If you really want to go, there’s nothing stopping you! Forget the language barrier, just stick to simple English, pointing and body language I promise you’ll be fine.
Lately there has been an influx of flight seat sales going to Japan. Honestly I do not have the skilllzzz to get the cheapest bestest seats during those sales. For less stress I choose low fare tickets. If you’re one of the blessed ones to get the ticket here are some things you can do to prepare for your trip! Ready? Go!
Visa – have your visa processed by a credited travel agent. We’ve actually never had a problem with ours. We apply for tourist visa and include our roundtrip airplane tickets even though it isn’t included in the list of requirements. We also attach our hotel reservation if we already have it. And if you have visas for other countries, like Korea, photocopy and attach that too! Tip: If you have an old visa attach that as well and you can forego the birth certificate.
Prepare your itinerary – One of the Visa requirements is actually an overview of your itinerary, so you better already have an idea of where you’re going. No need to go into the details and nothing is set in stone but better be prepared. They might check if you When going into details like train stations, Hyperdia.com is my best friend. ♥
Immigration – Taking pictures is not allowed in the area, there will be posters of cameras with Xs to remind you of that. My husband was caught taking pictures (he wasn’t paying attention to the signs) and was told to delete it. We apologized and the man working here smiled. If you are renting an Airbnb remember to indicate “Airbnb” in the address of your arrival card to avoid hassle. Best to have print outs or screenshots of your reservations since you can communicate better with visual aids.
Rent a pocket wifi in the airport – Some Airbnb hosts will lend you their pocket wifi, but if that’s not an option don’t worry you can rent one in the airport. Google maps can be big help and having access to train route apps anytime needed was very convenient.
Ask locals – Store keepers and train personnel are usually helpful. Not everyone can speak English, and even less are fluent. So try not to look intimidating. We survived by having a printed copy of where we want to go and just following the direction they were pointing us to. Remember to smile, be polite and thank them properly. If you fail the first time, shake it off and try again. Keep in mind this is probably more stressful for them than for you, you’re the one who is on vacation.
Don’t let plans get in the way of having fun and your vacation. For me Japan is such a unique and rich country walking around in itself is treat. I’m a little weirdo but that sense of wonder really helps because it’s so easy to be upset these days. Good luck and enjoyyy~~
bimbleep 