Take a portable charger! You will be on google maps a lot and taking many pictures. your phone will die really quick and it's a scary feeling when you don't know where your at, don't speak Japanese fluently, and the sun's starting to go down 😅. Thankfully we had one and it helped us a lot during a trip.
You can also get an aux battery. They are about the size of 2 cigarettes and hold a charge well. Just charge it and the phone in the capsule hotel at night.
For anyone considering getting a pocket wifi; If you're just staying in Tokyo, you definitly do not need to buy pocket wifi! There is Wifi in a lot of places now, and all JR rail station have free WiFi too! However if you're venturing outside of Tokyo, you'll need pocket wifi as there is not a lot of wifi, especially in Kyoto, the countryside or Hiroshima.
I found it really helpful to bring my own reusable shopping bag. when you buy stuff in Japan, even the smallest, single item, they will definitely put it in a plastic bag way too big for what you bought. It's nice the first few times, especially if you forgot to bring a bag for your dirty clothes, but as someone who tries to put out less waste, it's definitely really nice to have a reusable shopping bag on hand. Google Translate is super helpful! Google Translate has the option for you to take a photo of the thing you want to read and it'll translate from the photo. It's not 100% accurate, but it gets the job done.
This is truely useful !! I've been to Japan last month and I truely agree with struggle you've mention and can really see how your tips are going to help.
For navigation you can use the phone app maps.me since it has offline maps. You don't need a phone service to use it. It was very helpful to me in kyoto and osaka.
Yeah, I'd rather use Google Maps since it also has an Apple Watch app, but unfortunately the map of Japan can't be downloaded in Google Maps. But maps.me is a good alternative.
Really? I thought my friends were using it while we were there. I had unlimited data so I didn't need it. Oh yeah, I see. I just tried it for Shinjuku and it won't download.
My biggest Japan travel trip is to look into domestic flights if you are travelling around different parts of the country. My boyfriend and I recently spent 6 weeks travelling all over different parts of Japan and heavily utilised domestic flights, which worked out much cheaper than buying multiple JR Passes as we were there for an extended time (JR Pass is best for shorter trips, ie. 1-3 weeks). For example, we managed to score a flight with Spring Japan from Osaka to Tokyo that was just 700jpy before fees! Worked out to about AUD$15 each, which was a steal considering that the shinkansen would have been around $150. Additionally, both ANA and JAL offer discount domestic flights to tourists. My other tip is to use baggage forwarding! The majority of hotels provide this service, which ships your luggage from your current hotel to your next one for a fee. It's great being able to spend days at a time without all of your luggage weighing you down between cities, especially if you do a lot of shopping.
Hey Kim, thank you so much for all the great hacks. My sister and two friends of mine are going to Tokyo in November and you've been a huge help in us deciding what we want to do. So thank you for creating so much awesome content! :D
I'd recommend cdrental Japan for a SIM card so u can use Internet and maps to find your way. Also download a railway map. City rail map. Was great. Then you'll see a map and how they overlap :)
I'm planning on going to japan soon! I'm saving up and I'm soo excited, not only I've been learning the language but I've been learning the top things I need to know about Japan. thanks so much for this! this really helped!
About the JR Pass - You need to get the voucher before coming to Japan. We bought the vouchers online. When you arrive in Japan you go to a JR Office to activate the JR Pass. You will need to show your passport when you activate the voucher. You will get a Touristvisitor stamp in your passport at arrival in the airport. Only Touristvisitors can use this voucher for JR Pass... Remember do not loose your JR Pass. If you loose it then it is gone forever! You will not get it replaced. Also it can be used not just on JR Trains - but also on JR busses and JR ferries!
My friend lost his on the shinkansen because they came and cleaned up the trash while he was in the bathroom and took his pass along with the trash. Luckily we asked at the station when we got off and the train people actually dug through the trash and found it, then left it at the station 2 stops away for my friend to pick up.
I would recommend hostels as well! JHoppers is a great one that I did when I went to Japan. It's clean and super affordable. In some of the hostels they had a once a week get together with the people at the hostel so you can meet other people! They also had unique Japanese snacks with explanations of what it is and why they eat it and drinks
I was making a list with things i should be fixing before leaving to japan for the first time this mach, and your video is so clear and helpful! thank you very much for the video!
Very good video. I have watched a bunch of Blogs an Tipp Videos and you got explain everything in 14min. Keep up the Great Work. Iam going to Go to tokyo soon.
This is a great tutorial. Some of the tips like the rail pass are similar to what I've done in Europe. I'll get a SIM card next time I'm there. As for my own tips - I traveled with a group of six when I was there in January, and we had connections to local people that could help us out on local customs and getting around. We got some great advice from asking them what to see and do. They also gave us advice on good local spots to eat. In short, use the information available from the people where you're staying, since they know the area well. And, use the convenience stores (konbini) as much as you can. They were a lifesaver for us when we were staying in smaller towns and needed someplace to pick up breakfast. You can get a lot done there. I'm going back in the near future as I loved Japan. Keep up the good work!
Such helpful info Kim, we're coming to Japan in November and we always think we've planned properly until we get there and realize we didn't haha, these are things I never would of thought of until I needed them, but as you know by then its's too late, thanks again sweet pea.
Not really a travel hack but advice... Have your pass e.g. Suica or Pasmo ready before you get to the ticket gates... I noticed many people had an extendable pass holder hanging off their bag so they could go in and out of the barriers quickly and smoothly and not hold everyone up behind them
That is a good tip, so you don't have to fumble through your pockets or bag. Same goes for the JR Pass where you have to take it out and show it to the person at the gate.
1 question. we are 3 people traveling to japan so do we have to get 3 cards or we can just use 1 card. for the train ofcourse. the vending machines and rest we can use only one. but i need to know if we have to buy 3 suica cards or 1 is enough. thank you in advance
Great tips Kim! I tried the Odigo site hoping to plan the ideal trip with some of the highlights from your other videos and unfortunately I’m unable to do save my travel plans or read full articles 😣
I'm currently planning my japan trip in a few weeks, so this video was really helpful! 😊 Still need to take care of a few things, like figuring out which trains to take between cities and so on...so much work, haha, but I think it's better to plan everything ahead 👍
What a great video I was just there and I could have used some of this info. We got so lost at times with the trains etc. but i loved Japan and hoping to go back again
Thanks for sharing these tips! I've always wondered about that pocket wifi and sim card. Does it apply to South Korea as well? I'm planning a trip there soon.
Thanks for this video it is very useful when you first travel in Japan ! You explain things very well, it's easy to understand and then to do when in Japan :p
Great video, BTW. I like your tip about landmark photos and you show Tokyo Tower, which is probably the only landmark that does not need a picture. All you have to do is lift your head and locate the tower. Viola. Odigo sounds like a nice resource. Just wondering about the cost though. Are they competitive?
Pro-tip. You can buy almost every type of pass (like the Suica card) before your journey to Japan. Gearing up for my trip and already got mine. Can also load it online.
Hi Kim I love this video and now I am so excited to go to japan in the near future because of this video. Please make more because i want to learn more about japan. I do have a question, where do you buy the heat packs? Is it on Amazon and what name is it? Because i would love to have some. Thank you so much😊
Take a portable charger! You will be on google maps a lot and taking many pictures. your phone will die really quick and it's a scary feeling when you don't know where your at, don't speak Japanese fluently, and the sun's starting to go down 😅. Thankfully we had one and it helped us a lot during a trip.
V S This was one of the first things I got, before I even got a suitcase. 😊
You can buy one, if necessary
You can also get an aux battery. They are about the size of 2 cigarettes and hold a charge well. Just charge it and the phone in the capsule hotel at night.
For anyone considering getting a pocket wifi;
If you're just staying in Tokyo, you definitly do not need to buy pocket wifi! There is Wifi in a lot of places now, and all JR rail station have free WiFi too! However if you're venturing outside of Tokyo, you'll need pocket wifi as there is not a lot of wifi, especially in Kyoto, the countryside or Hiroshima.
would a cell from USA automatically connect to the wifis or would you need to manually connect everytime you moved?
This is exactly what I needed! It makes me super excited for my trip in ten days!
I found it really helpful to bring my own reusable shopping bag. when you buy stuff in Japan, even the smallest, single item, they will definitely put it in a plastic bag way too big for what you bought. It's nice the first few times, especially if you forgot to bring a bag for your dirty clothes, but as someone who tries to put out less waste, it's definitely really nice to have a reusable shopping bag on hand.
Google Translate is super helpful! Google Translate has the option for you to take a photo of the thing you want to read and it'll translate from the photo. It's not 100% accurate, but it gets the job done.
Also there aren't many public bins around so I always keep a bag for rubbish
Thanks for the advice. Last time I went to Japan I was experiencing that issue where they gave me a shopping bag wayy to bug to carry.
This is the most perfect guide! Just went to Japan a few weeks ago and everything you mentioned is so spot on!
This is truely useful !!
I've been to Japan last month and I truely agree with struggle you've mention and can really see how your tips are going to help.
For navigation you can use the phone app maps.me since it has offline maps. You don't need a phone service to use it. It was very helpful to me in kyoto and osaka.
Yeah, I'd rather use Google Maps since it also has an Apple Watch app, but unfortunately the map of Japan can't be downloaded in Google Maps. But maps.me is a good alternative.
Oh that's very useful!!
Google has offline maps too.
But unfortunately not for Japan.
Really? I thought my friends were using it while we were there. I had unlimited data so I didn't need it.
Oh yeah, I see. I just tried it for Shinjuku and it won't download.
My biggest Japan travel trip is to look into domestic flights if you are travelling around different parts of the country. My boyfriend and I recently spent 6 weeks travelling all over different parts of Japan and heavily utilised domestic flights, which worked out much cheaper than buying multiple JR Passes as we were there for an extended time (JR Pass is best for shorter trips, ie. 1-3 weeks). For example, we managed to score a flight with Spring Japan from Osaka to Tokyo that was just 700jpy before fees! Worked out to about AUD$15 each, which was a steal considering that the shinkansen would have been around $150. Additionally, both ANA and JAL offer discount domestic flights to tourists.
My other tip is to use baggage forwarding! The majority of hotels provide this service, which ships your luggage from your current hotel to your next one for a fee. It's great being able to spend days at a time without all of your luggage weighing you down between cities, especially if you do a lot of shopping.
thank you kim for sharing these helpful tips! xx
that's brilliant! Most helpful video in Japan you ever made! thank you!
Aww thank you so much!
This is exactly what I needed. Wonderful!
This is honestly super helpful! Thank you so much! ☺☺☺
Informative and fun at the same time, as ever!!
So many useful information, thank you so much for making this video.
This is sooo helpful! Thank you for making this video. I will definitely use all these tips! xoxo
Love your videos. It's always been my dream to visit Japan. Thanks for the tips
Hey Kim, thank you so much for all the great hacks. My sister and two friends of mine are going to Tokyo in November and you've been a huge help in us deciding what we want to do.
So thank you for creating so much awesome content! :D
yay! this is EXACTLY what I need! I'm going to Japan for the first time very soon and I'm incredibly excited. love you Kim ❤
Ahh! Awesome! Please tell us your experience after the trip! ^u^
Same here, when will you go ? And where ?
I'll go in July
I'm glad it was helpful! Hope you have a great trip! Love you too
I'd recommend cdrental Japan for a SIM card so u can use Internet and maps to find your way. Also download a railway map. City rail map. Was great. Then you'll see a map and how they overlap :)
Thanks so much Kim!
I'm planning on going to japan soon! I'm saving up and I'm soo excited, not only I've been learning the language but I've been learning the top things I need to know about Japan. thanks so much for this! this really helped!
Woow ! Thanks Kim that video is soooo helpful !
Great tips Kim! Thank you so much 😁😁😁
Thank you for introducing me to odigo. Looks like a fun and memorable way to record our journey.
I'm going to Japan next year. I find your videos to be very helpful and informative. Thank you.
About the JR Pass - You need to get the voucher before coming to Japan. We bought the vouchers online. When you arrive in Japan you go to a JR Office to activate the JR Pass. You will need to show your passport when you activate the voucher. You will get a Touristvisitor stamp in your passport at arrival in the airport. Only Touristvisitors can use this voucher for JR Pass... Remember do not loose your JR Pass. If you loose it then it is gone forever! You will not get it replaced. Also it can be used not just on JR Trains - but also on JR busses and JR ferries!
My friend lost his on the shinkansen because they came and cleaned up the trash while he was in the bathroom and took his pass along with the trash. Luckily we asked at the station when we got off and the train people actually dug through the trash and found it, then left it at the station 2 stops away for my friend to pick up.
Thank you Kim Dao, it is really helpful
This information is PERFECT. Super useful. Thank you!
Omg, this is a amazing for me, i think it helps me a lot !! thanks Kim!!!!
I'm glad it helped!
Love your tips!! Thanks a lot
Thank you for sharing this! Super useful! ♥
Thank you for this video ❤️ it can helps me travel to japan next month
the last tip i like best. thanks for sharing.
This is super helpful!!! Thank you 😊
Nice tips!
Very helpful tips of care and caution to be taken in Japan trip. Thanks
I would recommend hostels as well! JHoppers is a great one that I did when I went to Japan. It's clean and super affordable. In some of the hostels they had a once a week get together with the people at the hostel so you can meet other people! They also had unique Japanese snacks with explanations of what it is and why they eat it and drinks
That last tip is gold! 👍👍
Great Channel, very informative and easy on the eye. 😊
I love theses Japan videos please do more! I'm going to Japan in August and this makes me even more excited!! :D
AAAAH This was so helpful- thank you.
I was making a list with things i should be fixing before leaving to japan for the first time this mach, and your video is so clear and helpful! thank you very much for the video!
Thanks kim! I will be traveling to japan this coming April 18 and will try these hacks!
Thanks for your amazing detailed tips and hacks.
This was really informational. I may go several years from now, but I am taking notes from this! ^^
Thank you Kim :) Do more Videos like this please!
Nice video, I will travel do Japan next week! Thanks for the tips!!
Have lots of fun when you go!!
Thank you for sharing this I will be going to Japan and I wanted to find some travel tips And BTW nice vid!😊
This helps so much! I was wondering if my friends and I needed the JRP pass. We'll be going next month! I'm so excited!
When seeing all these prices I can’t help but feel I’m going to be broke after my trip 😂
thank you! I am travelling to Japan in October so this list is incredibly handy!!!
love ur style kim so pretty and flawless make up😍
you look so sweet in that outfit and fabulously radiant Kim! Thanks for being so thoughtful and came up with this video ^^
Thank you for tip No.10, never thought of that before.
THIS IS SO HELPFUL THANK YOU
Kim you're awesome thanks for the very useful information, those are really useful inside tracks on Japan you really did your homework thanks a lot
Thanks for sharing. Just timely.
Very good video. I have watched a bunch of Blogs an Tipp Videos and you got explain everything in 14min. Keep up the Great Work. Iam going to Go to tokyo soon.
more videos like this! I love it!
Wow this video was soooo helpful like omg. I'm planing a trip to Japan and after watching this video I feel a lot better now.
Thanks for the Odigo tip!
I started using Odigo after watching your last year videos. It is so much easier to make sure you're visiting places close to each other.
Thank you so much for that too about that website! Me and my best friend are currently in the process of planning a trip this November
This is a great tutorial. Some of the tips like the rail pass are similar to what I've done in Europe. I'll get a SIM card next time I'm there.
As for my own tips - I traveled with a group of six when I was there in January, and we had connections to local people that could help us out on local customs and getting around. We got some great advice from asking them what to see and do. They also gave us advice on good local spots to eat. In short, use the information available from the people where you're staying, since they know the area well. And, use the convenience stores (konbini) as much as you can. They were a lifesaver for us when we were staying in smaller towns and needed someplace to pick up breakfast. You can get a lot done there. I'm going back in the near future as I loved Japan. Keep up the good work!
Love your videos!!!!☺️
Thank you so mcuh
Omg you answered😊😊😊
kimdao plz answer how did u get to live in Japan plz tell me I really need to know I want to move to Japan wen I'm older
Very helpful! thank you so much
Can't wait to visit Japan!
hope you have fun when you do!
Wintersglow , me too!
It's super pretty! I live there now :)
i love the background music when you were talking about heat packs. it felt warm :)
Loved this video!
Such helpful info Kim, we're coming to Japan in November and we always think we've planned properly until we get there and realize we didn't haha, these are things I never would of thought of until I needed them, but as you know by then its's too late, thanks again sweet pea.
It is so nice that you not only tell in a video but also answering questions on the comments section!
I try my best to answer as many comments as I can!
😉👍
this excites me to prepare for my trip in the future!!! ^^
Great video, very good information. Thank you
Not really a travel hack but advice... Have your pass e.g. Suica or Pasmo ready before you get to the ticket gates... I noticed many people had an extendable pass holder hanging off their bag so they could go in and out of the barriers quickly and smoothly and not hold everyone up behind them
haha yeap! I have an extendable pass holder and it's the best thing ever!
I just keep my suica in my pocket.
That is a good tip, so you don't have to fumble through your pockets or bag. Same goes for the JR Pass where you have to take it out and show it to the person at the gate.
If you have a phone case, just keep it in there.
1 question. we are 3 people traveling to japan so do we have to get 3 cards or we can just use 1 card. for the train ofcourse. the vending machines and rest we can use only one. but i need to know if we have to buy 3 suica cards or 1 is enough. thank you in advance
making my first solo trip there..nervous but excited
I am visiting next week, thank you so much!! X
Most helpful. Thank you.
thanks for making video on these hacks really useful as I'm first time travelling to tokyo tomorrow .. *nervous*
Shirley Tay so, how was it..
I like your overall look here, Kim! You look lovely💕
Great informational video thank you :)
Great tips Kim! I tried the Odigo site hoping to plan the ideal trip with some of the highlights from your other videos and unfortunately I’m unable to do save my travel plans or read full articles 😣
I’m going to Japan in 3 months. This video is very useful, thank you!!!
Apartment Tour Please
Great tips. Thanks! =D
Super helpful! Thank u xx
I'm currently planning my japan trip in a few weeks, so this video was really helpful! 😊 Still need to take care of a few things, like figuring out which trains to take between cities and so on...so much work, haha, but I think it's better to plan everything ahead 👍
What a great video I was just there and I could have used some of this info. We got so lost at times with the trains etc. but i loved Japan and hoping to go back again
Thanks for sharing these tips! I've always wondered about that pocket wifi and sim card. Does it apply to South Korea as well? I'm planning a trip there soon.
I love you,Kim !
I'm currently in Japan staying in Shinjuku I love it and I'm going to Harajuku your video helped me
Thank you this is so helpful!! I'm going to Japan in 2 weeks :)
Thanks for the tips and the new odigo website is sick! WOW!!!!!
This is super helpful.. thank you...
I discovered the Suica card years ago and it makes everything so easy.
Thanks for this video it is very useful when you first travel in Japan ! You explain things very well, it's easy to understand and then to do when in Japan :p
Great video, BTW.
I like your tip about landmark photos and you show Tokyo Tower, which is probably the only landmark that does not need a picture. All you have to do is lift your head and locate the tower. Viola.
Odigo sounds like a nice resource. Just wondering about the cost though. Are they competitive?
Makeup on point, also love the choker
Pro-tip. You can buy almost every type of pass (like the Suica card) before your journey to Japan. Gearing up for my trip and already got mine. Can also load it online.
kim you look radiant!!
Very useful information.
Hi Kim I love this video and now I am so excited to go to japan in the near future because of this video. Please make more because i want to learn more about japan. I do have a question, where do you buy the heat packs? Is it on Amazon and what name is it? Because i would love to have some. Thank you so much😊