Japan Travel Hacks

Travel Hack No. 1

Regular visitors to Japan will know about the Yamato takkyubin courier service (known for its ubiquitous black cat logo), that delivers your bags to anywhere in Japan. The Japanese don’t travel with luggage but ship their bags ahead instead. This makes travelling via train an absolute dream, with no stress about getting through some of busiest stations in the world with huge suitcases and bags full of snow equipment. It’s worth noting that trains themselves do not cater for bigger bags, as there is limited storage.

Travel Hack No. 2

Pre-book your seat on the shinkansen (bullet train). There are several classes of ticket available when travelling on the bullet train. The cheapest are the unreserved seats, which work on a first-in, first-come basis. If these seats are oversold, you could end up spending your 3-hour trip to Nagano standing the whole way. For a little extra, you can purchase reserved seating which will ensure that you have an allocated seat for the duration of your trip.

If you want to maximise your shinkansen experience, then booking your seat in the Green Car is highly recommended. This is the business class offering and is well worth the additional expense. Some trains even offer a Gran Class (1st Class) which is perfect for the luxury traveller.

Travel Hack No. 3

Allow extra time at Tokyo station’s basement to pick out a gourmet ekiben – a station bento or lunch box. There is an endless parade of gourmet options available in the department stores and food halls. The range in the basement is far more extensive than the offerings on the concourse floor or on the platforms.

Travel Hack No. 4

Wear slip on shoes and boots. As you likely know, the Japanese don’t wear shoes in their homes. But you may not know that this extends to many restaurants, hotels, and bars where you’ll be required to remove your footwear. Trust us when we tell you that buying slip on shoes or snow boots will make your life a lot easier in these situations (best to ensure your socks are up to scratch too!)

Travel Hack No. 5

Japan is still heavily reliant on cash, especially in regional areas. And in a fun (!) twist, most Japanese ATMs don't accept international cards. It’s always a good idea to carry a little extra cash on you in Japan, even in the major centres (some of the best hole in the wall spots in Tokyo are cash only). Keep an eye out for Citibank ATMs and 7/11 stores as their machines take most foreign cards.

Do you have a favourite Japan travel hack to share?

Wishing you Peace, Love and Powder Days. ❄️