3 Regrets From My First Trip To Japan (Part 3) #japan

Here are my 3 regrets from my first trip to Japan part 3! So excited to share these with all of you because I wished I knew these before going to Japan 🫶

1. Don’t overload your itinerary
2. Don’t fully reply on credit card/ Apple Pay- make sure to bring extra cash!
3. Staying in Tokyo for most of my trip. Honestly Kyoto holds a special place in my heart so I’ll definitely be spending my days there for my next trip to Japan!

Let me know if you all have any questions and stay tuned for more Japan tips 💕

[notatallheng]

Been to Japan 4 times and this advice is all 100% true.

[kpxgirl]

Yes A realistic person talking about Japan!!!!
None of that influencers crap about every single person going to the same restaurants in Tokyo/kyoto/osaka

[Freundinnen]

Tip one I recommend for every trip. Plans are important, yes, but the days without plan, just waling around are so wonderful. And so less stressful!

[ginster]

we originally only booked two days in kyoto and then three in osaka, but ended up extending Osaka to 6 days and just taking day trips to Nara, Kobe, Wakayama and another day(trip) to Kyoto. Having a "base" for almost a week felt really good, we enjoyed Osaka and doing everything as daytrips was way more relaxing than having to hurl around luggage and doing checkous/ins everyday. After that, two days in a Ryokan in Arima Onsen to relax before heading for Tokyo again to finish out the trip there. I'd do it like this again cause we saw so much and really had time to just wander around and immerse ourselves instead of hustling from spot to spot.

[brownmasterv]

On my spontaneous days I just get on a random train and set a time limit, probably like 40-60 mins and just get off and explore. It's found me some really cool hidden gems

[DubsBrown]

Super accurate.

Second time I went to Japan my sister and her friend came and it was their first time and they had a crazy itinerary.

I warned them that it was insane but they naively dismissed my concerns and thought I was dumb for not agreeing to do certain things like Universal Osaka or the deers in Nara.

Fast forward to the trip and they were completely exhausted, eating at McDonald’s while I was exploring Okinomiyaki shops, admiring Yakushi-ji Toto and its cherry blossoms, and soaking in parts of the country I didn’t see last time.

Eventually they caught on to my wisdom and started to follow my lead just walking in a random direction of town and seeing what we would find.

If it’s your first time just go to Asakusa in Tokyo first to get it out of your system, then try to get to Kyoto/Osaka asap. Tokyo is literally 10 full sized cities in one area so you’ll always be able to chip away at it the more you visit but the West of the country has more approachable urban areas that you can devour without being overwhelmed.

[dena]

Agree on enjoying it for multiple days, especially Kyoto! I didn't really spend a lot of time there and really regret it. It's such a beautiful area with a lot of history.

[RosaGroza]

Please don’t miss Nagoya either. It’s such a beautiful place if you love the small town vibe with beautiful neighbourhoods and it also has a studio Ghibli themed park.

[SpartanQwop]

Honestly the best way to explore Japan is actually to talk/ hang out with the locals and stay out of the tourist trap destinations. (I have had the most experiences/ enjoyment this way)

[jacealbine]

I'm not one to make itineraries in advance. I fly by the seat of my pants.

I got off a bus in Kyoto in the middle of nowhere and walked 8 hours back to the large tower and using it as my only guide. It was awesome. Saw geisha, temples and a whole bunch of other cool random stuff I happened by. Never know where the adventure will take you.

[eirenespage]

Visiting Japan twice and what I learned is the true way to appreciate Japan is if you kinda spent your day like an ordinary japanese people do.

[MagichourManila]

I hope tourists continue to explore the popular destinations like Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, and so on. This way, when I visit rural Japan again, it won't be overcrowded with visitors. Haha!

[sybylo]

These are ACTUALLY good tips. Thank you

[Surfer]

I loved being cash only in Japan. The card fee & international charge fee really adds up if you're not looking. Also, with a card, your money is an imaginary amount of you don't think about it. With cash, it's physical & you can run out; which means spending less/ keeping to the budget.

[animangafan]

Osaka is so central u can do a day trip to Nara, Hiroshima & Kobe each. Next time, I might stay longer in Osaka. Kyoto is such a fun city with great shopping deals but be ready to take taxis. Busses are so crowded rn. You just need to take an express train to Kyoto from Osaka and u save a ton of money too. Nagoya is also criminally underrated.

[ngenes]

Sometimes getting lost and discovering new places becomes the adventure 😊 Relax take it all in, just know Japan is safe for traveling ❤

[hanananf]

I went to Japan for 3 weeks and it was my best trip ever

[bontakunmaster]

If you all want to explore country sides of Japan, here are tips that I learn from the hard way.
1.Shuttle bus! Unless your hotel is close to the local station, Always ask the hotel service if they offer shuttles! Don't rely on local buses, if you are in hot spot, the local bus always get full by overflow tourists! Yup I waited like 2 hours in the snow day because 2 buses I missed were full.
2. Book train tickets or any transportation early! Again, the numbers of tourist in Japan increase every year. Don't even try to take local train without booking it unless you don't have luggage with you. You can also book the ticket ahead in the first day of your tip in the station if you have time.
3. If you don't care too much popular food/restaurant, you can ignore this. But, same as transportation, some fancy restaurants require reservation or going there early as possible. Manage your meal time like 7am, 11am, 5pm. I wasted lots of time on waiting in line. Some restaurants offer waitlist text, you can sign it up first then shop nearby.

[vanpeer]

My two friends and I had been dreaming of going to Japan since we were kids and this last summer we spent the month of July for my 23rd birthday in Japan. Starting up in Sapporo and making our way down through different many different towns and cities till eventually ending in Kyoto and Osaka. The only thing we had planned was the onsen and hostels for each stop. This was the most incredible Journey I have ever been on, exploring the local culture, food, and natural wonders of each region. Hokkaido itself was my absolute favorite, everything there felt like being in Hayao Miyazaki film. While in Japan it is very important to respect the people and their culture so everyone can have a great experience. I want to go back to Japan someday to hike across the country and to Snowboard the ski resorts in Hokkaido in the dead of winter.

[koadl]

Did all of the recommendations on my first trip without seeing this short before and can fully agree to them 👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼