Japan is incredible and my favorite country to visit. With so much delicious food to try and cool places to see, it’s helpful to know a few things before you go. Here are my top 5 tips to help you make the most of your trip to Japan.
1. Reserve Popular Restaurants in Advance
Japan has some amazing restaurants, but many require reservations weeks or even months ahead. My husband asked our hotel to help us book Unagi Hashimoto and Han no Daidokoro in Tokyo, and both ended up being one of the best meals we’ve had.
2. Bring Some Cash
While most hotels and big restaurants accept credit cards, small shops, markets, and food stalls are often cash-only. Many temples and shrines also only take cash. Even some vending machines only accept cash or IC cards (rechargeable, prepaid cards), so it’s handy to carry some cash with you.
3. Get a Suica or Pasmo Card
Japan’s public transit system is one of the best in the world, and we used it to get around everywhere. Having a Suica or Pasmo card makes riding subways, JR trains, and buses effortless. Both work the same way and can even be used at vending machines and convenience stores. You can get them as physical cards or add them digitally to your phone.
4. Don’t Miss Tax-Free Shopping
Foreign visitors can save 10% by skipping Japan’s consumption tax at eligible stores. To qualify, spend ¥5,000 (~$30) or more in one store on the same day and show your passport at checkout. I definitely spent much more than that at the world’s largest Uniqlo in Tokyo. It has 12 floors and even a coffee shop!
5. Convenience Stores Are Amazing
Lawson, FamilyMart, and 7-Eleven have surprisingly great food and are perfect for a quick breakfast or snack between sightseeing. We tried so many different fresh onigiri from 7-Eleven! Convenience stores also have trash bins where you can throw away your garbage, which is useful since there are few public trash bins in Japan.