Thinking about visiting Japan for the first time?
Visiting Japan
The prospect of going to Japan on your own can be a bit scary - but not because Japan is a scary place per se. Chances are, you may have one of the two below concerns:
I don’t speak Japanese, how am I going to get around?
My first big concern was the language barrier. I’ve studied enough European languages to travel within Europe without too many difficulties. Because of this, when I travel in areas where European or Cyrillic languages are spoken, I am usually able to read signs and notices, or at least figure out what they mean from the context.
Japan was an entirely different story. When I first went to Japan, I had not begun any study of any Asian languages. I bought myself a Japanese phrasebook that came with a tape, but in the busy run-up to my trip, I only really managed to learn basic politeness words, how to ask where something was, and how to order food. (In any language, as long as I can be polite, order a drink, and ask where the toilet is, I have enough to get me started!) That phrasebook was in my pocket the whole trip and it proved useful a few times, but in the end, I had no problems getting around. Just a tip if you are shopping for a phrasebook to take with you - look for one that has the phrases written in Japanese, rather than just a phonetic pronunciation of the phrase. That way, if someone can’t understand you, you can at least show them the phrase in their own language. This advice holds true for travel anywhere that do not use Roman characters. I shopped around and ultimately decided on the Barron phrasebook.
When traveling, I have found that the Japanese people are very kind. I’ve had people just randomly approach me in museums to talk to me and practice their English. I’ve stood in a subway station looking at a map, and without asking for help, had people come up to me and offer to help. I’ve had mothers and fathers of children studying abroad in America talk to me about where there children are studying and ask me about what my home.
However, I must say that the more Japanese you know, the better time you will have and the more you can engage with people. This is true not just of Japan but of anywhere you travel. After my first visit to Japan, I began studying Japanese on my own. I started by learning to recognize a few characters and listening to Pimsleur tapes. However, even just this little bit of effort made a huge difference in how much I could communicate with people on my second visit. I am learning more now, listening to spoken Japanese wherever I can (music, TV news and programs on one of my cable channels, and of course dramas) and every small piece builds on those that have come before.
One way to minimize your concerns on language issues is to take a tour, whether it is a morning guided sightseeing tour, or a multi-week escorted tour. Expert guides can provide you with a level of understanding about the culture, history, and places you are visiting that you may not be able to get just from your own independent research or from reading a guide book. However, whenever I've been travelling on 'my dime', I tend to travel independently. I like to make my own discoveries. It all comes down to your personality as to which would be the better option for you. I talk about this a little bit more below.
But Japan is so expensive! Isn’t a cup of coffee $10 and don’t they sell melons for $1000? Can I really travel in Japan without mortgaging my house?
Don’t believe the hype. Sure, there are places in Tokyo where a cup of coffee can be close to $10, and some of the large status department stores do have specially grown melons that carry astronomical price tags. However, Tokyo is really not that much more expensive than any major European or American capital. I can visit Japan for about the same cost as it would be for someone from Japan to visit my home city of Boston.
It’s all about how you travel. Everyone has their own minimum standards of comfort that they desire when they travel. You are the best judge of what is right for you. I used to think nothing of backpacking and staying in youth hostels and other very basic accommodations when I was younger. As I get older, my standards get higher. My minimum standards now are centrally located accommodations, and a room of my own with a bathroom. I will compromise on these minimums in special situations, but in general, this is the comfort level I prefer. Eating nothing but foods you are familiar with can also be a path to higher costs. I eat local food when I am traveling. For me, eating the local cuisine is part of the adventure. It is possible to travel in Japan at whatever your own personal level of comfort is - budget, moderate, first class or deluxe. You can spend a lot of money for a top of the line luxurious experience, but you can also still have a very enjoyable time at a more moderate cost. When making any kind of travel plans, it is important to consider what you need and what you want in terms of comfort level.
Going it alone vs. going with others…..
I have independently planned all my personal visits to Japan traveled alone. By traveling independently, you determine exactly where you want to go and what you will be doing. You have nobody to answer to but yourself. I work in the travel industry, and have worked in the development of group tours and travel products all over the world. Fully independent travel takes a considerable investment of time and effort, both in destination research and making travel arrangements. Because of my knowledge and skill, I have a level of comfort planning independent travel that you may or may not have. (this isn't meant to sound as full of myself as it does - when you organize travel for a living, you pick up some things...)
However, you certainly do not need to work in the travel industry to be able to plan a trip to Japan on your own. If you have independently planned an international trip before, you will know from your resulting experience whether you have a knack for it or not. If you faced unpleasant surprises on your past trips or they did not meet your expectations, if you haven’t traveled extensively, if your life is very busy, if you feel uneasy about planning independent travel, or if you just don’t want to have to deal with the details, you may have a better experience by taking an escorted tour.
Why is this? Escorted tours provide you with an opportunity to travel and make friends with like-minded people, if you find the right tour. If you are a very social person, then the camaraderie can be fun. Escorted tours can also provide excellent value for money, packaging a lot of features you may want to enjoy, without the same high cost of making the arrangements yourself. Convenience is also an attraction. A tour package can provide you with everything you need to enjoy your vacation - accommodation, meals, sightseeing, local knowledge, vetted shopping opportunities, etc. Also, our vacation time is very short - escorted tours allow you to make the most of the limited time for travel that you have.
Consummating the love affair (again)….
I'll start posting the diary of my first visit to Japan. I planned this trip on my own before starting to work in the travel industry. I packed a lot into a limited amount of time (10 nights in Japan), since I was not sure if or when I would be able to get back to Japan. Consequently, it was a very busy itinerary. The tour is a relatively uncomplicated tour - requiring hotel reservations for only 3 cities, and purchasing a 7 day Japan Rail Pass.