Despite the high prices, Japan is one of the most beautiful and friendly countries in the world. From majestic Mount Fuji to Bustling Tokyo Zen Kyoto, Japan is a colorful blend of a high-tech world with a respect for tradition. If you decided on an independent trip to Japan, then you got to the ares. Our free travel guide to Japan will help you.

I love Japan. It was my old dream to visit this country, and when it came true, the impressions of the country surpassed all my wildest expectations. Japan has fantastic food, beautiful temples and shrines, Zen gardens and national parks, a culture with a long and rich history. Although Japan is considered one of the most expensive countries, there are still little tricks that can make it affordable. Don't be intimidated by high prices. And I, in turn, will help you with kind advice on how to plan an affordable trip to Japan.

Travel to Japan - cost

Accommodation

The cost of a night in hostels varies between 2,500 and 4,000 yen for a shared room. Accommodation in a small, separate room will cost 3,000 - 5,000 yen. A double room in a budget hotel costs an average of 8,500 yen.

Food

There are many inexpensive places in Japan that serve delicious ramen, soba and miso noodles. These dishes cost between 250 and 1,250 yen. If you shop for food, your weekly budget will be 3700-5000 yen. You can order a meal at a restaurant for an average of 2,000 yen. Average check in restaurants is about 4,350 yen. Sushi costs 125 - 620 yen apiece. Fast food - 800 yen.

Transport

Transportation costs are high in Japan. Trains are the fastest and most expensive way to travel in Japan. A ticket from Osaka to Tokyo will cost you 20,000 yen. Most subway rides will cost between 125 and 250 yen. In major cities, you can buy a daily pass for 1000 yen, which allows you to travel on the subway an unlimited number of times during the day on certain trains. An intercity bus ticket costs around 2,500 yen.

Leisure

Most temples and museums in Japan are free to visit, occasionally tickets to popular attractions will cost you 1,250 yen, and temples up to 620 yen. Most parks are free to enter.

How to save money while traveling in Japan

Visit only free rides

Most of the museums, shrines, temples, historic districts and parks are free to visit. Japan is generous with the opportunity to experience its culture.

Get the JR Pass

If you plan to travel a lot around the country, then buy the JR Pass - this unlimited ticket for travel in Japan trains will save you tons of money.

Travel by buses

Traveling by bus is much cheaper than traveling by train, but it will take longer. Compare the 2-hour train ride from Tokyo to Osaka and the 10-hour bus ride on the same route. Although the unlimited train ticket is valid for 7 days and costs ¥ 29,100, if you want to save money and have time, use the buses.

Shops all for 100 yen

There are many discounters in Japan where all products cost 100 yen each. Here you can buy set meals, food, water, toiletries and household items. In general, everything is the same as ours. Shop names vary by region, so ask at the front desk of your hotel or hostel.

Eat at 7-11

At 7-11 (Seven-Eleven), Family Mart and similar small shops, convenience stores are available for ¥ 125-370. Also, in many supermarkets you can buy set meals at the same price.

Cook it yourself

All hostels have kitchens where you can cook your own meals, thus cutting your writing costs to 745 yen per day. By combining the 100 yen all-in-one camping trip with self-catering, you can cut your food budget significantly.

Eat curry, ramen, and donburi

I actually lived off these meals for the 3 weeks I was in Japan. A plate of curry costs up to 370 yen. Donburi (meat and rice) - 500 - 620 yen per plate. Ramen to 870 yen. I find such a diet ideal in terms of price / good food and fullness.

Work in hostels

If you live in a shared hostel room, you can ask to clean it. Several hours of cleaning in the morning will be rewarded with free accommodation for any length of time.

Couchsurfing

This is my standard advice, if you want to live for a short time for free with a resident of the country, who will not only provide you with a roof over your head, but also introduce you to the local culture - use couchsurfing. The main thing is to write to the owner in advance, in Japan for some reason they answer for a long time.

Buy groceries at night

After 20:00, supermarkets significantly reduce food prices, because if no one buys them, then the law will have to throw them away. This little secret will help you save up to 50% on food.

Japan is multifaceted but homogeneous. Japan is a country with a thousand-year-old temple on your left and an ultra-modern high-rise on your right.
What to see in Japan having gone to it for the first time on your own? How to plan a route around the country in order to capture its spirit and not drown in impressions? What to see while there with a child?

Someone correctly trusts the standard tours passing along the main tourist routes. This may be sufficient for a start. But if you have at least a little experience of independent travel - do not be afraid to visit Japan on your own!
This article was written by the author of the site based on his own trip to Japan with a schoolchild. I give recommendations from my own experience, you can follow them if you wish.

When to go to Japan?

The best time to visit Japan is autumn and spring school holidays!
For trips to European countries in other articles, I recommended to shift the dates due to massive trips of families with children these days (and, accordingly, more expensive tickets), but fortunately, this does not apply to Japan. This is not a mass "school" destination, so feel free to plan your trip by the time of the holidays.
Moreover, according to weather conditions, this is the best time. Spring - plum. Autumn - bright colors of deciduous plants. This is the time of "admiring nature" for the Japanese. Join them and you.

How many days to go?
At least a week, optimally days 10... Due to the long flight, you will need time to adapt, as well as "adjust" to the surrounding reality. She is the same, but different)))
On the other hand, it makes no sense to plan a trip for a long time (more than 2 weeks) for the first time. The child will be satiated with information, impressions.
A long trip makes sense if you, for example, want to spend some time in Okinawa.

Japan route

For the first acquaintance with the country, it will be enough for you to plan an acquaintance with the two main cities of Japan - Tokyo and Kyoto.
Few? Not at all, believe me. Moreover, we inspect not only their centers, but also go to the vicinity. We walk and enjoy the views, contemplate, wonder. Instead of running around, getting to know all the sights "for show".

Plan approximately equal times for each city (for example, if you have 10 nights, then 5 in Tokyo and 5 in Kyoto). We had 9 nights, we allocated 4 days in Kyoto, 5 days in Tokyo. What they later regretted - it was necessary more time to devote to Kyoto.

Better to start in Kyoto. And then your trip will be not only in cities, but also in time, from antiquity to the present - and this is very interesting! Kyoto is the oldest city in Japan, as if old traditions were frozen in it (and this is not an exaggeration!). Tokyo is more modern, dynamic and austere.

Having arrived from Russia to Tokyo, it is better not to settle in the hotels of the capital right away, but to go and settle there. Tokyo arrives in the first half of the day, the day of arrival is usually a bit "hectic", so it will be easier and more convenient to spend it on the move.


What to see in Kyoto
After checking into a hotel (or better - in order to fully feel the classic Japan), the first evening take a walk around the neighborhood. Understand - where you ended up))

Then plan your available 3-4 days to visit the following places:
- (an hour's drive outside the city, for the whole day, a visit to Nara is a must!),
- visit to Inari (near Kyoto, spend a few hours),
- a walk along the "philosopher's path", from to the Kiyomizuzera temple (east of Kyoto, a leisurely walk with sightseeing can take a whole day),
- a walk in the north-western part of Kyoto - Golden Pavilion, Ryoanji Rock Garden,
- visit to the palace of the emperor and / or Nijo-jo castle (the center of Kyoto. With a little time it is better to choose Nijo-jo).
- Sanjusangen-do temple (Highly recommended. In Kyoto, relatively close to the railway station. A visit can be scheduled in the morning on the day of departure)

The question may arise - will it be interesting for children to inspect all these complexes? The answer to this is given by me in the article.
Of the direct children's entertainment in Kyoto, we can mention the KYOTO AQUARIUM or the Toei Kyoto Studio Park (www.toei-eigamura.com/)

More details about the details of the route will be written in a separate article on the sights of Kyoto.

I repeat once again - take your time in Kyoto. Its ancient temples, palaces and parks are many times more "authentic" than similar ones in Tokyo. Enjoy Japanese antiquity in Kyoto.

What to see in Tokyo
Plan your move to Tokyo so that it is convenient for you to check out from one hotel and check in to another.

In Tokyo, your family entertainment program might look like this:
- (suburbs of Tokyo, full day),
- inspection of the imperial palace (the center of Tokyo, if you have already been to the imperial palace of Kyoto, then you shouldn't walk here, in general)
- visit to the observation tower (there are several to choose from),
- Ueno Park, Tokyo National Museum, National Science Museum (for a child),
- entertainment on Odaiba - Maritime Museum, MeSci National Museum of Science and Innovation Development, Toyota Demonstration Center,
- Tokyo Disneyland (full day).
- go out in the Shibuya area to see the monument to the faithful dog Hachiko.


Well, it will take your time, as without it. Toy shops in Tokyo definitely deserve a visit!

As you can see, the program can turn out to be very rich. You will begin your acquaintance with the country with the old temples of Kyoto and Nara, and end with views of the skyscrapers and inspection of the most modern robots of the Science Museum.
For more information about the sights of each city, see other articles on the site.
Article and all photos - by the author of the site

There are a lot of routes in Japan - the country is large, different and interesting .. There are mountains, modern cities, historical villages, parks of flowers, and nuclear bombardment memorials ..

What to include in your itinerary in Japan is a personal matter and depends on many factors: the time of year, preferences, the number of vacation days, etc.

My route in Japan is designed for 10 full days (plus days of arrival and departure) and allows you to cover the most must see places (in my humble opinion =). We were in Japan for the May 2016 holidays.

This route was influenced by the following factors:

At the beginning of May, sakura no longer blooms, but a short period of wisteria blooming begins,
- we flew and flew from Tokyo, since direct flights from Moscow exist only to the capital of Japan,
- it was decided that we are interested in historical cities and therefore we will not go to Heroshima and Nagasaki (we will leave it for the next time),
- we did not try to grasp the immensity, soberly assessed our physical capabilities and reasoned that it is better to see less, but in detail, than more, but to the top.

For lovers of brevity and information in a concise form, at the end of the post I will give a short version of the route description.

The first day(he is the day of arrival) and second day: Tokyo... Aeroflot's flight arrives in Tokyo early - at 10:45 am, which creates the illusion of an almost full day in Tokyo. In fact, we got to the hotel only at 2 o'clock. Taking into account the general fatigue from the flight and the change of time zones, we had a little time that day. Having slept off, the second day we walked like a shock across Tokyo.

Day three: Morning train transfer from Tokyo to Ashikaga flower park(the park with the most blooming wisteria) (on the way - about 1:30). After the park, we went to Nikko(a town with a huge number of temples and stunning nature) (on the way - 1:30).

If you are in Japan outside of the blooming period of wisteria, or if you are not interested in flower parks at all, feel free to head to Nikko directly from Tokyo (on the way - 2 hours).

Arriving in Nikko in the afternoon, we managed to inspect the most important temples, and with a clear conscience went to check into a ryokan - a traditional hotel on hot springs (onsen).

Important: We sent the main baggage from Tokyo directly to the hotel in Kyoto, where we were supposed to arrive in a day (read more about the super convenient baggage delivery service). This allowed us to walk around Nikko with our backpacks light (and who is too lazy to carry a backpack, they can leave it in the storage room at the railway station).

Day four: Continuation of sightseeing Nikko and transfer to Kyoto(on the way about 4 hours). The luggage sent from Tokyo was already waiting for us at the hotel in Kyoto.

Day five: Kyoto

Day six: Day trip to Nara(a town where deer walk freely through the streets, beg for food from tourists and generally feel at ease) (on the way around 1:10) with a return to Kyoto.

Day seven: Kyoto

Day eight: Day trip to Himeji(Temple of the Egret) (45 minutes on the way) and in Osaka(20 minutes by train from Kyoto) Return to Kyoto.

Day nine: Kyoto. In the morning of that day, we sent the main luggage to the hotel in Tokyo, where we were supposed to arrive in a day.

Day ten: Moving to Kamakura(samurai city on the ocean) (on the way 3:30) (unnecessary things can be left in the storage room at the railway station). Walk in Kamakura and in the evening transfer to Tokyo (1 hour on the way).

Day eleven: Tokyo

Day twelve: Morning departure

In preparation for the trip, I tried to "cram" into our schedule at least Kanazawa and a traditional village Shirakawa-go, a trip to Fuji, Kobe(the capital of the famous Japanese marbled beef), Fukuoka.. But how little time! We must go again =)

Route briefly

Day 1: Arrival day, Tokyo
Day 2: Tokyo
Day 3: Morning train transfer to Ashikaga Flower Park. After visiting the park, transfer to Nikko. Inspection of Nikko. Overnight at the onsen.
Day 4: Nikko. Evening train transfer to Kyoto.
Days 5-9: Kyoto. Day Trips with Return to Kyoto - Himeji, Osaka, Nara.
Day 10: Morning train transfer to Kamakura. Inspection of Kamakura and evening transfer to Tokyo.
Day 11: Tokyo
Day 12: Tokyo, return flight

To everyone who read to the end - origato =))

27.06.18 70 159 37

How to organize your trip to Japan

In April 2018, my husband and I went on vacation to Japan.

Marina Safonova

traveled to Japan

We spent two weeks there, visited Tokyo, Kyoto, the ancient capital of Nara, the mountain resort of Hakone and the ancient Buddhist monastery on Mount Koya-san.

I used to think that organizing a trip to Japan is very difficult: it’s not clear how everything works there, where to go except Tokyo, how much it costs and how to get a visa. How to get around the country is also unclear: foreign tourists need an international license to drive in Japan. And there is also left-hand traffic, serious fines, toll roads and parking lots.

It turned out that Japan is great for independent travel. Everyone speaks English, it is easy to get a visa, the transport works perfectly.

Japanese English is very different from our usual pronunciation. In Japanese, there is no "l" sound, and it is customary to break a pair of consonants with a vowel. The word fork is pronounced "foku", bus - "basu", beer - "biru".

It is believed that traveling to Japan is expensive. Yes, it is more expensive than a package tour by the sea. But the most expensive waste is an air ticket: 30-40 thousand rubles in both directions. In second place is travel across the country. Housing in Japan costs about the same as in Europe, and you can safely save on food: everything is tasty and cheap. Tickets to museums and temples are also inexpensive: 200-500 R... Visa for citizens of the Russian Federation is free.

If you decide to go, here's what to do before you go.

Select travel time

I do not recommend going to Japan for the May holidays. In late April - early May there is "Golden Week" - "golden week", when national holidays go on for 6 days in a row. At this time, the whole country has a weekend and everyone goes to travel. Train tickets are sold out, housing is getting more expensive, and there are crowds in temples, parks and museums.

Summer is also not the best time to travel. It rains in June in Japan, and then tropical heat until September. It is good to go in May just after the "golden week": during this time domestic tourism is reduced, because everyone is returning to work. There are fewer tourists, prices are lower everywhere. If I had planned the trip again, I would have gone in mid-May.

If you want to see the cherry blossoms, then plan a trip in late March - early April, but keep in mind that there is also a tourist rush in the country at this time. In Japan, there is a forecast of cherry blossoms by region, you can see how the cherry blossoms bloomed in 2018, and plan a trip for the next one for the same dates. Momiji is the season of red maple leaves in October and early November in Japan. Momiji also has a calendar.

Buy air tickets

Airfare is the single biggest waste when planning a trip to Japan. Focus on 35-40 thousand rubles for a direct flight Moscow - Tokyo.

Only Aeroflot and Japan Airlines have direct flights to Tokyo from Moscow. We flew Japan Airlines: This route is used by the company's steepest Boeing, the Dreamliner. The plane is huge, with comfortable seats, delicious food, electrochromic dimming of windows, movies, music and games in the screen built into the seat.

Tickets with a transfer can be found about 3000-5000 RUR cheaper than direct tickets. But it is difficult to fly with a transfer due to the long flight and change of time zones, while the difference in price is small.

Book your accommodation

In Tokyo, choose areas near major metro stations. Ginza, Ueno, Tokyo Station, Asakusa, Shinjuku, Shibuya are great - from there it will be easy to travel around the city. In Kyoto, it is ideal to live in the area of ​​the Sanjo subway station.

In addition to the regular hotels, hostels and apartments on Airbnb.com, in Japan, you can live in ryokans, love hotels, and capsule hotels. I'll tell you about each option.

Regular hotels and hostels in Japan are the same as in the rest of the world. It is convenient for tourists to stay in chain hotels like APA Hotels: there are many of them in all major cities. The room costs 4500-5500 RUR for two per night. The rooms are small, but they have everything you need. Business hotels are aimed at employees who come on a business trip and do not spend a lot of time in their rooms. This is also suitable for tourists.

Usually, in all Japanese hotels, check-in is strictly from 15:00. For early check-in, you have to pay extra half the cost. Sometimes there are hotels with check-in from 13:00, for example Shinjuku Prince Hotel in Tokyo. We stopped in it on the day of arrival only for this reason: our plane landed at 8 am and we did not want to wait 6 hours.

Apartments at Airbnb a lot, but they are more expensive than hotels, especially if you rent an entire apartment. If you are renting an apartment in the old district, expect that the house will be old too: with small rooms and a miniature bathroom.

In a capsule hotel guests live one by one in a small capsule room, in which you can only sit or lie. Bathroom and toilet are shared, rooms with capsules are usually divided into male and female. Items can be deposited at the reception. Inside the capsule there is a clock, an alarm clock, a light setting. Some have a TV built into the wall. Upon check-in, a guest set is given: a Japanese yukata robe, a towel, a disposable toothbrush, toothpaste, and a hairbrush.

A night in a capsule hotel costs 1500-2500 R.

A separate type of housing - the so-called love hotels, or "hotels of love". They were originally intended for dating, but are now popular with tourists as well. Love hotels are usually spacious, with huge beds and quirky room designs. A room costs from 6000 RUR per night, and the more interesting the interior, the higher the price.

There are also traditional Japanese hotels - ryokans... You need to sleep in them on special futon mattresses, which are spread on the floor. From the furniture in the room there are small tables, at which they also sit on the floor. Shower and toilet are usually shared. Ryokans often have an onsen, a hot spring bath.

When you check into a ryokan, you will be asked to take off your shoes and will be given special Japanese slippers that look like flip-flops. Guests are also usually dressed in a special dressing gown - a yukata.

Ryokan is the most unusual type of accommodation for tourists in Japan and the most expensive. A night in a simple ryokan costs 8-10 thousand rubles. If you want a ryokan with a beautiful view, hot springs and a traditional Japanese dinner, then the prices will be higher: 20-30 thousand rubles.

Make a program

I like to organize trips myself. Before the vacation, I studied the section about Japan at the Vinsky Forum and the site japan-guide.com. This is enough to make up almost any itinerary in Japan, especially if you are traveling for the first time and want to see the main attractions.

The Japan Guide project has excellent routes in all cities: for example, walking routes in Tokyo, in Kyoto, and there is also a whole trip plan “All the best in Japan in 14 days”.

Everyone who comes to Japan for the first time is usually advised to go to Kyoto in addition to Tokyo. Compared to Russia, Tokyo is like Moscow, and Kyoto is like St. Petersburg. In the past, Kyoto was the capital of Japan, now the city is famous for temples, cultural sites and geishas. If you are traveling for two weeks, divide them roughly equally between Tokyo and Kyoto.

From Tokyo, you can go for a day to the cities of Nikko, Kamakura, and the mountain resort of Hakone. One day should be spent entirely in a Disney amusement park, in Tokyo there are two of them: Disneyland and Disney-Sea.

From Kyoto, you can take a train to Naru - this is another ancient capital of Japan, now famous for its park with tame deer. Another 15-minute train ride from Kyoto to Osaka is the third largest city in the country. There are few tourist spots, but you can see the five-story samurai castle and the Universal amusement park, comparable in scope to Disneyland.

Our experience. For 12 days we drove along the route Tokyo - Hakone - Kyoto - Nara - the monastery on Mount Koya - Tokyo. All transfers, hotels, train schedules and attractions were entered into a google table. The table has changed many times, including during the trip itself. You can download our plan template and use it to plan your trip.

A detailed travel plan will come in handy for a visa. The required set of documents for a Japanese tourist visa includes a program of stay. It must be filled in according to the template: register every day, indicate the contact phone number, address of the place of residence and the program - what do you plan to do. Everywhere we wrote just Sightseeing.

Get a visa

Previously, it was difficult for citizens of the Russian Federation to get a Japanese visa: a mandatory invitation from a Japanese citizen was required. The invitations were made through agencies, it was expensive.

Now the invitations have been canceled, and the visa has become free. In my experience, getting a Japanese visa requires the usual set of documents:

You do not need to make an appointment with the embassy to submit documents. It is enough just to arrive at 9:30 at Grokholsky lane, house 27 with all the documents. There are 10-20 people in the queue, it moves quickly. The embassy staff will pick up your documents and inform you on the spot whether they will issue you a visa or not. Sometimes clarifying questions are asked. We were not asked about anything.

You can apply for a visa with a simple power of attorney written in free form. An acquaintance of mine lives in Nizhny Novgorod. He mailed a package of documents for a Japanese visa to his aunt in Podolsk. Aunt came with these documents to the embassy and gave them for processing, showing the power of attorney, and then took the passport with a ready visa.

Make a visa 4 working days. We applied on Monday and collected our passports on Thursday.

It is important to fill in the program of your stay in detail and indicate there the contacts of all hotels or apartments on AirBNB. By the time you submit your documents, you should already have reservations for the entire accommodation.

If you make an account statement at Tinkoff Bank, the embassy staff may find fault with electronic printing. If possible, ask the bank to prepare a statement with a real seal for you in advance. If you submit a certificate from the place of work, then an extract is not needed. We submitted two certificates from work, we did not ask for additional documents.

Buy the JR Pass

The main mode of transport in Japan is railways. A Russian driver's license in Japan is not valid, there are few parking lots in the country, there are many toll roads and left-hand traffic. All tourists travel by train.

There are many different railway companies in the country, the largest is called Japan Railways. Travel is not cheap. A ticket for the Shinkansen high-speed train from Tokyo to Kyoto costs 13,910 ¥ (7800 R) one way:

To save money, you need a JR Pass. It was invented in Japan specifically for foreign tourists. JR-Pass allows for a certain time (usually a week or two) unlimited travel on all routes of the Japan Railways carrier. These are high-speed shinkansen trains, and some express trains between cities, and commuter trains to Nikko, Naru, Arashiyama and other attractions in the vicinity of the main cities.

J-ar-pass is expensive. We paid 32,940 RUR for two weekly passes - 16,470 RUR per person. The travel card paid off for the first three days of the trip. In my experience, the JR Pass is definitely worth buying.

You need to buy such a pass in advance. In Japan, this will no longer work. I ordered it on japan-rail-pass.com two months before the trip. After payment you will be sent a voucher, already in Japan this voucher will need to be "activated" - exchanged for "JR-Pass".

"J-ar-pass" is a registered document. When activated, your name, surname and passport data will be written on it. In Tokyo, at the Shinjuku station, we went to the Japan Railways information desk. We were shown the rules for using the pass and clarified several times whether we want to activate it exactly from today. Then I had to fill out a short questionnaire. In exchange for vouchers, we were given beautiful travel cards with our passport details on the back.

The first time we went through the control with the JR-Pass, they stamped the pass. Then we just had to show it to the employee at the station every time we passed through the turnstiles.

Schedule transfers for ticket reservations

In Japan, everyone books trains in advance. If you buy a JR Pass and plan to travel around the country, I advise you to choose in advance on the Hyperdia website the syncansen that fit your schedule. Make a list of when and what time you want to book your train seats. Print out and take with you.

When you activate the JR Pass, ask the employee to reserve tickets for you on this list. This is done in one minute. Then tickets can be changed without any problems.

You can ride without reserved seats. On trains, all carriages are divided into reserved (they are more expensive) and ordinary. In ordinary ones, you can sit anywhere, if there are free seats. If you are planning to move on weekdays, and not on holidays or weekends, then, of course, you can relax and not book anything. We ended up on six Japanese weekends in a row, so we booked the shinkansen a week in advance. Then we made an exchange once: no problem and no queue, in 2 minutes.

What you need to know about money

Japan's currency is the yen. 100 yen = 57 R... It is most convenient to travel with dollars: in cash or on a card. We took with us, made the main dollar account and paid from it. Another part of the money was taken in cash dollars. There are many exchangers in Japan, the rate is acceptable everywhere, there are even automatic exchangers, it is safe to change money.

Japan is a land of cash. Most residents everywhere pay in bills and coins. There are hotels that do not accept cards, especially in small towns, but in Tokyo and Kyoto we paid by card almost everywhere without any problems. To buy metro tickets, pay for a bus, buy water from vending machines, you need cash, and most often small coins. Within a couple of days we were carrying a huge amount of coins with us.

How to pay. There is a special ritual in Japan to pay for anything. When you pay at the checkout, money or a card must be placed in a special tray that stands in front of the seller. But the seller will certainly return the change, check and card to you from hand to hand with words of gratitude and a slight bow.

This is probably the reason why Apple Pay is not popular in Japan. For two weeks, I have never seen anyone pay with their phone, and I have not tried it myself.

Tax free. Tax-free services for foreigners are conveniently organized in Japan. An 8% discount is made right upon purchase, if you have your passport with you. Tax-free is available almost everywhere, even in the Seven-Ileven grocery store. There is no need to stand in any queue at the airport, like in Italy. Prices in stores are usually indicated without VAT, so at the checkout the total amount may be 8% more than you planned.

Tips. In Japan, it is not customary to leave a tip - it will simply not be accepted. In some tourist restaurants, service is included in the bill, but this is rare. It is understood that the service is always of the highest standard and does not require additional payment from the client.

You have to pay in cafes and restaurants at the exit. Ask the waiter to bring the bill, take it and go to the checkout. The ticket office is usually at the exit.

Order a Wi-Fi router

In Japan, there is a public wifi almost everywhere. In museums and other places of interest, it is usually free and safe to use. If you want to save money, use open networks and skip this point.

If you don't want to connect to a new Wi-Fi every time, rent a router while traveling. Weifai will definitely come in handy to build travel routes.

The Google Maps app is great at building routes around Japan, including the Tokyo metro, Kyoto buses, and long distance journeys.

You can rent a router right at the airport: at the exit from Narita airport there are dozens of information stands of companies that provide Pocket Wi-Fi service.

I ordered the router in advance on the same japan-rail-pass.com website where I issued the pass. 12 days of rent cost 4348 R - that's 362 R per day. An envelope with a router, charging and return policy was waiting for me at the post office at Narita Airport. The router was already charged. All 12 days we didn't even think about where to find the Wi-Fi.

To return the router, you need to put it in a mail envelope, seal it and put it in a red mailbox. We did it on the way back, at the same Narita airport. The return mail envelope was originally included with the router.

Send baggage in Japan

In Japan, it is customary not to travel with suitcases, but to send them from one hotel to another. For this there is a convenient delivery service "Kuroneko Ta-ko-bin". In general, all hotels in Japan work with it. If you are planning to move from one city to another, then it is convenient to send your suitcases by delivery, and not carry them with you.

If you live in hotels, using Kuroneko is simple: come to the reception with your suitcases and ask them to send them to another hotel. , it will be a little more difficult: the apartment owners will not meet or send suitcases, but you can use any Kuroneko delivery point, there are many of them.

Suitcases are usually delivered in a day. If you send your suitcase this morning, you can pick it up the next morning. We paid 2500-3000 RUR for two standard suitcases.

We have used this delivery twice. For the first time, the suitcases were sent from a hotel in Tokyo to the Kuroneko office in Kyoto, near the station, and we went with our backpacks to spend the night in the mountain resort of Hakone.

How to get from Narita airport

You can get from the airport to Tokyo by train, bus and taxi - as elsewhere.

Flights from Moscow to Tokyo usually arrive at Narita Airport. It is located quite far from the city, in the neighboring Chiba Prefecture. We tried two ways: Narita Express train and train "Keysei-skyliner"... I'll tell you about them.

"Narita Express"- N'Ex. Expensive and fast, it goes to Tokyo Station, passing several other major stations, including Shinjuku. Our first hotel was just for Shinjuku, so at the airport we bought tickets for "Narita Express"... The train was moving slowly, it turned out that on that very day there were some interruptions on the line. According to the schedule, we had to get there in an hour, but the train went about an hour and a half: we managed to sleep. Tickets are expensive, we paid 3000 RUR for two:

It makes sense to take tickets for Narita Express if you want to activate your JR Pass on the very first day. This express is also included in the pass.

"Keysei-skyliner"- the express of a private company, on which we drove from Tokyo back to Narita. It departs from Ueno station, goes non-stop, so we got there in half an hour. It costs 2,470 yen (1,400 R) for one ticket.

The cheapest way to get from Narita Airport is by bus: 1000 yen, 60 minutes on the way - and you're at Tokyo Station. For the rest of the ways to get from the airport, I recommend reading the discussion at the Vinsky Forum.

What else do you need to know

Traveling in Japan is safe, convenient and fun. There are a lot of tourists, and all navigation is specially made so that everyone can understand everything. If you do get lost, they will definitely tell you where to go and what to do.

It's the same with food: if you don't know what you want to eat, just look at the shop window of the cafe. Most establishments display the most believable plastic layouts of their dishes with prices in the window. Many menus are photographed, so language issues usually don't arise.

If you know English at a basic level, you will have access to all navigation on the streets, in transport and in other public places. It is difficult to get lost: there are a huge number of pointers everywhere. Sometimes in Tokyo it was even clearer to me where to go than in the passage in Moscow.

Remember

1. Do not fly during the May holidays.
2. Buy air tickets strongly in advance.
3. Visit Tokyo and Kyoto.
4. To save money, live in chain hotels.
5. Be sure to buy a JR Pass.
6. Take your dollars or dollar card with you.

In today's mini-travel guide to Japan, you will learn what to see in Japan in two weeks, how to use the passes, what prices to expect, and a few other nuances to help you plan your independent travel. I will only talk about the places I have visited myself. Two weeks is too little to see even a fraction of unusual places in Japan, nevertheless, there are enough places in the review to form your own idea of ​​this beautiful country.

Narita Airport. Cellular, JR Pass Activation & Train to Tokyo

Most flights from Russia arrive at Narita Airport in Tokyo. Let's figure out how to get from Narita directly to Tokyo and what should be done first upon arrival at the airport. All of the following are just my observations. Perhaps there are some other chips at the airport, ways to get to the city, etc.

How to buy a SIM card at Narita Airport

I had an arrival at Terminal 1 of Narita Airport in Tokyo. After going through all the formalities with the passport and luggage, it was necessary to move to Terminal 2. It is in Terminal 2 that you can buy a SIM card, activate your JR Pass and take the train to Tokyo.

To get from one terminal to another, you can use the bus that runs between Narita Airport terminals. Then we leave the bus and enter the building of terminal 2. We go straight and in a couple of minutes you will see an escalator leading one floor below. We go down the escalator and on the left side you will have several stands of mobile operators offering to use their services. The pictures below show how these racks look like. Depending on the escalator on which you will go down, there may be racks on the right side, it is better to be guided by the image.

Mobile operator rates

On the picture above representations of two mobile operators are visible, but there was another one on the left. It was probably wiser to ask everyone for a quote, and then buy the most favorable rate, but did not do this, but went to the one where there were more people. In the image above, in blue, the mobile center stand is indicated, it was there that I bought a SIM card.

There are several tariff plans. On the picture below, in blue, there are tariffs without phone calls, you can only use the Internet. The number of days, the volume of traffic are indicated, I think everything is clear here. On the right side, in orange, there are two tariffs with the Internet and the ability to make calls within Japan. As you can see, the difference in tariffs is only in the volume of mobile traffic. Since I needed a mobile connection, I took the 5,500 yen tariff. By the way, cellular communication was never useful to me)))

Activating the JR Pass at Tokyo Narita Airport

It is very easy to find an office. If you are facing the counters of mobile operators, turn 180 degrees and in front of you there will be a door leading to another room in Narita Airport. Enter the door, there will be an office on the left as in the picture below.

In order to exchange a payment receipt for a travel card, you will need the receipt itself and your passport. The queue goes pretty quickly. It took me 20 minutes to complete everything, despite the fact that there were at least 25 people in front of me and I also asked to book two trains along the route. According to good Japanese tradition, people are extremely polite and patiently answer all your questions.

You can activate the JR Pass as from the date of your arrival and set a specific date from which the pass will be active. For example, if you have a weekly pass and your trip is 10 days, you might be wise to keep the JR Pass valid for the last seven days of your trip. It all depends on the chosen route.

In addition to the JR Pass, you can also buy the Suika Pass here, which allows you to travel by metro and buses in many cities in Japan. More information about Suika is also available. The image below shows Suika's pricing plans. For example, if the specified amount is 1000 yen, it means 500 yen will be deposited in your balance, and 500 yen is a deposit that will be returned to you when Suika returns before leaving Japan.

How to get from Narita to Tokyo

So, you have the travel card in your hands, the SIM card is in your phone, it's time to get to your accommodation in Tokyo and have a little rest. After leaving the JR Pass office, we go straight and in front of us are turnstiles, as in the picture below.

If you have activated the JR Pass from today, you can get from Narita to Tokyo using this pass, in which case you do not need to buy a ticket. Go through the control, as shown in the image, show the JR Pass and go down to the floor below. Next, take the train to your desired station, located directly in Tokyo. I needed to get to one of the city's hub stations called Tokyo station. From this station you can get anywhere using the city transport. From Narita Airport to Tokyo by train, it takes about one hour.

I advise you to think carefully about your way from the airport to your overnight stay in Tokyo. The capital of Japan has a wide range of transportation options. To be honest, I did not delve into all the nuances of all types of transport, metro lines and other things. For this there is the same Vinsky forum, where you will be advised on logistics.

Japan landmarks

Okay, we got to Tokyo, then what? And then everything depends on the route you have built. Below is a list of places and a brief description of them, in the order in which I traveled myself. For two weeks I managed to see quite a lot, and without much haste, but also without sticking in any place for several hours. Photographing and filming a video was also not very successful, it was necessary to look as much as possible and collect materials for the tour program. One way or another, I am sure you will find something useful for yourself.

Japan attractions map

Below is a map of Japan's attractions from those places where we managed to visit in two weeks. By clicking on the tags on the map, you can find useful information on the object.

Tokyo

There is nothing special for me to tell about Tokyo. When preparing for the trip, I focused on places located at a distance from the capital. In total, I had a day in Tokyo, or even less. Below is a list of places visited and useful information on them:

Sky Tower (Tokyo Observation Deck)

TV Tower

Akihabara area

I didn’t regret visiting this place, although I didn’t feel wild delight. If you have time, it is worth going here at least to appreciate the scale of the capital of Japan. Whichever way you look, buildings and streets recede beyond the horizon. In my opinion, it is better to go by 9 pm, when the city is in the night lights and not so crowded. Below you can see the prices and timetable for the Sky Tower in Tokyo.

Please note that there are several options. A regular ticket to the lower observation deck costs 2,060 yen. The upper observation deck will cost 1,030 yen more. Judging by the reviews, the view is not very different, it makes sense to save on the ticket. If you do not want to stand in line, you can buy a ticket at a special ticket office and you will be escorted out of line to any of the observation platforms. The cost of such a service is 3000 or 4000 yen, depending on the choice of the observation deck.

• Opening hours: 08.00 - 22.00 (ticket offices close at 21.00)
• How to get there: Tokyo Sky Tree Station

The tower itself is relatively low when you find yourself in front of it. I didn't go inside, I just wanted to take a photo of the tower in the evening. To do this, it was necessary to find some kind of panoramic place, but this was not very easy to do. Walking near the tower, I met a Russian couple, they have been studying in Japan for a long time. From the conversation I understood that they knew one entrance to the roof. There is a lock hanging there and it seems like you can't go up there, but they know the code of the lock, so they can show it. It is not accepted to refuse such offers and spent about an hour in the company of new Russian acquaintances who shared their experience of life in Japan.

• Opening hours: 09.30 - 21.30
• Price: 720 yen
• How to get there: Akabanebashi station

One of the most popular temples in Tokyo and it is clearly worth going here if you are just starting your acquaintance with Tokyo or you have a day or two to the capital. After you ride through Japan, see dozens of the most diverse temples, Senso Ji is unlikely to seem anything unusual to you.

• Opening hours: every day from 6 to 17
• Cost: Free
• How to get there: Asakusa Station (浅 草 駅)

Akihabara area

This place can be interesting in the evening, when Tokyo, like almost any metropolis in Asia, lights up with millions of lights. Here you can see anime girls, a bunch of different informals, electronics stores, eateries with Tokyo cuisine, rooms for video games on local machines, where it is simply unrealistic noisy! If you have time, it's worth a walk here. On the sights of Japan, you can see where the Akahabara area is located.

Needless to say, Tokyo has another million places to go. Apparently, these places are waiting for me next time.

One of the most popular places to see Fuji up close is the town of Kawaguchiko and the several lakes surrounding it. Kawaguchiko, a place that I highly recommend for exploring Japan's nature. You won't find many temples here, but for temples you have Kyoto. In Kawaguchiko, people go to relax, enjoying nature and silence. This can be especially felt in contrast to Tokyo, from where my path lay.

There are nuances of how to get from Tokyo to Kawaguchiko. Let's understand how to do this and start packing our backpack for the trip.

On the map below you can see the location of the JR train stations in Tokyo that you will be traveling on. I will start from Tokyo station. From Tokyo you need to get to Shinjuku, then transfer to the train and drive to the station for about an hour Otsuki... All this way covered by JR Pass... Just show the pass where you need it, pay nothing and get on the train you need. But with a pass, you will not be able to completely cover the path to Kawaguchiko.

Upon arrival at Otsuki, you find yourself at a tiny train station. At the ticket office of Otsuki Station, you can buy a train ticket to Kawaguchiko for 2,200 yen round trip. That is, for 2,200 yen you are given a train ticket to Kawaguchiko for today and a ticket from Kawaguchiko for tomorrow. The boarding time is not fixed, the ticket is valid for 2 days from the date of purchase. Check the train schedule and board at any time convenient for you. From Otsuki to Kawaguchiko by train, the scenic journey takes one hour.

After all the trains, you find yourself at the railway station in the town of Kawaguchiko, which is also a bus terminal. It won't take you more than half an hour to get to your accommodation, wherever you are based. In Kawaguchiko, everything is close by, and upon arrival, beautiful Fuji will be your companion wherever you go.

How to spend one day in Kawaguchiko

How much time to spend in Kawaguchiko depends on the season. In most cases, the surroundings can be viewed in one full day. In my opinion, the most reasonable solution would be to rent a bike for a day in a hostel or a bike rental shop. Take a ride on two lakes, Saiko and Kawaguchiko, visiting two observation points along the way. There are still places for a walking route, but I'm not sure if this option will leave more impressions.

This is how I see the optimal route for 1 day. Below, on the interactive map of Kawaguchiko, you can see the detailed markings. You can do this route in one full day, but you need to leave early in the morning. In this case, you can not drive horses, but calmly watch everything and enjoy a good day on the trip.

After leaving Kawaguchiko, you should move to the right, starting the route with a stop at one of the first two marks (marked on the map as "ascent to the observation deck" and "cable car"). To tell the truth, when I was driving along the route, I did not visit this place, because I was not sure that I would have enough time. Returning, I would definitely get up and drive on. This is a very popular place where you can climb both by cable car and on foot. Both climbing points are marked on the map. Book one hour for a visit. Bicycles can be parked just before the climb. Just close them with a padlock, in Japan nobody would think of stealing them.

Continue along Kawaguchiko Lake following the map. Having overcome half of Lake Kawaguchiko, in front of you there will be a fork to Lake Saiko and the continuation of the road along Kawaguchiko. I recommend choosing the first option by going to Saiko. In this case, you have to push the bike up on foot and this will be the most difficult part of the path. You will need to push on the road, but there are practically no cars and they drive in Japan very carefully and respectfully.

A little tired of pushing your bike is worth it, because then the road will only be in a straight line or down. Importantly, when you find yourself facing Lake Saiko, move on the right side. In this case, the other half of the lake will be the way down when you just drive and enjoy the view. Breeze, fine weather, no heat, no cars. This is how I remember the bike ride on Lake Saiko. I would not say that the lake is very picturesque, but the whole route together brings positive emotions!

And for a snack, the descent from the very rise, on which we pushed our bicycles. With the exception of the serpentine at the beginning, here you can release the brake and rush down like a bullet! Of course, if you are not afraid))

After Saiko, the continuation of Lake Kawaguchiko, its other half, awaits you. The map shows that there is a second observation point on the route. It is pleasant to look directly at the lake and Fuji from it. The ascent to the observation point takes about ten minutes, bicycles can be parked near the rise.

When to go to Kawaguchiko?

If lakes Saiko and Kawaguchiko are good at any time of the year, then in April you can add Lake Motosu to them. The Fuji Shibasakura Flower Festival is held here from April 14 to May 27. The dates are shifted every year, it is better to clarify about them in advance. I managed to visit this festival in the second half of May and I can say that it was already too late, since many flowers had already faded.

Apparently, the best time for the Fuji Shibasakura festival is the second half of April. Here you will definitely see the hills in flowers and will not be as crowded as in early May, when the Japanese have "Golden Week" and they are actively traveling.

You can get to the Fuji Shibasakura festival directly from the station in Kawaguchiko. The cost of a round trip bus ticket and entrance ticket is 2000 yen for an adult and 1000 yen for a child 6-12 years old. Below you can see the official pricing. It takes one hour from Kawaguchiko to Motosu. The first bus from Kawaguchiko to Motosu departs at 7.50 and the last at 15.30. Buses from Motosu to Kawaguchiko: 9:00 am the first bus, 5:00 pm the last.

Well, some photos of the Kawaguchiko area.

Matsumoto and the Alpine route

When I was planning my trip to Japan, I could not find practically any sensible information on the Internet about the Alpine route. There is no talk about the Russian Internet at all, there are only a couple of reports, without any specifics. As far as I understand, there are several options to overcome the Alpine route. One of them, with the help of cable cars and buses, on a specially prepared road. Other options include hiking. Even though hiking is closer to me, this time I went on a tourist path.

In detail, in a separate article, he told how to go through the Alpine route in one full day. I tried to describe everything in detail to make it easier for other travelers. All this is not very cheap, but it's worth it. I have never regretted that I had spent time and money on.

Takayama and Shirakawago Go (Shirakawa Go)

There is not much to tell me about Takayama, perhaps because I did not seek to explore this place. Having met, in turn, first with a girl from Brussels, and then with a guy from Brussels, we had a good two incomplete days in Takayama. Once in Takayama, you can see the most important things in one day. On the map below, the area highlighted in dark orange is just a few blocks, where all tourists go. There are a couple of temples, as well as many restaurants, souvenir shops, all in traditional Japanese style. Maybe I was looking badly, but I did not find anything interesting in Takayama. A little further from the town there is the village of Hida, where you can see the architecture of ancient Japan in the form of houses traditional for the area. It costs 700 yen to enter and this place is about nothing at all. For such an architecture, you need to go to Shirakawa Go.

P.S. if you want to know where in Takayama you can try "unlimited sake" for 300 yen, marked the place))

Shirakawa Go (Shirakawa Go)

The Japanese themselves speak Shirakawa Go, not Shirakawa Go, as it is customary to write on the Russian Internet. Therefore, we will try to call things by their proper names. On the sights of Japan, you can see where Shirakawa Go is. The area is extremely picturesque, with clean air, different shades of green foliage and snowy peaks in the background. Half a day at a calm pace is enough to get to know the village and it is worth a trip here. I think there can be no two opinions. Shirakawa Go is beautiful, and judging by the photographs, this village is beautiful at any time of the year. Check it out for yourself!

I have no specific advice on how to watch Shirakawa Go. The village is quite small, at the bus station you can take a map and just follow it. You should definitely visit the observation deck, which will definitely catch your eye. I advise you to visit the folk village, as far as I know, the only place in Shirakawa Go with a paid entrance. The cost is 500 yen, due to the paid entrance, there are fewer tourists and a little quieter.

On arrival, it is better to immediately attend to the return bus ticket. Since there is only one bus company operating in this region, the prices for transfers are high, there are not very many buses, but there are enough people who wish. Invest in three to four hours to familiarize yourself with Shirakawa Go. Upon arrival at the bus terminal, you can leave your luggage for storage. For a small bag or backpack, you will be charged 500 yen for the whole day. For a large trolley bag or a large backpack, 800 yen. For two large bags, 1,300 yen and so on. The Takayama - Shirakawa Go bus will cost 2,500 yen and take a little less than an hour.

Below you can see the timetable, map and some photos of the beautiful village of Shirakawa Go. After Shirakawa Guo, my path lay in Kanazawa, from where I immediately went to Kyoto. It is an hour and a half bus ride to Kanazawa and 1,850 yen. From Kanazawa to Kyoto by train in 3 hours, covered by the JR Pass.

Kyoto

There is a place in Kyoto where I have described the main attractions and placed a separate map for Kyoto. It's worth seeing Kyoto. This is a very touristy place, but it is real Japan, beautiful, with history.

Also in the article he told, in a nutshell, how to use buses and metro. Read it, you may find something useful.

Nara

It would be a crime to visit Kyoto and not visit Nara. Yes, there is the most ancient fortress in Japan in Nara, there are temples, but most importantly, there are hundreds of almost tame deer. Let the connoisseurs of Japanese history throw stones at me, but hand-feed the deer, take a selfie with them, just play! Do you manage to get a similar experience every day?

In Nara, all of this is possible because deer are literally everywhere. To get from Kyoto to Nara, you will need the JR Pass, it fully covers all travel to Nara. Trains leave from the main railway station in Kyoto, it takes about an hour and you arrive at the railway station Nara. Half a day or a day is enough to see all the sights of this unusual place. When planning your day in Nara, be guided by the tags in, by clicking on specific places you will be shown the necessary information.

Attractions Nara

Upon arrival at the railway station, start moving towards the main attractions - the Todai-ji Temple and the park with deer (everything is on the map). In about 20 minutes you will be there. If you arrive early in the morning, it is logical to start with Todai-ji. It is a very large temple with a seated Buddha inside. The place is very crowded, which is why it is better to visit it right away. Deer will accompany you on the way to the temple. Buy them something to eat!

Reindeer parks are located in the immediate vicinity of Todai-ji, you will hardly be able to miss them.

• Opening hours of Todai-ji Temple: 7.30 am - 5.30 pm
• Price: 600 yen

Kasuga-Taisha Shrine

If you decide to visit this shrine after a few days in Kyoto, it probably won't make much of an impact on you. The architecture is similar to many similar structures in Japan, the orange color, so characteristic of Japanese temples and sanctuaries, will cease to amaze. Nevertheless, the stroll was pleasant. In Kasuga-taisha there is a small room where dim lamps burn in the twilight, in my opinion the most unusual place. Entrance fee 500 yen.

Temples Horuy-ji and Chugu-ji

If you want to see the most ancient temple in Japan, it is located in Nara and is called Horuy-ji. We arrived closer to closing time and did not have time to really look at it, so I don’t know whether to recommend it or not. From a distance, it seemed that the garden that surrounds the Horuy-ji Temple looks beautiful. Just ten minutes from Horuy-ji there is another Chugu-ji temple.

• Horuy-ji Temple Opening Hours: 08.00 - 16.30
• Temple and Garden Entry Fee: 1,500 yen

Himeji

A very interesting place, which I liked again. Himeji is the tallest fortress in Japan, you can go inside and walk through all five floors. It is wise to combine your visit to Himeji with the road to Hiroshima if your route is west of Kyoto. Even if you don't plan on driving to Hiroshima, spending one day on the road and seeing Himeji is worth it. It takes about an hour one way from Kyoto, the road from the station to the fortress and the actual inspection will take two to three hours. As a result, in half a day, you can hit the road back and forth from Kyoto. A ticket to the castle and adjacent park costs 1,040 yen.

Himeji Castle opening hours: 09.00 - 17.00 (last entry at 16:00)

Hiroshima and Miyajima

The museum, in my personal opinion, is the most interesting thing in Hiroshima. All the most significant in the infamous Hiroshima is located in close proximity to each other and, if desired, all the sights of Hiroshima can be bypassed in an hour or two. The Peace Memorial Park, the house and castle of Hiroshima, preserved from the moment of the nuclear bombing, are worth spending time on, but this is really one hour of a leisurely walk.

The Hiroshima War Museum is worth your time. You leave there with a heavy sediment, but this is one of the best museums that you have ever visited. It is necessary to remember such events in order to prevent them in the future. The fee to the war museum is symbolic, only 200 yen. Works Museum of War in Hiroshima from 8.30 to 18.00.

How to get from the train station to Hiroshima

There is a free way to get directly to Hiroshima upon arrival at the train station. In the picture below, you can see a dedicated bus that, if you have a JR Pass, will take you to downtown Hiroshima. There is a tourist office at the railway station, where you can get a map of the bus route (there are three or four routes). These buses run often, just wait your turn, get into the salon and get as close to your hostel or hotel as possible.

Miyajima

On the island of Miyajima you will have a chance to spend a full day, there are several hiking trails. Possible options for the beginning and end of the trails are visible on the map, you can use the cable car and choose different observation platforms. I also noted for you an observation deck, where there are practically no people and there is a different view on it than from the most popular and crowded one.

On Miyajima, you will also find the very popular Itsukushima Shrine. The same orange structure in the water. I was not very impressed by this place, after all, the panoramic views are exactly what it is worth going to Miyajima.

Transportation in Japan (JR Pass and Suika, Hyperdia.com)

You know, on transport I will limit myself only to general points. I can recommend Vinsky's forum, I am sure that there you will find comprehensive information on all types of transport. At Vinsky they really helped me with sensible advice. Moreover, there is not only about trains, which are so popular in Japan. Metro in Tokyo and Kyoto, buses between cities, you will find all this in a special line.

JR Pass and Suika in Japan

There are quite a few travel cards in Japan, depending on the mode of transport or region. I happened to use two. The most popular pass, the JR Pass, covers a large portion of Japan's railways. And Suika, which can be used for subways and buses in Tokyo, Kyoto and other cities. I have already written about Suika and how to use city buses separately.

If your trip to Japan involves not only Tokyo, but also other cities such as Kyoto or Hiroshima. In this case, it makes sense to buy a JR Pass. It will not only save you money, it is just more convenient with it. You don't have to go to the ticket office every time and buy a train ticket. Just at the control, in the building of the railway station, show the pass and go to your train.

The main thing to remember is that if you have not booked trains in advance and you do not have a ticket on hand, you need board the carriage marked non-reserve... This means that in these cars people sit in empty seats. When the train arrives, standing on the platform, you will see an electronic display on each carriage. Most will say non-reserve, there you go.

If you're not sure if your pass will pay off or not, check out Hyperdia.com. On it, you can roughly calculate the cost of transport. A good article on how to use this site has already been written on Vinsky's forum.

How to buy a JR Pass before your trip

There is one important caveat when buying a JR Pass. It must be purchased before arriving in Japan., and upon arrival, exchange the payment voucher directly for the travel card. As far as I know, the Japanese are trying to simplify the process by making it possible to purchase a travel card on the territory of the country, but so far I have no specific information on this issue.

It is very easy to pay for a travel card online and is done in a few steps. I'll tell you how I did it myself. Go to jrpass.com

Scroll down the page to the location indicated in the screenshot. We choose for how many days we need a travel card and how many pieces. For example, one JR Pass for 14 days. Click ORDER NOW

On the next page, we will have the opportunity to choose the class (ordinary or green), buy a cheaper ticket for a child and, if necessary, change the number of days for the validity of the pass.

Click CLICK TO BOOK.

Enter information about the future owner of the JR Pass and select the nationality. Click NEXT STEP

The next step is to agree to the terms.

Further, upon arrival in Japan, you will be offered to acquire the Internet for the duration of your trip. To be honest, I did not go into the details of this proposal, so there is nothing to advise. The issue price is $ 98, you can agree or refuse. Click NEXT STEP.

At the penultimate step, you must fill in the address to which you will receive a letter with a payment voucher. The address must be filled in Latin... Press NEXT STEP.

We check the information, agree to the terms, see the delivery cost and the final cost of the JR Pass. Click PROCEED TO PAYMENT and go to the payment page.

After payment you will receive a confirmation letter to the specified mailing address. Typically, the voucher, which you can redeem upon arrival at the airport, will be delivered within a week. Nothing complicated, right?

Luggage transfer between cities and luggage storage at train stations

There is a convenient option in Japan, which I also did not use due to the almost complete lack of luggage, but which is worth talking about. Due to the short distances, you may find that in one day you will visit two or three places at once, and spend the night in the fourth. In this case, it may be expensive to carry your luggage with you.

You can use the transfer of baggage from one city to another. The service is very popular and in demand in Japan. I will not tell you about the cost, it all depends on the size of the luggage and the distance at which the dispatch is planned.

To use this option, contact the post office where you are currently staying. Take with you the address of the place where you plan to send your luggage and the post office staff will calculate the exact cost for you.

You can go the other way. At every train station in Japan, you can find automatic lockers. The storage compartments differ in size and cost. In the pictures below you can see how they look. The cost of using cameras is from 300 to 700 yen, depending on the size of the bag. Throw coins into the coin acceptor, open the door, put the bag, take the key to the cell and go light.

Since only 100 yen coins can be used, please note what the automatic coin changer looks like. Put in a 500 yen coin and you are given five 100 yen coins. Everything is super convenient and fast.

Prices in Japan (housing, food, attractions, transportation)

Everything is very expensive in Japan! This can always be heard when it comes to this country. I don't even know whether to agree or not. If we compare Japan with Thailand or Vietnam, one hundred percent, these are generally different planets in terms of prices. If we compare with Europe and America (I agree, different regions, but still), Japan should be cheaper.

Food

Like any trip, a trip to Japan can be organized by spending countless thousands of dollars, and it can be kept within quite reasonable money. You can eat delicious sushi within 500 rubles per serving of 10-15 rolls. There and drink beer for 300 rubles for a bottle of Asahi.

You can have a snack in a small restaurant for two, when you are served several meat dishes to choose from and you will cook it yourself on a special tile on the table. In this case, count on about $ 50.

All over the place you will find 7/11 shops with a wide range of food for all tastes. The main thing to remember. If you buy food in Japan, it is always delicious and fresh food. You enjoy your food and I personally did not mind paying for the quality.

Lodging

Since I lived in hostels, it is difficult for me to give a layout for all types of housing. But hostels, if you want to keep your budget, are a great option for overnight stays in Japan. These are always clean rooms, with fresh air even in dorms (those who have been to hostels in dorms in Southeast Asia will understand me). Prices for a bed are around 2000 yen per night. The staff speak English most of the time, which is important in Japan, where the population has a hard time communicating in non-Japanese.

By the way, I tried capsule hotels for the first time. Below in the picture you can see one of these capsules. Not to say that I was delighted, but if necessary, I would stop again. The price is the same as in the hostel dormitory room.

Also in Japan, you can stay in ryokan - traditional Japanese-style inns where you sleep on a tatami. Of course, there are hotels in all star categories and in all price ranges. Check the websites of booking accommodation and all prices will be in front of you at a glance.

sights

Here I would like to note the low level of prices for entrance tickets to attractions. I compare it with China, where I lived and traveled for a long time. In China, you pay for absolutely everything, often really big money. In Japan, even the most popular and visited temples will cost you 500-700 yen to enter. More often than not, it will be 300 yen or even free. In my opinion, it is inexpensive.

Transport

Transportation will be one of your main expenses in Japan. However, by purchasing the JR Pass, which will cover the vast majority of train journeys. By purchasing one of the passes that will allow you to use the metro and city buses in Tokyo and Kyoto. With this, your transportation costs will be practically reduced to zero. Yes, in some directions you will have to use "paid" buses, but here it all depends on the route you have built.

For myself, I found that transport in Japan is very convenient, although at times it was difficult for me to navigate which particular train to take and how to find the right platform.

When is the best time to go to Japan

Absolutely any time of the year! Of course, as a person who has only been to Japan once, it is rash to say that. But Japan is always unique in its own way. Winter snowy landscapes, cherry blossoms in early spring and green motifs in late spring, the arrival of autumn in September-October and the flowering of maples in November. Only the second half of summer may not be the most comfortable time due to the intense heat. However, it is during the summer that the famous Fuji is open for climbing.

I would love to see Japan in November and winter. Without options, return to these seasons and tell you about my impressions. Maybe we will even do it together when the program's tour of Japan next year is ready. This year I decided not to conduct tours, there are other interesting plans.

People!!!

I have never really met such polite people as in Japan. Moreover, politeness is typical for people both in the service sector and just on the street. Everywhere they try to help you, they constantly bow in their oriental manner and smile. If I made a list of visited countries, with the most polite people, Japan would lead by a wide margin.

But living in a country for a long time and traveling around it is different. Those Russians who met in Japan were not so optimistic. Someone said that the Japanese have no emotions and they are like robots. Someone complained that they would never say what they really think to your face. This is probably true. But this is generally typical for Asia.

From my own experience, I will say that the people in Japan are wonderful and the inhabitants of this country are one of its main assets.

My impressions of the country

As of today, June 2018, I can safely say that Japan is my favorite Asian country. If you take all the elements of travel, Japan is number one. Although, for example, nature is more beautiful and diverse in China, China is inferior in other parameters.

All this is very subjective, but this is how I feel now. If possible, I will discover Japan for myself, paving new routes and arriving at different times of the year. I will be doing tours from next year and will be glad to everyone who wants to discover this unusual Asian country.

If you have any questions about planning Japan, ask, I will try to help as much as possible.

Don't delay your travels! Gathered - go for it !!!

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