japan
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| japan [2025/03/27 17:35] – [Recommended English-speaking medical facilities] particles | japan [2025/07/17 04:41] (current) – [Tokyo is not a city] particles | ||
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| * [[journal: | * [[journal: | ||
| * [[Suica reactivation]] - a report I wrote about reactivating a Suica that supposedly had expired using the JR Central workaround. | * [[Suica reactivation]] - a report I wrote about reactivating a Suica that supposedly had expired using the JR Central workaround. | ||
| + | * [[osaka_expo_notes|Expo 2025 notes]] | ||
| ===== Advice for visitors to Japan ===== | ===== Advice for visitors to Japan ===== | ||
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| * Use [[https:// | * Use [[https:// | ||
| - | * For an introduction to Japanese language that’s practical and relevant to complete beginners traveling to Japan for the first time, watch [[https:// | + | |
| + | * **For restaurants specifically, | ||
| * Install [[https:// | * Install [[https:// | ||
| * Carry a minimum of ¥10,000 in cash at all times. The odds of you running into a shop that takes only cash are relatively low, but if your cards aren’t accepted for some reason, you want to have cash for a taxi or similar uses. | * Carry a minimum of ¥10,000 in cash at all times. The odds of you running into a shop that takes only cash are relatively low, but if your cards aren’t accepted for some reason, you want to have cash for a taxi or similar uses. | ||
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| * If you see an area map near your hotel, take a picture of it, especially if it includes evacuation location or emergency information. In Tokyo and areas close to the ocean or Sea of Japan, you should have a general idea of where you're staying relative to the water, in case of disaster. | * If you see an area map near your hotel, take a picture of it, especially if it includes evacuation location or emergency information. In Tokyo and areas close to the ocean or Sea of Japan, you should have a general idea of where you're staying relative to the water, in case of disaster. | ||
| * Eat food that you buy at the place you bought it from, or outside of a convenience store. Do not walk while eating food. | * Eat food that you buy at the place you bought it from, or outside of a convenience store. Do not walk while eating food. | ||
| - | * As one of my friends put it, it is "not the meta" to carry a reusable water bottle. | + | * You can use [[https:// |
| * Ignore the signs that say not to walk on escalators. The left side in Kanto/Tokyo is for standing, the right is for walking. **If every Japanese person is ignoring a rule**, you should ignore the rule. In Osaka, people usually walk on the right instead of the left and stand on the right on escalators. | * Ignore the signs that say not to walk on escalators. The left side in Kanto/Tokyo is for standing, the right is for walking. **If every Japanese person is ignoring a rule**, you should ignore the rule. In Osaka, people usually walk on the right instead of the left and stand on the right on escalators. | ||
| * [[https:// | * [[https:// | ||
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| * In all practical terms, these are tips, not rules. Depending on the type of person you are, you may or may not care, but these may help you in situations that are otherwise undocumented. | * In all practical terms, these are tips, not rules. Depending on the type of person you are, you may or may not care, but these may help you in situations that are otherwise undocumented. | ||
| + | |||
| + | ==== Tourism spot advice ==== | ||
| + | |||
| + | * The best places to visit are not well-traveled by tourists. If you want to experience the best parts of Japan, try to go off the beaten path. If you've seen a place mentioned in a travel guide or even as a "best kept secret", | ||
| + | * [[https:// | ||
| + | * [[https:// | ||
| + | * If you watch anime or play games or generally enjoy Japanese media, you should consider going on a pilgrimage to your favorite spots. There are guides for prominent media works available. [[https:// | ||
| + | * More recent properties that are on the list have more prominent spots. | ||
| + | * You can use this as a jumping off point to explore or an excuse to go to a region you wouldn' | ||
| ==== Other useful resources ==== | ==== Other useful resources ==== | ||
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| If you are traveling with young children, I strongly suggest you avoid the areas in the safety tips section for hotel stays entirely. Around these stations at night, it is typical to encounter drunk salarymen or tourists and things of that nature. | If you are traveling with young children, I strongly suggest you avoid the areas in the safety tips section for hotel stays entirely. Around these stations at night, it is typical to encounter drunk salarymen or tourists and things of that nature. | ||
| + | ==== Tokyo is not a city ==== | ||
| + | |||
| + | It is helpful to know that Tokyo is not a city. Tokyo Metropolis consists of 23 special wards, all of which call themselves cities, as well as other cities that aren't special wards. If you arrive in Tokyo, the laws slightly change between ward (like smoking outside). You may be surprised to find that a destination "in Tokyo" is significantly farther away than you expect. For example, Tokyo Disneyland is a significant distance away from Tachikawa City, Tokyo, home to Showa Memorial Park, the largest park by land area in Tokyo. Tokyo Disneyland is not, in fact, in Tokyo. It’s in Chiba. | ||
| + | |||
| + | Also, "Tokyo Narita International Airport" | ||
| ==== Data plans ==== | ==== Data plans ==== | ||
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| ==== Phone numbers for visitors ==== | ==== Phone numbers for visitors ==== | ||
| - | If you're a visitor to Japan, you may be tempted to go down the rabbit hole and try to get a phone number that can send send/ | + | If you're a visitor to Japan, you may be tempted to go down the rabbit hole and try to get a phone number that can send send/ |
| * Mobal service is more expensive than other types of service. | * Mobal service is more expensive than other types of service. | ||
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| ==== Can I get a bank account as a visitor? ==== | ==== Can I get a bank account as a visitor? ==== | ||
| - | No. | + | No((It is a crime to sell or buy bank accounts in Japan. Only long-term residents can have real bank accounts, which means that they can accept and transfer money and do a lot of other things. You absolutely need a Residence Card for this. You cannot get a Residence Card if you have " |
| ==== Can I get a Japanese Visa/iD payment method as a visitor? ==== | ==== Can I get a Japanese Visa/iD payment method as a visitor? ==== | ||
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| * I've put my advice related to administrative procedures, disaster preparedness, | * I've put my advice related to administrative procedures, disaster preparedness, | ||
| * [[pet bottle recycling|The specific recycling bin I use to store PET bottles ready for recycling before group collection day]] is, imho, a must-buy if you get a lot of PET bottles. | * [[pet bottle recycling|The specific recycling bin I use to store PET bottles ready for recycling before group collection day]] is, imho, a must-buy if you get a lot of PET bottles. | ||
| + | * [[mobile_networks_foreign_residents|Mobile networks for foreign residents of Japan]] focuses specifically on which mobile carrier to get and/or my experiences. | ||
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