Japan is a big tourist country, and many people will choose to travel to Japan. Maybe the psychology of shopping plays a bigger part. What the editor wants to talk about now is the preparations before traveling to Japan. Only when the preparations are done can we have fun.

Visa

Visa is available on Jack Ma’s dad platform. The delivery visa for Chengdu and Chongqing can be obtained in more than 200 weeks. For a visa to Japan for the first time, you need to prepare: a copy of the real estate certificate/house purchase contract (parents’ names are also acceptable, just provide proof of relationship), employment certificate, half-year bank statement (deposit is not less than 10,000 yuan), and a copy of the company’s industrial and commercial registration;

JRPASS

To be honest, buy JRpass when visiting more than 3 places, otherwise you may cry for transportation expenses. If you are only doing activities in Kansai, you can buy JR Kansai for a few hundred yuan, which is relatively cheap. If you need to travel around Tokyo-Kansai, you need to purchase a Japan-wide JRpass. Of course, this all-Japan ticket can also take you to Hokkaido, as long as you have enough time.

I have a round-trip ticket from Chengdu Shuangliu to Tokyo Narita, so the itinerary is split into ‘Tokyo-Tokyo Outskirts-Kansai-Tokyo’. The JRpass national ticket does not have a 5-day option, so you have to buy a 7-day one. On the second day, we went to the JR section on Disney Road, and on the third day we went to and from Kamakura. All stations in Kansai relied on the JR Pass, which was just enough to return to Tokyo on the eighth night. For specific JR package options, you can go to the ticket details page of each travel agency on Taobao/Zhufei to research more.

Network problems

Wifi and phone cards are about the same price. As for the advantages and disadvantages, the comparison is as follows:

WiFi:

Advantages: The signal is stable, there is no speed limit, the network speed available for multiple devices is enough for daily use, and a phone card is recommended for lightness. For a lazy person like me who doesn’t want to carry a backpack, phone cards really save a lot of trouble. If you need to use a lot of devices, renting WiFi is not too heavy.

Disadvantages: Heavy! The power won't last long at all, so I have to bring a power bank with me to charge the WiFi. If you suddenly use a large amount of data, the speed may be limited, and sending photos and videos may be slow.

Phone card:

Advantages: The Internet speed is sufficient for daily use, and it is lightweight.

Disadvantages: If you suddenly use a large amount of data, the speed may be limited, and sending photos and videos may be slow.

Sentence summary for choosing difficulty:

We recommend phone cards, for lazy people like me who don’t want to carry a backpack. Phone cards are really easy to use. If you don’t need much equipment, rent WiFi.

As for which phone card to choose:

I compared them for a long time. Docmo is the largest operator in Japan, but it is said that the network card speed is very slow because there are too many users. The main reason is that the customer service staff who sell Damoca cards on Taobao are too arrogant and always say in a speechless manner, "If you don't buy Damoca cards from other operators, you won't be able to connect to the signal." So I turned around and chose a 100 million-point Internet card. The operator is SoftBank, they are probably equivalent to China Mobile and Telecom. The Internet speed is basically stable, but it is said that sudden use of large traffic will limit the speed. I don't play games, but one day I received a video that took a long time, and then I was very slow to send messages. I sent a message to customer service to give feedback and it was resolved quickly.

Qianqian

Exchange money as soon as possible

It was not until the last two weeks that I contacted the surrounding banks and told me that I needed to make an appointment after exchanging Japanese yen, two It took a week to apply. Finally, I asked a friend to apply across regions, and it took a week to get it. I am used to mobile payment and credit card in China, and I only exchanged 20,000 yen. It turns out that many places in Japan only accept cash, which is also the most convenient. However, it is not recommended to exchange too much money. Withdrawing money is very convenient. There are self-service teller machines in convenience stores, and UnionPay and Visa can directly withdraw Japanese yen.

In addition to the 2w I brought with me, I brought 2w with me in Japan. I basically used it as much as I could. In the end, I basically spent all my 40,000 in cash, and finally kept a few silver coins to take back as a souvenir.

Accommodation

The hotel booked in Kyoto is near Shinomiya. The truth is that living here is really convenient! The train bound for Arashiyama will get off at Star Palace Station. There are various trams and buses here. This is a large transit station and very close to the business district. Hotels must be booked well in advance and there are often no rooms available. The hotels on the reservation page sometimes hold events, so check them out from time to time, or add your favorite hotels to your favorites. I booked a hotel for more than 1,000 a night. Suddenly one afternoon, I snapped up a 46% discount and got it.

Hotels in Osaka are very expensive. I wanted to live in a place with convenient transportation and experience Japanese-style houses, so I booked a B&B on Airbnb a few hundred meters in front of Shin-Osaka Station.

Well, book a hotel, airbnb, and cross-check the price to confirm the room availability in advance.

Tickets for Universal Studios and Disneyland

Taobao Fliggy can be searched in large quantities, and it is difficult to buy them a week before the trip. Disney has the option of having physical tickets. USJ is an electronic ticket. You have to tell the store when you want to leave when you buy it, but the e-ticket you receive (actually an email with a QR code) is valid for one year. In other words, if you can change your itinerary, check the weather forecast in advance to avoid heavy rain. When I went to USJ, it started raining at noon, but it is also beneficial to go to paradise when it rains.

Many people left, and the queue for the project plummeted. All projects have been refreshed, and Harry Potter has been refreshed three times in a row. Hahahahaha I had to wake up laughing in my dream.

Kimono

Kimonos can be booked and rented in advance on Taobao or the official website. Suitable for babies who just want to have a casual experience taking photos and don’t know how to dress or do their hair. You just need someone to go to the store and choose a good style. The waiters will help you get dressed and do your hair.

I bought a complete set of vibration sets online in advance, packed my suitcase and took it to Japan. Because I have seen many official online stores among the larger rental kimono shops in Japan, I always feel that all styles are full of sheets and sleeves, so it is better to buy an improved one. To wear your own, you need to learn to tie a belt and tie a bow for a long time. Facts have proved that one person cannot put it on at all, and must have the help of a friend. But I’m very happy because I feel like I won’t bump into money while walking on the road, and my style is completely different, hahaha.

Travel app

Google Maps, multiplication and division, and minimum exchange rate are the three must-haves.

Google Maps can check routes, including geographical location and traffic conditions. Suitable for people who don't know where to go by bus or where to get off. But sometimes I feel that there is something wrong with the tram meter, and I feel that the GPS is not as powerful as the domestic map. I often walk through intersections and Maps takes a long time to react and call you back.

This is a complementary use in changing situations. How to change sites is clearly written in Japanese. You have to guess. However, the best way to ask for directions is to use it. It is suitable for situations where you don’t know how to pronounce place names in Japanese and the Japanese people you meet when asking for directions also have poor English. Just show him the app and it will tell you where to get the ride. This is the lesson I learned through blood and tears after getting lost in various stations in Tokyo N times.

The minimum exchange rate makes it easier for you to buy things without getting too excited. Convert it into RMB to measure the cost-effectiveness;

Billion Points Connection is the phone card I bought. I can call and transfer domestic numbers using this app.

TokyoDMap checked the queue time for Disney projects, but it was useless.

Learning Japanese or something......................

There is a translator. I feel like I just downloaded one to feel safe. I haven't opened it at all, it's all in English. Although most Japanese people are really embarrassed by English honey, basic simple conversations are still possible. Even if I don’t understand, I will look at you with a smile, and then I just keep dancing, pointing, drawing, and communicating.