Here are some of the important things you need to know before you plan for your trip to Japan
How long do I need for Japan?
This is always a tricky question. But you can spend as long as months without getting bored in Japan. It all depends on how much time and money do you have?
If you are able to be there for a couple of weeks, I would suggest a minimum of 3 weeks.
If you are tight with time, then you can do a week or two with a compressed schedule of activities.
A few days will not be ideal as you will be missing a lot and your trip with be in rush and most probably very tiring!
Japan is a big country with multiple cities where every city has slightly or totally different vibes. So plan your trip well before and decide which cities to visit and what activities you want to do
Fill in (Customs Declaration Form) online before your arrival to Japan
This will save you time at the airport as you don't need to fill the paper forms. You can use the following link to complete the process and get the QR code before your arrival: https://www.vjw.digital.go.jp/
Once done, keep the QR code ready to be scanned at both the passport control and the exit security. Hint: Just take a snapshot of the code and save it in your phone to avoid getting disconnected from internet for any reason.
Plan, plan and plan.
I am sure you will find tons of activities to keep you busy everyday but it is best to properly plan you trip and have your on "to-do" list as you don't want to miss out any fun activities. Make sure all activities which need bookings are done ahead of time to avoid last minute drama.
keep as much gaps as possible in your schedule so you don't get tired during your trip. Trust me, these gaps will be as busy as your planned schedule exploring new things.
In Japan, don't be on time.. Be early!!!
Japanese are punctual to the core. All businesses, attractions, trains, shops operate on time (as precise as a matter of a minute - and I personally tested that in different places). So, spare enough time to reach your destination specially if you have booked an attraction which cannot be cancelled or rescheduled and just avoid the drama.
It is worth combining Japan trip with South Korea?
Simply.. If you can do (and afford) it, yes!
While South Korea has very similar type of weather, tropical nature and rich history it is always nice to explore a new country. Also, being the closest country to Japan with flight time being only 2 hours from Osaka or 2 and half hour from Tokyo it is worth doing both country in one trip if you are coming from somewhere far in the World!
I was surprised to hear from a few Japanese friends that Korean food is one of their favorites! and when Japanese travel to Seoul they really enjoy good food there. So eat more food in Korea..
Shopping wise.. I would say Japan has many more options being either clothing, souvenirs, or auto parts!! if you are a sports cars freak.
What Currency(ies) to take? And where to exchange?
I exchanged both EUROs and USDs and both had good exchange rates (this was in March 2023 and April 2024). I got a better rate with USDs since the dollar is stronger so you may need to compare rates and decide what currency to take before your trip.
Vending exchange machines located in some supermarkets or hotels can give good rates if you want to exchange a small amount (and if you don't want to go through the hassle of looking around) but I would suggest to look for better rates from exchange shops in main local markets.
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