TIPS for traveling to Japan and understanding the culture

Alright, here are 10 tips for packing and traveling to Japan: 

1) Plan what you NEED to bring. I would recommend packing a month before, well not actually PACKING but planning and researching what you need to bring, and if it is a short visit I would recommend 2 weeks before. Packing can be tedious, and there are weight restrictions that you must keep in mind at all times for the baggage fees can be very expensive... and nobody wants to pay those after spending over a $1000 dollars on a plane ticket. I usually begin the packing madness with researching the weather, and making a list of the necessities such as toothbrush, hair products, tennis shoes, shampoo, conditioner, ect. then plan a few outfits, I would pack a weeks worth of outfits, and particularly ones that you can mix and match. ALSO: Japan is EXTREMELY humid and hot in the summer (July and August), and good deodorant is hard to find... so make sure to pack enough deodorant to last you the entire duration of the trip. I also constantly weigh my bags and make sure I understand the flight restrictions on my bags, and these vary by flight carrier. Usually the limit is two 50 pound bags plus a carry on... I flew with delta once and it was two 75 POUND bags plus a carry on... so make sure to check these numbers because they vary. Also about the carry on bag, flights actually to Japan (after the layover flight) are usually small and cramped with people, I have had issues fitting a backpack on the plane, I had to put it under the seat for a 13 hour flight! so make sure you pack enough in your checked bags and only pack a backpack or smaller for a carry on... wouldn't want to have to sit a big bag on your lap for 10+ hours... 

2) In case you didn't read all of #1... BRING YOUR OWN DEODORANT. Japanese deodorant is weak (in my opinion) and it is more expensive than in the US. Also, it is usually spray on deodorant and stick deodorant can be challenging to locate. So point is to bring your own STRONG deodorant and plenty of it, expect to be sweating a lot. 

3) Get your money transferred/ordered BEFORE YOU LEAVE. To get your cash exchanged to yen at a Japanese bank or at the airport (which you should avoid at all costs) can really screw you over. The Japanese bank is the best of these two options, but if you don't speak Japanese well it can be very difficult and confusing process, plus they charge fees for the service. The airport spot to exchange currency is a RIP OFF. It should only be used if it is 100% needed. I once had to exchange money there, and I ended up loosing about 50$ because of fees. They usually calculate fees as a percentage of what you want exchanged, and me being a dumb blonde as usual got a few hundred exchanged to yen. So save yourself some money, look around at your local banks and see where you can get the best deal on getting your cash exchanged to yen!

4) Bring LOTS OF CASH. Japan is expensive, and it is easy to blow through money without even realizing it. Yen comes in bills and coins, and unlike the US dollar the coins can be worth up to 10$. I noticed it is easy to spend the coins because naturally you think "these are coins, they aren't worth much!" and soon you will notice your pocket getting empty. DOWNLOAD A CURRENCY CONVERTER APP. It will be a lifesaver, and you will know exactly how much everything is costing. If you will not have access to a smartphone or an app, look into currency conversion machines. it really will help you to not spend ALL your money.

5) Don't keep all of your cash with you, you will need cash in Japan for it is hard to use credit cards in Japan, and most Japanese places take cash and no credit. I would recommend keeping some cash with you, and some cash in both of your checked bags, so if your purse gets stolen or lost you will still have money in your carry on. I know it sounds scary carrying so much cash on you, but trust me once you make it to Japan your cash is safe. Japan never made me feel unsafe, and once I left something on the train.. waited for it to come back to the station and guess what MY STUFF WAS STILL ON IT!! If you need an ATM that will work with American cards, the 7/11 marts have ATMs that accepted my visa card. but don't forget they charge you extra fees. If you plan on using your card abroad this is very important: ALERT YOUR BANK YOU ARE GOING ABROAD. Give them the exact dates of your trip and your location, if not they will get an alert that your card was used out of the country and to prevent any chance that your card had been stolen, they could cut your card off and try to call or contact you... but you will be abroad without a phone. So to avoid this big mess, tell your bank!

6) Make copies of your passport and keep them in your carry on. This is just precautionary in case (God forbid) you loose your passport while in Japan. I am not sure if this will really help, but I know its better than having nothing, and it's better to be safe than sorry.

7) BRING YOUR OWN MEDICINES. Japanese pain killers such as Ibuprofen and Advil are extremely weak compared to US medicines. They don't even work well on me. Make sure you also bring your own cold medicine and any other allergy medicine you might need. Japanese medicine is also more expensive, and once again if you don't speak Japanese it can be very difficult to find the right one.

8) Expect your hair styling products like a straitener, blow dryer, and curling iron will be a little weaker due to the difference in power watts. Also to find a 3 prong outlet is close to impossible... so if your laptop or any other chargeable items has a 3 prong charger, you might want to look at converters. 

9) Bring your own lotion... this is kinda a weird one. It's not that Japan doesn't have lotion, it is just different that what we are used to using. Face lotion is a white milky liquid that comes in tiny bottles that are quite expensive. The products are nice, but if you like to use a lot of lotion or your skin dries out easily, I would recommend bringing a big bottle of your own. 

10) Make sure to bring comfortable clothes and good walking shoes. Expect to be walking a lot in Japan, and to be on your feet constantly, especially crammed on a train.  A good pair of tennis shoes and some comfy cute clothes to walk through Japan with would be a good choice. 

Alright! Now for some Important culture Tips...

1) DO NOT TIP. ANYWHERE. Tips can be considered rude, and most times they will think that you accidentally left money and chase you down to give it back. Literally run after you. I had a friend get her nails done in Japan with her host mom and she tried to give the lady a tip, when the Japanese woman refused she continued to offer the money saying it was "okay, she earned it". Her host mom yanked the money out of her hand, bowed to the nail tech woman and pushed them out the door embarrassed. It can be seen as very rude, and the Japanese see tips as a gesture saying "I have more money than you, and you are poor so here is some free money". So please remember they get paid more than servers here because they are not getting tips, and even if they give you amazing service (which they usually do) please don't try to tip. 

2) Do not wear revealing shirts. strangely enough you can wear suuuuper short shorts and skirts, but God forbid you wear a low cut shirt or something strapless. women will view you as skanky and it will draw unwanted attention. Now I did wear a strapless low dress once, and I felt like everyone looked at me like I was a prostitute. So keep this in mind while packing and also before you leave to go out. 

3) TAKE YOU SHOES OFF in all the houses you enter. If you walk with your shoes in someones house it is Incredibly RUDE. You will make the home owner very upset and they will have to clean all the floorboards. 

4) BRING GIFTS. Bring more than you think you will need, especially if you are in a homestay program. I brought a gift for each member in my host family, and in return they had gifts waiting at my arrival as well as my departure. I also had extra gifts for when I visited other family homes. Now all the gifts I had made were uniquely "American" and I tried to make them unique to my hometown. I brought stuff from local stores and did some research on things that are hard to get in Japan. Peanut butter is very expensive in Japan, so I brought the jumbo container of Peanut butter, AND THEY LOVED IT. Maple syrup is a good idea too, along with pop-tarts! Message me if you are looking for some more gift ideas! If you run out of gifts and you are visiting a house, go pick up some peaches, some fruit, or a little cake. It is customary to bring a little something when you visit someones home, it does not need to be expensive, its not the monetary value but the thought.

5) Don't POINT at people. This is seen as a very rude gesture, but not as bad as others. I would try to avoid this as much as possible. 

6) Do not stab your rice or food with chopsticks and let them stick up in the air. this is RUDE and it actually means death. So when you are not using your chopsticks, lay them beside your food or across your bowl of rice. 

7) When you are at a restaurant, to get the waitresses attention you yell "sumemasen" meaning excuse me and then they will serve you. some restaurants will have the waiters ask you if you need something, but most of the ones iv'e been to you get the waiters attention when you need it. 

Alright I hope this blog was helpful! Ask any questions you want to ask, and constructive criticism is always appreciated (: