Preparing for Your Trip to Japan
In planning a trip to Japan, there’s a lot of preparation that needs to be done. For someone who may have never been to Japan before or never traveled abroad, this can be a somewhat stressful time. However, it’s not as bad once you get it all planned out.
The first thing you want to be sure to do is plan ahead on when you want to go. This way, you can be sure to get the best deal on your flight. Flights can be expensive, especially when traveling abroad. Also, the sooner you have official dates for flying the sooner you can make hotel reservations. Hotels tend to fill up quickly. So, you don’t want to wait until the last minute on that.
In considering hotels, you also want to try to find the best deals. Call around to your local travel agents and see what they may have to offer. You can also check online hotel booking deals to see what deals are available to you in the timeframe you’re looking to go. The less you have to spend on a hotel, the more you can spend on your actual trip.
Next, you want to think and plan out where all it is you plan to tour and visit while you are in Japan. This will help you to think about the best transportation options for you. There are a lot of different buses and railway passes available for purchase. However, you want to choose the one that goes where you are planning on visiting. You want to do this research before going to Japan. Some transport passes can’t be bought in Japan. So, once you decide you can purchase your pass online or over the phone.
The next purchase you should make in planning your trip is a travel guide for Japan. Go to your local bookstore and see what they have to offer. This will really help you in planning your trip. Be sure to bring it with you when you go as well.
With the resources available on the internet, a great suggestion would be to do some online research. Check out some online blogs and websites for information about Japan and traveling to Japan. There are also some great travel forums that may be useful to you as well.
Once you have done a great deal of research through reading your travel guide or browsing the internet, start putting some thoughts together. Make a list of things that stood out to you or interested in you. Think about where you definitely want to go during your trip. Call this your trip wishlist.
Now you want to use your wishlist to make your trip itinerary. You want to include places of interest, address and phone numbers, directions and transportation plans, any landmark references, area maps, subway maps, etc. Having as much information pertaining to each place you will want to go will really benefit you during your trip. Making your own travel guide will really help to organize your trip. It will also help you to navigate somewhere that is truly foreign to you where you may have trouble finding someone to help you because they may not speak English.
When packing for your trip there are a few things you want to be sure to not leave at home. First, be sure to bring your travel guide. Next, make sure you bring comfortable shoes to avoid getting blisters on your feet from all the walking you will do during your travels. Don’t forget to bring sunscreen and light clothing as it gets really hot in Japan and the sun can be brutal when the heat isn’t something you’re used to. Buy and bring a Japanese language handbook. This will help you when trying to communicate in locations where you can’t find anyone who speaks any English. If you plan to shop a lot while you’re there, bring a space bag. This will make it so you have room to bring everything you buy back with you. Lastly, bring a 3G phone for communication as that’s all that will work in Japan. If you do not have one you can also rent one from the airport. This will be your communication tool and will be a good thing to have.
Don’t stress yourself out over your trip. This is supposed to be a fun and enjoyable experience. The planning that will go into it will just help to make it a much easier trip. You will be very grateful if you follow these suggestions as it will help your trip to go much smoother. Good luck and have fun in Japan.
Image: Asia Transpacific Journeys