Japanese people deeply appreciate any attempt, however broken. These go a long way.
Essentials
HelloこんにちはKonnichiwa
Thank youありがとうArigatou
Thank you very muchありがとうございますArigatou gozaimasu
Sorry / Excuse meすみませんSumimasen
YesはいHai
NoいいえIie
Please (requesting)くださいKudasai
Do you speak English?英語話せますか？Eigo hanasemasu ka?
I don't understandわかりませんWakarimasen
Where is [X]?[X]はどこですか？[X] wa doko desu ka?
Food & Restaurants
One/Two people一人/二人Hitori / Futari
This one pleaseこれをくださいKore wo kudasai
Delicious!おいしい！Oishii!
The bill pleaseお会計をくださいOkaikei wo kudasai
I can't eat [X][X]が食べられません[X] ga taberaremasen
Water pleaseお水をくださいOmizu wo kudasai
Menu pleaseメニューをくださいMenyuu wo kudasai
Transport
Ticket to [X][X]まで一枚[X] made ichimai
Which platform?何番線ですか？Nanban-sen desu ka?
Does this go to [X]?[X]に行きますか？[X] ni ikimasu ka?
Shopping
How much is this?いくらですか？Ikura desu ka?
I'll take thisこれにしますKore ni shimasu
No bag needed袋はいりませんFukuro wa irimasen
Can I pay by card?カードで払えますか？Kaado de haraemasu ka?
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Carry cash. Japan is largely cash-based. Many small restaurants and temples are cash-only. Keep ¥10,000–¥20,000 on you. ATMs at 7-Eleven always accept foreign cards.
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Almost no public bins. You'll carry rubbish until a convenience store. Konbini have bins and are everywhere.
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Trains are silent. No phone calls. Keep your voice low. Headphones in.
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Keep left on escalators in Tokyo. Osaka is the opposite — keep right.
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You'll walk a lot. 20,000+ steps/day is normal. Wear easy-off shoes — you remove them at temples and ryokans.
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Onsen etiquette: Shower thoroughly before the shared bath. Tattoos are banned at many onsen — La Vista may have a private option.
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Download offline: Google Maps (Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka) + Google Translate with Japanese pack. Camera translate is invaluable for menus.
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Convenience stores are brilliant. Lawson, 7-Eleven, FamilyMart — incredible food, ATMs, ticket printing, open 24hrs.
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Queuing = quality. If there's a queue outside a ramen restaurant, join it. They don't queue for bad food.
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Do not tip. It can be considered rude. Excellent service is the standard everywhere.
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Plug type: Japan uses Type A (two flat pins). Bring a universal adaptor. 100V — most UK devices work fine.
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Medicines: Some UK medications contain codeine, which is controlled in Japan. Check the Japanese Embassy guidance before flying.
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Tap water is safe to drink everywhere in Japan.
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Tax-free shopping: Claim 10% consumption tax back on purchases over ¥5,500. Show your passport at the till.
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Luggage forwarding (Takkyubin): Send your suitcase between hotels for ~¥1,500–2,500. Drop it at any konbini the day before. Arrive with hand luggage only.
↩ Restore deleted items
📋 Pre-trip — Sort Before Flying
🔴 URGENT
🔴 NOW
🔴 NOW
🟡 SOON
🟡 SOON
🟡 SOON
🟡 SOON
🟡 SOON
🟡 AUG
🟡 ~AUG
🟡 PRE-FLY
🟡 PRE-FLY
🏙️ Tokyo — 26–29 Sep
⏱ BOOK
⏱ BOOK
⏱ BOOK
⏱ BOOK
🗻 Lake Kawaguchiko — 29–30 Sep
⛩️ Kyoto — 30 Sep – 3 Oct
⏱ BOOK
⏱ BOOK
⏱ BOOK
⏱ BOOK
🏟️ Osaka — 3–5 Oct
⏱ BOOK
🏝️ Okinawa — 5–10 Oct
⏱ BOOK
⏱ BOOK
⏱ BOOK
MAN → PEK → NRT
Hainan Airlines HU754 (MAN–PEK) + HU439 (PEK–NRT)
25 September ~midday departure · Land Tokyo 26 September ~midday
Laurence: MAN 64D · Tokyo 50C | Pip: MAN 64E · Tokyo 50H
Former castle grounds. Free. Walk-up. Guided palace tours need advance application.
🏡 16. Yanaka — Old Tokyo backstreets
One of the few areas to survive WWII intact. Traditional shopping street, temples, cats. Free. Walk-up.
🤖 17. Odaiba
Waterfront, Gundam statue, teamLab-adjacent. Free to roam. Walk-up.
🔴 18. Tokyo Tower
Retro alternative to Skytree; best at night. ¥1,500–3,000. Walk-up.
🌊 19. Nakameguro
Canal-side cafés, design shops. Free. Walk-up. Cherry blossom hotspot in spring — still lovely in October.
🔪 20. Kappabashi "Kitchen Town"
Knives, ceramics, and uncanny plastic food samples. Free to browse. Walk-up.
Getting Around Tokyo
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Use your Suica card for all trains and subway. Tap in, tap out — it works everywhere including convenience stores.
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Narita → Asakusa: Keisei Skyliner to Ueno (40 min, ¥2,570) then one stop subway to Asakusa. Quickest from airport.
⛰️ La Vista Fujikawaguchiko
📍 Kawaguchi 2395, Fujikawaguchiko, Yamanashi
💳 Payment due 19 Sep
£183 / ¥37,998 · Free cancellation before 21 Sep
Activities
♨️ La Vista Onsen at Sunrise
Set your alarm. The outdoor rotenburo with Mt Fuji at dawn is one of those once-in-a-lifetime moments.
⛩️ Chureito Pagoda
Free · ~400 steps up · Most iconic Japan photo. Go early for clear Fuji before clouds build.
🌸 Oishi Park
Free · Northern shore · Late Sep kochia turns red — stunning backdrop for Fuji views.
🚡 Mt Fuji Panorama Ropeway
~¥1,000 return · 3-min cable car to 1,075m · No booking needed.
🛶 Lake Boat Ride / Canoeing
Boat ~¥1,000 · Canoe hire ~¥2,500/hr · Views of Fuji from the water.
Getting There
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Bus from Basta Shinjuku (Shinjuku Expressway Bus Terminal) — ~2hrs, ~¥1,750 each. Book via Klook or at the terminal.
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Alternatively: Fuji Excursion limited express train from Shinjuku (~2hrs) — smoother and more comfortable than the bus.
🏨 Hotel Canata Kyoto
📍 Nakagyo-ku Horikawadori, Kyoto · 3 nights
📋 Check booking status
Activities — ranked, cut from the bottom
⛩️ 1. Fushimi Inari Taisha
Thousands of vermilion torii gates up a mountain. Free, open 24hrs. Dawn or dusk. Give it a half-day — it's south of the city, separate from Arashiyama.
🎋 2. Arashiyama Bamboo Grove + Tenryu-ji
Iconic bamboo path; temple garden alongside. Grove free; Tenryu-ji ~¥500. Walk-up, arrive before 8am. Pairs with the river boat ride below.
🥇 3. Kinkaku-ji (Golden Pavilion)
Gold-leaf temple over a reflecting pond. ¥500. Walk-up. Arrive before 9:30am. Pair with Ryoan-ji rock garden (¥600) 15 mins walk.
⛩️ 4. Kiyomizu-dera + Higashiyama Streets
Hillside temple, wooden stage, Sannenzaka lanes below. ¥500. Walk-up. One of Kyoto's unmissable sights.
🌃 5. Gion at Dusk
Teahouses and lantern-lit lanes. Free to walk — respect no-photo rules on private streets. Early evening for the best chance to spot maiko.
🐟 6. Nishiki Market — "Kyoto's Kitchen"
100+ food stalls in a covered market. Free entry; snacks ¥200–800. Walk-up. Go hungry.
🍵 7. Tea Ceremony — BOOK AHEAD
Traditional matcha experience. ¥3,000–6,000. Look for smaller, authentic operators over tourist conveyor-belt ones.
Kintetsu luxury sightseeing express: ~¥1,500, 45 mins. Wild deer, Todai-ji's giant Buddha (¥800). Book at Kintetsu desk in Kyoto on arrival. Also: Todai-ji entry ¥800.
Free · Island between two rivers. MOCA Osaka (¥400), riverside cafés. Quiet afternoon option.
🇺🇸 12. Amerika-mura
Free · Retro fashion, vintage vinyl, streetwear boutiques. Compact area worth a wander.
🦌 13. Nara Day Trip
~¥1,100 from Osaka by JR Yamatoji Line. Wild deer roam freely around Todai-ji (¥800 entry). Easy half-day.
🏯 14. Himeji Castle Day Trip — PRIORITY IF NOT FROM KYOTO
~¥2,350 from Osaka by Shinkansen. Japan's finest castle, a UNESCO site. ¥1,000 entry. Half-day return.
🛍️ 15. Tenjinbashisuji Shopping Street
Free · Japan's longest covered shopping street (2.6km). Cheap eats and local shops.
♨️ 16. Spa World
¥1,000 weekday / ¥1,500 weekend · Enormous hot spring complex with themed baths from around the world.
🍜 17. Shin-Yokohama Ramen Museum (day trip concept)
Worth knowing: there's no equivalent in Osaka, but Ichiran and Ippudo have excellent branches here. Walk-up.
🕯️ 18. Hozenji Yokocho Alley
Free · Mossy stone lanterns, hidden small restaurants off Dotonbori. 2 minutes from the main strip. Worth an evening wander.
🎡 19. Tempozan Ferris Wheel
¥900 · Giant ferris wheel by the harbour. Good views; more fun than spectacular.
☕ 20. Nakazakincho — Vintage Cafés
Free · Quiet neighbourhood of second-hand bookshops and independent coffee spots. Peaceful contrast to Namba.
🏨 Okinawa Hotel
Not yet booked · 5–10 October · 5 nights · Naha or beach resort area
⚠️ Book Soon
✈️
Flights needed: Osaka (Itami/Kansai) → Naha, and Naha → Tokyo (Haneda/Narita) by 9 Oct to make the 17:25 Narita departure on 10 Oct. Peach Aviation and ANA fly this route. Book soon.
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Getting around: Rent a car for anything outside Naha — public transport is limited. Yui Rail monorail covers central Naha. Kerama Islands are a must: ferry from Tomari Port (~¥3,000 return, 35 min).
Some of Japan's clearest water. Zamami or Tokashiki island day trips. Ferry from Tomari Port, Naha. ~¥3,000 return. Full day. Bring snorkel gear or rent on island.
🏰 2. Shuri Castle
¥400 · Ryukyu Kingdom palace, reconstructed after a 2019 fire. Walking distance from Yui Rail. Allow 2 hrs.
🌊 3. Emerald Beach (Ocean Expo Park)
Free entry to park · Northern Okinawa's best-known white sand beach. Pair with the Churaumi Aquarium (¥2,180) next door.
Free to visit · Birthplace of karate. Museum explaining the martial art's Okinawan origins.
🌅 14. Kouri Island — Bridge + Beach
Free · Beautiful drive over a long bridge to a small island. Heart Rock photo spot, quiet beaches. Needs a car.
🎵 15. Ryukyu Folk Village (Ryukyu-mura)
¥1,500 · Traditional Ryukyuan performances, crafts, architecture. Good for a cultural half-day.
🌮 16. Okinawan Street Food — Sata Andagi + Champuru
Free to explore. Sata andagi (fried doughnuts), goya champuru (bitter melon stir-fry), Okinawa soba. Very different from mainland Japanese food.
🏖️ 17. Nishihama Beach (Hateruma Island)
Advanced: remote southernmost island, extra ferry. One of Japan's most beautiful beaches. Not feasible as a day trip from Naha.
🐬 18. Whale Watching (Oct season start) — CHECK SEASON
~¥6,000 · Humpbacks are around Jan–Mar; October is the very edge of season. Check with operators closer to time.
🎨 19. Tsuboya Pottery District
Free to walk · Historic pottery quarter in Naha. Distinctive Okinawan ceramics in workshops and small galleries.
☕ 20. Naha Coffee + Beach Town Wander
Free · Slow mornings at independent cafés in Naha's backstreets before heading south to the beach. Good counterpoint to activity-heavy days.
⚠️
Flight home: Fly home 10 Oct at 17:25 from Narita. Be at airport by 14:30. Fly Naha → Tokyo (Haneda or Narita) on 9 Oct — leave time to get into position. Haneda → Narita transfer takes ~90 min, so Naha → Narita direct is preferable.