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My first Japan itinerary had 43 pins on the map and a schedule that assumed I was a train. I completed about half of it, and the half I remember best is the stuff that wasn’t on it. This guide is what I’d tell myself before that trip.
Plan mornings, leave afternoons loose
Japan rewards the early start more than any country I’ve visited. Temples at 7am are empty and free of everything except birds. Markets are at their best before 9. So I plan one anchor thing per morning, then let the afternoon go where it goes.
The unplanned afternoon is where Japan happens: the knife shop you weren’t looking for, the jazz cafe with 4 seats, the neighborhood shrine with exactly one cat in charge of it.
Trains, minus the panic
The system looks intimidating. It is thorough, that is all. What you need:
- An IC card (Suica or Pasmo, on your phone if you have an iPhone). Tap in, tap out, stop thinking about fares.
- Google Maps handles Japanese transit brilliantly, down to the platform number and which car to board.
- The JR Pass math changed. After the price hike, it only pays off if you’re doing multiple long-distance legs. Two cities? Buy individual shinkansen tickets and skip the pass spreadsheet.
- Reserved seats on the shinkansen cost a little more and remove the one stressful part, which is hovering near the unreserved cars with luggage.
If you take one thing from this guide: read the exit code before you leave the station. It’s the difference between surfacing at your destination and surfacing in a parallel neighborhood.
Konbini meals count as meals
7-Eleven, Lawson, and FamilyMart will cover a real share of your meals. The egg salad sandwich’s reputation is earned. Onigiri for train rides, seasonal fried chicken at Lawson, morning coffee that embarrasses hotel coffee.
They also take out cash (7-Eleven ATMs love foreign cards), ship luggage, and sell umbrellas at the exact moment of need. I came to Tokyo for the food and left talking about a convenience store egg salad sandwich. I’ve made peace with it.
A few small rules that buy a lot of goodwill
- Stand on the correct side of the escalator: left in Tokyo, right in Osaka. You’ll know immediately.
- No phone calls on trains. Everyone’s quiet; it’s lovely; don’t be the exception.
- Eat where you bought it or wait until you’re home. Walking-while-eating is mildly frowned on.
- Carry a small trash bag. Public bins basically don’t exist, and locals carry their trash home.
- Cash still matters at small restaurants and shrines. Keep a few thousand yen on you.
Get lost on purpose
Japan is the safest big country I’ve traveled, so a wrong turn costs you nothing. Wrong neighborhood? It has a konbini, a shrine, and probably the best tonkatsu you’ll find all trip. Japan is the one place where I stopped navigating and started wandering, and my only regret is the days I didn’t.
Delete ten pins from your map before you go. The plan should have holes in it. Japan fills them better than you will.
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