Travel to Japan: practical advice for tourists

Travel to Japan is the cherished dream of many Russians. However, it is not possible to fulfill it all because of the high cost of this trip. The country of the rising sun is considered to be one of the most expensive in the world, and Tokyo has for several years kept in the top five most expensive cities for tourists. But still, nothing can prevent the one who wants to see Fujiyama and the blossoming spring cherry blossom with his own eyes. Our article is for these travelers, the most important information is collected here, which will make it possible to spend an inexpensive and interesting holiday in an original Japan.

A bit about the country

If you are planning a trip to Japan, then prepare to be surprised. This you have to do constantly, because the Land of the Rising Sun can not be compared with other Asian states. There is nothing from China, Vietnam or Thailand, but, nevertheless, while traveling in Japan, you seem to penetrate into the very heart of Asia and hear its beating on every street of noisy megacities.

Tourists are attracted to this incredible combination of modern technology with ancient traditions, which are strictly observed by each generation of the Japanese family. If you are lucky, you can see a colorful holiday, dedicated, for example, to kokeshi (Japanese matryoshka). Or sit quietly in the garden, enjoying the beauty of the cherry blossom at dawn or dusk. And in megacities you will be met by numerous cafes, shops and shopping centers. Here you can buy something, have lunch, and in some even stay overnight. In general, the trip to Japan will be the biggest and most significant adventure in your life. And, which is doubly pleasant, you will never regret the money spent on it.

Japan: independent or group trip?

First of all, before traveling to the Land of the Rising Sun, you need to decide on the budget and options for the trip. And there are few of them - a group trip to Japan or an independent one. What to choose? It directly depends on your budget and opportunities.

Traveling to Japan alone is entirely possible, but will require very thorough preparation. You will have to think about absolutely everything:

• Flight to Japan;
• Hotel booking;
• Route of movement around the country;
• Food points and excursion program;
• Options for money exchange;
• Types of communication with the local population.

All these aspects of a good trip will take you a very long time, and also require some experience in independent travel. In addition, on the road you will meet certain difficulties, which can be overcome only by non-spoiled and sociable tourists. For example, it is worthwhile to know that in Japan few of the local population know English. So just ask the passerby you will not succeed. Perhaps, some time later, and get a young Japanese who knows the basics of English, but the chances are that it will not happen. In addition, the inscriptions in the country are not duplicated, they are all written in hieroglyphics. This fact significantly complicates the rest in Japan.

If the above difficulties frighten you, then better buy a package. It, of course, is not cheap, but you will be free from all worries, including visa.

Cost of travel

If you are planning a flight from Moscow, then two weeks in Japan will cost you one hundred and fifty thousand rubles. This amount includes a flight, travel around the country, accommodation and several excursions. The food takes place through the breakfast system, the tourist has to pay for remaining meals. It is much cheaper to travel to Japan from Vladivostok. Our compatriots can choose a ferry tour, which on average costs about sixty thousand rubles. From Vladivostok you can get to the Land of the Rising Sun in different ways and having on hand various tourist packages. The locals have this most popular tourist destination.

Reviews about independent travel in Japan allow you to plan your trip perfectly and save a lot. On average, brave tourists can spend on a trip thirty to forty thousand less than buying a tour. This money will be very useful for you on holiday, because you can bring quite a lot of useful things from the Land of the Rising Sun home. How to plan a budget trip to Japan on your own, we'll tell you later. And now we will try to find out the most important aspects of preparing for the trip.

When to go to Japan?

A great trip to Japan can be planned for any season, but traditionally tourists try to visit the country in spring or autumn. In these seasons, the Land of the Rising Sun appears in a particularly beautiful form. In the spring she is dressed in a pink foam of cherry blossoms, and in the autumn she just cuts her eyes from the red maple leaves. It seems that they are everywhere, and the Japanese even came up with a few special rituals to observe this beauty.

In winter, you can ski in Japan, several main resorts are characterized by high comfort and equipped with the latest technology. But those who are not attracted to skiing, it will be quite uncomfortable in winter to inspect Japanese sights and enjoy the trip. In addition, in the winter season, the country is very windy, which is quite unusual for most of our compatriots.

In summer the country is very hot and stuffy. In cities, air-conditioning is common, and tourists suffer from temperature changes. Many take their sweaters or jackets with them to put them on in restaurants or shopping centers. But if you prefer beach rest, then go to Okinawa. Here you will get an incredible level of service and enjoy swimming under the hot sun.

Where to go to Japan?

If you take the trouble to learn about self-travel reviews in Japan, then easily compose your own travel itinerary. The first time you will have enough weeks to get acquainted with the Land of the Rising Sun. For this purpose, the following cities are suitable:

• Tokyo.
• Nara.
• Kyoto.

Moving between settlements on high-speed trains, you will see the most beautiful parks in seven days, take a dip in hot springs, visit the most famous temples and, of course, taste the bustling and noisy life of megacities.

If you are already familiar with Japan, travel cities can be chosen a little different, and the time of your stay in this country can be increased to two weeks. During this period, tourists will be able to see Hiroshima, Osaka, Kobe and other unusual places. In general, you can plan an inspection of one city per day. In this case, the program of the trip will be very rich.

Visa processing: nuances and features

Any trip to Japan begins with the most difficult - visa processing. This is by far not every even a very experienced tourist. All the matter is that for registration of the visa Russians need a special letter on the official letterhead. In addition to it, you will need to confirm the hotel reservation (which is quite problematic when traveling on your own) and send out a package of documents using a special mail (the shipping cost will be at least seventy dollars).

Many of our compatriots negotiate with travel agencies and pay them a visa. Usually it takes two weeks and saves considerable time.

Accommodation in Japan: where to stay?

To long remember your trip to Japan, photos need to be done almost everywhere. Special attention should be paid to hotels and small hotels. It is worth noting that in the Land of the Rising Sun a fairly large selection of places to stay. But, if you want to save a little, they will all be very unusual and entertaining.

Many tourists stop for the night in the spa centers. Do not be surprised, in Japan it is quite common. For about thirty-five dollars you will get a small room with a bath and a sunbed. There will be a TV and all other amenities, and you can go down to dinner in a restaurant. There will be various treatments and massages.

Capsule hotels are exotic for Russians. They are quite inexpensive and have a very high level of comfort. For traveling couples, there are even double capsules. This pleasure will cost about thirty-five dollars a night.

Hotels for love are a very unusual place for spending the night. These facilities are designed for dating and give the opportunity to rent from one hour to several days. These hotels are decorated quite exotic, but equipped with the highest class. In addition, they are much cheaper than regular rooms. The night in such a hotel will cost from eighty to one hundred and fifty dollars.

Meals during the trip

Of course, you can eat daily in restaurants, but budget rest does not imply such luxury. Therefore, make your choice in favor of Japanese fast food, it is very useful and tasty here. No hamburgers and french fries, only algae, sushi and seafood. It will be such a pleasure to be around 5-6 dollars.

If the choice of dishes in the cafe confuses you a little with a lot of confusing names, then buy a ready dinner at the supermarket. Its cost will be the same as in the cafe, and through the transparent film you will always see the contents of the package.

Gourmet Trip

Experienced tourists choose a special type of rest - a culinary trip to Japan. It is worth noting that this is something incredible. Of course, Russians who are ready to invest in such a tour are few, but each year their number increases. What attracts gourmets in the Land of the Rising Sun? Of course, restaurants with Michelin stars.

The fact is that as soon as Tokyo was included in Michelin's directory, restaurants with stars appeared in it. And tourists turned to them, wishing to experience gastronomic delight. Every year the number of restaurants with high cuisine increases and Tokyo has already significantly exceeded the recognized gastronomic center - Paris.

For example, in the oldest quarter of Tokyo, Ginza, there are sushi restaurants with three Michelin stars. In one of them works cook Jiro, about which even feature films were shot. His work is a real art, and the price of cooked dishes exceeds several thousand dollars.

In each city of Japan there are their own culinary traditions, so gourmets in search of special taste can go round the whole country. One of the most popular Japanese dishes is noodles. The options for its preparation are just a lot - cooking, roasting, steaming and the like. Each region in the country has its own recipe. We can say that the culinary tour allows tourists to discover new facets of the already familiar country.

Exchange of money

With the exchange of money, many inexperienced tourists often have problems. Keep in mind that buying yen is best at home. Otherwise, you can get into a very unpleasant situation, because in many ATMs and terminals the card of the European payment system may not be accepted. This is due to the fact that the Japanese terminals operate on their own system. Only a few ATMs in large shopping centers are quietly accepting absolutely all bank cards.

Exchange money in the bank will not always be possible, because tourists can get on holidays, and without money in Japan, it is impossible. Therefore, experienced travelers advise the bulk of money to carry cash, and on the bank card to leave money to pay for restaurants and shopping.

Travel to Japan: tips for tourists

Going to the Land of the Rising Sun, tourists need to know a few simple rules of staying in Japan, which will facilitate the journey. We have collected the most important recommendations:

• Do not try to give a tip in Japan, this should not be done. There is no tipping system throughout the country.
• In Japanese bars, in honor of a friendly arrangement, it is customary to pour alcohol from your bottle, so if you are honored with such an honor, be sure to make a reciprocal gesture of respect.
• Never point to objects and people with your finger - this is extremely impolite, but you can not show yourself.
• In the restaurant, it is enough to wave a hand in front of your nose, as a waiter will clean dirty dishes.
• In the Land of the Rising Sun, it is common to take off shoes in many rooms. You may be asked to take off shoes in some areas of the restaurant, hotel, apartment building, temple and so on. It is especially indecent to step on a mat with a shod foot, this is perceived as an insult.

• Going to hot springs, keep in mind that those who have tattoos on their bodies are escorted to separate baths. They are not allowed to be in a common room with the rest.
• After receiving an invitation to the Japanese house, be sure to bring a gift. This is considered a manifestation of courtesy and respect.

Of course, it is difficult to list all the nuances of travel in the Land of the Rising Sun, because a lot is learned only after an independent trip.

Japan, travel: reviews

None of the tourists had an angry comment about Japan, in any case, we did not meet such people. This means only one thing: you can and must go to this country. It will open a lot of interesting things even for those who are very poorly informed about the culture and traditions of the Land of the Rising Sun.

Experienced tourists prefer Japan to all other Asian countries. Ask them why. We think the explanation will take several hours. After all, to describe this amazing country and its people in two words is simply impossible. Travelers are delighted with the historical monuments of Japan, its cities, cuisine and original traditions. Tourists say that you can come here many times, and each time find something extraordinarily exciting for yourself.

What do you need to decide on a trip to the Land of the Rising Sun? Yes, very little - the desire, the spirit of adventurism and more money. And then you can tell your friends on your return home about what an incredible trip to Japan you had.