Leaving for Tokyo in 1 week and omg, the information overload is real and unfortunately I do research very last minute.
I went down the rabbit hole of tiktoks, blogs (most of them are outdated), YouTube videos (20 minutes to learn one thing).
Here's what I actually needed to know, formatted the way my brain works:
Visa and entry
• US passport = 90 days visa-free, but you need return ticket proof
• Fill out Visit Japan Web BEFORE landing (customs/immigration pre-clearance)
Money/ Payments
• Cash culture – many places don't take card
• 7-Eleven ATMs are your friend (lowest fees, everywhere)
• IC cards (Suica/Pasmo) for all transport, download the Suica app
Transport
• Narita → Tokyo: Keisei Skyliner (40 min, ~$20) vs. N'EX (60 min, ~$30)
• JR Pass only worth it if you're doing 2+ long-distance trips
• Google Maps works perfectly for trains
Connectivity
• Pocket wifi vs eSIM – eSIM is way easier (Airalo works great)
• Free wifi is hit or miss
Weather
– It is winter right now so its brick cold atm
Plug Type
Type A, same as USA.
I got frustrated with the scattered info, I built a tool to structure all this for 90+ cities. Not trying to sell anything, just genuinely think someone else planning a trip might appreciate this format: myluxvia.com .
If you're planning Japan (or anywhere else), what did I miss? What do you wish you knew before your first trip?
by HotPotatoPieee