The stuff nobody explains until you're already at the airport
eSIMs, IC cards, rail passes and where to base yourself — the questions visiting friends keep asking me. I live in Tokyo, so I test this stuff, and every price is dated and taken from the operator itself.
Getting online the moment you land
Data is the first thing you need and the easiest thing to overpay for. These are compared on price, how fast you can set them up, and how much hassle they are for someone who can't read Japanese.
Airalo
Most visitors with a recent unlocked phone who just want data working before they leave the plane
about ¥1,500 · fully online
Check priceSaily (by Nord Security)
People who want the cheapest workable plan and are comfortable installing an eSIM themselves
about ¥1,300 · fully online
Check priceUbigi
Heavier data users, and anyone who wants a plan running on a Japanese network partner
about ¥1,800 · fully online
Check priceScores convert publicly stated price, setup method and the amount of English support into the same five-point scale for every option, including the ones we earn nothing from. They are not a personal ranking of which brand we like, and they change when the underlying figures change.
Browse by topic
Latest posts
-
Booking teamLab in Tokyo: which museum, time slot and route
Compare teamLab Borderless and Planets by experience, location and visitor rules, then choose a timed ticket that fits your Tokyo route.
-
Kamakura day trip from Tokyo: temples, coast and a workable route
A practical Kamakura day trip from Tokyo: the direct trains, a route that avoids backtracking, when the Enoden pass pays off, and whether a guided tour adds enough value.
-
Shinkansen luggage rules: seats, oversized bags and what to reserve
Measure your suitcase, identify the Shinkansen operator, and reserve the right luggage space without treating one corridor's rules as nationwide.
-
Can you visit Kyoto as a day trip from Osaka without wasting half the day?
A focused Kyoto day trip from Osaka: which railway to take, what fits in one day, what to skip, and when a guided tour is worth booking.
-
Can you see Hiroshima and Miyajima in one day without rushing?
A realistic one-day route for Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park and Miyajima, with transport choices, museum timing and when a guided tour helps.
-
Golden Week and Obon in Japan: the crowd dates to plan around
Plan around Golden Week, Obon and New Year with official holiday dates, likely travel pressure and flexible booking tactics for a calmer Japan trip.
-
Onsen etiquette and tattoo rules in Japan: what to check first
Wash before you enter, keep towels out of the bath and check tattoo policy with each facility. A practical first-time guide to Japanese onsen.
-
Is Nara worth a day trip from Kyoto or Osaka? The route that wastes less time
Nara is an easy day trip from either Kyoto or Osaka. Here is which station to use, what fits into one day, and when a guided tour is worth paying for.
-
Seven days in Japan: a first-timer's itinerary that doesn't waste days
A Tokyo resident's honest seven-day plan for a first trip to Japan: which cities to pick, what to book early, and the days people quietly lose.
-
Coin lockers and luggage storage in Japan: a practical guide
How to use station coin lockers in Japan, find your bag again, handle full lockers, and choose staffed storage or luggage forwarding instead.
-
Seeing Mount Fuji from Tokyo: the day trip routes, and when the mountain hides
A Tokyo resident on day trips to Mount Fuji — which viewpoint area to pick, train versus bus versus coach tour, and the season and weather that decide whether you see it at all.
-
Getting yen in Japan: cards, cash and the exchange-rate traps
Compare cash exchange, Japanese ATMs, card spending and travel-money accounts by the rate, visible fees and less obvious charges that shape the final cost.
-
Is the USJ Express Pass worth it for a one-day visit to Japan?
Studio Pass admission and Express Pass access are separate purchases. Decide whether the add-on suits your crowds, party and single park day.
-
Is the Osaka Amazing Pass worth it? Here is the break-even maths
The Osaka Amazing Pass costs ¥3,500 for one day and ¥5,000 for two. Here is what it covers, the admissions that make it pay off, and the rules that catch people out.
-
Takayama and Shirakawa-go in one day: when a tour makes sense
A practical guide to combining Takayama and Shirakawa-go, with bus reservations, origin choices, realistic trade-offs and reasons to book a tour.
-
Renting a car in Japan: the permit rules, tolls and when it's worth it
What a visitor needs to legally drive in Japan, what the tolls and regional expressway passes cost, and the trips where a car beats the train — and the ones where it does not.
-
Is the Tokyo Subway Ticket worth it, or should you just tap an IC card?
The Tokyo Subway Ticket costs ¥1,000 for 24 hours, ¥1,500 for 48 and ¥2,000 for 72. Here is the break-even maths, what it does not cover, and who should skip it.
-
A realistic Nikko day trip from Tokyo: route, costs and limits
Plan a realistic Nikko day trip from Tokyo, with the right rail route, a focused World Heritage walk, pass maths and clear reasons to book a tour.
-
Where to stay in Kyoto: the areas that save you an hour a day
Kyoto runs on buses, not trains, so hotel location bites harder than in Tokyo. A Japan resident on Kyoto Station, downtown, Gion and Arashiyama compared.
-
Getting from Kansai Airport to Kyoto and Osaka: the routes compared
How to get from Kansai Airport into Kyoto or Osaka: the Haruka, Nankai's Rapi:t and Airport Express, and the limousine bus, compared on fare, time and hassle.
-
eSIM or pocket Wi-Fi in Japan? How to pick without overpaying
A Tokyo resident's plain comparison of eSIMs and pocket Wi-Fi for a Japan trip: what each really costs, who each suits, and the traps that catch people.
-
Hakone as a day trip from Tokyo: the route and pass maths
Hakone is doable from Tokyo, but the loop takes planning. I explain the Freepass, Romancecar supplement, Golden Route and sensible stopping points.
-
Where to stay in Osaka on a first trip, based on the train lines
Namba, Umeda, Tennoji and Osaka Bay all feel different. I compare Osaka bases by the train lines, airport route and evenings you actually want.
-
Do you need travel insurance for Japan? What a hospital visit costs
A Tokyo resident on travel insurance for Japan — why medical bills aren't cheap, what to look for in a policy, and why you must read the wording and check your own eligibility.
-
Will your phone take a Japanese eSIM? How to check before you buy one
A Tokyo resident explains how to check whether your own phone can take a Japan eSIM — the eSIM hardware test, the carrier-lock test, and what to do if either fails.
-
How much cash do you actually need in Japan in 2026?
Japan takes cards more widely than its reputation suggests, but cash still matters. A Tokyo resident on how much yen to carry, where cards fail, and the fees to dodge.
-
Japan eSIMs that give you a phone number, and when you actually need one
A Tokyo resident explains when a Japan trip really needs a phone number versus data-only — and the SIM and eSIM options that include a Japanese number when it matters.
-
Is the Japan Rail Pass still worth it after the price rise?
Since the 2023 price rise the nationwide Japan Rail Pass pays off far less often. A Tokyo resident works through the break-even maths and the cheaper alternatives.
-
Pocket Wi-Fi rental in Japan: what a week actually costs
A Tokyo resident on pocket Wi-Fi rental in Japan — what a week really costs, when it beats an eSIM, the fair-use limits people miss, and how pickup and return work.
-
Sending your suitcase ahead: how takkyubin works for visitors
How Japan's takkyubin luggage-forwarding works for tourists — sending suitcases hotel to hotel or from the airport, what it costs, timing, and the traps to avoid.
-
Tax-free shopping in Japan: the conditions, and the paperwork at the airport
How tax-free shopping in Japan works for visitors — who qualifies, the passport and payment steps, the airport checks — written from the official rules, which change.
-
Which Tokyo day tours are worth booking, and which you can just do yourself
A Tokyo resident on which day tours are actually worth paying for — the ones a guide transforms, the ones you can do alone, and how to judge a listing before you book.
-
Getting into Tokyo from Narita and Haneda: the four routes compared
A Tokyo resident compares trains, buses and taxis from Narita and Haneda into central Tokyo on cost, time and hassle — including when the Narita Express is worth it.
-
Where to stay in Tokyo on a first trip, judged purely on train access
A Tokyo resident on where to stay on a first trip, judged on train access — Shinjuku, Tokyo Station, Shibuya, Ueno and Ginza compared for lines and airport links.
-
Adding Suica to an overseas iPhone: what works and what silently fails
How to add a Suica to an overseas iPhone as a visitor, why some foreign cards are declined for top-ups, and the backup plan for when Apple Pay quietly refuses.
-
When to go to Japan: crowds, weather and the weeks locals avoid
A Tokyo resident on when to visit Japan — the weather by season, cherry blossom and autumn timing, and the domestic holiday weeks locals avoid because everything is packed.
-
Who can actually buy a Japan Rail Pass, and who gets turned away
A Tokyo resident explains Japan Rail Pass eligibility plainly — the Temporary Visitor rule, who qualifies, who gets refused at the exchange counter, and how to check.
-
How much data you really use on a two-week trip to Japan
A Tokyo resident breaks down realistic data use on a Japan trip — maps, translation, messaging and video — so you can size an eSIM plan without running dry or overpaying.
-
Buying theme park and observation deck tickets before you arrive
A Tokyo resident on buying attraction tickets ahead — teamLab, Shibuya Sky, theme parks — how resellers work, what to verify, and the traps around validity and price.
-
Free Wi-Fi at Japanese airports and stations: what works, what doesn't
A Tokyo resident on the reality of free public Wi-Fi in Japan — where it works, where it's slow or gated, and why it's a backup rather than a plan for staying connected.
-
Japanese business hotels: tiny rooms, and why they're usually the right call
A Tokyo resident on what a Japanese business hotel actually is — the small rooms, the things they get right, the costs people miss, and when to book one over anything else.
-
Installing a Japan eSIM: the steps, and the two places people get stuck
A Tokyo resident walks through installing a Japan eSIM step by step — when to install, how to switch it on when you land, and the two screens that trip people up.
-
The card machine asking 'pay in your currency?' — always say no
Dynamic currency conversion in Japan explained: why paying in yen beats paying in your home currency at card terminals, ATMs and hotels, and how to refuse it.
-
Reserving Shinkansen seats from abroad without reading Japanese
How to book and reserve Shinkansen seats in English before you arrive — the official apps, the platforms, QR-code tickets, and the traps that catch first-timers.
-
Tokyo to Kyoto: every option, ranked by what it costs and how long it takes
A Tokyo resident compares every way to get from Tokyo to Kyoto — Shinkansen, night bus, budget flights and local trains — on real cost, time and hassle.
-
Is a ryokan night worth the price? What you're actually paying for
A Tokyo resident on whether a ryokan is worth it — what the price includes, how it differs from a hotel, the etiquette that trips people up, and when to book one.
-
The two-week countdown: what to sort before a Japan trip, in order
A Tokyo resident's ordered checklist for the two weeks before a Japan trip — arrival paperwork, mobile data, IC cards, money, transport and bookings, in the right order.
-
The eSIMs for Japan I'd actually recommend, compared on price and coverage
A Tokyo resident compares the Japan eSIMs worth buying — Airalo, Saily, Ubigi and more — on price, data, ease of setup and the small print that catches people.
-
Regional rail passes that beat the nationwide JR Pass on most trips
A Tokyo resident on Japan's regional rail passes — when a Kansai, JR East or area pass beats the nationwide JR Pass, the eligibility rules, and how to buy in English.
-
Which ATMs in Japan take a foreign card, and what they charge
A Tokyo resident on which ATMs in Japan reliably accept foreign cards, the fees to watch, the DCC prompt to refuse, and how to get yen without overpaying.
-
Suica, Pasmo or Welcome Suica: which IC card should a visitor get?
A Tokyo local explains the real differences between Suica, Pasmo and Welcome Suica for visitors — deposits, the 28-day expiry, phone options, and which to pick.
-
Booking sites for Japan compared: where the inventory actually differs
A Tokyo resident compares the big hotel booking sites for Japan — where the inventory really differs, how prices move between them, and which to use for what.
-
Visit Japan Web: the arrival paperwork, done before you fly
What Visit Japan Web is, why it's worth doing before you fly, and the QR-code and screenshot traps that trip visitors up at Japanese immigration and customs.
-
Airport counter or hotel delivery? Picking up a pocket Wi-Fi in Japan
A Tokyo resident compares the two ways to get a rented pocket Wi-Fi in Japan — airport counter pickup versus hotel delivery — on timing, arrival stress, gaps and return.
Services covered here
- Airalo
- Saily (by Nord Security)
- Ubigi
- Sakura Mobile
- Ninja WiFi
- Japan Wireless
- Klook
- JRailPass.com
- Japan Rail Pass (official site)
- Trip.com (rail tickets)
- Welcome Suica (JR East)
- Wise
- Visit Japan Web (official)
- Agoda
- Booking.com
- Trip.com
- GetYourGuide
- Klook (activities)
- JNTO — Japan National Tourism Organization
- SafetyWing
- Visit Japan Web (immigration & customs)