Visiting Japan tips and hints

[aussiegirl]

So you guys were extremely helpful when my daughter was going on a Missions trip to Indonesia! Another one of my daughter's leaves shortly for Japan! She will be there for about one and a half weeks! We know it will be hot! She bought herself a portable fan for where she is staying. She will be in Tokyo and in a city in the Mountains (I can't remember the name). We are thinking she may want bugspray too for when she is in the Mountain area.

Any hints or tips for her?

 

[Sherly]

I just got back from a week holiday in Osaka yesterday. Man, it's soooo hot and humid.

A pair of good walking shoes. There is a lot of stairs to go on in Japan cities, so that's essentials.
Cotton/breathable clothes. Hat and sunscreen to avoid sunburns.

 

[aussiegirl]

I just got back from a week holiday in Osaka yesterday. Man, it's soooo hot and humid.

A pair of good walking shoes. There is a lot of stairs to go on in Japan cities, so that's essentials.
Cotton/breathable clothes. Hat and sunscreen to avoid sunburns.

Thank you! I didn't think of a hat (I just bought her a new sunscreen today). We are so excited for her!

 

[Sherly]

Oh, a UV umbrella is quite useful too, Dawn. Sometimes it rains and still feels hot.

 

[eve11ne]

If she's going to walk a lot, I would suggest take 2 pairs of shoes so she can rotate around. When I went last year, every day I took over 15k steps, some days even 20k steps.
But if she's going in summer maybe she won't walk the whole day like me (we went in winter)

One thing that I learned that don't overplan, maybe just plan 1 or 2 places a day and when she has time in between just roam around the area, so many beautiful places hidden in the alley around main touristy place.

Is she going to kawaguchi? (where mount fuji is) We love that town :wub:
not many tips there but if she's going for a day trip and use the fuji exursion train, makes sure she reserve seat on the way back.
We stayed overnight there but we saw the train is packed full with people going back to tokyo in the evening (lots of people standing carrying bags and for over a 2 hours journey is not fun)

Other than that, hope she enjoys Japan :thumbup:

 

[Sherly]

Japan = lots of walk, any day, any season
My feet were begging for me to take a rest after a week of Japan holiday. The stairs, the walk, the summer heat... crazy, but awesome!

If she's going to walk a lot, I would suggest take 2 pairs of shoes so she can rotate around. When I went last year, every day I took over 15k steps, some days even 20k steps.
But if she's going in summer maybe she won't walk the whole day like me (we went in winter)

 

[aussiegirl]

She is planning on packing a few different pairs of shoes. Thankfully she is allowed to bring quite a few bags! She got herself a few different items today that were on her list, and I bought her a bug spray that is more essential oils style (so that if it spills in her bag, she doesn't have the huge bug spray smell).

Do either of you know about exchanging money? Can she do this in the airport or would it be better to try to do at our Bank before she leaves the USA?

 

[ninigoesdigi]

It will probably be more expensive at the airport.
I would maybe try your bank before hand or use an international credit card to withdraw at the airport like my parents did. But it depends on what kind of service your bank offers with that card. My mum had an international gold card with her bank and it was better to withdraw than go with euros to an exchange booth.

I live in Japan and I still do withdraw with my French card from time to time at the post office ATMs but recently I have been using 7/11 cash machine and always use the "withdraw in yens" instead of the amount of euros they show me because in the end it's more expensive than what my bank takes me.
Before you confirm the withdraw you can see the amount and if you think it's too much you can just cancel and try again for a lesser amount of yens.

I hate moving around in Japan in summer so I am no help when it comes to hiking lol.
In any drug stores they sell wet paper towels that stay cool quite some time and long enough you can wrap around your neck. I think she could buy a few and easily pack in her bag in case of reall hot emergencies. If she feels too hot, try cooling the arms pit, a former student of my husband who became a fireman taught us that

Here is the kind of products you can find in pretty much any drugstore.

46 cm long,
- 3 degrees celsius feeling difference
last about an hour

 

[aussiegirl]

It will probably be more expensive at the airport.
I would maybe try your bank before hand or use an international credit card to withdraw at the airport like my parents did. But it depends on what kind of service your bank offers with that card. My mum had an international gold card with her bank and it was better to withdraw than go with euros to an exchange booth.

I live in Japan and I still do withdraw with my French card from time to time at the post office ATMs but recently I have been using 7/11 cash machine and always use the "withdraw in yens" instead of the amount of euros they show me because in the end it's more expensive than what my bank takes me.
Before you confirm the withdraw you can see the amount and if you think it's too much you can just cancel and try again for a lesser amount of yens.

I hate moving around in Japan in summer so I am no help when it comes to hiking lol.
In any drug stores they sell wet paper towels that stay cool quite some time and long enough you can wrap around your neck. I think she could buy a few and easily pack in her bag in case of reall hot emergencies. If she feels too hot, try cooling the arms pit, a former student of my husband who became a fireman taught us that

Here is the kind of products you can find in pretty much any drugstore.

46 cm long,
- 3 degrees celsius feeling difference
last about an hour

Thank you for this info! We will look into those cloths and into seeing if we can get money from our bank. (She is excited to buy some of the beauty products sold in Japan!) Going in summer was not her 1st choice, but we are going with it and praying for the best! :wub:

 

[ninigoesdigi]

Maybe she could try to go to the big chain store "don quijote" as they offer tax-free purchases and are very popular among foreigners. When my Korean nieces come here it's a must-go stop on their list
But they will zip everything in a tax-free bag (red tape kinda thing). She is not supposed to open while in Japan but my nieces did and arranged their luggage accordingly with all what they bought lol
I offer no guaranty if she does open her bag before she leaves lol

https://www.donki.com/en/?pre=le