I made a series of mistakes that threatened to ruin my recent trip to Japan- all linked to insufficient research. Japan’s rules on mobile phone sim cards are extremely tight-to limit crime. It’s one of the safest countries in the world after all. Some of the apps that I used seamlessly in Nairobi now needed a phone number verification to work in Japan. Roaming did not work, so my assumption that I would shoulder roaming costs for a day or two as I settled were an obvious blunder. While it’s common knowledge to get a sim card at the airport when in a new country, I arrived without one of my bags which had been misplaced in airline transit, so my mind was focused on using the airport wifi to communicate to a baggage claim attendant (via google translate), how my bag looked so she could post the claim. Local telecommunication companies there also use plans (mostly annual) for their customers. Cancelling the plans mid-contract, I was advised, would sometimes cost more than paying for the entire period.

So here I was, after 36 hours of travel, swollen feet and a headache, with no way to communicate with anyone outside of where I was staying (there was wifi there)- and I still mustered the courage to step out alone for my first day of touring. This went well until the last leg of my ride back to the house where I got lost. I walked into a chemist that had 5 ladies, to ask or directions but there was no way to communicate. They got large maps and placed them on the table as they discussed in Japanese. The place had no wifi so there was no google translate- another thing I found strange about many establishments in Japan- the lack of wifi. They were kind enough to offer a laptop and phone but they all had Japanese characters and therefore not helpful. Suffice to say that one of the ladies, in an act of kindness that moved me immensely, offered to drop me in her vehicle. I hate to imagine what would have happened if it were not for that.

I eventually got a tourist data sim card, that ended up not having a number- then a second one, that also didn’t have one. 2 sim cards and more than 100 USD in, with no clear customer service in sight, I settled for only data. This meant that I only really started really enjoying my tours on my 5th day there. I was lucky I had 11 more days.

In light of that and other experiences, here are my tips for traveling to, and enjoying Japan as a tourist;

1. Buy a sim card at the airport. Ensure you get a tourist sim card if you’re visiting for a short time, and not a local sim card, which may have very punitive annual subscription charges.
2. Purchase an ICOCA card at the first train station you get to and load it with some money. This is their transport card that is swiped at every station upon entry and exit, deducting transport costs incurred on your journey. The card can be dropped at the airport when leaving Japan and any money left will be reimbursed. Taxis are rather expensive but the train system, as in many countries in the developed world, works seamlessly.
3. For directions, google maps has a public transport function that will guide you on where to get your train, down to the platform number and what time the train leaves and what time you will arrive. This makes planning smooth.
4. Public transport in Japan ends at midnight. I found this so amusing. What this means is that you need to be back at your accommodation by midnight, so put into account the travel time you need. Taxis work throughout though.
5. You will not survive without a language translating app as majority of the population speaks Japanese. You will need it to ask for directions, translate menus etc.
6. Japan is a highly courteous society. It will be good to learn how to greet- ‘Kon’nichiwa’ (and bow while at it) and say thank you- ‘Arigato’ (while bowing as well), at every interaction you have with a local. It is also considered rude to speak loudly on the phone in public and it’s actually prohibited to speak on the phone in trains and buses. This makes for quiet non-dramatic rides.
7. For solo tourists on a budget, you could join or create trips on Couchsurfing. I’ve mentioned just how impactful couchsurfing is, in earlier posts. Say for instance, you would like to visit ‘Universal studios’ in Osaka, you could create a group with a day and time that you’d like to go, then invite other tourists to join. This is a good way to enjoy travelling while meeting tourists from all over the world- without having to pay a travel agent to organise a group tour.
8. All trash is separated, so it would be prudent to be acquainted with the different coloured bins and know what kind of trash goes where.
9. As I have mentioned in earlier posts, there is no amount of internet information that beats locals when it comes to good spots to visit. I discovered places out of town through locals. Some of these places were not recommended spots for tourists while others were made more lively by specific timing by locals who knew the best time to go. Use apps like Couchsurfing to meet locals or even better, look for bars/restaurants that have people that may speak your language. If African, ‘afro-bars’ or African cuisine restaurants usually present this opportunity.
10. I made a friend from Nigeria whose bank card would not get money from the atms there. As advanced as Japan is, there are many things that are not as modern as one would expect. We went to a restaurant that only accepted cash. I paid for her meal but she later reimbursed me through some of the friends she was traveling with who had better luck with their cards. Always check with your bank before traveling.

Entrance to the great Budha of Nara, Osaka.

I’m glad I got to experience Asia for the first time.

Until next time, may adventure be with you!