Your FIRST HOUR in Japan - 2024 Travel Guide

Ah Japan - the "gateway" & first destination for so many people when it comes to traveling and exploring Asia, and in this video, I continue my "first hour in" series and show you step-by-step, every thing you need to do in your first hour in Japan - and with some changes from previous years, this is the 2024 Tokyo Travel Guide whether this is your first time, or hundredth time visiting this amazing country.

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TIMELINE + LINKS
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Some of the links below are affiliate links. For example, as an Amazon Associate, I may earn a small commission from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you!

0:00 Intro

0:11 Japan Visa Requirements
🔗👉 Check if you’re Visa-exempt:

0:26 Wall Outlets
The TESSAN adapter supplies up to a whopping 100W, which means it can simultaneously charge a MacBook Air as well as an iPhone full steam.

0:48 Emergency Cash
My recommendation is to have 10,000 Japanese Yen of backup emergency cash per WEEK of your trip. When I say “backup emergency” cash, I mean, stored completely separately from your wallet - like say, in your toiletries Dopp kit. Contrary to rumours of Japan being ridiculously expensive, I, as a 6 foot tall, 180 lb guy, can EASILY eat very full for just $10-$15 US dollars per day.

1:04 Unlocked Cellphone
As I showed in the video, more and more, myself and many folks who travel anywhere use eSIM cards. This video is NOT sponsored, but as shown on screen, I’ve used both Airalo AND Holafly at various destinations with great success. The KEY POINT is that these eSIM’s support DATA-ONLY, so if you need to make calls to landlines, you’ll want to get a local sim from a local carrier after you land.

1:16 JR Pass… Worth it?
In October 2023, Japan Rail East jacked up the prices by more than 70% to their already-previously-expensive JR Pass. The JR Pass is really ONLY a point of consideration if you will literally take a bullet train every single day of your trip (or, if you’ll be there for a month and take it at least 12-15 times).

What’s more, there are several bullet train (Shinkansen) rail companies, and this pass only supports those operated by JR East, so many folks have experienced extreme disappointment and messed up travel schedules because they discovered when they went to board, that the pass didn’t cover their particular route and they had to pay hundreds of dollars out of pocket (or miss their itinerary). Obviously, do your own research, but with the new price jump, I can confidently say, absolutely not worth it.

1:41 Narita vs Haneda

2:15 Forms To Fill Out

3:03 Haneda Airport Procedure

3:24 Immigration Process

3:49 Checked Bags & Customs

4:13 Task 1 of 3

5:15 Task 2 of 3

5:49 In Case You’re Still Nervous

6:13 Task 3 of 3

7:00 Suica & Pasmo
🔗👉 PASMO PASSPORT Info Website:

7:49 Tokyo Travel Tip 1

8:24 Tokyo Travel Tip 2

8:42 Tokyo Travel Tip 3

9:27 Tokyo Travel Tip 4

#Travel #JapanTravel #TravelTips

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DISCLAIMERS:

Some of the links above have an affiliate code, if you purchase gear with these links I will receive a small commission at no additional cost to you.

Unless explicitly stated, this video was not paid for by outside persons or companies. This means that the content of this video and my opinions are 100% my own, and were not vetted or paid for by any third party.

[AndSoWeLaughed]

Do you know how freaking awesome this is for autistic people who want some agency and autonomy as they travel (either alone or with family and friends)?! With this informative they’re able to visualise exactly where they need to be, what they have to do and help them plan what they want to do - all without feeling too alone, anxious and overwhelmed. Thank you!!
I’ve been to Japan and am autistic but I will be sharing this with others in the community who are afraid of the language barrier and other obstacles.

[douglewis]

Your 3D guide with the stick figure was awesome. Thanks for putting the work into building that!

[NimrodClover]

I wish more people made travel tip videos like this. Simple, to the point, with hands on real world reference from the perspective of the actual traveler. Nice job.

[Vlog-inln]

I'm Japanese. Regarding the Japan Rail Pass, even if you don't take a bullet train every day, you should check the price. Sometimes the Japan Rail Pass is cheaper than buying tickets each time, even with the recent price increase. The pass offers unlimited travel on JR trains, buses, and some ferries, which can add significant value and convenience to your trip. Always compare the total cost of individual tickets to the pass to see if it’s worth it for your travel itinerary.

[Rufiowascool]

LIved in Japan for 20 years - this is by far the most concise and helpful one of these kinds of vids out. I'll be linking visiting friends + family to THIS everytime moving forwards!!!

[Wanderingdayz]

BRO YOU JUST SAVED MY LIFE I JUST CAME HERE AND I DIDN'T KNOW SHIT!!!😂😂😂

[brendacc]

This is the best video about Japan ever!!
Traveling to Japan in 10 days 🤩
Can't believe it!!!
Dreams come true 😭

[boundariesunlimited]

Thank you for this informative video! it has been very helpful when planning my upcoming 2 week journey throughout Japan!!

[sprincles]

This guide is exactly what I was looking for! Your video is so well organized with the information and visually appealing. I will be traveling to Japan for the first time and this video helps me put my mind at ease as I know what to expect

[eg]

I've been searching for this level of detail for a first time traveler to Tokyo for quite some time. This video should be a top recommend for anyone visiting. Thank you for this!

[gayathrinarayanan]

This is THE BEST video I have seen about what to do once you land in Japan. As someone who gets very anxious about new situations/not knowing where to go or what to do (even when I've done research and I know all the info on paper) the visual guides and step by step walkthrough of the process is the most amazing thing I could have asked for! Thank you for putting in the effort to make this. I am traveling to Japan next year and this helps alleviate the anxiety! :)

[thesandboxbandit]

I've watched about 50 videos on this topic in the last week and this is BY FAR the best one.

[Sharonmplus]

Your suggestion about consolidating your change at 7-11 is such a great tip and something I have not seen from other videos. Thank you!

[eurofanjenk]

Thanks for the simple step-by-step explanation! My father is traveling to Japan separately from us and this video will be very useful for him to know what the expect when he arrives and get him on the train to meet us in Tokyo.

[oscartrujillo]

Quality video with very great details, your video really helps a first-timer. Thank you! More videos like this would be awesome!

[hotsauce]

this was very well made and i appreciate how detailed yet concise each segment was. thank you

[panathenaea]

Outstanding! I appreciate the visuals of the locations and the directions. Takes the mystery out of it

[Blaidd]

This guide is amazing. Thank you for sharing your expertise.

[queenb]

SERIOUSLY THANK YOU!!! As a person who always has to be the one to do everything while traveling (I hate it) this was stress free for me. I'm thinking about going solo to Japan now.

[atsaichu]

Your PASMO Passport info is outdated: There is no longer the 500 yen issueing fee. It used to be 2000 yen but now it costs 1500 yen and you get to spend all of it. Welcome Suica does not require the 500 yen deposit either. Visitors can just take these cards with them when they leave Japan, like souvenir.