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JAPAN: What You Need to Know!

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Your bags are packed and you're heading to the airport with a ticket and passport in hand. Ready to catch the flight to Japan? Not quite yet.

Preparing for Japan, I was truly surprised about some of the things I did not know. These weren't novelty things, these were important facts I needed to know before stepping on that plane...or even before I packed my bags!


What to know before you go:

1. Cash is King: Between Kyoto and Tokyo, it was always easier to pay in cash. My personal experience has been that splitting a bill between two or more people isn't something they do in Japan. Cash is the easiest way of paying your share of the bill.



2. JR Pass: You have to buy your JR pass before you get to Japan. If you don't have it before you land, you're sh*t out of luck. The JR pass isn't sold in Japan, you have to acquire it outside of the country.

3. Japanese Wall Plugs: North Americans may not need an adapter, but the voltage is different. You will need a voltage converter. Make sure you know the difference and get the correct item. You wouldn't want to land in Japan and find out you can't charge your phone because the frequency varies.


4. Onsen and Tattoos: Many Onsen businesses do not allow customers with tattoos since Japan has negative views on body art. This bit of information shocked me the most (since I have tattoos) and found out that there are few tattoo friendly Onsens. Some facilities are easing up on this "unwritten law", but it wouldn't hurt to do a little research in the area you're visiting to find out if they have tattoo friendly locations.

5. Pet Cafes: You want to see cats, owls, and other cute animals? You have to schedule your trip to a pet cafe to reserve your spot. Make sure you arrive on time or else risk missing out! (Check out my trip to an Owl Cafe!)

These are the things I was really glad to learn in order to prepare for my trip to Japan. I would love to hear about what any of you felt was Need-to-know about your trip of Japan, or what you found surprising while exploring!





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