do good food on the cheaper side and I'll definitely be doing that. Great video as always!
Thanks so much!!! We did a bunch of research for open stores and restaurants during New Years and happily managed to find enough that were open for us so I'm glad the info has helped! Hope you have an amazing trip!!!
I have no idea why when I search for how to plan for Japan I have never found your channel before! Hopefully we can get to go to Japan soon. I have been once in summer it wasn't really bad, end of August, and it was nice for me at least.
Oh wow! Ok I really struggled in that heat, I'm so much better in the cold weather! I hope you get to go to Japan soon, I was supposed to go in May but we cancelled, now planning for next year!
Great tips! I prefer visiting Japan in late Spring (May-June), cause the weather is nice, not much rain, the days are longer, the trees are green, and not so crowded. For cheap food, I'd also recommend conbini stores (7-11, Lawson, Family Mart): they have some very good cheap food. For visiting shrines and temples, I always try to go early in the morning, cause they're empty, and it's a totally different experience than going when there's a crowd.
Early in the morning to visit shrines is a great idea!!! I should try to that this time, if I can wake up in time! Conbini food is a great idea too - super nom and super cheap!!! Thanks Seiya!!!
I learnt from another vlogger that there is also ‘welcome suica’ for tourists staying in japan for 1 month. There is no deposit and you get to keep the card as souvenir 💳
In Tokyo I met this really lovely woman and we wanted to chat but my Japanese is very limited (and worse when I've had a few drinks!) and she didn't speak any English. So we used google translate. I know the translations get a bad wrap sometimes but it was good enough for us to carry on a conversation! Also if you're travelling from Australia to Japan Qantas now does direct flights from Melbourne and a few other cities. Jetstar has done this for a while (and it's cheaper) but it's not a comfortable flight as their cabins are very compact. If you're going from Melbourne and willing to do a stop over from Sydney or Brisbane there are heaps of other great airlines. Highly recommend Air New Zealand, just did Melbourne to USA with them and it was the best flight experience I've had.
Aw that's amazing! You had a whole convo with Google Translate! I love it!!! Thanks for the tips on flying from Australia, I've never done that route myself! Quantas seems like a reliable airline, it's good that they fly to a few cities. Thanks again!!!
If youre going to visit character street underneath tokyo station, would you mind recording your walk from the train platform to the shops? I think you already mentioned yaesu(?) exit before but i still got lost when i went to tokyo 🙁
Omg this is so complicated!!! Yeah I'll try to get the route!!! I'll have to finf a good landmark to start from. I think the trick is to remember it's on basement 2 ... I think!!!
How about this tip for your ‘Top Tips’ - No tipping in Japan! Refreshing and wonderful custom. In fact, you might actually offend if you do. Great trip planning video. Looking forward to more. 👍👍 Cheers 🥂
Oh you're quite right! I should include this somewhere! Maybe I should do a "getting around Japan" tips video with this and stuff like restaurant floors in department stores!
Great video Natasha thank you. Quick question for you. How is the metro with suitcases? I understand it will be similar to the London underground in terms of just keep case close to you and dont leave it in peoples way etc etc. Is luggage easy to get through the gates? do they have larger ones like in the UK?
Hey Craig! Metro is fine with suitcases and perhaps easier than the UK as they have elevators / lifts at almost every metro station! The only problem is if it's rush hour - then it'll be CRAZY and you might not get your luggage on. If it is rush hour I recommend you go grab a coffee and a cake somewhere and wait it out; shouldn't take too long. Otherwise it's totally as you said! I hope that helps!
Love the channel and videos, very helpful for my February trip. I’ve heard of a few different ways to change out currency. Do it before you arrive in japan, order through your bank or travel agent, or just wait until you actually arrive in Japan. How do you go about changing your currency? Thanks in advance. I also can’t wait for the JR pass video!!
Thanks so much!!! I actually am using Revolut to transfer my currency; but in the past I would just get it from the currency exchange at the airport! Revolut it much better I think!!!
So much great information! Thank you! We won’t be going for long time but we plan to go end of Halloween into November. The goal is to try to see both holidays in Tokyo Disney like you can in WDW. I am dying to see HHN there too 😍 Gotta see Ghibli & fill my anime heart too 😂
So excited for this series! I’m not planning on going soon but eventually I’d love to! Any advice for traveling there with tattoos? I know being inked is not well received there.
I have none but have read that most places are fine with them, bar the bathhouse places - some may ban you if you are not able to cover them up - but I saw Westerners in TDR showing them with t-shirts / shorts and they had no issue.
Hi Eveliina! It's like Antony said, it's usually fine except for the bath houses. It's normal to see tourists with tattoos so I don't think you need to specially cover up or anything. If you're desperate to try a bath house try going to a ryokan which had private onsen; you can then rent one just for yourself!!!
Thanks LynneBerlin! I like tripadvisor and booking.com to find accommodation; there’ll be a dedicated accommodation video coming up in a few weeks time!
Such an informative video, thank you for sharing. Got me wanting to plan a trip now! Grr. Lol Question I have. Can't join your live due to christmas noms..... how visible can you have tattoos in Japan. I've heard it is frowned upon, so would have to go when it's colder to cover up.
Thanks Mark!!! Visible tattoos are fine, you’ll just have some problems getting into bath houses. You may get some funny looks if you have loads, but I generally think you’ll be ok!
Do you have any shoes suggestions for people going in April? I live in Los Angeles (so we never get rain) so I know nothing about shoes for any other climate than sun
Oh I'm jealous of that!!! I live in London so ... rain! I think you'll be fine in normal sneakers; the rain isn't torrential, it's just rain. So a good umbrella and closed toe shoes and you're good!!! I don't bring anything specially waterproof in April!
Hi Natasha, great video as always. I'm actually travelling to Tokyo in 2020 during Golden WK... Planning on just staying in Tokyo. I'm not planning on visiting Disney or Skytree or stuff like that... should this be ok? Will eateries, etc be open? Thanks!
Oh yeah everything will be open! It's just New Years when things are closed. It may be a bit busy where you'll are but it'll be fine for sure. Get your hotels as soon as you can!!!
Correct! I think it was about 1/2 the WDW day pass cost - but you do not have a flexibility of tickets as you do in the states, i.e. park hopping from day one etc.
100 British Pounds = 131 US Dollars and 192 Australian Dollars and 174 Canadian Dollars and 119 Euros! Phew!
Awful for us Australians.
OK NATASHA YOU ARE LOOKING SO CAUCASIAN AND HOW MUCH RUSSIAN RUBLES AND YOU ARE FROM UK OR NOT BUT I THINK YOU LIVE IN LONDON
Natasha your channel is too good to be so small. Great work as always.
Thanks so much Randy!!!
As someone that recently came back from a solo trip to Japan (your videos were SUCH a help btw), I found that I saved a lot of money by eating my breakfast/snacks from convenience stores! An option for the more budget conscious. Thank you for this series. I am already dreaming about my future trip, and these videos will help a lot.
That is a good point - I used to eat there a lot to save a bit of money, but the quality is sooo good.
Oh that's a great tip!!! I should have remembered about that one. I'll try to include it in a later video. Thanks!!!
Natasha, your videos have reduced my traveling anxiety by 70%. Pretty worried about not knowing Japanese as an independent tourist with a husband that likes everything to go smoothly. We are planning a 17 day Princess Cruise in June 2022 (rainy season) but we plan to do independent travel before and after our cruise. I can’t say enough about how helpful your videos are! Thanks a million... 😎
My husband and I went in April 2019 for 9 days. For us, the most expensive part of the trip is getting to Japan (from the Midwest USA). Cheap accommodations were relatively easy to find, but a good tip is to find a hotel near a train/subway station. I started learning Japanese just about 2 months before hand (after having some previous knowledge like greetings, and picking stuff up from anime) and we didn't have any trouble at all. There were two instances where a retirement-age person approached us, one to practice their English, and one because we looked lost in Tokyo Station. It was very cute and appreciated!
One thing I did learn from this video is Silver Week, I hadn't heard that one before! So thank you very much, your videos are a wonderful resource. I watched hours of Japan travel videos on TH-cam and yours are the ones that had things that actually I put into practice there, especially regarding getting around. We're planning a second trip for October 2020 and I'm looking forward to this series. There's always more to learn :)
Thanks so much Faye!!! Glad you found it easy to get around and language wasn't an issue! October 2020 will be fun! Cooler than summer but still warm, and those autumn light ups should have started! Thanks so much for the comment again and for watching the videos! :D
This is a fantastic planning video! The last time I went to Japan was nearly 10 years ago (eep!) so my knowledge is super outdated... this was great. Have you ever visited in May? (not golden week... later)? Totally agree about how safe and friendly it is! So many people would come up to help us when we were lost without even asking (we would look at a map and someone would just start talking to us!). One person even took us all the way to the door of our hostel (although we didn't have the heart to tell them we realised they had taken us to the wrong one, and just stood waving at them from outside the hostel pretending we were about to go in until they had gone out of sight!) 😂 Look forward to more of your planning series!🙂
I went in May this year, just after GW - the Japanese people are so nice and friendly / helpful as you say - saving for a return trip in a couple of years.
@@antonyjackson2324 How did you find the weather at that time of year? I have only been in August and loved the heat & humidity :) Good luck with your savings!
I love that!!! My friend invites us round to his family's house often and they do that too; it's awesome! I have been in May! I like it a lot; there's festivals and it's hot, as long as it's not Golden Week it's a great time to go!!!
@@thisNatasha ooo glad to hear the posi reviews of May! We LOVE hot! Festivals you say... interesting! I will keep eyes peeled when we start properly planning for what's going on 🙂
I go to Japan from Australia in a month and Ive honestly already used your channel as a guide so far so these videos are even better 😍
Ah thanks so much Payton!!! Hope you have a great trip - I might even see you there!!!
Love all your videos, Natasha.
Thank you for doing these Natasha. We’re looking to go in 2022 and these are a huge help for us.
Oh i'm so glad!!! Thanks for letting me know!!!
We used all of your vlogs to plan the trip we took a few years back. Your advice/videos were extremely helpful! The people of Japan are amazing, so kind and thoughtful. If we seemed lost strangers who barely spoke English would go out of their way to direct us. It was such a wonderful experience, can't wait to go back in 2020
Amazing!!! It really is a fantastic place; so happy you had a great trip! And 2020 is just around the corner, so let the planning begin!!! :D
I think the hardest bit for me is definitely the budget part. I remember you mentioning to look at lunch sets as a way to do good food on the cheaper side and I'll definitely be doing that. Great video as always!
Yeah lunch sets are awesome!!! And food at convenience stores! I always loves a Ramen lunch, as I'll be full for hours after that!!!
I’m leaving in under 3 weeks - your videos are so helpful, especially since I’m going to be there over new year!
Thanks so much!!! We did a bunch of research for open stores and restaurants during New Years and happily managed to find enough that were open for us so I'm glad the info has helped! Hope you have an amazing trip!!!
Its really amazing,
I have no idea why when I search for how to plan for Japan I have never found your channel before! Hopefully we can get to go to Japan soon. I have been once in summer it wasn't really bad, end of August, and it was nice for me at least.
Oh wow! Ok I really struggled in that heat, I'm so much better in the cold weather! I hope you get to go to Japan soon, I was supposed to go in May but we cancelled, now planning for next year!
Can't wait for your Rail Pass video.
Thanks ko ko!!!
Hi Natasha
Thanks a great help can't wait for more.
🤗😍💖🎀📸👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
Thanks so much Melanie!!!!
Great tips! I prefer visiting Japan in late Spring (May-June), cause the weather is nice, not much rain, the days are longer, the trees are green, and not so crowded.
For cheap food, I'd also recommend conbini stores (7-11, Lawson, Family Mart): they have some very good cheap food.
For visiting shrines and temples, I always try to go early in the morning, cause they're empty, and it's a totally different experience than going when there's a crowd.
Early in the morning to visit shrines is a great idea!!! I should try to that this time, if I can wake up in time! Conbini food is a great idea too - super nom and super cheap!!! Thanks Seiya!!!
I learnt from another vlogger that there is also ‘welcome suica’ for tourists staying in japan for 1 month. There is no deposit and you get to keep the card as souvenir 💳
Great idea - I had mine on my iPhone and there was no cash on it when I left Japan ;)
Ah cool! I got one once which was special for the Narita Express, it had cherry blossoms on it and I loved it!!! Sad I can't find it now!
As always-great information! Looking forward to to seeing the rest of the series!
Thanks so much Kathy!!!
Really informative and helpful video.
Thanks so much Wayne!!!
In Tokyo I met this really lovely woman and we wanted to chat but my Japanese is very limited (and worse when I've had a few drinks!) and she didn't speak any English. So we used google translate. I know the translations get a bad wrap sometimes but it was good enough for us to carry on a conversation!
Also if you're travelling from Australia to Japan Qantas now does direct flights from Melbourne and a few other cities. Jetstar has done this for a while (and it's cheaper) but it's not a comfortable flight as their cabins are very compact. If you're going from Melbourne and willing to do a stop over from Sydney or Brisbane there are heaps of other great airlines. Highly recommend Air New Zealand, just did Melbourne to USA with them and it was the best flight experience I've had.
Aw that's amazing! You had a whole convo with Google Translate! I love it!!! Thanks for the tips on flying from Australia, I've never done that route myself! Quantas seems like a reliable airline, it's good that they fly to a few cities. Thanks again!!!
If youre going to visit character street underneath tokyo station, would you mind recording your walk from the train platform to the shops? I think you already mentioned yaesu(?) exit before but i still got lost when i went to tokyo 🙁
Omg this is so complicated!!! Yeah I'll try to get the route!!! I'll have to finf a good landmark to start from. I think the trick is to remember it's on basement 2 ... I think!!!
How about this tip for your ‘Top Tips’ - No tipping in Japan! Refreshing and wonderful custom. In fact, you might actually offend if you do. Great trip planning video. Looking forward to more. 👍👍 Cheers 🥂
Oh you're quite right! I should include this somewhere! Maybe I should do a "getting around Japan" tips video with this and stuff like restaurant floors in department stores!
thisNatasha 👌🏻
Great video Natasha thank you. Quick question for you. How is the metro with suitcases? I understand it will be similar to the London underground in terms of just keep case close to you and dont leave it in peoples way etc etc. Is luggage easy to get through the gates? do they have larger ones like in the UK?
Hey Craig! Metro is fine with suitcases and perhaps easier than the UK as they have elevators / lifts at almost every metro station! The only problem is if it's rush hour - then it'll be CRAZY and you might not get your luggage on. If it is rush hour I recommend you go grab a coffee and a cake somewhere and wait it out; shouldn't take too long. Otherwise it's totally as you said! I hope that helps!
Love the channel and videos, very helpful for my February trip. I’ve heard of a few different ways to change out currency. Do it before you arrive in japan, order through your bank or travel agent, or just wait until you actually arrive in Japan. How do you go about changing your currency?
Thanks in advance. I also can’t wait for the JR pass video!!
Thanks so much!!! I actually am using Revolut to transfer my currency; but in the past I would just get it from the currency exchange at the airport! Revolut it much better I think!!!
So much great information! Thank you! We won’t be going for long time but we plan to go end of Halloween into November. The goal is to try to see both holidays in Tokyo Disney like you can in WDW. I am dying to see HHN there too 😍 Gotta see Ghibli & fill my anime heart too 😂
Oh nice plan!!! You'll have to let me know what HHN is like; as I'll never go! Too scared!!!
Dormy Inn Shibuya - is this the one where the windows have views of trains or the one where the windows are white-out, so no view whatsoever?
Most likely!!! Maybe I should try finding hotels with views next time!!!
Some great tips ☺ ♥ 🇯🇵
Thanks Trevor! Hope your week is going well!!!
So excited for this series! I’m not planning on going soon but eventually I’d love to! Any advice for traveling there with tattoos? I know being inked is not well received there.
I have none but have read that most places are fine with them, bar the bathhouse places - some may ban you if you are not able to cover them up - but I saw Westerners in TDR showing them with t-shirts / shorts and they had no issue.
Hi Eveliina! It's like Antony said, it's usually fine except for the bath houses. It's normal to see tourists with tattoos so I don't think you need to specially cover up or anything. If you're desperate to try a bath house try going to a ryokan which had private onsen; you can then rent one just for yourself!!!
that comes in handy. i m planing to go on march till april on hiking. how to find cheap accommodation? thanks very much.
Thanks LynneBerlin! I like tripadvisor and booking.com to find accommodation; there’ll be a dedicated accommodation video coming up in a few weeks time!
going there in 2 weeks ^^
WOOOOO SO CLOSE!!!
Such an informative video, thank you for sharing. Got me wanting to plan a trip now! Grr. Lol
Question I have. Can't join your live due to christmas noms..... how visible can you have tattoos in Japan. I've heard it is frowned upon, so would have to go when it's colder to cover up.
Thanks Mark!!! Visible tattoos are fine, you’ll just have some problems getting into bath houses. You may get some funny looks if you have loads, but I generally think you’ll be ok!
@@thisNatasha thanks. Happy to give onsens a miss if I'm honest. Enough other bits to investigate.
Do you have any shoes suggestions for people going in April? I live in Los Angeles (so we never get rain) so I know nothing about shoes for any other climate than sun
Oh I'm jealous of that!!! I live in London so ... rain! I think you'll be fine in normal sneakers; the rain isn't torrential, it's just rain. So a good umbrella and closed toe shoes and you're good!!! I don't bring anything specially waterproof in April!
Went on Golden week! It was so stressful HAHAHA!
Oh I know the pain!!! So many people!
Hi Natasha, great video as always. I'm actually travelling to Tokyo in 2020 during Golden WK... Planning on just staying in Tokyo. I'm not planning on visiting Disney or Skytree or stuff like that... should this be ok? Will eateries, etc be open? Thanks!
Oh yeah everything will be open! It's just New Years when things are closed. It may be a bit busy where you'll are but it'll be fine for sure. Get your hotels as soon as you can!!!
@@thisNatasha Thanks! I had my Airbnb booked a couple of months ago... staying near Omotesando station. Looking forward!
Isn't TDL, one of the least expensive entry fees compared to Disneyland, World and Paris?
Correct! I think it was about 1/2 the WDW day pass cost - but you do not have a flexibility of tickets as you do in the states, i.e. park hopping from day one etc.
Yup! Much cheaper; but there's so much cute merch they make their money back from me because I buy it all!!!