04/06/2026
We are back from our first venture to Asia and gosh, seeing Japan during cherry blossom season was everything I could have hoped for. The trees were absolutely stunning, the people so kind, the city so clean, the toilet seats so warm, and the sushi absolutely divine BUT we learned a few things along the way that I want to share with anyone traveling to Japan in the near future to make your stay even better than ours was:
- There is generally no soap provided in public bathrooms, so be sure to bring antibacterial gel or other means to wash your hands
- Trash cans are a novelty and very hard to find, especially in Tokyo (except in combinis), so be sure to be prepared to carry your trash in pockets, purse etc. for extended periods of time.
- Restaurants, coffee shops, malls, etc do not open before 10 or 11A, so we lucked out with hotel breakfast packages to get us started for the day. The other option is 7/11 pancake or 🍓 cream sandwiches which I can also highly recommend
- The train stations are super confusing (it’s a vortex once you’re in, especially in Tokyo), use Google Maps for navigation and allow extra time
- Luggage forwarding is an overnight service, so use train station lockers or plan ahead as same day delivery is expensive and not guaranteed to be available
- Bring cash as most food stands are cash only and you’ll want to try everything, trust me!
- It’s very warm everywhere you go (shopping, hotel, trains, airport, etc) so make sure you have AC in your hotel room so you can sleep comfortably and bring extra deo when you’re out and about
- Every toilet seat is heated which you’ll miss when you’re back in the states
- Traveling with large parties can be tricky restaurant wise as most establishments are super small. Either split up for meals or work with the hotel concierge for reservations well before arriving in the country
- You are not allowed to walk and eat, but you can drink a beverage while walking
- Workout wear is not acceptable and conservative, neutral, elevated attire is encouraged.
- Chatting, giggling, talking on the phone, eating or drinking, making eye contact all seem to be frowned upon on public transportation
