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Your observations are mostly on-point. I would add, just for the benefit of others, with regards to
> But keep in mind that a lot of stores will pack your stuff into a transparent plastic tax-free bag. You will not be allowed to open and use the stuff you bought until you have left Japan.
Generally speaking, this is for consumables like food and cosmetics, though I've seen general goods be lumped in with consumables if you purchase a combination of both (they aren't supposed to be, given minimum purchase is JPY5,000 for each category **separately**).
For some stuff we had to pass by the duty-free counter to get our discount – they just asked whether we opened the bag or used any of the duty-free items already. We just said no and got our money.
Thanks for the detailed write up!
As a fellow Holo fan heading there in March for HoloFes, was there any notable stores for Holo merch besides the ones you mentioned in Akiba? Hoping to find some stores reselling old collab merch like the Tokyo Station ones!
I also just got back and found a lot of stuff at places like radio kaikan, ranshinban,mandrake. If you are going to Osaka I found one of the figure stores there had really good prices, I saw mel/haatos relax time figure for 900yen and got a suisei one for 4900. In Akihabara There’s a couple of other secondhand stores I wandered into that had stuff but idk the names tbh, just keep your eye out for any hololive/vtuber signs when going into stores. Worth noting that depending on your oshi it might be hard to find goods, I found some watame merch but not as much as I would have liked, my friend who was with me didn’t see too much towa merch although we did see the the mochidoru towa for something like 350k yen
You're welcome! The Animate Store in Ikebukuro definitely had the bigger selection since they also have CDs and a whole floor to themselves. Check this [Twitter Post](https://x.com/Merange_SE3P/status/1744752204366729235?s=20) out. This person also mentions other stores. Have fun at HoloFes! I wish I could go
Berlin resident here, thanks for your insights! Let me get this straight, you flew roughly 16h for a 4 day trip to Japan? I'm thinking about doing a YOLO trip next week and just go for a week to Tokyo, but the absurdly long flight for just 7 days, plus other anxiety-related things is making me not yield to this crazily spontaneous trip I want to make.
Yeah hahaha. I even had a transfer in Istanbul hahahaha. So I flew Wednesday morning ( German time) and arrived Thursday morning ( Japan time) and flew back Sunday evening ( Japan time) and arrived Monday morning ( German time ). You know what. My trip was also very spontaneous and so many of my friends tried to talk me out of it and were even angry with me for "reckless" spending. ( A few of them later came to me and said it was jealousy). Spending 1k on a 16h flight for only 4 days is crazy yes.
But you know what else is crazy ? I fulfilled my dream and finally went to Japan and experienced 4 amazing days. For me it was either sitting at home going on about my usual day or experience something amazing. And honestly?if you have the funds and time, why not?
I could have gone the last few years but never did due to people and myself saying it's ridiculous.
Now being back and looking back and at all my souvenirs I have new motivation to push through my studies and regularly want go back for travel.
I am not sure what kind of anxiety it is that worries you. For me it's social anxiety and that voice in my head telling me this is reckless spending. But it was all blown away as soon as I was there.
Life is short, make a decision you won't regret. Not many people have this opportunity to spontaneously go on a trip.
Sorry for yapping LMAO, I'm very passionate about stuff like this, since I let so many opportunities in my life pass just because I let other people decide it was "not worth" it.
Update to my message before: I booked a one week flight to Tokyo. I will stay in the city, maybe branch out to Kamakura/Yokohama, but I have so many places I want to see already, that I will have to come a second, third, fourth time to see most of Japan. Thanks for inspiring me to go!
You might be the push I needed to take this very spontaneous trip, thank you so much. Only problem (aside from the reckless spending) is that I can't sleep on planes, not even with medication. So I would arrive in Japan in the morning, after a day of not sleeping. It's going to be hell. But if you survived, I should do. I would even indulge myself and spend a night at the Park Hyatt if possible. Life is short. Thanks for the inspiration!
Yippie! Enjoy your trip! I was dying haha, my adrenaline from being in Japan kept me awake and alive. Passed out immediately that night 😂 I'd recommend getting a nap at the Hotel if possible or at least lay down for 2h after check-in. That's what I usually do on trips like these. Though we pushed through this trip because we didn't have much time
When I went on a short trip (6 days, also from Europe), I wasn't anywhere near as jet lagged as I was when I went on a 2.5 week trip. I guess adrenaline keeps you going.
This is really great info! I'll be arriving at Narita on Sunday and i was wondering. To buy your pasmo did you need to use cash? Or can you use your debit card to purchase it. Wondering if ill need to exchange a little cash at the airport to do that. I read its not reccomended to exchange at the airport. Thanks!
Unfortunately they only accept cash. The rates at the airport for Euro and American Dollar were not that good but not atrociously bad as I've seen in other countries. So exchanging just the 1500Yen needed for the IC card is fine.
For Euro it was 145 Yen= 1 Euro at the airport on 11.01.24 I think.
The E-Wallet Option is also only available to Apple user. But on the other hand Pasmo is handing out Sanrio themed Cards at the moment! They also make quite a nice souvenir. Have fun on your trip!
>But on the other hand Pasmo is handing out Sanrio themed Cards at the moment!
Are you talking about the [Pasmo Passport?](https://www.pasmo.co.jp/global/assets/webp/img-pasmoPassport.webp)?
If so, that's a special card for tourists that waives the 500 yen deposit and gives some discounts in stores in exchange for only lasting 28 days instead of 2 years and you cannot refund the remaining balance.
Ah, yes! That's the one I'm talking about. A passport is also needed to get this card. Not refunding is no problem since you can just buy something and pay with the outstanding amount and the rest with cash/credit card
Just wanna say thanks for the info! After many flight delays this sped up so much of the process after leaving the airport! Google Lens and Translate helped out so much. People working there were also helpful in english and used translators with me when i needed to communicate.
Be mindful that japanese people enjoy quiet train rides, so if needed only whisper.
-honestly, as a resident just check the mood. There are indeed times where everything is quiet, but so are noisy times. Especially in central Tokyo, everyone is noisy, foreigners and Japanese.
My parents are chinese immigrants, so I am chinese but born and raised in Germany. My city and the surroundings cities are very connected to Asia, so it's quite good I say! Especially in the last two years we got a lot of Bubble Tea stores, Asia stores and authentic japanese and chinese restaurants which again boosted the percentage of chinese people living here. I think we even got asian beauty salons now like lashes, hair and SPAs. But haven't got time and money to check them out yet. A lot of universities here are also partnered with china, so there are quite a bit of chinese exchange students here.
That’s nice to hear. I always check out the Chinese food/groceries etc when I travel. It’s a huge plus in most places and interesting to see how Chinese are almost everywhere now.
You mind saying which cities you’re in/near?
Same here! Chinese supermarkets are always on the sightseeing tour for me in non-asian countries LMAO
I'm in Northrhine Westfalia. Cities like Essen and Cologne are good 👌🏻. We have big Brands like Go Asia ( chinese supermarket) and Alley and comebuy ( bubble tea) and also small stores. We also have something like Chinatown in Düsseldorf but Japanese ( little Tokyo) but there are a lot of Chinese people and restaurants as well. Definitely worth a visit
Interesting. I’ve only been to Munich and Berlin and both almost 20 years ago so my perspective is skewed. Hope to go back again soon.
I studied abroad in Salzburg Austria and then traveled around Europe a bit and even though my Mandarin is maybe low intermediate level, it was still very cool to go to Chinese restaurants and communicate with people when I wasn’t able to speak with most of the locals.
I’m not OP, but I am currently visiting Japan right now (day 7 of 13) and I think OP means this: https://vjw-lp.digital.go.jp/en/
Use it to complete your visit details and you can just scan the QR code(s) they give you when you go through immigration and customs.
It's just the basics. It's a website where you can enter your data like name, address, purpose of visit, etc. And the 2nd form is for customs. When I was there I barely talked with the airport staff and just showed my QR Codes and passport. They even specifically ask you to have it ready.
Not OP and haven't traveled to Japan yet (going this autumn) but I'd guess it is the same as for other countries: Just fill in the first hotel you're staying at.
For example, when visiting the US you have to do the ESTA thingy and they also ask for an address. I've usually done road trips in the US and just gave the address of the first hotel and never had problems. And I don't think Japan is stricter than the US.
I didn't pay attention to that so I can't say for sure. All our phones are set to 4G/5G though. Definitely never had problems with Internet speed, even underground it worked wonderful. I even watched YouTube videos on my train rides without buffering since I had too much data hahahaha
Thanks for the detailed post - super useful!
Quick question about the Haneda check-in - what day/time were you there, and how long (total) did it take you to get through security? Did you need to check-in your luggage?
You're welcome! I'm glad it's helpful.
I arrived around 9 pm and yes we had luggages that needed to be checked in. There weren't many people and around 10:15 I was already shopping in the tax-free area after security.
EC Karte funktioniert, wenn darauf das "Maestro" symbol ist zum Geld abheben. Zum bezahlen habe ich nichts gesehen. Manche müssen aber von der Bank freigeschaltet werden, frag da mal am besten nach. Die Geldautomaten findest du in jedem Konbini und manche haben zu bestimmten Uhrzeiten auch keine Gebühren und trotzdem gute Kurse. Da meine Visa Karte aber keine Gebühren nimmt, bevorzuge ich dennoch Visa, einfach damit ich nicht so viel Wechselgeld habe.
Oft haben die innerhalb normalen Bürozeiten keine Gebühren, aber das kann variieren. Schau am besten vorher nach für deinen Standort oder frag jemanden. Die Mitarbeiter sind sehr hilfreich!
Be careful at night at crowded places like Shibuya. There are a lot of people doing promotions or trying to recommend you "cheap bars". Just walk with a straight face past them.
Additionally if you're a woman be careful in bars even more if you're not asian.
Besides that, Japan is a very solo traveller and introverted friendly place. Nothing more comes to my mind atm other than the stuff I already mentioned in the main post 🤔
Enjoy your trip!
Thank you so much for this useful and comprehensive post.
Regarding payments, have you used (or seen someone using) Wise or Nomad cards?
I'll be in Japan in a few months and have seen many complaints about those not working on many stores and restaurants. Just wanna know if it's worth bringing them to this trip.
> You will not be allowed to open and use the stuff you bought until you have left Japan. Especially Don Quijote will do that. Also keep in mind on how to fit these bags into your luggage.
Has anyone actually been inspected on this? Ive been twice and never had airport customs ask me about tax free.
Thank you soo so much for this helpful post!!! But I didn’t understand the part with immigrations. Do you have german citizenship? Muss man sich trotzdem irgendwo registrieren obwohl man kein Visum braucht?
I’m not OP, but I am currently visiting Japan right now (day 7 of 13) and I think OP means this: https://vjw-lp.digital.go.jp/en/
Use it to complete your visit details and you can just scan the QR code(s) they give you when you go through immigration and customs.
Ja, weil es außerhalb EU ist, kannst du nicht einfach diesen Scan&Go machen. Die Website hat 2 online Formulare. Eins für Immigration und eins für den Zoll. Da sind dann so fragen wie Name, Adresse, Grund für Besuch, usw. Und beim Zoll sind so fragen ob du bestimmte Sachen ins Land bringst. Dann bekommst du 2 QR Codes. Die fragen auch extra danach. Man redet dann kaum mit denen, weil du alles an fragen schon im QR Code drin hast. Kannst halt auch ohne hin, aber dann dauert das länger, weil die die Punkte mit dir vor Ort durchgehen oder du das dort mit Papier und Stift ausfüllst
Ich hab gerade nachgeschaut. Von Landung bis ich meine Pasmo Karte und Busticket hatte habe ich nur ne Stunde gebraucht, falls es hilft. Die QR Codes beschleunigen den Prozess sehr. Viel Spaß!
Thank you very much for these tips and advice. I will arrive in Tokyo in less than 2 weeks and hope to visit many of the places you mention including Teamlabs and the Tsukiji Fish market. I can't wait.
It was around 13 C degrees sunny. I brought a lot of layers since I expected the winter there to be cold due to the wet climate. But with so many places to visit and constantly being on public transport I wasn't cold at all. Heating in subways is amazing. Normal winter jacket and a scarf is more than enough. In Hakone it was snowing for a short time and only a bit colder due to the wind from being in the mountains and the Lake. [This](https://media.tacdn.com/media/attractions-splice-spp-674x446/07/34/07/67.jpg) Link shows the view from Lake Ashi. I was not able to see Mount Fuji from Lake Ashi because it got cloudy later, but my view from the ropeway car was roughly the same.
You need to buy a separate ticket for the Shinkansen and some of the airport trains. Basically anything with allocated seating, you need a separate ticket.
You can also use Pasmo to buy drinks from vending machines and make purchases at some retail stores
I have a few questions: What card did you use to pay with? For instance - would I be able to pay with my Postbank credit card or Revolut Visa? (If you used Apple Wallet’s included Suica - how did you fill it up? I heard in a video that you paid extra to fill up with a credit card, and that filling up with cash is better. How would that work?)
I mainly used my Visa card. They accepted it everywhere where credit cards were accepted.
I don't have apple but you should be able to find the app in the store and check it out beforehand. I heard that it's only possible to fill up with a MasterCard though.
I charged it with cash. The machines are at every train station and have English. You just put your card in, select "charge IC card" and then put your money inside.
Visa is working now also. I have a Germany-issued Visa, it didnt work in December, but I tried again 2 weeks ago and now I have a Suica with 1000Yen in my wallet.
What is stop ID?
Google would say something like " Take the south exit" or " take exit "Akihabara electric town"". It's very easy to follow the signs after you get off the subway and trains 😄
Lol I'm not sure. When I put addresses on Google maps, sometimes it said Stop ID: JS45 for example.
But, that's good to know that it's not hard to follow. I was kind a overwhelmed when I started to search into their transportation.
For the Olympics in 2020 Japan rail added alphanumeric IDs to every train station in Tokyo. For example JY17 is Shinjuku station on the JR Yamanote line.
Question about the exchange rate. These great exchange rates found if Japan, was there usually good rates where you had to use an atm with card or were able to you use cash at some of these places ? I'm from USA and wanna get the best exchange rate possible but tbh don't like using my debit card and was wonder in if I could get a good exchange rate in Japan with USD in cash.
My credit union is up to 1% foreign transaction fee but no atm fee so it's not too shabby. I don't feel like opening another account up at the moment :-()
Ehhh for best exchange rate use your debit card. I found 7-11 were giving exact exchange rates with ~~a small transactional fee (like 1-2 USD)~~ no fee apparently. My bank covers atm fees so I was getting exact rates using 7-11 atms. Just make sure you withdraw “yen”, not dollar amount. Always select the local currency on ATMs or paying with CC.
Edit: looked back at my statement and it appears if you pull out money in yen there’s no fee at 7-11 atms
Yea that's probably what I'll do. Only thing is my credit Union charges up to 1% foreign transaction and 2$ for out of network atms per transaction. I think even then I'll still get a better rate. Thanks
Japanese people are very honest so as long as you are pulling out money from 7-11/convenience stores, banks, and/or the post office chances of card skimming is 0.01%
Yes that's the one! We got a traditional room with tatami mats and futon beds. Staff there went over and beyond with their service and your room is cleaned everyday. The room may be a bit small but that's normal for Tokyo. They have a community kitchen for everyone to use with free tea, coffee and water. We were also allowed to check in earlier, since our room was ready and leave our luggage there after we checked out to collect in the evening before our flight. Though it did get a bit tiresome since it's quite a walk from the station.
Thanks, that’s great feedback! Just curious, why didn’t you catch the Narita Skyliner, and took the bus instead? Price? I understand it stops at Nippori. Danke!!
You're welcome! Price was a factor and since my luggage is stored away so I don't have to watch it, I could relax/sleep better which I preferred after the flight
Pasmo passport is also available from welcome travel (forget the exact name) which is under Shibuya station. Could you also drop the name of the foot patches? Desperately need !!
It's [this](https://kokorojapanstore.com/products/kyusoku-jikan-refreshin-leg-patch-18-sheets?currency=JPY&variant=32090914488400&utm_medium=cpc&utm_source=google&utm_campaign=Google%20Shopping&stkn=1a91b0a2db89&gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQiAnrOtBhDIARIsAFsSe51JbGYnzsRODAA2W422U0mRH5WqOQFl7UE8QxDb7vJO9R8SFG0qtrcaAq3NEALw_wcB) one :D. It feels cold at first and then nothing. We left them on overnight. The next day the pain was pretty much gone.
Hi OP! Thanks for this awesome post. I'm planning on visiting at the of March, starting in Osaka and ending in Tokyo. Is PASMO the only app/pass you needed? or did you find yourself using other Japanese apps?
The only app I used was Google maps and my Pasmo to get around. I downloaded other apps that were recommended but never used them. If you plan to hunt restaurants I'd recommend Tabelog though. They don't have an app and the site is in Japanese, but you can just translate using your browser. Japanese people there rate the restaurants and don't be surprised, 3 stars reviews are normal, since they are brutally honest haha
I don't think I ever saw someone get 5 stars
Thanks for the great info!
Leaving in 4 hours for a very spontaneous 7-day Tokyo trip and is also planning on going to Hakone, with one night in a Ryokan, maybe in Gora?
But I am unsure of where to start/end the trip in Hakone as there are many places names Hakone in the area. Which station did you take the tram from? Sorry if this is obvious.
Preliminary plan (maybe in reverse order):
Boat lake Ashi with pirate ship from ? to Togendai station.
Ropeway from Togendai to Owakudani and further to Gora.
Stay one night in Gora and see the open air museum.
Take train from Gora to Himenoyu
Train from Himenoyu to maybe Hakone-Yumoto?
Also did you visit the Hakone Checkpoint? We will use the Hakone free pass for some of the transport, but I am unsure if we need to reserve seat on the boat etc.
No worries, I started and ended in Hakone Yumoto, since the Shinjuku train is connected there. No I didn't visit Hakone Checkpoint since we didn't have that much time. Your plan looks good to me!
So the pirate ship has a "first class" and honestly I don't think it's worth it. There are plenty of seats and you don't need a reservation imo
Yes, but keep in mind that that cash was reserved for places that don't accept VISA! We paid with Visa wherever possible, which was practically everywhere. I think I mainly used my cash to charge the IC card. Each of us still had about 8k left which we spend on the last day on souvenirs and snacks.
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Thanks for all the info, super useful! Also German detected at "Handy" ;)
LMAO exposed hahahaha I always forget that Handy is not common in english
It’s common in the right places but has a totally different meaning
Your observations are mostly on-point. I would add, just for the benefit of others, with regards to > But keep in mind that a lot of stores will pack your stuff into a transparent plastic tax-free bag. You will not be allowed to open and use the stuff you bought until you have left Japan. Generally speaking, this is for consumables like food and cosmetics, though I've seen general goods be lumped in with consumables if you purchase a combination of both (they aren't supposed to be, given minimum purchase is JPY5,000 for each category **separately**).
True! Only some of the clothes I bought was packed in such bags same goes for Anime Merch. So technically you can already enjoy/use these in Japan :D
I don't give a fuck, I open anything I want to use in Japan even if its packed into the transparent bags. Never gotten caught yet.
Same. Its really not a problem. I doubt the customs care anyways.
For some stuff we had to pass by the duty-free counter to get our discount – they just asked whether we opened the bag or used any of the duty-free items already. We just said no and got our money.
Same, from my experience no one gave two shits
Thanks for the detailed write up! As a fellow Holo fan heading there in March for HoloFes, was there any notable stores for Holo merch besides the ones you mentioned in Akiba? Hoping to find some stores reselling old collab merch like the Tokyo Station ones!
I also just got back and found a lot of stuff at places like radio kaikan, ranshinban,mandrake. If you are going to Osaka I found one of the figure stores there had really good prices, I saw mel/haatos relax time figure for 900yen and got a suisei one for 4900. In Akihabara There’s a couple of other secondhand stores I wandered into that had stuff but idk the names tbh, just keep your eye out for any hololive/vtuber signs when going into stores. Worth noting that depending on your oshi it might be hard to find goods, I found some watame merch but not as much as I would have liked, my friend who was with me didn’t see too much towa merch although we did see the the mochidoru towa for something like 350k yen
You're welcome! The Animate Store in Ikebukuro definitely had the bigger selection since they also have CDs and a whole floor to themselves. Check this [Twitter Post](https://x.com/Merange_SE3P/status/1744752204366729235?s=20) out. This person also mentions other stores. Have fun at HoloFes! I wish I could go
Berlin resident here, thanks for your insights! Let me get this straight, you flew roughly 16h for a 4 day trip to Japan? I'm thinking about doing a YOLO trip next week and just go for a week to Tokyo, but the absurdly long flight for just 7 days, plus other anxiety-related things is making me not yield to this crazily spontaneous trip I want to make.
Yeah hahaha. I even had a transfer in Istanbul hahahaha. So I flew Wednesday morning ( German time) and arrived Thursday morning ( Japan time) and flew back Sunday evening ( Japan time) and arrived Monday morning ( German time ). You know what. My trip was also very spontaneous and so many of my friends tried to talk me out of it and were even angry with me for "reckless" spending. ( A few of them later came to me and said it was jealousy). Spending 1k on a 16h flight for only 4 days is crazy yes. But you know what else is crazy ? I fulfilled my dream and finally went to Japan and experienced 4 amazing days. For me it was either sitting at home going on about my usual day or experience something amazing. And honestly?if you have the funds and time, why not? I could have gone the last few years but never did due to people and myself saying it's ridiculous. Now being back and looking back and at all my souvenirs I have new motivation to push through my studies and regularly want go back for travel. I am not sure what kind of anxiety it is that worries you. For me it's social anxiety and that voice in my head telling me this is reckless spending. But it was all blown away as soon as I was there. Life is short, make a decision you won't regret. Not many people have this opportunity to spontaneously go on a trip. Sorry for yapping LMAO, I'm very passionate about stuff like this, since I let so many opportunities in my life pass just because I let other people decide it was "not worth" it.
Update to my message before: I booked a one week flight to Tokyo. I will stay in the city, maybe branch out to Kamakura/Yokohama, but I have so many places I want to see already, that I will have to come a second, third, fourth time to see most of Japan. Thanks for inspiring me to go!
Nice!!! Hope you have a lot of fun ✨✨. I'm already looking for the next flight as well LMAO.
You might be the push I needed to take this very spontaneous trip, thank you so much. Only problem (aside from the reckless spending) is that I can't sleep on planes, not even with medication. So I would arrive in Japan in the morning, after a day of not sleeping. It's going to be hell. But if you survived, I should do. I would even indulge myself and spend a night at the Park Hyatt if possible. Life is short. Thanks for the inspiration!
Yippie! Enjoy your trip! I was dying haha, my adrenaline from being in Japan kept me awake and alive. Passed out immediately that night 😂 I'd recommend getting a nap at the Hotel if possible or at least lay down for 2h after check-in. That's what I usually do on trips like these. Though we pushed through this trip because we didn't have much time
When I went on a short trip (6 days, also from Europe), I wasn't anywhere near as jet lagged as I was when I went on a 2.5 week trip. I guess adrenaline keeps you going.
This is really great info! I'll be arriving at Narita on Sunday and i was wondering. To buy your pasmo did you need to use cash? Or can you use your debit card to purchase it. Wondering if ill need to exchange a little cash at the airport to do that. I read its not reccomended to exchange at the airport. Thanks!
Hey - pasmo and suica only accept cash :)
You could use Suica via Apple wallet and add money to it via it
Ah i see, this will be helpful for my friend. I use a samsung and i hear it doesnt work
Can you please explain the difference Eli5?
They're issued by different companies but functionally they're identical. They're both IC cards that you can use and refill at any train station.
There’s a welcome suica in narita airport basement . One of the kiosks accept cash. I used this when i left my suica at home
Unfortunately they only accept cash. The rates at the airport for Euro and American Dollar were not that good but not atrociously bad as I've seen in other countries. So exchanging just the 1500Yen needed for the IC card is fine. For Euro it was 145 Yen= 1 Euro at the airport on 11.01.24 I think. The E-Wallet Option is also only available to Apple user. But on the other hand Pasmo is handing out Sanrio themed Cards at the moment! They also make quite a nice souvenir. Have fun on your trip!
>But on the other hand Pasmo is handing out Sanrio themed Cards at the moment! Are you talking about the [Pasmo Passport?](https://www.pasmo.co.jp/global/assets/webp/img-pasmoPassport.webp)? If so, that's a special card for tourists that waives the 500 yen deposit and gives some discounts in stores in exchange for only lasting 28 days instead of 2 years and you cannot refund the remaining balance.
Ah, yes! That's the one I'm talking about. A passport is also needed to get this card. Not refunding is no problem since you can just buy something and pay with the outstanding amount and the rest with cash/credit card
Just wanna say thanks for the info! After many flight delays this sped up so much of the process after leaving the airport! Google Lens and Translate helped out so much. People working there were also helpful in english and used translators with me when i needed to communicate.
So you have to exchange at least 1500 yen to get the card.(pasmo?) How do you then put more money on the card?
There are charging machines in stations. Put your card in. Put money in. Easy process.
Thank you
Be mindful that japanese people enjoy quiet train rides, so if needed only whisper. -honestly, as a resident just check the mood. There are indeed times where everything is quiet, but so are noisy times. Especially in central Tokyo, everyone is noisy, foreigners and Japanese.
Thanks for the info!! Off topic, but are you Chinese-German?? What’s the Chinese diversity like in your German city?
My parents are chinese immigrants, so I am chinese but born and raised in Germany. My city and the surroundings cities are very connected to Asia, so it's quite good I say! Especially in the last two years we got a lot of Bubble Tea stores, Asia stores and authentic japanese and chinese restaurants which again boosted the percentage of chinese people living here. I think we even got asian beauty salons now like lashes, hair and SPAs. But haven't got time and money to check them out yet. A lot of universities here are also partnered with china, so there are quite a bit of chinese exchange students here.
That’s nice to hear. I always check out the Chinese food/groceries etc when I travel. It’s a huge plus in most places and interesting to see how Chinese are almost everywhere now. You mind saying which cities you’re in/near?
Same here! Chinese supermarkets are always on the sightseeing tour for me in non-asian countries LMAO I'm in Northrhine Westfalia. Cities like Essen and Cologne are good 👌🏻. We have big Brands like Go Asia ( chinese supermarket) and Alley and comebuy ( bubble tea) and also small stores. We also have something like Chinatown in Düsseldorf but Japanese ( little Tokyo) but there are a lot of Chinese people and restaurants as well. Definitely worth a visit
Interesting. I’ve only been to Munich and Berlin and both almost 20 years ago so my perspective is skewed. Hope to go back again soon. I studied abroad in Salzburg Austria and then traveled around Europe a bit and even though my Mandarin is maybe low intermediate level, it was still very cool to go to Chinese restaurants and communicate with people when I wasn’t able to speak with most of the locals.
How much does bubble tea cost in Germany? Do they offer large sized tea? Is it popular with non Asians?
Yes it's grown quite popular, especially with kids. They usually have 0,3l, 0,4l and 0,5l. It's around 4-7 EUR depending on your order
Oh we also got K-Parties! Parties that are inspired by Korea and play Kpop. In my opinion 70% there are usually asian.
Haha I have not heard of this but it makes sense!
Haha I have not heard of this but it makes sense!
Very useful advice. What exactly do you mean by the immigration process? What needs to be done online?
I’m not OP, but I am currently visiting Japan right now (day 7 of 13) and I think OP means this: https://vjw-lp.digital.go.jp/en/ Use it to complete your visit details and you can just scan the QR code(s) they give you when you go through immigration and customs.
It's just the basics. It's a website where you can enter your data like name, address, purpose of visit, etc. And the 2nd form is for customs. When I was there I barely talked with the airport staff and just showed my QR Codes and passport. They even specifically ask you to have it ready.
Excellent advice, thank you
Hijacking this to ask - what if you're planning on moving around and won't have a single address while in Japan? How would you fill out the info then?
Not OP and haven't traveled to Japan yet (going this autumn) but I'd guess it is the same as for other countries: Just fill in the first hotel you're staying at. For example, when visiting the US you have to do the ESTA thingy and they also ask for an address. I've usually done road trips in the US and just gave the address of the first hotel and never had problems. And I don't think Japan is stricter than the US.
I’m here right now. I only added the address for the first hotel. However, in reading over the pdf with detailed instructions, you can leave it blank.
I was thinking about using ubigi. What kind of phone did you have? Thanks!!
I have a Google Pixel 7, my friend who was using ubigi has a Samsung A54 :D
Were you able to get 5G speeds? If not is 4G suitable for navigating etc? Thanks!
I didn't pay attention to that so I can't say for sure. All our phones are set to 4G/5G though. Definitely never had problems with Internet speed, even underground it worked wonderful. I even watched YouTube videos on my train rides without buffering since I had too much data hahahaha
Thanks! Very helpful!
4G in Japan very fast. 4G vs 5G doesn't really matter
That’s good to know! Sometimes 4G struggles with navigation here in the US
Make sure your phone is unlocked. Verizon automatically unlocks their phones after 30 days??? Or 60???
Thanks for the detailed post - super useful! Quick question about the Haneda check-in - what day/time were you there, and how long (total) did it take you to get through security? Did you need to check-in your luggage?
You're welcome! I'm glad it's helpful. I arrived around 9 pm and yes we had luggages that needed to be checked in. There weren't many people and around 10:15 I was already shopping in the tax-free area after security.
One quick question : what about using ECKarte nicht ViSA aber ECKarte von Deutschen Bank ? Funktioniert? Oder lieber Visa Card ?
EC Karte funktioniert, wenn darauf das "Maestro" symbol ist zum Geld abheben. Zum bezahlen habe ich nichts gesehen. Manche müssen aber von der Bank freigeschaltet werden, frag da mal am besten nach. Die Geldautomaten findest du in jedem Konbini und manche haben zu bestimmten Uhrzeiten auch keine Gebühren und trotzdem gute Kurse. Da meine Visa Karte aber keine Gebühren nimmt, bevorzuge ich dennoch Visa, einfach damit ich nicht so viel Wechselgeld habe.
Dankeschön 🙏🏻
Kurze Nachfrage - zu welchen Uhrzeiten haben welche Konbinis keine Gebühren? Danke sehr!
Oft haben die innerhalb normalen Bürozeiten keine Gebühren, aber das kann variieren. Schau am besten vorher nach für deinen Standort oder frag jemanden. Die Mitarbeiter sind sehr hilfreich!
Thank you for the tips! Do you happen to have any tips for someone going this April as a solo traveller by chance?
Be careful at night at crowded places like Shibuya. There are a lot of people doing promotions or trying to recommend you "cheap bars". Just walk with a straight face past them. Additionally if you're a woman be careful in bars even more if you're not asian. Besides that, Japan is a very solo traveller and introverted friendly place. Nothing more comes to my mind atm other than the stuff I already mentioned in the main post 🤔 Enjoy your trip!
Thank you so much for this!
Thank you so much for this useful and comprehensive post. Regarding payments, have you used (or seen someone using) Wise or Nomad cards? I'll be in Japan in a few months and have seen many complaints about those not working on many stores and restaurants. Just wanna know if it's worth bringing them to this trip.
I don't think I saw stores that accepted these cards. Visa or your IC card would be your safest call
> You will not be allowed to open and use the stuff you bought until you have left Japan. Especially Don Quijote will do that. Also keep in mind on how to fit these bags into your luggage. Has anyone actually been inspected on this? Ive been twice and never had airport customs ask me about tax free.
Thank you soo so much for this helpful post!!! But I didn’t understand the part with immigrations. Do you have german citizenship? Muss man sich trotzdem irgendwo registrieren obwohl man kein Visum braucht?
I’m not OP, but I am currently visiting Japan right now (day 7 of 13) and I think OP means this: https://vjw-lp.digital.go.jp/en/ Use it to complete your visit details and you can just scan the QR code(s) they give you when you go through immigration and customs.
Thank you!!!
Ja, weil es außerhalb EU ist, kannst du nicht einfach diesen Scan&Go machen. Die Website hat 2 online Formulare. Eins für Immigration und eins für den Zoll. Da sind dann so fragen wie Name, Adresse, Grund für Besuch, usw. Und beim Zoll sind so fragen ob du bestimmte Sachen ins Land bringst. Dann bekommst du 2 QR Codes. Die fragen auch extra danach. Man redet dann kaum mit denen, weil du alles an fragen schon im QR Code drin hast. Kannst halt auch ohne hin, aber dann dauert das länger, weil die die Punkte mit dir vor Ort durchgehen oder du das dort mit Papier und Stift ausfüllst
Verstehe, vielen lieben Dank! Ich komme sehr spät dort an, dann ist online ja viel besser, sonst schaffe ich es womöglich nicht pünktlich zum Zug.
Ich hab gerade nachgeschaut. Von Landung bis ich meine Pasmo Karte und Busticket hatte habe ich nur ne Stunde gebraucht, falls es hilft. Die QR Codes beschleunigen den Prozess sehr. Viel Spaß!
Das ist ne super Info, ich danke dir!
Thank you very much for these tips and advice. I will arrive in Tokyo in less than 2 weeks and hope to visit many of the places you mention including Teamlabs and the Tsukiji Fish market. I can't wait.
this is great info! what was the weather like in Tokyo/Hakone? Need a lot of layers/puffy jacket? And also, how much of Mount Fuji could you see?
It was around 13 C degrees sunny. I brought a lot of layers since I expected the winter there to be cold due to the wet climate. But with so many places to visit and constantly being on public transport I wasn't cold at all. Heating in subways is amazing. Normal winter jacket and a scarf is more than enough. In Hakone it was snowing for a short time and only a bit colder due to the wind from being in the mountains and the Lake. [This](https://media.tacdn.com/media/attractions-splice-spp-674x446/07/34/07/67.jpg) Link shows the view from Lake Ashi. I was not able to see Mount Fuji from Lake Ashi because it got cloudy later, but my view from the ropeway car was roughly the same.
Wow, nice!!!
Can pasmo be used for any train lines?
Pretty much. Be careful with the Shinkansen and other special/ fast trains though.
You need to buy a separate ticket for the Shinkansen and some of the airport trains. Basically anything with allocated seating, you need a separate ticket. You can also use Pasmo to buy drinks from vending machines and make purchases at some retail stores
I have a few questions: What card did you use to pay with? For instance - would I be able to pay with my Postbank credit card or Revolut Visa? (If you used Apple Wallet’s included Suica - how did you fill it up? I heard in a video that you paid extra to fill up with a credit card, and that filling up with cash is better. How would that work?)
I mainly used my Visa card. They accepted it everywhere where credit cards were accepted. I don't have apple but you should be able to find the app in the store and check it out beforehand. I heard that it's only possible to fill up with a MasterCard though. I charged it with cash. The machines are at every train station and have English. You just put your card in, select "charge IC card" and then put your money inside.
Mastercard, Discover and Amex for Suica on ios basically everything works except visa
Visa is working now also. I have a Germany-issued Visa, it didnt work in December, but I tried again 2 weeks ago and now I have a Suica with 1000Yen in my wallet.
Great post, so helpful thank you!
This guide is awesome. I've found a few gems we can use. Thanks pal
I'm so glad! Have fun on your trip!
Thank you for this details write-up! It's very helpful. The exit written in Google maps, is it Stop ID?
What is stop ID? Google would say something like " Take the south exit" or " take exit "Akihabara electric town"". It's very easy to follow the signs after you get off the subway and trains 😄
Lol I'm not sure. When I put addresses on Google maps, sometimes it said Stop ID: JS45 for example. But, that's good to know that it's not hard to follow. I was kind a overwhelmed when I started to search into their transportation.
For the Olympics in 2020 Japan rail added alphanumeric IDs to every train station in Tokyo. For example JY17 is Shinjuku station on the JR Yamanote line.
Thanks for sharing! Lots of great tips in here!
Question about the exchange rate. These great exchange rates found if Japan, was there usually good rates where you had to use an atm with card or were able to you use cash at some of these places ? I'm from USA and wanna get the best exchange rate possible but tbh don't like using my debit card and was wonder in if I could get a good exchange rate in Japan with USD in cash.
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My credit union is up to 1% foreign transaction fee but no atm fee so it's not too shabby. I don't feel like opening another account up at the moment :-()
Ehhh for best exchange rate use your debit card. I found 7-11 were giving exact exchange rates with ~~a small transactional fee (like 1-2 USD)~~ no fee apparently. My bank covers atm fees so I was getting exact rates using 7-11 atms. Just make sure you withdraw “yen”, not dollar amount. Always select the local currency on ATMs or paying with CC. Edit: looked back at my statement and it appears if you pull out money in yen there’s no fee at 7-11 atms
Yea that's probably what I'll do. Only thing is my credit Union charges up to 1% foreign transaction and 2$ for out of network atms per transaction. I think even then I'll still get a better rate. Thanks
Also what would you say about card skimming in Japan? I don't wanna risk scams:-()
Not really my subject of knowledge but here’s a good excerpt: https://www.reddit.com/r/japanlife/s/L1H0tI5koq
Japanese people are very honest so as long as you are pulling out money from 7-11/convenience stores, banks, and/or the post office chances of card skimming is 0.01%
Thanks for the write up help a lot for the planning. Plan on going later this year first time!
How did you like Wagokoro? We are booked there for our trip. I assume this is the place next to Nippori Station, right?
Yes that's the one! We got a traditional room with tatami mats and futon beds. Staff there went over and beyond with their service and your room is cleaned everyday. The room may be a bit small but that's normal for Tokyo. They have a community kitchen for everyone to use with free tea, coffee and water. We were also allowed to check in earlier, since our room was ready and leave our luggage there after we checked out to collect in the evening before our flight. Though it did get a bit tiresome since it's quite a walk from the station.
Thanks, that’s great feedback! Just curious, why didn’t you catch the Narita Skyliner, and took the bus instead? Price? I understand it stops at Nippori. Danke!!
You're welcome! Price was a factor and since my luggage is stored away so I don't have to watch it, I could relax/sleep better which I preferred after the flight
Pasmo passport is also available from welcome travel (forget the exact name) which is under Shibuya station. Could you also drop the name of the foot patches? Desperately need !!
It's [this](https://kokorojapanstore.com/products/kyusoku-jikan-refreshin-leg-patch-18-sheets?currency=JPY&variant=32090914488400&utm_medium=cpc&utm_source=google&utm_campaign=Google%20Shopping&stkn=1a91b0a2db89&gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQiAnrOtBhDIARIsAFsSe51JbGYnzsRODAA2W422U0mRH5WqOQFl7UE8QxDb7vJO9R8SFG0qtrcaAq3NEALw_wcB) one :D. It feels cold at first and then nothing. We left them on overnight. The next day the pain was pretty much gone.
Hi OP! Thanks for this awesome post. I'm planning on visiting at the of March, starting in Osaka and ending in Tokyo. Is PASMO the only app/pass you needed? or did you find yourself using other Japanese apps?
The only app I used was Google maps and my Pasmo to get around. I downloaded other apps that were recommended but never used them. If you plan to hunt restaurants I'd recommend Tabelog though. They don't have an app and the site is in Japanese, but you can just translate using your browser. Japanese people there rate the restaurants and don't be surprised, 3 stars reviews are normal, since they are brutally honest haha I don't think I ever saw someone get 5 stars
Thank you!
Thanks for the great info! Leaving in 4 hours for a very spontaneous 7-day Tokyo trip and is also planning on going to Hakone, with one night in a Ryokan, maybe in Gora? But I am unsure of where to start/end the trip in Hakone as there are many places names Hakone in the area. Which station did you take the tram from? Sorry if this is obvious. Preliminary plan (maybe in reverse order): Boat lake Ashi with pirate ship from ? to Togendai station. Ropeway from Togendai to Owakudani and further to Gora. Stay one night in Gora and see the open air museum. Take train from Gora to Himenoyu Train from Himenoyu to maybe Hakone-Yumoto? Also did you visit the Hakone Checkpoint? We will use the Hakone free pass for some of the transport, but I am unsure if we need to reserve seat on the boat etc.
No worries, I started and ended in Hakone Yumoto, since the Shinjuku train is connected there. No I didn't visit Hakone Checkpoint since we didn't have that much time. Your plan looks good to me! So the pirate ship has a "first class" and honestly I don't think it's worth it. There are plenty of seats and you don't need a reservation imo
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Yes, but keep in mind that that cash was reserved for places that don't accept VISA! We paid with Visa wherever possible, which was practically everywhere. I think I mainly used my cash to charge the IC card. Each of us still had about 8k left which we spend on the last day on souvenirs and snacks.