We spent three weeks in Japan in March of 2026. It’s a great country to visit and we had a wonderful trip. If you are thinking about it do it! Here are a few practical tips
- SIM cards.
There is WiFi available all over the place, but you really need a phone with working data. You don’t need a phone number. Paying roaming fees to your regular provider is expensive. If you have a phone that is eSIM compatible that’s your best bet. You can buy one in advance using apps like Arialo which is what we use. You buy the eSIM and then activate it using the airport Wifi when you land. You can also buy an eSIM or a regular SIM card at the airport when you arrive. From what we saw Airalo was cheaper.
- Getting Around.
Public transit in Japan is excellent. There is lots of it and it’s on time.
Google Maps works very well. Tell it where you want to go and it will tell you which train/ bus / subways to take, when to catch them, how often they come, how much your trip will cost and even which platform to catch them on.
How to pay. You pay by distance for public transit in Japan there is no set ticket price. You can buy tickets from machines in the stations, but it is much easier to use a Suica card. You can get a physical card from a machine at the airport or from the customer service office at major JR (Japan Rail) stations. If you have an iPhone you can download the Welcome Suica App, which we highly recommend. We were able to use Suica for everything except the bullet train and some local buses in smaller cities.
- Cash vs. Credit Cards
In big cities like Tokyo we used almost no cash. They took credit cards almost everywhere. You can also use the Suica app or card in many stores. In smaller towns some of the family owned stores, restaurants and buses only take cash so do carry some cash with you. We had no issue using the local ATM’s
- 7-11, Family Mart and Lawsons
There are convenience stores everywhere in Japan. 7-11, Family Mart and Lawsons are the biggest chains. You can buy pretty well anything at a convenience store in Japan. Wine, food, snacks, condoms, personal beauty products, socks, underwear,souvenirs, umbrellas and basic medical supplies. The food includes hot snacks and coffee along with many take out meals that can be eaten cold or reheated. It is legal to drink in public in Japan so you can get a beer to go with your fried chicken lunch! Tourist hint: Although Japan is full of take away food no one walks around eating. You sit down somewhere in a park or on a bench to eat.
- Eating out
Japan has some great restaurants and lots of great local specialties. You can eat well without spending a lot of money. This video includes stops at several cheap chain restaurants https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VqDyRks8YfI . We tried Otyo and it was so good we went back. We also ate at the restaurant with the robot cat which was amusing but the food was much better at Otyo. You do not tip in Japan.
Once you get your feet on the ground do venture out to a small local restaurant. They generally only serve 8 to 12 customers and have a limited menu but the food and local experience is priceless.
- Suica Cards and App
Suica cards can be used to pay for most public transit. They are also accepted in many stores. There is an App too. The version for Tourists is the Welcome Suica App which only works on iPhones. If you have an iPhone, download the App before you leave home. You can not put money on the App or card until you get to Japan. With the App you can transfer money directly from your credit card to the App. If you do not have an iPhone you can get a physical card in Japan and go to a train ticket machine or convenience store to add money to it. Once the card or App is loaded you just tap and pay. Note: You can not get your money back from the App so don’t reload late in your trip. We used up the extra on our Apps at 7-11.
- Language
In train stations and much of Tokyo the signs were in English and Japanese. Most people working in tourist jobs spoke some English but everyone appreciated our attempts to at least say hello and thank you. Google translate works too.
Once you get away from the major tourist areas or into more local restaurants (which you really should do) the language becomes more of a challenge but between Google translate and the kindness of strangers we did just fine and had some wonderful experiences.
8.Trash
Japan has very few garbage cans and almost no litter! If you buy food from a street vendor or convenience store you can return the used containers to them . The expectation with other trash is that you take it back to your hotel room and throw it out there.
