a few extra tidbits

Well there are a few more towns that became difficult to squeeze in ( or I have forgot how to edit the map)

MAY 2025 a few points

1)  Carry about $2,000 to $2,500 worth of Yen each.  If you're out and about, in Japan's dongas, well, credit card may not be as usable.  Of course, in Tokyo, Kyoto, Hiroshima, mostly card will do.

2)  If you're feeling a bit uncertain how to / which public transport, chat to your Tourist Bureau clerk about hiring/chartering a cab.  Perhaps, they could jot down  a note in Japanese which you could show taxi drivers.  As you'll wake up dead one day, don't be stingy. Offer about Y25,000 for a 3/4 hour morning. Have your tourist brochure to show the places where you want to go. (at the tourist bureau, get the English brochure as well as the Japanese one)

3)  If you wish to be free with your itinerary, consider to fly to your selected town instead of lugging your suitcase on a bullet train.  

4) and consider staying there a few days to save the horrid packing and unpacking.  The local tourist bureau ( at the railway station)  clerk can give you all the great local sites.

5) Carry a card with you at all times with your hotel's name and address in Japanese

6)  Make sure you take two Japanese style plug in converters so you can charge your phone at night.  The extra cost on using your own mobile is slight, as long as you turn off roaming while out.  You can use the hotel Wi-Fi at night to check whatever.

7) look one place you can spend cheap and have a better time is at restaurants. The expensive ones can be expensive, AND the two we accidentally went to ( $200 + for we two) actually served less desirable food for snooty service.  The most enjoyable were the wee local backstreet restaurants, from $39 to $90 for 2

8)  Don't fart around the bush at the restaurant, for they wont understand you, and you wont understand them. If the chosen restaurant doesn't have pictures, then order something you feel safe with  " sushi no moriawase onegaishimasu" - a selection of sushi please.  It is really convenient having the English word sushi pronounced sushi in Japanese, as ramen is ramen. 

9)  sorry is "sumimasen",    please is "~~~kudasai",   railway station is "eki", and hotel is "hoteru"  If you have time to shop, get a wee Collins Guide to Japan which has lots of simple phrases, and tips.

10)  BE QUIET Don't talk on the delightful small local trains, or any trains unless necessary, then whisper.

11)  DO NOT use your mobile on public transport

15)  Oh ~~~~~  the Japanese are not all sweet, they have this ability to .....  er... ummm  ...  not understand a word you say, yet stand with a slight hint of a smile.  It makes you want to ~~~~ , but ~~~~.  Anyway, we will NEVER win when this happens, and it is well and truly, a thousand fold,  counterbalanced by the help they offer

16) Oh, I know a very good butler who likes even washing undies, shall I call him ??

17)  Hotels.com are wonderful. They have fully refunded 3 times over the years ( the 2011 tsunami, 2020 covid, 2024 dog carer illness). Well, what with currency variations, refunds have either been up a dollar or two, or down a dollar)

18) Book early, for tourism in Japan is rampant.

19)  room size, at least 23 sq metres for two, and a bit more if available

20) Camera trickery make Tokyo hotels look big, aaaagh, but be careful. Also, Tokyo hotels cost ~~~~

21)  Hotels as per restaurants, the cheaper business class are much friendlier and yet vastly superior than 2 /3 star hotels in Australia

22)  The razors in Japanese hotels were designed with harvesting rice stalks in mind

23)  in non Tokyo / Kyoto hotels often the windows open somewhat, to save putting up with the warm air con, which may have dials, but invariably they don't work ( a story there for another day)

24) if you hire a car you are brave.  The problem is the reverse of Italian drivers. We Australians are not used to such slow slow driving. ZERO ALCOHOL while behind the wheel

25) No matter how right you are, do NOT argue, for you'll lose.  and do NOT raise your voice, heathen !!  Also Japanese jails are , well, you'd have a much bigger shock than you would here

26)  Travel insurance not for the luggage, but to cover surprise health issues.  Don't scrimp, tell the truth.  And DO NOT take Endone and other pills over without checking

WHERE TO ?

TOP THREE TEMPLES, TOP FIVE GARDENS,  

THE BEST CASTLES, THE MOST FAMOUS SHRINES

Well, you could visit any of the above as they are easy to find on the internet.

And you know ? You would be there with thousands of others, all eager to be able to go home and say "I went to ~~~~ !"

Yes, you would see stunning temples, shrines, castles and gardens, with the hoards of folk. 

Please consider:  

the temples and shrines in Japan are nothing at all like the cathedrals and churches at home;

the Japanese castles look totally dissimilar to those in Europe, &

gardens in Japan are exquisite in a very different way to Anglo/Euro ones. 

So rather, if you go to a shine in Matsue that would probably not be on any 'best of ' list, it could easily enchant you with its beauty, and you could be the only one strolling through. 

Rather, climb a castle at Kyosu and be amazed at its beauty, be tickled pink by the volunteers helping you try on a samurai outfit, with no one else in sight. 

Rather wander around, with hardly another soul in sight, through the park near Akita Station and be scintillated at the azalias in full bloom. 

In short, all of Japan has many many sights that are not common to Anglo/European eyes.  You can see these sights with the hoards, or you can pop into the less famous and still see something stunningly different than what you would at home. 

Have the time of your life.  Explore Japan other than Tokyo, Osaka.

The weather !   When it get closer to your trip, type in the Google search bar, "10 day weather for selected town"

SIGHTSEEING TRAINS, and then again ....

There are many tourist/sightseeing trains in Japan, more than the links below show.  When searching the particular area you are considering, they are usually listed as one of the things to do.

These trains have special seating too, and often stop for a wee minutes or two at special places to let you take photos.

And then again, if touring the bush in Japan, the ordinary, often one man trains, provide beautiful scenes.

glorious "special" trains

Trains two