7 ESSENTIAL FACTS To Know Before Arriving In JAPAN 2023! 

Just came back from Tokyo on 13 Dec 2022, and this is my takeaway from my short trip - Google Maps is great. I downloaded japan navitime all, but find Google maps more user friendly and not any less accurate...(at least in Tokyo). The live view feature (where you scan your surroundings with your phone and then just follow the giant arrow on the screen) makes walking around a breeze too, although it gets bit confusing if routes involves going underground or overhead passes and it is bit less accurate when used at night. - The Tokyo metro 24hr/48hr/72hr ticket may be really worth if your itinerary involves places along the subway lines (which usually are for first time visitors in Tokyo I think). The combo with the Narita Skyliner ticket was extra worth it. - Suica and Pasmo cards are not only for transportation. You can use it on vending machines, convenience stores and many restaurants (where you put in order on the ticket machine at the store front). - credit cards (master and visa) seems to be widely accepted in most shops, pharmacies and restaurants (where you order in person and not by ticket machines)... My only surprise was this souvenir shop in Tokyo Tower building that only accepts cash. Oh, and if you are buying with credit card at tax free shops, make sure the cardholder name is same and the passport holder. - I personally still prefer carrying some local currency when I land, just in case there is trouble with your cards (especially if you are not a frequent traveller....and remember to inform your bank to activate them for overseas purchases or withdrawal of money!). But I do agree, you do not need to ensure you have cash to cover all your spending. In fact, my credit card rates were better than the rates I bought my yen with. Cash is however, a good way to control spending coz it's easy to overspend with all the nice food and things in Japan! - do those pre-arrival procedures mentioned in the video and going through Narita would be a breeze! We arrived at 6.45am and was on the 7.29am Skyliner out of the airport! - check your local network provider for roaming packages and do your cost comparisons. I decided to go with unlimited data roaming package (which was Rm58 or approximately USD12-13 for 7 days), which was half the cost of getting a SIM. I usually prefer to get local SIM in case you need to make any local calls -- but foreigners apparently can't get a call SIM in Japan...or at least you can't get one easily...so data roaming works fine. Apparently you don't get the emergency notifications if you don't have a local call SIM -- but they are Apps you can download for it.

Thank you so much for these tips! I’m planning my trip to Japan and it definitely helped.

Was able to get in from your tips , thank you

Great list! Thanks for posting this information 😊

going to japan with some friends on march 8th...im so stoked! thanks for all these helpful tips man!

Thank you! Your videos are so helpful and informative. My daughter and I are going to Japan in June for the first time!

This is so information dense! Thanks for this

Piling on the thanks for this vid. My partner and I had our fist trip to Japan about two weeks ago. We visited Osaka and Kyoto. This video definitely contributed to making it a successful first trip in that beautiful country!

Great help. Thanks

We are traveling in March--your tips are very informative. Thanks so much!

Amazing thank you ao much

Awesome video as always. Straight to the point and another day closer cannot wait!!! Roll Tide!!! I have to say I don't think anyone is going to touch Georgia.

Thank u soo much! Ur helping me so much cus I'm def tryns plan a japan trip to remember with my fiancé next year in September

We’re traveling in Feb. your channel has provided us great information!

Awesome video 👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏 so informative I applaud you

Thank you so much for all of your helpful tips, I’ve never been to Japan and this is helping me feel a lot less anxious. Could you do a video exclusively on how to use Google Maps?

would love to see a video about using google maps in Japan, your videos are super helpful thank you

This is very refreshing tips, with all the reuse japan tips videos ive seen.

Fan from British Columbia Canada. Thanks for all your informative videos. Going to Japan in April. Hope we could bump into you in Tokyo Lol

i’m going to japan for school next year (or for high school graduation) and i’m so excited dude

I was planing a day trip to the Sendai area. You saved me around $100 by informing me about the JR pass! Thanks!

I subscribed your channel. Im watching always. I really loved to visit Japan. I'm visiting March 01, 2023, it will be my 6 times. Im very excited. 🇯🇵❤️🌍

Great stuff Harb 😀 I certainly know about soggy sneakers in Japan 😹 last time I was prepared

Google maps is a lifesaver. You are so right though - you need to make sure the departure time matches the train. Sometimes we would set it up early to see how long it would take to travel and we ended up on the wrong train. When you get it right it is amazing - tells you what train number to board for faster exit and where to exit as well. I don't know how we did Japan before this. We used to print out paper maps and wing it :)

The Japan travel app for navigating the train system is a great alternative for google maps! I used it for the 2 weeks i was there and it saved me plenty of times 👍😂

As first time traveler to Japan a google maps video would be very much appreciated we don’t have tons of trains out here for transportation in California

This is a very informative video, it's awesome. To be honest, I have never even thought about some of the things you pointed out and they're so important haha, thank you for making this video! I would love to do Spanish subtitles for this video! If that's something you'd be interested in, please let me know! Love from Argentina

Great video. I was especially interested in portable WiFi vs sim cards. I'm returning to Japan in April, after covid destroyed other planned trips. I'd like to see videos of unusual Tokyo day trips please.

Hi Harb. I’m binge watching your videos to plan my trip with my sibling to Japan. I have few topics/questions that you may want to cover in your future videos. 1. Is one day enough to visit Disneyland? 2. Will you visit Mt.Fuji via bus (tour) or train? 3. Is it OK to bring my own mobile Wifi than renting in Japan? I plan to buy my own mobile Wifi so I can use it anywhere even here i Canada. I only use my data for Google Maps. 4. Will you visit Ghibli Park? It requires online booking to visit. And thank you for clarifying about English-speaking tourist conversing with Japanese. I would love to try local foods and hoping to order the correct food. Also what gear do you use? Your audio is clear and I don’t see any lavalier. Maybe a shotgun mic? Thanks for showing us around Japan. The transportation seems like a maze for me. 😂

Gotta love the Pokemon Plushies in the background!

Thank you Alex for your tips! I will make sure to remember them when I go to Japan this spring. I just have one question regarding payment types, does Japan take Discover? I've looked around the internet and it says that merchants in Japan may take discover as they are entwined with JCB and Diner's International... please do let me know!

Hey man! I've been following your channel for quite a while now since we've planned our trip since the beginning of the year when Japan wasn't even open yet and I just had a question about your 8th tip Would you recommend taking out USD at home and then using the currency exchange at the airport (I've heard pretty good stuff about their rates) or do what you said about not worrying about that and directly go to 7/11 and take out JPY from there?

When I was in Tokyo from the end of June until mid july in 2018, it was sunny most of the time

Nice! Yes, Google maps video :)

Hello! i love your videos! i’m travelling solo to japan and would be going to Fujikawaguchiko, tokyo, kyoto & shinjuku, & a day trip to Nara! is it worth getting the JR pass (this is so expensive😢) or Suica card?

Please do a full Google maps video! Preparing for July 2023!

I feel like whether you take out money before or after arriving depends a lot on what card you have, and how much you spend traveling. Also, everyone always mentions ATM fees, but a lot of banks also charge fees for using out of network ATMs, and those are frequently a lot more than the ATM fee. Taking out roughly how much cash you plan on spending during a trip is also a really good budgeting strategy. (The exchange rate between USD and the yen is pretty easy. That's not always the case.) If you're someone who just wants to eat at food stalls, do a few activities and buy a small souvenir or two, your daily ATM limit is probably enough. If you want to eat at better restaurants, and do more shopping, while still keeping track of your budget somewhat, ordering a wad of cash from your bank ahead of time can be a better idea. Personally, I like to order the majority of the money I except to spend, barring larger purchases or more expensive meals, and divide it into envelopes by how many days I'm going to be somewhere. It's a really easy way to keep track of your spending, especially if the exchange rate is more challenging.

Tried to do the atm thing and test it out too All charged me 110¥ as a fee and family mart had the best exchange rate! The atm was at the family mart in ginza near shimbashi station below the hotel „fresa inn“ and next to a Ibis Hôtel and a ramen shop

Can you please make a breakdown or like a step by step on how to navigate google maps in Japan?

Just discovered your channel man and I was wondering if what bus pass or train pass do I need to purchase when travel in Osaka and Sapporo?

Can you please make a video about travelling tokyo or major cities via buses?

I always get some money from my bank before going. You get mid market exchange rate. If you need to get it in Japan the convenience store atms are the most reasonable but still more expensive that getting it at home

The last time I went to Tokyo, my AirBNB host had a portable Wi-Fi I could use. Since then, most wireless companies provide free International data service. This allow you to do everything like GPS, Texting, FaceTime or some sort of video chat. As long as it’s data, it’s free. You just can’t make a regular phone call. I know AT&T and T-Mobile offers this.

Alex, great video! I’m in Tokyo now and through my US career I got for $10.00 a day supposedly a plan that allows data, but I can’t seem to get internet at all unless I’m using free Wi-Fi and I was wondering if I got the wrong thing? Also, was wanting suggestions on places go?

Hey what website did you say I should go to so I can skip the lines? (I’m going to Japan in March 2023)

The maps you show at 2:25, is that like some overlaid My Maps or did you manually mark all those locations in the actual Maps. If this is a My Maps I would very much like the link!

My wife and I did the 72 hr PCR test and it was a breeze to get the blue screen needed to fly thru Narita. But to show how insipid this system is, our good friends, a couple, went 3 weeks before us, they are Vax/boosted so they uploaded vax info to get blue QR screen, but they both caught Covid right before their trip, still went despite being sick and because they are “vaxxed” it’s ok for them to enter, but if I had tested positive right before my trip I wouldn’t be able to enter. Clown world policies. Japan needs to drop these silly Covid entry policies since it doesn’t matter if you’re vaxxed or not, everyone is susceptible to catching it and spreading it, vax’d or not.

Also if your phone OS is a bit too old ie under OS8 for android you might need a pocket wifi. Do pay attention to train status screens ie line and station number. JY03 is an example, get that to match along platform and you are gold.

Can you do a video on e-sims in japan?

Hi, a couple in our 50s here planning our first trip to Osaka/Kyoto and maybe Nara. From Osaka (KIX airport) to the city we will be travelling by train and return should be the same. What kind of return train pass should we get for this leg? We definitely will be getting the ICOCA card. Should we get the Kansai Pass? Too many different pass it is so confusing. Appreciate the help.

Very interested in the Google Maps video!

Great video! Do you have a carrier that you recommend for an unlimited prepaid sim that I can purchase at the airport upon arrival?

Hey man thanks for the video information. Do you know if there is any requirement for a 2nd booster shot or if ur 1st booster has to be within a year before you go to japan? Or it doesn't matter as long as you have had 2 vaccinations + 1 booster shot you are okay to enter?

Great video, I use Revolut, should I first convert euro to iene or can I simply withdraw iene with my euro revolut account? Thanks

Great channel, can you do timestamps in the descrption?

Stay healthy !!!

Is it best to buy your JR rail/Shinkansen pass when you are in the country or before you go. It has been my dream to go to Japan for many many years and finally this year I make it a reality planning to move from Tokyo down to Osaka, maybe even Hiroshima at a push. Just wondering what the best pass is to go for, thanks for the suica card tip though will also do that! If anyone can help with my question would appreciate 🤘🏻

Please do make a video on how to use Google Maps efficiently to navigate in Japan

Can u do the effective google maps video asap? I’m going Japan in two weeks 🤣

Thank you for the video . Do you recommend to rent a car 🚘?

I don't know if anyone else has mentioned it but, if Japanese ATMs are like those anywhere else in the world you should choose "without conversion" if it's an option when withdrawing money - your own bank FX rate will be better than the ATM rate.

have you heard anything esim cards and if they are any good? someone mentioned one called airalo that you use from an app

I tried downloading the virtual Suica card, but to do that you have to change your region on your phone, which is simple to do unless you have Apple Music subscription, which you'd have to cancel first before changing regions. Kind of annoying lol.

(NEW) (1) All travelers and returnees will no longer be required to submit either a certificate of negative result of COVID-19 test conducted within 72 hours prior to departure, or a valid COVID-19 vaccination certificate of three doses or equivalent.

Can you do the full breakdown of Google Maps? As I am travelling to Japan Next year in March. Thanks.

I live in Costa Rica. No Subway or big trains. THANKS for this video. More about Google maps please. My trip is in April. Muchas gracias. No sé usar Google maps. Me gustaría aprender a usarlo en Japón, tengo miedo de perderme.

One thing that I find difficult to explain to people is the difference between a mall and a department store. Usually the debate is that if it has food, it’s a mall. But in japan they all do 😆 This is one topic idea you may want to make a video on, best mall or department stores and probably settle the debate on the difference. Department stores in japan are very underrated.

Waiting for a full video about JR Pass 🥺🙏🏻

Hi there I am going at March. Our only option for the pocket wifi is for it to be transferred to the hotel instead of the airport. Are we able to use google maps to transport to our hotel when we land? Or we won't have any connection at all?

Howdy?, man~great recording~see you later~ 💥

Something to note while traveling to Japan or other asian counties, sometimes their version of an english word will not be the equivalent meaning of the english word in your country. Simple example being "Toilet" instead of "bathroom". Try to learn some of these basic phrases before going. Also for camera translation, I heard a lot of praise for papago over google lens translation. It's from a Korean company but supposedly has better translation due to the similarities of korean and japanese.

Was confused with #7, as a first timer, should you get yen before arriving or just rely on ATMs after you arrived?

In regards to Sim cards...what about e-sim? The newest phones like the Iphone 14 do not have physical sim cards anymore but are capable of using an e-sim.

Question we have a 20 hours layover inHaneda you think they will let us out the airport to travel around Tokyo? We are fully vaccinated and carry US passport, do we just show it to them?

Is pre registering on the visit Japan site optional or is it require for entry?

Dear Sir Hi and thank you for this video. Could you tell me please if I can find foreign currency exchange booths to change cash for Yen? Thank you in advance.

One point I never see brought up for the Japan videos is if you have Google Fi for a phone plan (at least the US provided plans), you should not need to get a SIM card or pocket wifi for most daily needs. Of course, BIG emphasis on "should" there. If you're someone who is using a lot of data-heavy apps (social media, email, net browsing etc.) then you may want it just to not drain your data before dinner. But for a traveler like me who would only be using it for maps, some translation help, and Pokemon Go, I can do all my data heavy stuff on the hotel wifi at night. Google Fi works really well internationally, I used in in Ireland and I had no trouble getting navigation except for some really rural areas I drove through where nothing short of a satellite phone would have worked anyway. And even then by the time I got to the next town it was right as rain. It hops onto any cell provider and lets you get pretty decent coverage in anywhere a tourist could reasonably go.

Question! Leaving in a week. So is the mysos app not useful anymore?

If my phone itself can be used in Japan like it has internal coverage should I get a Wi-Fi pocket?

One thing I’ll add about suica/pasmo app on phone. It works great but it turns out you cant add money to it if you’re using Visa. MC/Amex will work fine but not Visa for some reason, even tho I was able to initially create it and add money thru suica app with Visa. I couldn’t add more money with a Visa card. So weird but others found this same issue.

where can we get the certificate? or is the covid vaccination card okay?

Does withdrawing money from an atm in japan work if my original currency isnt usd?

Hello! I was wondering if you can help me find the cheapest way to get to Universal Studio Osaka from Tokyo.

What do you mean 3 vaccines? Like the first and then 2 boosters or the two part vaccine and a booster??? I can't seem to find any information about this.

🙌🇯🇵🙌

My vaccine card has my married name, but my passport still has my maiden name. Will this be an issue? I am planning to bring my marriage certificate as well, so will that be able to solve any issue? Thank you in advance 🙏🏼 your videos have been so helpful!

Can you buy JR pass when you land in Japan airports or at a JR station, instead of buying online from USA and having it mailed?

google maps and conbini food. the 2 essentials

Are there places where if I take USD cash I can exchange for YEN? instead of having to use my card

2023 i go to Japan 😃

The moment it said vaccination i became sad because my parents never took me to vaccinate or test for negative covid 19 what do i do😔

I recently got married. I have changed my name for my passport but the Covid information still shows my old name. Would that be a problem?

Great advice for language! Also bring a notepad so that you can write down what you are saying, people can read a lot better than they can listen!

How do I upload my vaccines documents? I leave in 3 weeks to Japan

Please do the Google maps video.

is there an app that helps with Yen currency? (to use the right amount to pay for things etc)?

im kinda curious, cause me and my friends became unsure about how freely you can move around in japan right now. Cause when they first opened up it was only guided tours, and then they let people get in but only via booking agencies. So now we have seen that you might still need the tours on some (visit japan)sites. But since you live there you might know the rules as they are now and how they might be in like 5-6 months from now. just don't wana go there if you get stuck with a large tour group of people. Or be very restricted on where you can go, and so far there are some conflicting sources of info.

Goggle Maps video please 🙏

Definitely prefer the portable WI-FI

いいね👍️