Six hours after landing in Japan, I stood at a train station waiting for my long-distance partner to arrive. It was hot, even at night and I was drenched in sweat, exhausted from the long trip. But in five minutes, two years of planning would pay off.
My partner was the perfect assistant planner to make those two weeks the best of my life and using our knowledge this article can help you prepare for your own Japan journey.
Where should you stay?
The question of where to go for your first time in Japan can seem pretty daunting, but choosing where to stay is relatively simple even with a budget. Sites like Expedia and Booking.com allow for hassle-free ways to book hotels in advance as well as scout out potential locations where you wish to stay.
Capsule hotels offer a cheap option to sleep in with shared amenities. However, they’re not ideal for those looking for a little more privacy. Another budget option is one-room business hotels which offer more privacy at a slightly higher cost.
For the Kyoto portion of our trip, my partner and I stayed in a hotel room inside the Kyoto train station. This was convenient for getting around and restaurants and stores were available with just an elevator ride.
For a more intimate setting in Tokyo, we chose to stay in an Airbnb.
Where should you go?
We chose 14 days total with five days in Tokyo, five days in Kyoto, three days in Osaka and one extra day to make sure you can easily catch your flight without any complications. I feel this is a great itinerary for any first-time traveler in Japan.
This makes it not only a great way to view the biggest cities in the country but also works as a great hub for potential day trips.
A highlight of Tokyo is the Dome City, a baseball stadium and small amusement park hybrid. While I’m not much of a sports person it was so much fun to try to join in on the big game, surrounded by cheering fans, drinks and snacks to enjoy.
Osaka has an exciting nightlife full of food and neon lights at Dotonbori, where, despite the number of people swarming the place being a tad overwhelming, we were able to indulge in street food. One that stood out was Takoyaki, which is bits of octopus put into a fried ball of dough and sprinkled with sauce and other confections. It’s as delicious as it is hot enough to burn your mouth and makes a fun date food in the massive neon canal.
How do you get around?
Japan has some of the best public transit in the entire world, even with the language barrier I had no trouble using it.
Buses and trains are numerous, cheap and frequent to the point where if you are staying in the major cities you will likely never need to worry about getting to your destination.
The only potential difficulty is booking the Shinkansen — Japan’s bullet train — which is essential when going anywhere outside a city or moving between two. They are often around $100 for a ticket. My partner learned the hard way that Apple Wallet has some issues as a form of payment.
I was lucky enough to grab a physical transit card at the airport, which works like the Citi cards in Sonoma County allowing you to explore the country with the tap of a card at a kiosk.
As long as you have Google Maps and a decent sense of direction, transport will never be an issue.
Where should you eat?
The choices of classic Japanese foods are endless and perfect for a college student’s rather small budget. A convenience store can fill you up on the go for cheap.
You will be hard-pressed not to find a restaurant in your local area where you can get a nice full meal for around 1,200 yen, or around $8, as long as it’s not a dish partially known for its luxury, such as sushi or Yakiniku.
However in my opinion even the “mall food” is delicious.
For example, one of the best foods I had in the country was the fried chicken you find in FamilyMart. It was as cheap as you expect convenience store chicken to be, but no exaggeration, it was the best I’ve ever eaten in my life. Every bite was perfectly crispy, juicy and well-seasoned into a delicious fried piece.
When should you go?
I went during summer because it was the most convenient for both me and my partner to visit during the break, and we were even able to attend a summer festival late at night due to the season aligning. But unless you’re fine with clothes drenched in sweat and having to restock on water or Pocari Sweat every half hour, summer might not be the best time.
The common consensus online is that the best times to visit Japan would be during spring and winter. In spring, you’re able to see the country’s iconic cherry blossoms blooming, and in winter you will experience some colder days out and more excuses to check out Japanese hot springs.
Any season is a decent time to visit, so it’s best to choose something that best suits your schedule and what you want to see.
Japan is one of the most beautiful and interesting places I’ve ever visited. It is a stress-free time that I would strongly recommend to anyone interested in the country’s history or culture. Just make sure to have a good plan and quite a bit of money saved up, even with the low price of yen.
