Hello everyone!
tl;dr : I'm going to Japan as a tourist for a year (september 2025 – september 2026) with a WHV and I would like your opinions and advice on my questions and your feedback. Thank you very much.
From September 2025 to September 2026, I'm going to Japan for a year on a Working Holiday Visa.
I'm lucky enough to have a good budget, so I'm going to be a tourist and enjoy Japan for a year (I also plan to work for the experience and discover what it's like to work in a Japanese environment).
This post is to ask questions about how to organise myself for this year-long trip.
I've already found most of the answers on the internet in blogs or videos, but sometimes the information is a bit dated or it's just been written by individuals, so I'd like to get the opinions and advice of other individuals.
So I'm going to travel for a year. All over Japan. I rarely stay in the same place for very long, so most of my questions are about logistics and optimising the budget.
– I plan to have a (medium-sized) suitcase, a rucksack and a shoulder bag. Do you have any advice?
– How can I do my laundry without stress (twice a month)?
– I will be travelling a lot, which rail pass should I get? Is it more worthwhile (for the price or the practicality) to convert my driving licence and rent a car?
– I will be juggling between a high-end hotel and cheap accommodation depending on my activities. Do you have any advice for short-term accommodation?
– I need internet on my phone (and laptop with connection sharing), what type of mobile/internet package and Japanese operator should I get?
– As well as my bank (with international option), which other Japanese bank should I get?
– I often plan to eat out (restaurant, etc.), but to reduce the budget I will also eat food from the supermarket! Do you have any advice?
– Do you have any advice on things to take with you (medication, useful items, etc.)?
– The internet is full of advice on places to visit. I mainly want to lose myself in the countryside between two tourist sites. Do you have any feedback and advice on places to see?
– I started learning Japanese more than six months ago, so I wouldn't know how to describe my level. I still have six months to learn. Do you have any feedback on the importance of Japanese outside the big cities? (I'm a chemical engineer and I often worked with Japanese people via video conference, but they always spoke English).
Those are the main questions that come to mind. The next six months will be devoted to organising the trip, but I look forward to your feedback and advice with enthusiasm and pleasure!
Of course, if you have time, I'm open to any other advice you can give and also your feedback on your trip to Japan (from a few weeks to over a year)!
Thank you
by Acceptable_Parsley15