This pass would most likely be the best way to save money if you are a non-Japanese resident who will visit Japan on a "temporary visitor" visa, and you plan to stay for more than a week. The all-you-can-travel pass is a privilege for foreign tourists since it allows unlimited use of the nationwide rail network. The catch is that you cannot obtain the pass in Japan. You can purchase a voucher at a Japan Airlines travel agent near you (usually located in major cities) and have it exchanged with a pass once you get to Japan. There is a 7-day, 14-day, and 21-day pass, all of which could be activated at any time during your stay. So if you are staying 3 weeks without much domestic traveling in the first week, you should get a 2-week exchange voucher. Make sure you do not lose the pass while you travel.

    Money

Japan is a cash oriented society. Checks are used for business transactions dealing with large sums. More stores are accepting credit cards, but many foreign visitors are surprised (and aggravated) to find that their cards are invalid in Japan. So the best thing to do is to bring cash. 20,000 Japanese yen should be enough to cover immediate needs for the first two days of your stay.

Credit Cards

Master Card and Visa are the most widespread international credit cards in Japan, but it would be safe to bring both (if you have them) in case one doesn't work. Automatic Teller Machines usually do not accept credit cards, and neither do souvenir shops at sightseeing spots. In other words, when in Japan, do not rely on plastic money.

Traveler's Cheques

If you bring traveler's cheques in Japanese yen or US dollars, you have less chance of running out of money. You can sell your TC's at most major banks in Japan. Bank hours are from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday.

   Your suitcase

Chances are, you won't be renting a car in Japan. That means your main source of transportation would be your feet. Even to get on the train you'd have to walk up and down different platforms. So do yourself a favor by bringing the lightest and most compact suitcase you can find. It would be nice if your case has wheels on the side.

Handkerchiefs or Hand Towels

Most public lavatories in Japan are not equipped with paper towels. Japanese people, therefore, carry around a handkerchief. Some public toilets do not supply toilet paper, so it would be best to carry tissues as well.

Fold-up Umbrella

Once again, you would be walking everywhere in Japan. So rain could get quite uncomfortable, especially if you have a long way to go, and it starts to rain pretty hard. Toss a fold-up umbrella into your travel case and save yourself from misery. If you forget, you can obtain a cheap umbrella at any 24-hour convenience store in Japan.

Comfortable Shoes (loafers would be great)

Lots of walking require comfortable shoes. The Japanese people have a custom of taking their shoes off before entering their homes or sometimes restaurants. And unfortunately, there is very little room to do this. Most foreign visitors are not accustomed to removing their shoes in public, and they end up taking lots of room and time doing this while impatient people await their turn. The solution to this problem is penny loafers. Laced shoes would obviously be more of a hassle.

Socks without holes

If you would be taking your shoes off in public, it may be embarrassing to have holes in your socks.

   Backpack

Even when you go on day trips, you would be walking and would probably prefer to have your hands free. Pack your valuables, camera, fold-up umbrella, and handkerchief in a backpack and leave your suitcase at the hotel. If you end up doing some shopping as well, the backpack would come in handy.

Business Hotels

Usually located near major train stations, these hotels are comparable to motels in western countries. No atmosphere and rather noisy, but sanitary and convenient. Rates are from about 7,000 yen / person / night. The rooms provide everything you need: a night gown (or cotton bathrobe), hair dryer, slippers, and toiletries. Occasionally, the rates include breakfast. Some hotels have non-smoking rooms.

International Hotels

Situated mostly in large cities, these hotels provide excellent service. English is understood and the atmosphere is ideal for international travelers. Rates are on the high side starting at about 22,000 yen / person / night (service charge included). An extra fee is charged at some hotels for use of their swimming pools, tennis courts, and other additional facilities.

Ryokan

Many of these are found in sightseeing areas, especially around hot spring sources. The main feature of these hotels is the hot spring bath and the meals. Rates usually include breakfast and an elaborate dinner averaging 12,000 yen / person / night (subject to seasonal changes). Sightseeing seasons differ depending on the region, and it could get quite hectic during peak months.

Minshuku

These family-run inns are great for budget travelers. The rooms are Japanese style, which means that you would be sleeping on the matted floor. Each room is provided with a set of futon mattress bedding material, and guests are sometimes asked to make their own beds. Rates including breakfast and sometimes dinner can get quite low depending on the area (the rural regions being much cheaper than the urban ones), but meals are to be taken at the dining room at set times. Most of these inns do not provide night gowns, toiletries, or hair dryers.

Attention!

Non-disposable items equipped in each room are not to be taken out of the hotel. Please leave the hotel's night gown (cotton bath robe), hair dryer, slippers, and hangers in the room as you check out. By taking these items home, you will give other foreign visitors a bad reputation. And consequently, Japanese hotels would shut their doors to guests from abroad.

   Rice

Rice is a vital part of the Japanese diet. Most people eat at least one heaping bowl of rice a day.

Miso Soup

Miso is bean paste that is quite salty. It is used to flavor soup as well as other types of dishes. Tofu, seaweed, vegetables, fish, and other ingredients are added in different combinations. Miso soup with rice is the standard base of most Japanese meals.

Raw Egg

Foreign visitors are puzzled to see a raw egg on their breakfast table. The egg is mixed with a few drops of soy sauce and poured over rice.

   Sushi

Sushi, as you may already know, is raw seafood on a little ball of vinegared rice. It is usually called osushi in Japan. The concept of eating raw fish may not agree with you, but keep in mind that many people love osushi. You may enjoy it, too. But you will not know unless you try it.

Yakiniku

Since you would be walking off calories, you should treat yourself to some good meat. Yakiniku restaurants serve platters of sliced raw beef and/or pork. You barbecue your own meat at your table. Draft beer is usually the drink of choice.

Ramen

Japanese-style Chinese noodle soup topped with slices of pork ham, chopped spring onions, pickled bamboo shoot, and a selection of vegetables. People eat ramen round the clock for lunch, dinner, snacks, or after drinking. It is cheap and good, but you would probably remember the loud slurping of other customers more than the taste.

Soba and Udon

If you are on a vegetarian diet, this is a safe dish for you to try. Soba (buckwheat noodles) and udon (wheat flour noodles) are served hot in soy sauce-based soup or cold with dipping sauce.

Shabu Shabu

A boiling pot is set at the table, and an excellent cut of thinly sliced meat (beef or pork) is served on a platter with vegetables. Customers cook their own meals. The meat only requires several shakes in the boiling water. If you cook it too long, the meat would get tough. The name shabu shabu comes from the sound made by the swirling of meat in the pot.

Okonomiyaki

You will be given a bowl of flour, sliced cabbage, a choice of seafood and/or meat, with an egg over the top. You are to mix the contents and cook it yourself on a hot griddle in front of you. The final product should look like an omelette. Condiments include shaved bonito, worcestershire sauce, and powdered seaweed.

Yakitori

Similar to a shish kebab, the Japanese version is made mainly with chicken and vegetables.

Tempura

Deep fried vegetables and fish (or seafood). In spite of the oil, tempura is light and crispy. It is served with dipping sauce or salt.

Non-alcoholic Beverages

In Japan, sodas and sweet beverages are also categorized under the word "juice." The number of different tea, coffee and juice products is astronomical, and you will run into these beverages in vending machines everywhere you go. Canned tea and coffee are chilled in the summer and kept warm during the winter.

Alcoholic Beverages

Sake or nihonshu (fermented alcoholic beverage) and shochu (distilled alcoholic beverage) are indigenous to Japan. Other drinks include all sorts of western products as well as beer. There are many domestic brands of beer, but they all taste alike. Drinking alcoholic beverages in public places is permitted in Japan. At night, you may see some businessmen dressed in suits cracking open a can of beer in the train as they head home.

Izakaya

A bar where picking food is served. Izakaya bars are highly recommended to foreign visitors. Prices are reasonable, and you can sample a variety of a la carte dishes in addition to all different kinds of drinks. Some of these bars take their final orders at around 9 p.m., so you should start your meals (or drinks) early. Izakaya bars are usually located near train stations. For Japanese businessmen on their way home from work, easy access to transportation increases the amount of drinking at the izakaya.

・About the trains

   Rush Hour

Trains in major cities such as Tokyo, Osaka, and Nagoya are packed with people between 7 a.m. through 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. through 7 p.m. Tourists, especially people with luggage, are advised to avoid these time zones. Train rides during rush hour are uncomfortable for Japanese people. It would definitely be a painful experience for foreign visitors.

Train Tickets

Travelers carrying a JR Pass can simply submit it as they walk through the gates, but others must purchase tickets before each ride. Your ticket will be collected at your destination, so don't lose it.

Last Train

Later into the evening, there are fewer trains in operation. And at around midnight most lines run their last train of the day. If you happen to be out late, you would have to take a cab back to your hotel. Taxis raise their rates at 11 p.m. so it would be unfavorable to miss your last train.

   Toilets

Baths

Most hotels nowadays have private bathrooms installed in their guest rooms. But if your hotel features a large (public) bath, you should definitely take advantage of it. Swimsuits are prohibited in most public baths; so for those of you who are not accustomed to being exposed, this experience may require some courage. Occasionally, there are public baths for mixed sexes, but most have separate rooms for each sex. You may want to confirm before you step into a big surprise. The large bath usually looks like a swimming pool for children. On the wall, you will find a number of shower outlets with which people wash their bodies before stepping into the bath. You may note that people sit on little stools while they wash themselves. This is to prevent splashing water onto their neighbor. Shampoo and soap should be supplied in the vicinity of the shower outlets. You must try the outdoor bath if your hotel has one. Enjoy the fresh air and beautiful scenery of the snow, or neighboring mountains and ocean while you relax in a nice hot bath. You will be glad you visited Japan.

Telephones

Over the past few years, there have been many cases of fraudulent telephone cards being used for international calls. Therefore these telephones have been altered to allow domestic calls only. The public phones that do allow international calls are troublesome anyway. You would have to worry about having enough change or enough units on your telephone card. Perhaps the easiest way to call home, although the rates are higher, would be from the phone in your hotel room. To call overseas, first press the number that lets you dial out of the hotel (you would have to inquire the front desk for this). Then dial 001,0041 or 0061, the country code, and the telephone number. Omit the initial 0 of the area code number.

Kimono

Whatever you do, don't promise your friend a kimono before you get to Japan. Even for Japanese people, these garments are usually purchased once in a lifetime. Recently, there are many young women who do not own a kimono at all. Although the robes are becoming more affordable, they still cost at least 300,000 yen. You cannot wear a kimono without its accessories which are also quite costly. The most important accessory is the sash. Without it, the kimono will come apart. But unfortunately, the sash is made of silk and is also very expensive. For those who do purchase a kimono with all the necessary items, they still need a trained specialist to put on the robe. If you have your kimono on incorrectly, the whole outfit will come apart as you walk. The beautiful garments made of genuine silk certainly deserves attention, but obtaining the traditional robe may require serious consideration.

Especially in a business situation, Japanese people always introduce one another by exchanging business cards. For Japanese businessmen, forgetting to bring the cards could sometimes be more embarrassing than forgetting to wear a suit. If you expect to stay more than a week in Japan on business, you should bring at least 50 cards.

Treatment of Cards

When you receive a business card, make sure you treat it well. Do not just slip it into your pocket or chew on the edges as you sit in a meeting because these actions would certainly offend the Japanese. The proper thing to do is to accept the card with both hands and to read the name. During the meeting, you are to place the cards neatly on the table and line them according to the seating. This way, you would not get the names mixed up.

Your Briefcase

Like everything else that you would be carrying, your briefcase should be light and compact.

Business Dinners

If your Japanese host(s) offers to take you out to dinner, heavy drinking would probably be the main purpose of the outing. This is great for those who like alcohol, but it may get uncomfortable for those who do not. There are no major religious groups in Japan that discourage drinking. In fact, Japanese businessmen who physically cannot accept alcohol suffer a degree of social stigma. So if you lead a life that is free from alcohol, you may be annoyed by all the urging from your Japanese colleagues. In the Japanese version of this homepage, I have asked the readers to respect personal preferences of foreign visitors. But please keep in mind that people in Japan have a tendency to encourage drinking.

English Media

There has been an increase in the number of English media sources in Japan. Today there are several daily newspapers in English, an international radio station, and a nationwide satellite television channel that broadcasts a selection of programs from many different countries. If you get lonely, tired of not understanding anything, or curious of what is going on, you may want to turn to these sources.