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Travel Tours Kyoto

By admin, December 11, 2010 8:03 pm

Going to Japan in 10 months; preparations?

I will be traveling to Japan for 9 days next June, my airfare, meals, accomidations, and sightseeing tour is completely planned with the package. Osaka, Nara, Tokyo, Kyoto, etc. What do I need to take with me when I go? I can speak and write Japanese, I have a passport, and I am familiar with customs there. But, I am at a loss for words as to what I need to bring with. Any suggestions?
You guys didn’t seem to have read the question. I am fluent in Japanese, and can write Hiragana, Katakana, and Kanji.

First off, because you know Japanese (reading AND writing) let me be the first to say you are going to love Japan. I was in the exact same situation as you; I even went to the same cities (are you with EF Tours, maybe). But anyway, I would suggest bringing some money. What I would do is exchange a few hundred dollars of USD to JPY (dollars to yen). Maybe more than that, depending on how much you want to spend. Many people on my tour went in knowing they were going to spend several hundred dollars, some even upwards of a thousand dollars. But if you are like me and don’t spend very much money, then still bring that much just in case. It’s better than having to waste your cash on fees that you have to deal with involving bank cards/credit cards. Then again, if you lose your wallet, your money is safe in a bank, whereas if you lose that money on you, you may be screwed. So I would also highly suggest a bank card for emergencies.

If you don’t own your own umbrella (understandable) you will when you come back from Japan. Summer is rainy season. I think 2/3 of my experience was on cloudy days and 1/3 on rainy days. Not a big deal considering that you’re in Japan, but you’ll definitely want an umbrella, and you’ll want it early on. If you’re as lucky as me, you’ll find one for 250 yen (About $2.30), but expect to find one for around 500 yen (About $4.60). Not too bad.

I know that a guidebook may seem like in insult to your intelligence, but in fact, it may be a good idea. I thought I would need one, but maybe used it once or twice. Find one that you like, and don’t spend more than $10 on one. If you know Japanese, like me, then believe me, you’ll get by.

Bring a camera. And make sure it’s digital. Believe me; you don’t want to deal with film at all. It’s a hassle when you’re walking in Japan. It’s a hassle getting it in your bags. It’s a hassle at security in airports. You really don’t want to deal with that. My suggestion is to buy a digital camera with 10X Optical Zoom. I’m saying that because there are tons of things that will be far off in the distance, and a pocket camera that is cheaper will only have 4X Zoom at most. You’ll notice a huge difference with the bigger cameras and bigger lenses. Then buy a good sized memory card. If you are like me and literally take pictures of everything, and then jack up your camera’s quality to the extreme, then buy a 2 GB card. Otherwise, I’d buy a 1 GB card. There’s not much difference in price, so it’s really up to you. Best Buy has reasonable prices on cameras, and excellent prices on memory cards.

But please listen carefully. Do not put your memory card through x-ray scanners. That did it for my memory card, and I lost 683 pictures (some videos, too). This is going to be a trip of a lifetime. Simply put the memory card in your pocket when going through security. Metal detectors shouldn’t pick it up, and it will save you the grief I am still dealing with my loss.

Seriously, though, you can enjoy Japan without a fancy camera, or a ton of cash. The fact that you’re going allows you to truly experience for yourself the wonder of the country. I know people who love Japan, and can’t speak a word in Japanese. But I think knowing the language makes a difference. You will fit right into the society and love every minute of it. So the number one thing you need to bring with you is an open mind. I hope you enjoy Japan the way I do.

Beautiful Spring in Japan 2008 V1