Japan

Japan feels wonderfully familiar and surprising at the same time, especially on a first visit. Start by choosing a rough route: many travellers combine Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka, then add side trips like Hakone, Nikko, or Hiroshima. A classic first itinerary is 7–10 days; if you have two weeks, you can layer in rural areas like Takayama or Naoshima.

Book your accommodation early, especially during cherry blossom season (late March–early April) and autumn foliage (November). Mix business hotels, ryokan (traditional inns), and maybe a capsule hotel for fun. Use Hello’s trip planning to keep train times, hotel addresses, and booking codes in one place so you aren’t hunting through email on station platforms.

Check Japan’s public holiday calendar: Golden Week (late April–early May), Obon (mid-August), and New Year can mean crowded trains and higher prices. For connectivity, set up a Hello eSIM before you fly, so you have data as soon as you land — handy for navigating from the airport and translating signs.

Finally, decide on a daily budget and track it by category (transport, food, activities) with Hello’s budget tracking. Seeing your spending in yen helps you adjust on the go and decide when to splurge on that kaiseki dinner or teamLab Planets ticket.

Japan’s transport system is famously efficient, and once you understand the basics, it’s easy to get around. For long distances, the Shinkansen (bullet train) connects major cities at speeds up to 320 km/h. Reserve seats for busy routes like Tokyo–Kyoto, especially on weekends and holidays. Keep hotel names and addresses in Japanese script in your Hello trip planning so staff can help if you’re unsure which line to take.

In cities, you’ll mostly use IC cards like Suica or Pasmo, which work on trains, subways, and many buses. Taxis are clean and safe but pricier; they’re worth it late at night or with luggage. Most taxi drivers speak limited English, so show them your destination written in Japanese or on a map. A Hello eSIM with reliable data makes live navigation and real-time train updates much easier.

Practical tips:

• Aim to arrive at stations 10–15 minutes early; trains leave exactly on time.
• Stand on the correct side of escalators (often left in Tokyo, right in Osaka).
• In rural areas, buses may run only once or twice an hour; check schedules in advance.

Use online maps for walking between sights, and save locations in Hello so you can build efficient routes and avoid backtracking.

Japan is a dream for food lovers, from humble ramen shops to refined kaiseki meals. Start with classics: ramen in Tokyo, okonomiyaki in Osaka, yakitori in Shinjuku, and kaiseki or obanzai (home-style dishes) in Kyoto. Many excellent meals cost between ¥1,000–¥2,000 (roughly $7–$14 USD), so you don’t need to spend a fortune to eat well.

Department store depachika food halls are perfect for sampling regional specialties in one place; grab bento boxes, sushi, and sweets, then eat in designated areas or back at your hotel. At izakaya (Japanese pubs), you’ll share small plates like grilled skewers, sashimi, and tempura, often ordering as you go. This is a great time to use Hello’s expense splitting if you’re travelling with companions — no more awkward bill math after a few highballs.

Useful tips:

• Many small restaurants only accept cash; keep some yen on hand.
• Look for plastic food models and picture menus if you don’t read Japanese.
• Respect basic etiquette: don’t stick chopsticks upright in rice, and avoid eating while walking.

Track your food budget in Hello to see how much you’re spending on coffee, snacks, and dinners. That way, you’ll know when you can comfortably upgrade from standing ramen bars to sushi omakase without stress.

Japan blends ultra-modern tech with a surprisingly cash-friendly culture, so it helps to be prepared. Many convenience stores, train stations, and hotels now accept credit cards, but small restaurants and rural shops may be cash-only. ATMs at 7-Eleven and major banks usually accept international cards; withdrawing ¥10,000–¥20,000 at a time (about $70–$140 USD) suits most travellers.

Use Hello’s budget tracking to categorize expenses (transport, food, accommodation, shopping) and keep an eye on your daily average. Seeing trends in real time helps you decide whether to skip one souvenir shop so you can say yes to an extra day trip.

For connectivity, activating a Hello eSIM before landing means you can go online as soon as the plane touches down, without hunting for airport counters or worrying about roaming fees. Stable data is invaluable for translating menus, using map apps, and checking train timetables.

A few everyday tips:

• Carry a small reusable bag; Japan charges for plastic bags.
• Public trash bins are rare, so be ready to carry rubbish until you find a bin.
• Keep a portable charger; navigation and photography drain batteries quickly.

When travelling with others, let Hello handle expense splitting so shared hotel rooms, group meals, and JR passes are settled fairly and easily.