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Preface#

This guide is based on my pilgrimage experience in Osaka-Kyoto-Toyohashi this year, representing only my personal experience at that time and place. It does not guarantee the accuracy and timeliness of all information and is for reference only.

In the following text, amounts are represented in ￥(CNY) for Chinese Yuan and ¥(JPY) for Japanese Yen.

Preparations Before Departure#

Passport#

It is required to have blank pages and a validity of more than six months. For first-time visa applicants, it seems necessary to contact parents, regardless of your age, so communicate with them in advance before applying.

Visa#

Currently, Japanese visas must be processed through travel agencies. Applying for a single-entry tourist visa is the most convenient option. I found one on a certain platform, costing ￥(CNY)201. I submitted the required documents to the agency according to their provided list and mailed my passport, then waited for the agency to return my passport.

The entire process took about a week. I mailed it out on Friday and received my passport on the Wednesday of the third week (12 days, 8 working days).

The single-entry tourist visa is an electronic visa, which will be sent to your email. Please save the screenshot and it is recommended to print it out for emergencies.

Flights and Accommodation#

You can use various travel platforms to find discounted flights and hotels, and it is advisable to book in advance. It is recommended to keep the email receipt for the hotel for emergencies.

Since I traveled during the off-peak season, the prices for flights and hotels were relatively cheap, with round-trip tickets costing ￥(CNY)1026 and four nights in a hotel costing ￥(CNY)1046.

It is important to note that hotels in Japan may charge a tax of around ¥(JPY)200 upon check-in, even if you have already paid the tax on domestic platforms. Unlike in China, hotel check-in times are relatively late and check-out times are early, so it is advisable to confirm the corresponding times in advance and plan your daily itinerary accordingly.

Backpack#

Used to carry various items, as low-cost airlines have strict luggage requirements, it is recommended to use a small suitcase or a hiking backpack. Although there is a 7kg limit, they generally do not require weighing as long as the size is reasonable.

Considering that I had many pilgrimage locations, dragging a suitcase would be very inconvenient, so I bought a 32L hiking backpack in advance for ￥(CNY)350. This size can easily fit four sets of summer clothes and some personal items.

Cash in Yen#

It is strongly recommended to carry a reasonable amount of cash in yen, as I spent two and a half days in the small city of Toyohashi, where most places, except convenience stores, required cash payments. Also, it was difficult to find machines that supported Alipay and WeChat Pay for recharging transportation cards. I carried ¥(JPY)20000 in cash for five days, but on the last day, I still ran out of money to buy a ticket to the airport and had to withdraw cash from a UnionPay card, with a minimum withdrawal of ¥(JPY)10000, resulting in bringing back ¥(JPY)8000 in cash.

My exchange rates are as follows: Visa credit card < Alipay << UnionPay cash withdrawal << yen exchanged at the airport. Unless necessary, do not exchange currency at the airport, as the exchange rate is high, with a 5.57% markup + ¥(JPY)800 handling fee. In contrast, the exchange rate for withdrawing cash from a UnionPay ATM is normal, with a 1% markup + ￥(CNY)12 handling fee, which is much more reasonable.

Note: The Visa credit card here refers to a card that has yen after purchasing currency in advance. I am not sure about the direct swipe rate if there is a limit.

Others#

1. Change of Clothes: Japanese hotels generally have washing machines and dryers (can be confirmed in advance when booking hotels), costing about ¥(JPY)300 per wash, so it is not necessary to bring too many clothes. It is recommended to buy disposable underwear and socks, which are much more convenient. Shoes must be comfortable; I walked over 40,000 steps in Kyoto in one day, and both of my feet developed blisters.
2. Electronic Devices: Mobile phone, charger, power bank, laptop, etc. Two-pin plugs can be used directly without adapters. (I brought my laptop because I needed to copy files; otherwise, I hardly used it, so carry it as needed.)
3. Visit Japan Web: Fill out the vjw in advance in China and save the QR code screenshot. You won't need to fill out an entry card upon arrival, saving a lot of time.
4. UnionPay Card and Credit Card Supporting Foreign Currency Payments: Use the UnionPay card for cash withdrawal and the credit card for favorable exchange rates; it is recommended to use it first if supported.
5. Internet Card: Purchase in advance in China; I bought one on a certain platform and it was delivered the next day. Normally, if using WiFi in hotels, the data usage is not too high; I only used 4.23 GB in five days.
6. Roaming Service: It is recommended to arrange roaming services for commonly used phone cards before going abroad. In case the purchased internet card does not work (a fellow pilgrim experienced this), you can still use it temporarily. Also, do not only activate voice and SMS roaming; data roaming must also be activated (it was tested that without activating data roaming, China Telecom had no signal).
7. Google Maps: Essential for searching routes.
8. Translation Software: It is recommended to have translation software with photo translation and dialogue translation functions, in case you encounter staff who cannot speak English. (Of course, in most cases, this is not necessary.)
9. Trash Bags: There are no trash cans on the streets of Japan, only recycling bins for beverage bottles. It is advisable to carry trash bags to collect garbage at any time and dispose of it uniformly at the hotel later.

Transportation#

If you don't have economic strength, don't take taxis in Japan; even public transportation is slightly cheaper than taking a taxi in China.

Transportation Card#

If you are an iPhone user, you can apply for a Suica card directly on your phone in advance.

Other phone users need to buy a physical card, which is more expensive if purchased in China. After entering the country, you can apply for it at the ticket machine for electric trains at the airport, with a handling fee of ¥(JPY)500, but it seems that only cash can be used for payment. You can also search on a certain platform to see if there are machines at your arrival airport that support other payment methods (cash is very precious, so avoid using it if possible, as mentioned above).

In Kansai, it seems that the ICOCA card is issued, while in Kanto, it is the Suica card, but they are essentially the same.

Transportation costs in Japan are relatively high, so it is advisable to recharge more at the airport. I spent nearly ¥(JPY)20000 in five days.

If you are only playing in one city for a day, you can search for a one-day pass for that city (example keywords: 豊橋 1 日 乗車券), which costs around ¥(JPY)1000. If you take 5-6 rides, it will pay off, but also pay attention to the usage range and consider whether to purchase based on your travel plan.

If your phone supports NFC, you can download the Japan Transportation Card Balance Inquiry in advance.

Before leaving, you can calculate the prices for the last few rides in advance. You can ask staff for help to recharge, and you can even recharge just ¥(JPY)30. I returned with a zero balance on my card (actually, it was because I ran out of cash and had to ask the staff to help recharge enough for the last train to Toyohashi Station).

Shinkansen#

The Shinkansen is equivalent to the high-speed rail in China. You can buy tickets on-site, and the transportation cards mentioned above cannot be used. Choose your destination and time on the machine, and you will receive a ticket as shown in the following image.

The above ticket involves transfers: take the NOZOMI No. 80 train at 9:01 from Kyoto Station, car 12, seat 3-A. Transfer to the KODAMA No. 710 train at Nagoya Station at 9:34, car 12, seat 6-A, departing at 9:38 and arriving in Toyohashi at 10:04. The transfer time is short; the train in the image is on the opposite platform, so it is manageable.

Electric Train#

The electric trains in Japan can use the transportation cards mentioned above or buy tickets at the on-site machines.

The electric train system is relatively complex, and the same line may differentiate between local, rapid, and express trains (similar to the express buses in China), but generally, just follow the route provided by Google Maps.

If you are planning in advance, you need to select the departure time on Google Maps, as the recommended routes may vary significantly based on different departure times. The boarding method is referenced in the image below. It is important to note that in addition to the platform, you may also need to choose the corresponding train based on the departure time; otherwise, there may be different stopping stations. The departure times provided by Google Maps are generally accurate (unless, like me, you are unlucky enough to encounter a typhoon), but it is still recommended to confirm the information on the platform indicator board.

Bus#

Buses are relatively simpler; generally, you board from the back and swipe your card (some buses may not have a card machine at the entrance). If the next stop is your destination, you need to press the button on the handrail or next to the window, which will light up, and then swipe your card at the front door to get off. It is important to note that buses in Japan require you to wait until the bus stops completely before standing up to get off at the front door; otherwise, you may be scolded by the driver (although the driver spoke for a long time, I only understood this general meaning).

If using cash, you need to take a small paper ticket from the back door when boarding (if there is no machine, it is not needed for fixed fare routes), and then pay based on the number on the ticket when getting off.

Make a Plan#

It is recommended to prepare a daily plan in advance, especially if there are many pilgrimage points. Below is my plan for a one-day pilgrimage in Kyoto, but there are still some omissions, for reference only.

Many comrades who have pilgrimage points should know about the pilgrimage map, but it actually has a positioning function! A fellow pilgrim who went to Toyohashi with me didn't know this.

The commuting times in between can generally be checked in advance using Google Maps, and then search for others' experiences to estimate how long to stay at each point. In fact, the above plan also has some omissions, and I share it here as an experience for everyone.

1. Pay attention to the best times for each point; for example, if you go to Demachiyanagi Shopping Street too late, many shops will be closed, leading to a lack of fun.
2. Try to leave as much time as possible at each point. The time allocated for Kyoto Aquarium in the above plan is too little; I felt it wasn't worth it to buy a ticket and thus gave up visiting.
3. Check in advance if there are any repairs or other situations; I couldn't go to the love achievement point at Kiyomizu-dera~~, it seems destined to be~~.
4. You can check in advance if there are any activities at the places you plan to visit, such as the defeated dog protagonist stamp collection event in Toyohashi.

Food#

What to eat during the pilgrimage is generally solved at convenience stores.

Actually, there is no need to specifically look for food in advance; just search for nearby restaurants using Google Maps when it's mealtime.

Drinks are relatively convenient; you can buy them at convenience stores, and there are many vending machines. After inserting coins, press the corresponding button, and the machine will dispense the drink and change. The prices of water and drinks in Japan are actually quite similar, around ¥(JPY)100-150. Before returning to the hotel at night, you can buy a 1-2L bottle of water at a convenience store for about ¥(JPY)120, which is more economical.

References(x)#

1. Neon Travel Guide @bubbleioa

Photos#

Finally, let's share some pilgrimage photos.

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