JAPAN Q&A~

Hey Humans!

So I have received a ridiculous amount of question pre, during and post my recent trip to Tokyo. Due to the fact I still have not replied to all my Birthday messages on social media yet, I thought it would be easier to go though all my Japan related questions and answer everyone all in one place to help anyone out with advice or how I personally travel to Japan!

What attracted you to Japan?

I have adored Japanese culture ever since I was young. I have always adored hello kitty and due to me being born in the 90s a lot of Japanese anime was becoming popular outside of Japan. Most of the video games, toys and TV shows I was interested in all came from Japan and often were only translated into English so they still had strong connections to Japanese lifestyle and culture. Tamagochi's, Pokemon, GameBoy, Zelda, Sonic, Playstaion, Dreamcast, Arcades, Sailor Moon, Digimon, Cardcaptors, Hello Kitty, Walkman's etc all influenced my childhood. It is something that has stayed with me all my life and I can not explain why. It is my second home!

How long have you gone for?

10 days this time round~ In 2015 I stayed in for a month.

How long would you recommend to stay in Japan?

As long as you like! I only visited Tokyo this time and I believe that 7 days is too short for Tokyo but 14 days is too long. If it is your first time visiting there is stuff available to do all the time as it is a 24 hour city! However on a second time visit 10 days was plenty of time to do everything I wanted to do.

Did you just stay in Tokyo the whole time you where in Japan or did you travel further a field as such?

I exclusively stayed in Tokyo. I would love to see Osaka, Kyoto, Hiroshima, Hokkaido etc but I would have to have a spare month to do all of that. If you visited the UK you wouldn't try to visit London, Cardiff, Cornwall, Newcastle, Liverpool, Edinburgh and Ireland all in 2 weeks so I don't understand why people exhaust themselves doing the same after already traveling 5000 miles. Take it easy! :)

Where did you stay in Japan? What hotels would you recommend?

I stayed in an Japanese apartment AirBnb in Shinjuku. Personally I have never stayed in hotels in Tokyo as all the ones I look at or like tend to be overpriced or not in a desirable location. I always would recommend Shinjuku to stay in as it is easy to navigate and isn't to far from many key places. I have stayed in Yotsuya and Higashi Nakano both of which I would recommend.

Is Japan expensive? I have heard it is really expensive.

Japan is very cheap in my opinion, in many cases with food and drink it is cheaper than the UK. You can get huge meals for less than ¥600 (£4). The portions of rice and ramen here are insane too. I got a Katsu curry from CoCo Curry and ordered the smallest amount of rice possible and I couldn't finish it. Combini's are great for cheap food for Breakfast, snacks and lunches too. The food is really well prepared and yummy! They have something for everyone!

Who do you book your flights with?

When I flew on my own in 2015 I used British Airways to Fly Manchester - Heathrow - Haneda. This time I used Air France/KLM as I was traveling with someone Manchester - Amsterdam - Narita. I find changes are cheaper and easier when you are not doing them alone.

Narita or Haneda?

I always would recommend Haneda for first timers if you are staying in the centre of Tokyo as it is so easy to get to where you are staying and find your feet quickly. I was convinced Narita was miles away but after flying there this time it is actually really easy to get from the airport into central Tokyo via Train. If you are bad with travelling though I would advise Haneda because after a 13 hour flight and an hour train ride that goes faster than Virgin trains made me actually vomit.

I'm soooooo jealous you're at the Ghibli museum. I want to go soooooooooo bad!! Was your flight to Tokyo expensive?

My return flight was £430. Last time it was £780 because I flew direct from Heathrow, London to Haneda, Tokyo. My flight was a little cheaper as it had changes and I am flying to South Korea for 4 days and returning from there. Flight back is Narita - Seoul - Paris - Manchester. Again this would be rather long and daunting to do these connections by yourself but I managed to extend my trip and see another country I really wanted to see for less than what I payed to go to Japan directly.

Is it cold? What is the weather like there?

I always tell people that it is very similar to the UK in temperature and weather. In the summer it is more humid but in Feb/March time it is almost identical. In the 10 days I have been here it has rained once so currently the weather is worse at home right now. If you are packing for Japan I advice to take layers as the temperature can change quickly just like in the UK. At the moment on writing both my hometown and Tokyo are 14 degrees.

Did you book through a website or package holiday site?

Personally I always like booking flight and accommodation separately as it tends to be cheaper and gives you better control of your own trip. If you are doing a tour around Japan of multiple places it may be an idea to look at agencies who specialise in that. I can not comment on the experiences of them as I have always booked my own.

Are you visiting for work or just a holiday?

I am visiting for a holiday however I did visit the Sony building and spent a day filming there.

Did you travel alone or with your other half?

In 2015 I travelled to Tokyo alone. I made lots of friends and was forced out of my comfort zone and it really helped me grow as a person. I would recommend to anyone who has every wanted to visit Japan but friends are letting you down that there are plenty of hostels, Student areas and house shares that you can stay in and meet friends from all over the world! Second time I traveled with someone whom also previously traveled to Japan on their own. I feel that being with someone else limits the experience as you still play it safe rather than fully immersing yourself into the culture.

Do they really eat dog?

I am pretty sure you are thinking of Korea but if you want to eat some dog I have some good news. There’s an annual dog festival, Where you can eat all the dog you want, And it’s located in Yulin Guangxi China. And the festival spans about ten days with 15 thousand dogs consumed. And it goes from the 21st to the 30th of June, I just wanna let you know. I’m just tryna’ be a bro.

How much money did you take with you? Did you use Travellers Cheques?

Japan is a cash country. They do not use chip and pin here, they often still use swipe. Carrying large amounts of cash will not put you at any more risk than anyone else, even as a foreigner. You can use credit cards here although they tend to only be accepted in major chain retailers and restaurant.

Can you use your bank card over there?

Foreign debit cards are not accepted in most Japanese shops. The most practical use for a debit card is to withdraw money from ATMs, you need to be sure that the ATM accepts foreign cards. You will have better luck with a Japanese debit card, though you will still find plenty of shops that refuse any kind of debit payment. ATMs at 711 accepted my Halifax debit card and I could withdraw money. My bank charged approx £20 for withdrawing overseas. It is always a good idea to call your bank to ask how much it is to use your card abroad. Most 711 have 24 hour ATMs and they have an English option.

How did you manage to drive on the roads over there?

To drive on Japanese roads you need an international drivers permit to both rent cars or drive on Japanese roads. You can obtain these from the Post Office or The AA in the UK and cost £6. In my case I was only using it to drive around Tokyo in a Mario kart. Japan drive on the same side of the road as the UK so it was really easy to drive on if you are confident on roads.

Did you get jet lag?

Yes. I am not the best traveler to be honest. First 2 days in Tokyo I was a complete write off. The flight is 13 hours so it is always a good idea to prepare yourself for the time differences and when to sleep on the plane to try and prevent this.

I don't like fish. Do they have normal food over there?

There is no more fish in Japan to what they have in the UK. There is plenty of alternatives and vegetarian places too!

I didn't know you where going to Japan again! Why are you going back?

Because I wanted to so I did.

What, in your opinion, are the must-see places in Japan? (Always wanted to go lol) and Any places you recommend to visit?

I would always tell people areas to visit because there is so much to do in each place!

• Shibuya - Shibuya crossing (Starbucks has an amazing view if you can get a seat), Hachiko, Shibuya 109, Tower records, Mandarake, Disney store~

• Shinjuku - Robot Restaurant, Shinjuku Gyoen, Tokyo metropolitan building, Shinjuku Golden Gai

• Harajuku - Get crepes, Kiddyland, Bengal Cat forest Cafe, Owl Cafe, Takeshita Street, Yoyogi Park, Meiji Jingu, Kawaii Monster Cafe~

• Asakusa - Senso-ji, Sky Tree

• Ikebukuro - My Fave Don Quijote, Sunshine City shopping centre(Bands usually preform on stage here too), Pokemon Centre Mega Tokyo.

• Odaiba - Gundam (Now gone until 2020), Rainbow Bridge, Sega Joypolis

• Nakano - Nakano Broadway

• Akihabara - Yodabashi Camera, Collect gacha pons, Kanda Myojin Shrine, Kurikoan Taiyaki, Sega Arcade, Club Sega, Super Potato~

• Studio Ghibli Museum

• MariCar

• Sanrio Puroland

• Disney Sea

• Hakone - Onsen

• Roppongi - Tokyo Tower, National Art Centre Tokyo, look at architecture

Do many people speak English? Is it hard to get by not knowing Japanese?

I find that not many people speak English other than basic phrases. I believe you can get by on some basic words and gestures but you will often find that people will speak English to you if they can even if you are speaking Japanese to them. Even in tourist areas not all staff speak English. Luckily most places have menus or posters of items that you can point to communicate in Tokyo. If you are feeling ambitious I would advise learning Hiragana and Katakana to make life a little easier when reading things.

How do you travel on public transport and is it expensive to get around?

I use the trains to get around as it is the most convenient and quickest way to get around. When I first got to Japan I put ¥3000 on my pasmo (Travel card) and I have only needed to top up an additional ¥1000 for the duration of my trip. 4000 yen is approximately £30 so all my travel cost me an average £3 a day. The train from Narita to Shinjuku is ¥2,670 on the Skyliner which is the most expensive route. You can get cheaper options from ¥1000 that only take 10-20 mins longer.

How do you use your phone still?

Mifi devices are very popular in Japan. I rent one from eConnect when I am in Tokyo and it is an amazing service. I get the unlimited 4G plan.

Is there free WiFi in most places?

Weirdly I find it hard to find free WiFi places where you don't have to log in or have to be a resident. Some places like Starbucks and McDonald's have it as standard but I would advice in investing in a MiFi device.

What time of year is best to visit?

I love spring time in Tokyo. I have visited Japan both times at the end of Feb-March. The other time of yea I would love to visit would be October for Halloween.

If you could take one part of Japan home with you what would it be?

All of it. Or possibly a Japanese toilet.

Why don't you visit somewhere closer?

I rather visit Asia than Europe as I enjoy it more.

What's your favourite Japanese food?

I love okonomiyaki. It always is a craving of mine when I am back home. I like ramen too but that is way more common. I love matcha and sakura flavour snacks, taiyaki and takoyaki also.

Have you been to any of the karaoke places in your nearest location?

I am completely tone deaf. I may be the worst singer on the planet. I have been to one in 2015. I missed the last train so I rented a room to sleep in until morning as it was cheaper than a hotel. True story.

What is your favourite anime?

Currently my favourite anime is うる星やつら. I may or may not have purchased all 34 volumes of the manga from Mandarake while I was in Tokyo. I will write a post all about it and my top 10 anime recommendations.

Recently bought Japanese hairwax called Gatsby or something, it's the best. Did you try Japanese haircare products?

I have seen the Gatsby range! It's everywhere here! I have only used Japanese Shampoo and conditioner. I tend to have more Korean Beauty products at home.

Who is looking after your cat?

I have an amazing human who is looking after my fluff ball and giving him lots of loves while I am not there. I have been getting video calls and photos of him daily.

Can you take me with you next time?

This is my most asked question. I would love to take everyone to Japan so they can experience it with me! Although it is really easy to go. I think people believe that it is more expensive and difficult than it actually is.

Do you miss your Dad?

I miss my whole family when I am away. :) I go longer periods than 10 days without seeing them due to work commitments at home so 10 days is nothing! <3

These answers are all my personal opinion and I always advise everyone to research online or watch videos to get ideas on how you would like to plan your dream trip! If anyone has any additional questions to ask me fell free to message me, tweet them or comment below :)

じゃまたね

xoxo