What I send every friend before they fly to Tokyo.
10 minutes of prep. $300+ in unnecessary fees avoided.
From 8 years of studying Tokyo β language, culture, customs β and actually living here.
I watched a guy at Narita spend Β₯3,000 on a pocket wifi he didn't need because he didn't set up an eSIM before he flew. Don't be that guy. 10 minutes of prep saves you hours of bullshit.
β Matt
I spent hours putting this list together from what I actually use and recommend - then added affiliate links after, not the other way around.
Best Japanese hotel inventory by far β integrated with Toyoko Inn, APA, Daiwa Roynet, Mitsui Garden which most platforms skip. Free Genius discount knocks 10-15% off. First trip? Stay in Shinjuku or Shibuya. Always book fully refundable.
Japanese hospitals are world-class but they want full payment upfront and don't care about your American insurance. Slip on wet temple stairs, food poisoning, twist an ankle hiking β that's thousands out of pocket. SafetyWing covers it.
teamLab Borderless at Azabudai Hills and Planets sell out weeks ahead. Random tourists get turned away every day. Book at least 7 days out. QR code at the gate, walk straight in.
Two best from Tokyo: Hakone (Mt. Fuji + onsen) and Kamakura (giant Buddha + beach). Both 1-1.5 hours by train. Klook bundles transport into one pass.
Only worth it if you're leaving Tokyo. The math: a 7-day pass is Β₯50,000. One Tokyo-Kyoto round trip alone is ~Β₯28,000 β so Tokyo + Kyoto + one other thing pays for itself. Staying in Tokyo? Skip it.
Japan is still ~40% cash so you'll be hitting ATMs constantly. US debit cards charge $5 + 3% per withdrawal β that's $50+ in fees on a 10-day trip. Wise sends you a free card with zero international transaction fees, instant yen conversion at the real mid-market rate, and cheap ATM withdrawals. Add it to Apple Pay and tap everywhere that takes card. I use Wise for literally everything here.
Pocket wifi is dead. You rent it at the airport, carry an extra device all day, watch the battery die by 4pm, and return it before flying home. eSIM is just a QR code you scan on the plane β data the second you land. Single biggest unlock on this list.
Japan is strict about pseudoephedrine, Adderall, codeine and a bunch of normal US OTC stuff (DayQuil, NyQuil, Vicks, Sudafed, Tylenol Cold). Bringing them in by accident gets you detained at customs. Search "Japan banned medications" before packing.
5 minutes of Googling or you're explaining yourself to customs.
You don't need to be fluent β basic English works in Tokyo. But even a few phrases and people light up. Lingopie teaches with real Japanese TV. Not necessary, but a clean way to spend flight time.
Settings β Offline Translation β Download Japanese. Camera mode is insane.
Free. Download the Japanese pack before you fly.
Best AI for Japanese by far. Understands context, formality, slang. Use it to draft messages.
Free at claude.ai. Way better than ChatGPT for Japanese.
Settings β Wallet β Transit Card β Suica. Add Β₯2-3K. Train + tap-to-pay everywhere.
Free. Android: grab a Welcome Suica at the airport.
Battery rental kiosks in every konbini. Your portable battery dies, grab a ChargeSpot at 1%, charge up, return it at any location. Emergency backup.
Free to sign up. Set it up NOW so you're not fumbling with verification at 1% battery.
Way more than navigation. It tells you which station exit to use, which train car to ride so you're closest to your exit, how busy each car is, and gives you the platform number. Pay attention to the exact departure time β Tokyo trains are perfectly on time, and if you just hop on whatever comes, you might catch an express that blows past your stop. Download Tokyo offline as a backup for underground dead zones.
Free. Google Maps in Tokyo is genuinely on another level.
Your Uber app already calls taxis here β no new account needed. GO is the local taxi app with more drivers. Both are more expensive than trains but clutch with luggage, late nights, or when you're lost. Download GO before you fly.
Free. Uber you already have. GO has way more drivers here.
Tokyo trains have zero space for big luggage, subway stairs are everywhere, and your hotel room will be smaller than your closet. The Osprey Farpoint 40L holds 10+ days and fits every airline's overhead. You skip baggage claim entirely.
12 hours in economy is brutal without noise cancelling. The Sony XM5s are the sweet spot β the XM6 is marginally better for $150 more, but the XM5 still kills engine drone dead. Screaming baby six rows back? Gone. Also clutch on the Shinkansen. 30-hour battery.
Your phone does everything in Japan β maps, translate, Suica, camera. Dies by 3pm without backup. The Anker Zolo is 20,000mAh (4 full charges), built-in USB-C cable, 30W fast charging. Bring your own β the disposable ones at konbinis are tiny, overpriced, and have weird cables.
Japan's lost-and-found culture is unreal but they need to confirm it's actually yours β AirTags are instant proof. Lose something on a subway? Skip the chase: go straight to the station the AirTag is showing.
Your first 3 hours in Japan: customs, immigration, baggage claim, IC card, train ticket. The Bellroy keeps passport, cards, yen, boarding pass in one slim leather fold. RFID blocking. Pull it out once instead of fumbling like a tourist.
Without one, cables tangle, adapters get lost, SD cards vanish forever. Peak Design keeps it all organized β origami compartments, weatherproof, fits cables, AirPods, adapters, your battery. Junk drawer vs. grabbing exactly what you need.
15-25K steps/day. Slip-ons are an aura check at temples and ryokans.
No paper towels in most restrooms. Japanese people carry one everywhere.
Β₯110 at any Daiso when you land.
Tokyo weather shifts fast. Summer AC indoors is arctic.
Japan uses the same plugs as the US (Type A, two prong). Your phone charger and laptop charger work as-is.
You set it up before you flew. Just flip it on. Instant data.
Takes a 10-15% cut. Use Wise at any konbini ATM instead.
The airport exchange is a tourist trap. Not a suggestion.
A taxi from Narita runs Β₯25-30K+ and 90 mins in traffic. The N'EX is a fraction of that β tourists-only pricing, Tokyo Station in 60 min, Shinjuku in 80-90. From Haneda? Keikyu to Shinagawa is a few hundred yen. Save taxis for when you actually need them (late nights, luggage days β that's what Uber and GO are for).
Most hotels: 3pm check-in. Early? Leave luggage at the desk, go explore.
7-Eleven, Lawson, or FamilyMart. ATM, food, drinks, phone charger. Your lifeline.
Push through jet lag to 9-10pm. Find a ramen shop with salarymen outside β that's how you know.
110 police. 119 fire & ambulance. Save and forget.
Don't. Not a thing here. Say γγ‘γγγγΎγ§γγ (go-chi-so-sa-ma-desh-ta) when leaving.
Still ~40% cash. Carry Β₯5-10K backup. 7-Eleven ATMs.
Show passport for 10% off. Min Β₯5,000/store/day.
Basically don't exist. Carry trash to a konbini.
No calls. Low voice. The #1 aura check locals notice.
Google Maps handles everything. Even subway transfers.
7-Eleven most reliable. Visa/MC work everywhere.
10 minutes of prep. Hours of tourist bullshit avoided.
WHEN YOU'RE READY FOR THE FULL SYSTEM
132 pages. 14 chapters. 113 Google Maps pins.
How Tokyo actually works β food strategy, drinking culture, nightlife, neighborhoods, scams, cultural rules, and every local move I make.
You're about to spend $3K-$8K on this trip. This is $29.
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