Kims Top 5 Travel Tips For Japan
I recently did a trip to Japan with my bestie, and just had to share with you my top 5 tips to cut some corners and have more money in your pocket to have fun – You’re gonna need it for such a gorgeous country!
Take the subway or train
We jumped in a taxi when we first arrived in Tokyo and it cost us almost $70 to the city. A huge waste of money. We later learnt that the best mode of transport around Japan is via their trains and subway systems. They are reliable and 100% always on time. You purchase a travel card from any of the stations and can top it up with money if you need to. We spent less than $10 for the week. Each station is easy to get around and you never have to walk far to your destination. The card also won’t expire for 100 years so you will be able to hold on to it or pass it on to friends if needed. I was beyond impressed by the public transport in Japan. Everyone is very respectful and quiet on all the buses and trains, so make sure you are respectful too.
Buy some of your meals at the 7Eleven or roadside stores
One of my worries whenever I am travelling is about getting sick in a foreign country from the food. Our guide explained to us that the Japanese are very very strict about the quality of their foods. At the 7Elevens’ (our dairy or gas station equivalent) they have such a high standard, that if an item is not a best seller it will be removed from the store after a month. They are really intense about quality and making sure they are serving the best of the best. With this in mind, we actually ended up buying lots of our food and snacks from these stores or stopping at truck stops or road side shops to eat and not one of us got sick at all. They were so clean, the food was fresh and delicious and above all, very affordable.
Use Fly Buys points to book your travel AND earn points while doing so
Your Fly Buys points can also now be used to book flights on all airlines which is great because you might like to fly to different spots in Japan to cut down travel time. We flew from Osaka to Narita because we wanted to spend an extra day checking out Osaka before flying out. A tip for you here, use your BNZ card when purchasing items to up your points quickly.
Points can be used like a discount on any travel booking or can be used to pay for the whole package outright, meaning you’ll have more to spend when you arrive at your holiday destination!
Check it out – Click here to learn more about using your Fly Buys points for flights, accommodation and experiences from helloworld and Air New Zealand.
[ scroll to the bottom for a giveaway you don’t want to miss ]
Head to the Fish Markets and take part in a sushi making class
The fish markets are for sure an experience, you arrive just as the sun rises and the bidding starts for the freshest fish that was caught only moments before. As the markets are set up, flocks of people arrive to buy the fish for their restaurants for the day. Tourists also arrive to try the fresh fish and because of that there are loads of samples. We walked around for an hour or so and ate and ate and ate. Essentially having a free meal of some of the most exquisite fish I have ever eaten. They also offer sushi making classes which are loads of fun.. The best part is, you also get to eat all the sushi you make! I would thoroughly recommend this as an activity, and it’s free!
Venture out of the cities
As amazing as the cities are, I would really encourage you to venture out to some of the smaller towns. We stayed a few nights at a buddhist temple and a night in a traditional Japanese homestay. It is not only a wonderful experience, but they also feed you traditional meals. This is a great way to really explore the culture and expand your palate in a new environment at a very affordable cost. The money you will save on more conventional accommodation you can put towards something else, like shows or sake!
WIN!
Win a $100 helloworld voucher to use towards your next adventure. To enter, follow @flybuysnz on Instagram and like their Japan gram.
Thanks to Fly Buys for teaming up with me on this post.
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