CMK TRAVELS : 10 PRACTICAL TIPS WHEN TRAVELING TO JAPAN (PART 1)

JAPAN - This is one country the 8-year old Kristine wanted to set foot on. And why not? This is where Hello Kitty lives (though I've heard she's not a cat) and when little Kristine grew up, she had her new inspiration to go to Japan - this is where Sinichi Kudo (aka Detective Conan) deduced all his famous murder cases. Fast forward some years down the road, tadaan! I've been to my dream land!

Japan is a beautiful country. It's a fusion of tradition and innovation. However, this is NOT one of those countries that you can simply fly and do your thing without any preparation. Language barrier can be very intense but don't worry, with these tips - I'm sure you'll have a grand time in the land of the rising sun.

TIP 1: GET A PORTABLE WIFI

And bring a smart phone or tablet with you. It's a necessity to have one. Let me repeat. It's a need not a want. Why? Because a) You need an English to Japanese translation when asking for anything, b) You need to access HyperDia to check train schedules and routes and deny it or not c) You need to post some pictures on social media sites #SelfieOnOsakaTower here we go!

How to get one? You can get this pocket wifi kit in the airport. Upon your arrival, you can choose which one to rent (3G or 4G). We got the 4G since there's not much of a price difference. It's costly, to be honest, prepare Php 3,000 approx for a 5-day rental. You can pay via credit card, just make sure you called your bank for a travel advisory before you left the PH.

TIP 2: FAMILIARIZE YOURSELF WITH THE JAPANESE TOILET

This is such a nice challenge to have. Google company has a Japanese toilet in their headquarters, I've heard. What's the fuss about their toilet? Well, the fact that they have a bidet is just the start. You can choose what mode you want to use. Sprinkler? Straight shower? Dryer? Their tissues are soluble too! Meaning you can shoot used tissues on the bowl.

What's so cool about this thing? There's a button whereby the machine emits a growling sound. For what? Well if you have to fart so LOUD... no need to be shy because the sound will overpower your Kowabungga! butt sound. They've thought of everything! And I've never seen a country with such a sophisticated CR like Japan. Lastly, MOST toilets are like this. This can be one of their tourist attractions, seriously :D

TIP 3: APPRECIATE AUTHENTIC DISHES

By appreciate, I mean not having a bias on the way they cook their dishes. We have a way of cooking spaghetti, we like it sweet. Italians like it sour and tomato-ish. Same is true here, their Ramen is different and so is their take on Yakitori. But, diversity creates beauty in our world. I enjoyed the food trip, as always. I've published a separate post on this. See MUST TRY FOOD IN OSAKA JAPAN.

Tipid Tip: Bring a bottled water with you! Either buy one from 7-eleven or get your complimentary bottles from your hotel. You can save some monies and spend it on other fun stuff instead, think: desserts! Which leads me to my next tip.

 

TIP 4: SLURP A GREEN TEA ICE CREAM 

I have a good number of friends who don't like the taste of anything green tea... but I DO! :D There's an abundance of green tea shops along Japan streets so you won't have a problem spotting one. They offer a tall yummy ice cream cone and as usual, the taste is just HEAVEN! We've been there during summer season and this tower of icy goodness can cool you down. Japanese summer can be very humid, be mindful of what season will you visit the country, so you can prepare your outfit of the days, woohoo for #OOTDs!

TIP 5: BRING YOUR YENS WITH YOU

We've learned the hard way! Before leaving NAIA, we've decided to exchange our PHP to JPY (Japanese Yen) but only for Php 10,000, I think. When we got to Japan, lo and behold, money changers were scarce (or at least for Osaka) and when we found one at Shin-Osaka station, the  leading money changers only exchange JPYs for USD, GBP, AUD and other leading currencies. Sniff O.0

Good thing we have found a good soul and pointed us to another establishment that accepts PHP. I've noticed that the exchange rate is better in NAIA 3. But, beggars can't be choosers. We still exchanged our money for a not-so-good rate, otherwise, we have no money to splurge for green tea ice cream! :P So, learn from us, try to bring as many JPYs with you before your trip. Cheers to a stress-free money splurging!

Keep an eye on PART 2. For now, tsoto matte kudasai! -CMK