Things Travelers MUST know BEFORE traveling to Japan

Things Travelers MUST know BEFORE traveling to Japan

The country of Japan has quickly become one of the most popular places to travel to. Last summer, I spent a month there, and there are some things that I wish I would have known. Japan might not give you this list, but I will. These are the things you must know before traveling to Japan. [Music] Hey everyone, what’s up? This is Jordan with JJ Cruz. Thank you so much for clicking into the video today. Well, today we’re talking all about Japan. Japan is an incredible country with amazing people, but there are just some things that you need to know. Don’t make the mistakes that I made and listen until the end of this video to make sure you are well equipped and prepared to go to Japan. Now, before I get into my list, I want to invite you to subscribe to the channel. This is JJ Cruise. We do all things cruising and traveling here on YouTube. So, if you love travel as much as we do, please hit that subscribe button. And while you’re down there, don’t forget to hit the thumbs up. It’s no secret that Japan is one of the most incredible places on Earth. From the temples to the food to the amazing people of this country, it has become one of the most friendly places to travel to. This is a country with rich culture and history. It’s one of the cleanest countries on the planet. There are some of the most efficient people that live in this country. So, it’s a very easy and seamless place to travel within the country. And if you’re going on a cruise, every single one of these points will absolutely apply to your trip. So, let’s jump right into the things that I wish I would have known before ever going to Japan. We’re going to start by talking about food, specifically the ramen. If you don’t know what ramen is, it is a noodle dish that comes from Japan. It’s extremely popular and as soon as you get done with watching this video, I want you to download an app called Ramen Beast. Ramen Beast was an essential app that we used throughout our trip. Not only will it allow you to see all of the ramen restaurants in whatever city that you are currently traveling in. It’ll allow you to sort and filter these restaurants by things like budget, price point, what the ramen restaurant serves, whether that be chicken based ramen or maybe a seafoodbased ramen. Most importantly, it will give you reviews showing you where the best and maybe cheapest ramen is in whatever town you may find yourself in. You will do yourself a huge disservice if you visit Japan and do not eat the ramen. It is a must try dish while you are over there. I’m not going to gatekeep what my favorite ramen was. There is a ramen called sukammen, which is cold noodles that you dip into a hot boiling rich flavorful broth. And I’m not going to lie, I’ve thought about this dish every single day since I’ve gotten back to the United States, and it will be the first thing that I eat on my next trip to Japan. At many of these ramen restaurants, you actually will order in a vending machine. I know that sounds a little strange, but there’s machines at the very front of the restaurant that you will make your selection and then it will print you out a ticket and you give that ticket to the kitchen and they will bring you out whatever you order. Now, sometimes these machines are not in English. So, you will want to have your Google Translate app with Japanese downloaded so that you can quickly view and see the correct buttons that you want to be pressing. And something that is essential is that you will want small coins. And I’m talking about a,000 yen or even smaller coins because that is what some of these ramen machines take. Many of them are cash only and you must pay with coins. Once you get inside of these restaurants, a lot of times they are silent. There are many times that people do not go to restaurants to talk and socialize like we do here in North America. A lot of times the only thing that you may hear from time to time is the occasional slurp of a noodle from your neighbor next to you. And their restaurants aren’t the only place where they practice silence. Their subway systems are also completely quiet. There are places in Japan that you just don’t talk and socialize like you do back home. Restaurants being one, the subway system being another. As the Japanese travel to and from work or within their own country, trains are not places where they talk. You don’t use your cell phones. You don’t talk to one another. You sit in silence until you arrive to your destination. The subway systems in Japan are incredible and it makes it very easy to travel from one place to another. They have a lot of signs in English making travel extremely seamless. And one of my best tips that I can give you is to download a Subway card before you ever get on the subway. Now, the subway card will be different depending on what city you’re in, but you can often download these directly into your wallet if you have an Apple iPhone. You can load funds directly onto that card and then you can tap your card as you’re going into the subway system, making it very easy to travel from point A to point B. One other quick tip, always look to see what train car you’re getting on because some of these train cars are specific to certain people. I’m specifically talking about the women only train cars. If you are not a female identifying person, do not go into those train cars as those train cars are reserved for women only. One of the most surprising things to me when I went to Japan for the first time was that there are really no public trash cans anywhere. You’re expected to carry your trash around with you until you arrive back home or to your hotel to dispose of it properly. If this was the case in a place like the United States, I feel like there would end up being trash thrown everywhere. But people follow the rules in Japan and it is one of the cleanest countries in the world. So, just know if you’re out and about and you have something to throw away, you need to put that back in your purse or your pocket or carry some type of bag to keep that trash in and dispose of it when you get back to wherever you’re staying. I went to Japan in the month of August. This is one of the hottest times to travel to that country. Now, I would not recommend going to Japan in August because of the specific heat. But if you are going to travel in the summer months, there’s a few essential items that you need to add to your packing bag that will save you from being extremely uncomfortable during your time there. The first is hand towels. And this is something that you’ll see a lot of people have. It’s very common to carry some type of small hand towel so that you can wipe the sweat from your face and the back of your neck while you are going about your day. The next is a small portable fan. This is an essential item if you are going during the hotter months to Japan because everyone else around you is going to have one. There are many small fans that you can purchase on the internet or even in probably your local grocery store. They might sell them and they do sell them throughout the country over there, but you might pay a little bit more for those since they’re such a necessity once you get to Japan. So, I definitely recommend the hand towels and the small handheld fan being purchased before you ever get there. It may also be beneficial to have an umbrella with you as there’s several rainy months throughout the year in Japan. And if it’s not raining, the sun might be beating down on you and that umbrella might provide you a little bit of shade and a little bit of relief from the heat. Once you’re in Japan and you are waking up and you’re starting your day and you’re starting to travel, it’s important to know that most businesses do not open before 10:00 a.m. We took a 12-night cruise as well as did some land travel before that cruise. And there were several mornings we were up at 6:00 or 7:00 a.m. and we were ready to go. And then we found ourselves just kind of wandering and walking the street because there was nothing open for several hours. Plan your day accordingly to start around 10:00 a.m. Give yourself a few extra hours to sleep in in the morning so that you’re not just endlessly wandering the streets waiting for businesses to open. Now, while Japan is incredibly technology forward, there are still a lot of ancient cultural sites that may be hard to access and might not be ADA friendly. Especially when looking at some of the older temples or some of the ancient UNESCO sites that are in Japan. There’s often a lot of cobblestone, a lot of stairs to climb. And some of these sites might be hard to access if you are not mobile. So look at whatever cultural site you are visiting and make sure you prepare and plan in advance to know that you can tackle whatever walk or the stairs that you might have to take. and look at things like ADA friendliness if you are using a wheelchair or a walker. I’ve made mention that Japan is one of the cleanest countries in the world a few times now. And that’s also true for their bathrooms. I have never been a fan of public bathrooms. And I know many of you are not either, but the public bathrooms in Japan are the cleanest bathrooms that I have ever seen in the world. Not only are many of the toilets equipped with bedayets, a lot of the toilets even have settings like sound settings. You can turn on birds chirping so that your neighbor doesn’t have to hear you or listen to you going to the bathroom. We never had an issue with the bathrooms in Japan. They were incredibly squeaky clean. So, it’s definitely something that you don’t have to worry about when you travel over there. I cannot make a video about Japan and not talk about 7-Eleven. You’ve probably seen all of your favorite content creators talk about how incredible 7-Eleven is, and it absolutely lives up to the hype. There were several days that all we ate was food from 7-Eleven because the food is fresh, it’s delicious, and it is so cheap. A couple of our favorites were the egg salad sandwiches, which, yes, are just as good as everyone says that they are, the wasabi beef potato chips, which are also a delicious snack, and the pancakes with butter and maple syrup inside. Those made for the perfect breakfast. Don’t knock it till you try it. Here in the United States, I probably wouldn’t have my lunch at 7-Eleven, but in Japan, I would eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner there multiple days throughout my trip. This next tip is essential. You need to check all of your prescription medications and any of the over-the-counter medications that you’re bringing into the country. Japan is one of the strictest countries in the world when it comes to what you are allowed to bring in and not bring in. And there are a lot of prescription medications that are banned. Many over-the-counter medications are also banned. Things like benadryil, Nyquil, and Dayquil are not allowed to be brought into the country. So, it’s very important you do your research. You go to Japan’s government website and you look at the list of things that are currently banned and are not allowed to be brought in. And some prescription medications do require a doctor’s note as well as your prescription. So, make sure you have all of that on you, a note from your doctor, the actual prescriptions with your name on it that match your passport before you ever go into the country. If you’re a solo traveler and you’re thinking about traveling to Japan, this is the perfect country to travel to. Not only is it super easy to get around, it’s very safe and people are extremely friendly. Also, it’s very friendly for solo travelers. Many of the ramen restaurants have solo tables where it’s just one person that sits by themsel at that table and eats. I told you restaurants aren’t really for socializing over there. So, if you’re a solo traveler, you don’t have to worry about walking into a restaurant and feeling like you’re left out of being a part of a group. I traveled with my husband Jared, and there was several times we got seated at separate tables just because all you were there to do was eat. Japan is a destination that I would highly recommend solo travelers look at if you’re looking for something a little bit different and new because not only can the price point be really affordable, it’s just a very overall friendly and safe place for solo travelers to visit. When we went to Japan, we did 7 days in Tokyo, 12 nights on a cruise ship, and then 4 days at Disneyland afterwards. This was a perfect time, honestly, for us because we felt like we got to do and see so much. One of the things people don’t always realize though is Japan is perfect for cruises. Cruises in about two weeks can get all the way around the country, stopping at about 10 places. And often when you go on a cruise in Japan, you get a bonus spot like South Korea, so you get to check another country off your list. It’s also a really safe and easy way to get around the country. And if you look at the ship as just your floating hotel, you can kind of spend all your extra money and time on land because you’re in port almost every single day. Jared and I are both travel agents specifically for cruises. So, if you are looking for cruise travel to Japan, we’ve done this. We know what we’re talking about. Don’t leave anything on the table and contact us to book your next Japan cruise. You can do that by checking out jcruise.com and filling out our inquiry form. To add an extra little bonus in over there, if you are a Disney fan, I would highly recommend going to Disneyland Tokyo and spending a day at Disney Sea, as in our opinion, they are the best Disney parks in the world. And to be honest, you could probably take a vacation for about the same price, including flights, to go over there to Disneyland compared to going to Disney World with how high the ticket prices have become. Let me know what you think in the comments below. Have you been to Japan? Have you ever traveled there? Did I miss any important tips? If there’s anything that I missed, feel free to share them in the comments below. Thank you so much for watching. My name is Jordan. This was JJ Cruz. Until next time, see you. [Music]

For information on how you can book your next Cruise with JJ Cruise contact us at www.jjcruise.com

In our JJ Cruise News today, just like the World’s Largest Cruise Ship Star of the Seas Cruise did in 2025, we sailed on our own maiden voyage – our First Japan Cruise and share our review of our Japan Cruise 2025! There are some things no one tells you when traveling to Japan. We share the things we wish we knew before traveling to Japan for our Japan Cruise onboard Celebrity Cruises’ oldest cruise ship class on the Celebrity Millennium Cruise Ship! We tell you the things All Travelers must know when traveling to Japan for the first time whether for Japan Land Travel or for your first Japan Cruise! Our Full Japan Travel Review includes May popular Japan destinations including Tokyo, Japan to Disney Sea and Disney Land Tokyo to Osaka, Japan and Kyoto, Japan to Hiroshima, Japan and Mt. Fuji!

In the cruise news latest, join us as we chat through this cruise news today. The latest cruise news we are bringing is all about our first Japan Cruise Full Review including New Things we have experienced in Japan while on our month long trip to Japan including both land travel and a cruise on the Celebrity Cruises Celebrity Millennium Cruise Ship. This latest cruise news proves Japan cruises 2026 are full of interesting experiences that are unique to Japan cruises including food and dining experiences as well as excursion comparisons, Japanese food, accessibility, terrain, shopping, ways to save money, weather, currency exchanges, and so much more! We cruised to Tokyo, Yokohama, Kobe, Kyoto, Osaka, Hiroshima, Nagasaki, Jeju Island South Korea, and Hakodate Japan. On Celebrity Millennium, Celebrity Cruises’ oldest cruise ship class for Japan Cruises, there are so many things to do! Venues onboard this Celebrity Cruise Ship and that are on the Celebrity Millennium Cruise Ship Class 2024 include Theatre, Casino, Solarium, Sky Lounge, and favorites such as Oceanview Buffet and Café al Bacio! What are your first impressions of Japan Cruises and Japan Travel? This is the latest cruise news and travel news! We are talking about what this cruise ship news means for the major North American cruise lines, Royal Caribbean International, Norwegian Cruise Line, Carnival Cruise Line, MSC Cruises, Virgin Voyages, and Disney Cruise Line and how it ties into the Cruise Industry.

We had the incredible opportunity to climb aboard Royal Caribbean Cruise Line’s Adventure of the Seas FIRST sailing out of Nassau, Bahamas on June 12th, 2021. We were also onboard the FIRST sailing out of the US on Celebrity Edge on June 26th, 2021. Celebrity Cruise Lines was the first major North American cruise line that sailed from a North American port since March 2020. We were also on the first Carnival cruise out of Florida on Carnival Horizon sailing. We were on the Inaugural Season Carnival Mardi Gras cruise ship maiden voyage sailing! We were on one of the first Disney Cruise Line ships sailing out of the US on Disney Dream! We were on one of the first Alaska sailings in 2021! We are thrilled to be on these ships to bring you the latest cruise news and information about the future of the cruise industry in 2025.

Don’t miss important information about upcoming Royal Caribbean Cruises, Celebrity Cruises, Norwegian Cruises, Disney Cruises, Virgin Voyages and Carnival Cruise Line cruises, and cruise news latest about the future of cruising.

Comment and tell us what you think! What are your honest thoughts – what are your thoughts on Japan Cruises and Japan Travel? Are you ready to book a Japan Cruise?

Similar Videos:

We sailed our first Japan Cruise 2025 | Our Honest Full Review | The Good, Bad and Ugly

We sailed our first Alaska Cruise | Our Honest Full Review | The Good, Bad and Ugly

We sailed our first New Zealand Cruise | Our Honest Full Review | The Good, Bad and Ugly

We sailed our first Mediterranean Cruise | Our Honest Full Review | The Good, Bad and Ugly

We sailed our first Transpacific Cruise | Our Honest Full Review | The Good, Bad and Ugly

Royal Caribbean Star of the Seas Full Tour & Review 2025 (World’s Largest Cruise Ship)

Celebrity Millennium Cruise Ship 2025 | Our Honest Full Review | The Good, Bad & Ugly

For Information on How You Can Book your next cruise contact us at www.jjcruise.com

———————-
Support us on Patreon!
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/jjcruise
———————-
JJ Cruise Merchandise: https://mouthytees.com
———————-
Connect with Us!
Facebook: https://facebook.com/JJCruiseFB
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cruisewithjj
Email: cruisewithjj@gmail.com
———————-
Like our video and subscribe!!
———————-
#japancruise #japan #japantravel