If you are planning to visit the country of the blooming cherry then here you will get some necessary know-how. In Japan, you can experience cultural madness, distinguished manners and be delighted with the variety of food in every corner. The country is located on 6800 islands, it’s super safe, with the biggest amount of Michelin-starred restaurants in the world and fortunate cookies were invented there, do you need more reasons to visit this amazing country?
Must-try when in Japan
The first place is reserved for sushi obviously, a traditional and healthy national dish made of rice and seafood. The biggest fish market in the world, Tsukiji in Tokyo, is a great place to have it. Japanese food is a never-ending topic. Make sure you try tempura – deep-fried, crumbed seafood or vegetables which usually should be eaten as one bite. Ramen is another local delicacy, it’s a fish-based or meat-based broth with noodles served with eggs and toppings like sliced pork, green onions, and dry seaweed. A hearty, creamy soup you can’t get enough of! Japan is definitely for tea lovers, especially green tea is most common. Usually, it’s served with special, beautifully shaped sweets. The thrilling aspect of Japanese gastronomy is a diversity of flavors, like for example, you can have ice cream of soy sauce, corn, squid, or even Indian curry-flavored ice cream. For a sweet tooth, don’t miss hundreds of different Kit Kat bars.
Essentials to know
The best time to visit Japan is in March-May, September, and November, although the peak season starts in the middle of March till April, because of cherry blossom. Necessary to know is that tattoos in Japan are usually not acceptable, especially if you want to experience a traditional hot spring bath (onsen) you need to cover your tattoos or you won’t be let in. Additionally, you shouldn’t take any knife with you for a journey to Japan, even a small one, because it’s forbidden. In Japan, people are using separate shoes to go to the bathroom. A socket adapter is needed, so don’t forget that. And when you want to cross the road, don’t wait for a green light, instead go on blue light.
Budget tips for Japan
Japan is definitely not a cheap country, but there are possibilities for budget traveling too. Instead of buying individual tickets for trains, it’s better to purchase a Japan Rail Pass. For example, a round-trip train ticket from Osaka to Tokyo might cost you over 14 000 JPY one way while a 7-days rail pass is for around 28 000 JPY. For 24h unlimited travel with metro in Tokyo, you’ll pay 800 JPY. Instead of the metro you can rent a bike and sightsee in an eco-friendly way. If you want to save money on food, there are several ways to do that. Buy things at ‘100-yen’ shops – you can get meals, groceries, and toiletries there. Another alternative is 7-11 family mart. Curry, ramen, and donburi (rice & meat bowl) are pocket-friendly dinner options. But if you crave sushi, go for sushi trains restaurants where a plate costs 100-170 JPY. For cheaper accommodation you can look for on japaneseguesthouses.com, ryokan.com for some traditional type of staying or you can try with CouchSurfing which will save your money.
Japan is fun!
Most probably you won’t be bored in Japan even for an hour. It doesn’t matter which part of the world you come from, Japanese things are one of a kind. A visit to a toilet can be adventurous, especially when you don’t know Japanese and there are no English signs. So many buttons, functions, you can even play a game being in a toilet. Must-try is also a pachinko machine game, you can find pachinko game parlors widely spread in the country. Another entertainment can be a visit to bizarre themed restaurants and cafes, like Vampire Cafe or Shibuya Prison Hospital Alcatraz. Another great entertainment and the best one for your Instagram is to try a traditional Japanese outfit. Go to Japan and enjoy to the fullest!
If you are ready to experience all of that and more, let us know:
Check out our itinerary on yatra.com (click here)