Top 9 Tips For Backpacking In Japan You Should know
High mountains and mentioned beasts from mythology, shimmering robots, and more shimmery samurai: backpacking in Japan is an overwhelming experience. 70% of Japan is filled with volcanic peaks and snow-capped summits.
The mountains of Japan hold its cultural essence and religious beliefs, and it is nothing less than paradise, especially for adventure junkies.
The main issue while backpacking in Japan is to try to spend less money. Japan is not a cheap place, it is quite expensive.
30 dollars as an average can be spent for a day over a 3 days jaunt. There are few travel hacks to travel to Japan on a budget that is pocket-friendly. This article: Japan tourist guide will show you how to visit Japan and stay there in an affordable way.
By the end of the article, you will get everything you want to know about backpacking in Japan.
Why Should You Go Backpacking In Japan?
The Zen Gardens, Rich historic Culture, Lush National Parks are the reasons to go backpacking in Japan, especially tour freaks. Not only the spots that attract tourists but the food as well, as Japan has flavorsome foods. Besides these, there are majestic temples and shrines.
Backpacking or vacationing in Japan isn’t as expensive as we think, or misguided.
Once you reach Japan the people are very welcoming. They show their appreciation of you coming to their country by being friendly and helpful. They are always taking care of guests and feel glad about it.
Every area in Japan when visited will make you realize how unique and beautiful a country and its cities can be. Tokyo backpackers or tourists will agree with me that the place pops with energy. Tokyo is considered to be a future wonderland with soaring buildings, gliding transport, and bright lights.
Here are 12 Japan Travelling tips that you must read and apply while you are backpacking in Japan.
1. Research the airport
Researching the airport before arrival is crucial for a smooth and efficient travel experience, saving both time and energy. This is particularly important for backpackers who often navigate through unfamiliar territories. Understanding the layout, services, and facilities of an airport beforehand allows travelers to plan their arrival and departure with precision. For instance, when landing in Fukuoka, knowing everything about Fukuoka airport becomes crucial, as this knowledge encompasses the airport’s terminals, transportation options, currency exchange services, and local customs. Such information not only streamlines the arrival process but also enhances the overall travel experience by ensuring a seamless transition from the airport to the destination.
2. Don’t Wait For The Train
There is no use in waiting for the train, as it can get pretty pricey unnecessarily if compared with the affordable deals offered by buses, ferries, and flights.
You can travel by overnight ferries like Sunflower, which travels from Osaka to Beppu. The overnight ferries provide “tatami” an empty space for sleeping to the tourists or backpackers.
Same with the buses that cross the country with a discounted rate.
3. You Must Carry A Pair Of Socks
The reason is that anyone who is new to Japan will face this issue. As in Japan, it is customary to open your shoes before getting into any indoor space.
It includes restaurants, shrines, and ‘ryokan’. If you decide to just wear socks indoors, make sure it is well cleaned and good looking.
If you have no pair of socks with you, run quickly to a local Don Quijote to bring up your sock game.
4. Choose Daiso For Shopping
There are 3000 Daiso shops spread all over the country. What do you don’t have ? A perfect outfit for a night out with a cute Japanese young man? Or you just ran out of your shampoo?.
Daiso is such a place that will provide everything you are looking for at a cheap price, yes the price is horribly affordable. Don’t think about it, just visit Daiso, she will save the day.
5. Make Use Of The Lockers
Dragging your luggage everywhere you are going as a backpacker who is backpacking in Japan is very exhausting and a nuisance for others.
Especially, when you’re going through crowds on the streets. In the local train stations they have lockers always on rent, use that to keep your luggage.
It doesn’t matter if you have the largest backpacks, because they have space and also charge a few hundred yen for it.
6. Make The Night, A Good Night
Public transport in most of the cities of Japan, including Tokyo, stops after 2 pm. But the party can’t stop, right? You don’t have to.
Find the nearest karaoke joint around you. Why? Because you will be able to rent a booth for the entire night and sing all night.
Think of it as your own for the night.
If singing is not your thing but ‘manga and coffee’ is (a deadly combination), check in to an internet cafe. Nonstop netsurfing, if I need to freshen up, use the shower because they allow it.
You might need it if you have an early meeting somewhere and no hotel rooms yet booked.
7. Become A Member Of Hostelling International
Becoming a member of Hostelling International can actually cost you more compared with another backpacking terminus, such as Southeast Asia and Europe.
But you can become a member by saving money only for this, trust me you will save at least 600 yen every single night over 300 hundred or more hostels around the country.
8. Just Ask For A lift!
People are generally very conserved about hitchhiking because most of them turn into robbery and murder. But Japan is different, in Japan people respect each other very much, they respect social norms to a different level.
They are full of self-respect, so what you think of them in the first interaction, matters to them. Therefore hitchhiking is a very safe and cool thing in Japan.
Backpackers can do it casually. Just remember while you’re with the Japanese in their car or truck, talk to them, be conversational.
They also love gifts to receive, you can thank them with one, later.
9. Don’t Skip ‘Conbini’
Keeping aside the ‘kaitan’ sushi option, Japan also has its convenience stores (conbini) which can be found near your location.
These convenience stores have everything, ready, be it microwavable meals or freshly grounded coffee, as well as provisions for your trips and hiking.
Go for a Japanese beer called ‘strong chu-hai’ , it is fruity with an 8% cocktail blend.
5 Places To Visit In Japan
You are in Japan and leaving the place before visiting the right places is just unfair to yourself. The culture, the beauty are too hard to ignore. Even if you don’t have much time, focus on these 5 places that I will mention right below.
Tokyo
A city that is walking right in the future, breaking all the boundaries of possibilities on a crowded, earthquake-prone land. It’s Japan’s popular spot for architecture, contemporary art, shopping, entertainment, pop culture, drinking, and dining.
Kyoto
Kyoto is known to be the imperial capital of Japan for thousands of years with thousands of temples. This place is also known for tea, as they have variations on tea. Not to forget the stunning performers of traditional dance and music.
Naoshima
Noashima was about to become a ghost town when a world-class center of contemporary arts emerged from the land. Famous Japanese architects have put their efforts to make Naoshima a better place.
Koya-san
The Buddhist monastic temple of Koya-sen can make you feel, you are not from this world. The amount of peace you will get is absolutely supernatural. Other temples are also here, which focus on Oku-no-in, where routes have weaved their direction towards cryptomeria plants and time-worn stones, tucked with lichen and mosses.
Osaka
Osaka is ranked the third-largest city in Japan. It is popular for its street foods, which include tako-yaki (grilled octopus dumplings). It also dazzles your eyes with LED lights, flashing video screens, and animated flashes. The place has its own slogan ‘kuidaore’ (eat till you drop).
How To Travel Around Japan?
Traveling around is very relaxing and easy in Japan for both backpackers and tourists but sometimes it needs preparation, like in everything we do. Backpackers are supposed to travel by public transport.
They can use the metro which is in Tokyo or train that outside Tokyo. You can also rent cars to move around the country, it will be less expensive than domestic flights that are also available.
Conclusion
This article is all about Japanese tourism, it tells about the top 8 tips you can apply during backpacking in Japan. As well as five selected places to visit in Japan.
We have also described why backpacking in Japan is normal. We have ended the article with a suggestion of how to move around the country, on a pocket-friendly budget.
Leave a comment below in the comment section, and let us know your experience while backpacking in Japan.
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