I like this format and length (10 minutes, packed with good info) solid info for first time travelers (and folks that haven't been back for a few years) thumbs up
Landing in Osaka, ICOCA was great and super-easy to obtain. It worked everywhere other than a few rural lines where that was expected, and we were able to link our JR tickets easily. One warning for travelers is that, inexplicably, Kanazawa buses don't accept any IC cards other than their local card. Every time we rode those buses, both Japanese and foreign tourists were confused and digging through their pockets for change to cover the fare.
I've forwarded this info to my contacts in Kanazawa tourism.. There are some places around Japan that might be cash only or use a commuter pass (not an IC card, which some people get confused with) in these locations I suggest a day pass to make getting on and off easier if you are going to make extensive use of the bus.
Thanks Nathan for this amount of useful information. You bring your extensive experience from the traveller’s angle that j-vloggers who live in Japan often do not have.
Nice video. As a regular Ninja Monkey and Happy Gaijin viewer I had learned all these tips from Nathan, but it's great that all that info was combined in one video.
@@froglady4360 Thanks Donna. Trying to get it perfect, wasn't getting it done. So I'm just doing it. 87 days should learn some stuff and have new experiences.
Get green suica much easier to used and top up in anywhere at train stations and convenient shop like 7/11 ….not only you can used on transport but also used it to eat at restaurants, buying grocery , gift ….. japan is still using cash and very safe to cary cash with you especially in country side many places they don’t accepted suitca local peoples are prefer cash . 65%-70% of Japanese still prefer cash .
Unfortunately new travelers can’t get suica anymore at the airport. It’s called welcome suica which while it has some similar functions you’re not able to use apply pay or wallet and some other stuff. It’s easier to get pasmo (not sure if there’s a travelers version of pasmo too)
I’d have skipped the physical card, especially the useless welcome card and just downloaded the ic card app and linked it to a credit card or Apple Card which earns you points.
Nobody talks about the Hokuriku arch pass. If youre doing Osaka and Tokyo anyway, you can squeeze in a Kanazawa day trip plus get all your local JR transport covered in Osaka, Tokyo, and Kyoto.
Mega Channel! A video about universal studio japan would be great. Specifically, how to book a ticket to Nintendo world. I find it insanely complicated and it has already changed again. We want to travel in April.
Hey, I am hoping to have a guide in that area but I'm afraid it likely won't be done before your trip this April. Hopefully my other content will help you plan the other parts though! and thanks for such a positive comment ;)
Recently, the number of foreign tourists has increased rapidly due to the production of the Japanese government, and there is no end to over tourism and troubles. I am not saying that they should not come to Japan, but I would like them to follow the rules and manners. I also got into trouble the other day when I warned a foreigner in Kyoto. Finally, as a Japanese, I would like to thank you for coming to Japan.
Regarding IC cards, if one knows a friend who owns an IC card that is still within the "10 years from last use" period, just borrow that card and return it after the trip is over. It helps kill 2 birds with one stone by (1) eliminating the need to purchase IC cards for now in view of the supply shortage and (2) helps to reset the validity timer of that IC card on the friend's behalf. I read that the Apple wallet's digital suica card cannot be linked to the Smart-EX app as it needs a card serial number to be registered against the purchased shinkansen ticket (this is if one wants to use a Suica at the shinkansen ticket gates). So one still either needs a physical card or to pick up the physical tickets.
I agree that if you can borrow one its an awesome thing to do! Also not done the smartEX thing myself but if you download the Suica App, the suica in apple pay will appear and you'll be able to see the full Suica ID number :) hope that helps
Not sure how often you do these Q&As, but I'd appreciate it if you could cover the best way to book travel to the Izu Islands? I'm planning to stay in Oshima, but I've found it very hard to find good information about booking. I did find a site for the Fast Ferry, but I'd prefer the Over Night ferry or a flight from Choshi.
We plan to stay at ryokans in Kyoto (landing in Haneda, taking shinkansen there). Does the one day luggage transport service cover these types of places (ryokan) or would we need to make sure we’re staying at a nearby luggage pickup location? Additionally at the end of our trip (going back to Tokyo, flying Haneda) what would you recommend a process to avoid luggages on the train traveling to haneda airport for departure? Fearful of using luggage service going towards the airport Thank you
Ryokans shouldnt be a problem for luggage forwarding! just remember to give it plenty of time!.. In terms of Haneda, I usually also just take the luggage to the airport, if going on the Monorail it has special luggage area :)
Hello and good evening, i would like some inform about the Medication..i am planning to go to japan on September with my mom & dad but the problem is my mom must require to take her medication everywhere she go..from what i hear that i need to fill in a form at the airport or from online, is there anyway ?...and will Shirakawa-go still have snow on september or not?
This guide seems to be good: en.japantravel.com/guide/bringing-medicines-into-japan/58063 I doubt Shirakawa-go will have snow in September, usually snow in that area will start in Dec and by the time spring comes it will prob be gone :) It's still a great location though :)
We are planning on travelling to Kyoto on March 26th from Tokyo for a day trip, would you reccomend we pre book shinkasen tickets or is it ok to get them on the day? Also is it likely to be very busy given its cherry blossom season
Hello I have a question. I went to Japan last year on October 2023, how long do I have to wait before re entering Japan. From the USA with visa free for 90 days.
As far as Im aware there is no limit.. You are in theory only allowed 90 days total within a year but this is something that normally isnt looked at and should be questioned directly with border controls
For the cherry blossom there are different type of cherry blossom that bloom abit later in April. The somei yoshino usually peak around end of march in Tokyo Kyoto and Osaka
hmmm,... somei yoshino are the typical cherry blossom but I really like the June Oga Lotus blossom more ... the blossom is associated with the Buddha so I like it the most. Before June are the wisteria, especially in Kameido Tenjin Shrine ... to me, these both are better than cherry blossoms ...
Greetings. I am traveling from March 19 to April 4 and starting in Osaka. My flight makes a stopover at Narita airport, then at Haneda airport and ends at Itami airport. While I am at Narita airport I have a 4 hour wait, during that time I can buy the Suica card and I can also get internet either pocket wifi or sim card? And another question, for that date of my trip, which of the following routes do you consider it necessary to reserve train or bus transportation for: Osaka - Hiroshima, Hiroshima-Osaka, Osaka - Kyoto, Kyoto - Nara, Nara - Kyoto, Kyoto - Tokyo, Tokyo - Hakone with Hakone pass, Hakone - Tokyo with Hakone Pass, Tokyo - Mt Fuji, Mt Fuji - Tokyo?
I suggest you don't waste your time doing any of those things. My wife and I use mobile IC Card (ICOCA and Suica) and link them to our Apple Card to earn points and we have e-SIMs. Don't buy that useless red tourist Suica card. Enjoy your trip so exciting! (Just curious, you have 2 stopovers in Tokyo before reaching Osaka?!!)
Im guessing you are changing from Narita to Haneda and then flying to Itami? If you have time You'll need to prob leave the airport anyway so you can ofcourse do those things if you wish (But I would do this from Haneda to be safer)
I'm a iPhone guy so not too sure how to answer this question, other than Japan might lock their devices to Japan and also remember that in Japan all phones have camera shutter sound that CANNOT be turned off!
please note that some android phones have the hardware but it has been disabled in firmware of the chip itself. Since the NFC chip usually comes packaged with both standards. The reason they take the extra step to disable the "FeliCa" standard is due to sony owning the rights and charging licensing. Unfortunately Sony just has a monopoly on IC chips, which has been the source of the issue with the chip shortage. For some reason Sony phones seem to also cripple their android chips (in non JP regions) to prevent use for travel. iPhones, being overpriced bricks, pay the licensing fee because their margins are so large and it's actually fewer manufacturing steps, not because they're "better" phones. On the topic of phones, it's important that you never take a picture with your phone with the shutter sound off in Japan, while the law is about regulating phones being sold with the ability to shut it off, it's probably best that you don't show off your "illegal" phone to people.
ww! ... not even Japanese know about Japan ! (^_^) ... I have only one relative who understands Shinjuku Station and no one in my family can understand Aomori dialect !
Great and very helpful video! Question please? Can i get cash back with either the physical or digital SUICA card, when my Japan travel is over? If so, where please. Thanks
with physical yes you can get a refund as long as its not a visitor version. With digital in theroy yes but its complicated and you need the Japanese app (so basically no) either way it's easy to spend the final balance.. The digital suica has NO deposit fee and the normal card does
Loved your video! Very informative! 👍 I'm taking a trip to Japan this October, I'm planning on having at least $5K USD saved up for the trip- would you think that's enough $$ for 2 people to enjoy 2 weeks in Japan? And thank you for taking the time to read this!!
It all depends on what type of a trip you want and if it includes paying for hotels. You can eat and travel for as cheap as 3-4k a day or even cheaper on a budget but you need to factor in attractions, view spots and long distance travel too if you want to get the most out of the trip
Thanks for the videos! They've been helpful. I will be going to Japan late march for 3 months. Is it better to get an E-Sim with a phone number or just a pocket wifi? Asking this because I know deliveries usually require phone numbers (whether it's food delivery or items purchased online). I spent a little over a month in India last year and things were tough before I could get my hand on a phone number as stores ask for one even if you pay by cash
Hi from the US! I wasn’t able to load the Suica card using Visa or Mastercard either. Strange. BUT I was able to load an ICOCA card. Do you happen to know if the ICOCA IC wallet card will work all throughout Tokyo? I know it’s a Kansai official card so Kyoto and Osaka should be covered.
Yep it should be exactly the same. Probably as I’ve mentioned before digital Suica is down for maintenance 1am-5am every day which wouldn’t let you create one but maybe ICOCA wasn’t :)
So I’m going to Tokyo in the spring (April 2024) and I want to try and include Kyoto and Okinawa in my trip. Should I get a JR Pass and can I still purchase a plane ticket to Okinawa during my trip?
Okinawa is an island around 2-3hours flight away from Tokyo. You wont be able to use rail travel to get there! if you are only doing Kyoto then the likelyhood is no need for the pass
@@NinjaMonkeyguy we can use it with merchandise too? Love you vlogs, brief and concise! We’re seniors trying as much exploration as we can, mucho gusto, Senor!
Is it possible to get both welcome suica and pasmo passport after landing in narita? also, if i use them to get to, for example, oshiage station to narita terminal 2 station and my card lacks Y100-200 to pass through the gate, can i use the fare adjustment machine to just top up the required amount using my left over coins? or am i still required to top up a minimum of Y1000?
the welcome cards operate the same as a standard IC card no worries you can top up at the adjusment machines as normal. only Pasmo Passport available at Narita at this moment in time
I'll be in Tokyo 8, 9. Then on the 10th plan is 2 days in Hiroshima, 2 days in Nara/Osaka/Kyoto (6 days obviously) then back to Tokyo until the 23rd for more fun and shopping, I just checked JR rail pass calculator looks like I can bullet train that easily for under 300 for a non reserved seat @@NinjaMonkeyguy
I got a question since Japan trip is coming up for Mid March to early April, how is the transportation near Gotemba Station? I was able to book a nice hotel, great price/reviews but location is not the best for transportation. Is there a lot of Taxi available around area? the plan is to be around Kawaguchiko area then head to Gotemba Station to the Hotel after 6pm. I can book on in advance? I saw a company but was only by phone.. and my Japanese learning journey still work in progress... xD hehe worse case I am planning on walking to the hotel since is 30mins away but was trying to look for options. Thanks!
The bus service in areas like that tend to not run too frequently but once arriving you'll be able to figure out the frequency and plan your day around that. Usually local bus service you cannot book in advance
If you are referring to the museum I believe that there might be a week or so it might be closed around that time. The parks tickets won’t go out until march April for that time
My friend & I are planning a big trip to Japan in 2025 for 3 months to see as much of the country as possible from mid January to mid April travelling between Cape Soya in Hokkaido to Haterumajima in Okinawa. It sounds like the JR Pass would be worth it for us on the main islands especially as we plan on using the trains & public transport and of course the Shinkansen a lot plus boats & maybe a couple of domestic flights since we cannot drive so would we need three 21 day JR Passes for each of us to cover our trip for almost 3 months? bare in mind we plan on doing a lot of day trips too especially to less touristy areas using trains & other public transport & I guess boats especially when we arrive in the Okinawan Islands in month 3
I think you need to re-calculate your Jr pass as I believe that the JR group does not operate in Okinawa and my suggestion is to use a JR pass calculator and figure out how much individual Long distance travel will be. Within a city public transport wont be too expensive. Also remember that there might even be locations where the bus is favoured or there might NOT be access to JR lines. You mention the Shinkansen 'A lot' double check :)
Thanks for the video! I'm a Spanish speaker, a topic I haven't found much info online is tours around Mt. Fuji in Spanish, is there any info you know about this or any spot you recommend going to make our own tour around Mt. Fuji?
One great way to see Mt. Fuji is from the iconic Chureito Pagoda, with easy access. If you want to climb it and see sunrise, that will take tremendous planning and flexibility with your schedule because of the weather. My wife and I have done both.
You can easily do a day trip to Kawaguchiko nice and early and book some ebikes to get around! It really is a great day trip and makes for a great next day too if you stay one night
I have a question that bugs me since my main phone is anrdoid phone and i have another phone that is iphone do i need to have internet connection to use mobile suica?
So this video just got me to go down a rabbit hole in to what the restriction in Android phones for the Suica app actually this. Found out that Japan uses the "Saifu Ketei" or "FeliCa" standard which is somewhat different to the NFC built into modern phones. Non-Japan Androids typically do not have these "FeliCa" chips installed so that confirms what Nathan said in this video. However, there is a workaround. If you have a compatible Android smartwatch (or some FitBit or Garmin devices), you can use those instead and link them to your Google Pay account. Hope this info helps. Might actually consider getting a smartwatch myself for this now 😄.
hmmm,... to me, this is why Japan technology is so stupid. There are unique features (like the J1 telecommunication system) which only work in Japan. Even Osaka and Tokyo STILL have different electrical power standards. I think all Tsukuba University engineers should be sent out of the country to learn ! (>_
What's even more wild is that some phones (like the google pixel 5a+) the "western" version of the phone still has the _hardware_ in the phone, the chip is just "crippled" in the firmware and can't be used (mainly for licensing reasons). And the fact that FeliCa is a sony technology, and they do the same thing. iPhones aren't "special" or "better" they're just so overpriced that apple has plenty of margin to just not cripple the western phones in this way and pay the licensing fee. This is actually why the smart watches leave the chips enabled, since it actually requires more manufacturing steps to disable the chips they simply save money by not taking the extra step to make the watch lose a feature, since smart watches (like iPhones) have much larger margins and are typically engineered to be more difficult to manufacture, skipping a step saves more money than the license fee costs. The argument some manufacturers make is that the two technologies interfere with each other, illustrated with putting a suica card on the back of a western NFC phone causing it to be unreliable while trying to scan it. And while there are some reliability concerns, the two technologies work fine in smart watches and iphones, so it's a bit of a false equivalency.
so much great info, we are travelling to Japan in August (hot!) with our 2 children, if we purchase suica for our phones will our children also need a phone each for theirs? I don't want to risk getting there and there being no stock. From looking online Suica's are not in stock however, poster below purchased in Shibuya only days ago
In your case you'd need to get the shinkansen to Tokyo (prob Shinagawa staiton) then transfer to Haneda. It's going to take a few hours to get there so you might want to consider staying the night in tokyo to make things easier?
Man C'mon your channel that shouldn't be like the others banging on the jr pass sucks even for small trips. It's extraordinary value still.... If your not getting value from the pass your simply using it wrong... Do you use it for accommodation? Either free accommodation OR discount accommodation at selected hotels. Do you use it to actually see Japan? Do you use it on ferries? Do you use it for discounts at tourist attractions? The list goes on and on so C'mon NM don't go down the line of the shock horror youtubers who most of them are not even entitled to get one.... A 14 day JR Pass saves me over $1000+ by using all the features .. even limited trips use it right you get value
I’d love to know how you do it.. always open to it, the majority of people already have their hotels sorted and the offering seems quite limited but I’m REALLY open to exploring this topic and how you made it worth while please DM me on discord or instagram.
@@NinjaMonkeyguy now Nathan your the man of research and great content I know you can find the info out... Tbf I have explained it endless times on my channel and although I know you pop in I don't have expect you to watch it all but the info is easy to find... What hotels do jr own?
Hey, Im always willing to research further when someone like you points something out. As for the JR pass question there was no 'shock horror' there. I did at one point look into the hotels but only having access to JR group hotels meant many not having availability and also limiting yourself too. Also, not seemingly having an easy way to figure out what the discount for a hotel might be in advance doesn't help. Either way I'll certainly be keeping an eye out to see how it might make sense. I agree for certain visitors the pass might still be worth the money. Always appreciate the input anyway. @@withinjapan2024
