I am planning to buy a tokyo metro pass but i don't know which lines it includes.

Is chiyoda line a metro line ?

Looking for road trip buddies in Iwakuni

Hi, all. I’m a 25 y.o American male who is looking for buddies who can regularly go on road trips. I’m thinking about somewhere closer to Osaka first, and then gradually expanding the area. I’m looking for

• someone who is a resident here
• someone who can pay his/her own share
• someone who is friendly, and not rude
• someone who causes no drama (I really don’t care if you’re single, in a relationship, married, etc)
• someone who is free on Fridays or weekends

I’ve lived here for about a year now so hoping to meet a group of people who like road trips! Obv, no one wants to get into a car with strangers for the first time, so we all can meet for a coffee or drink to get to know each other if there is enough interest.🙂

I'll make a group chat and invite people and see how it goes from there.

Here are tips and tricks that I believe might be helpful for tourists to be in Osaka and beyond, written by a first timer to Japan.

Here's some disclaimer, though I consider myself an otaku of japanese cuisine, I won't be including the exact places I went to as I think most of them were way too touristy in Shinsekai (where I stayed) and restaurants are just way too convenient and it's not always logistically convenient or efficient to head to a specific one depending on where you'll be staying.

With that being said, here's some general advice.

1. Payment

Cash rules, period. Transit card too are widey accepted in all shops. Unless you plan to restrict your trip to shopping only in the very tourist saturated area like shinsaibashi, you'll won't have to worry much as they readily accept payments from the Alipay+ network (if you're coming from Asia but rates are extremely unfavourable) and katoo. Else, prepare cash. Wise is a no brainer option too with their good exchange rate, widespread acceptance of both visa and Mastercard.

2. Train and metro

(POV from someone who doesn't have any form of metro in the home city, so take it with a grain of salt) Google Maps is undeniably reliable with just enough information in navigating the stations. But I'd advise against relying on just it to navigate the stations. There are numerous lines, notably the JR West Lines (with their respective line names, suitable for intercity travel) and the Osaka Metro travel within Osaka only. Get an ic card and you're ready to go, else be prepared to figure out the fares at the kiosk.

I'd say always observe the signboard above. When you need to exit a station say, navigation apps would explicitly mention the direction of the exit (ie north, south, centre and so on). But it's not always straightforward nor intuitive as the major stations as they can get very crowded. The most intuitive line with modern led info screen would be the Osaka metro Midosuji Line, due to the relatively new carriage.

Theres also separate lines operated by other electric companies like hankyu. But fear not, changing and transferring between them is easy and effortless.

Just try to avoid the rush hour.

3. Food

Nothing much to critique on as they are all equally good. Walk around and you might explore hidden gems. Some restaurants or I'd say most like sushi, 定食 do require reservation for dinner, else wait in line to get a table.

Bear in mind that some restaurants allow smoking though.

In very touristy areas there tend to be more izakayas, at least in Osaka. If you're bored of dining in the same tourists saturated areas, I'd highly recommend going to the local malls or the ones found in JR stations. Food is a lot of times miles better with practically less tourists, more affordable and ingredients way fresher than the sashimi restaurants.

But do follow the rules when you decided to immerse in the local malls food court, from self service to returning trays.

So throughout the short trip I went to the LUCUA mall in Osaka Station and also Abeno Q's food court which seem to have way less tourists.

4. Side trip

I made the mistake to jam pack my trip with a day trip to Kyoto and it was a huge mistake. Public transport in Kyoto was mostly bus and the schedule is way less frequent and again its capacity is already outnumbered by the locals already. Couple that with tourists, it's an absolute disaster with very long waiting times. As a matter of fact, walking is way more efficient and practical. Take the older and less extensive metro to conserve your energy expenditure.

5. Weather

Wind is brutal really brutal during winter. Wrap yourself up properly.

6. Language

Just prep your device with Google translate and it would be sufficiently enough. Most restaurants whether those at the tourist sites or more local sites are already equipped with English menus. So is the case for train announcements. So fear not. Use Google translate when you have any special requests and the waiters or waitresses would be more approachable. Just don't force them English if they feel uncomfortable speaking in English for not given any cold shoulders. In most cases, they are enthusiastic.

7. Overtourism

It might not be obvious at times as tourists but this is really true. Streets in Osaka are basically lined with tax free shops, instructions in the major tourists spots are given out exclusively in Manadarin to accomodate the sprawling number of Chinese tourists, tourists with large baggage occupying the already sardine-packed JR trains, Karen style tourists with bad etiquettes occupying the priority seats, the list just goes on and on.

So follow and respect the etiquettes.

8. Recommend apps

Google Lens - instant trnaslation on japanese menus, they tend not to translate some really special dishes Balance - for iPhone users to check your physical IC card balance or do so at the stations GO Taxi App - if you're bringing heaps of baggages so as not to cause a nuisance when traveling to your accomodations Apple Maps - I find it to be slightly more accurate in terms of locating restaurants as they happen to source the restaurants from Tabelog which is more local-oriented

I'm genuinely curious about this. I just went to the pokemon cafe for the 2nd time. I went about a year ago as well and had the same experience. I would say the cafe was maybe 1/3rd of the way full.

I don't really understand why reservations are so hard to get if it's normally this empty. Have any of you had the same experience? Are people just booking whatever day they can and then end up not going and not canceling?

Seeking suggestions for an Onsen within an hour of tokyo. No budget, decided to extend my stay another 2 months because of how much I love this country. Would appreciate any suggestions from those who have first hand experience. Thank you!

Hi everyone! I'm interested in booking the pokemon train for mid april but when I try to book on the site, it only shows openings for 2/1 and 2/2. The calendar shows it is operating til 2/2 and nothing til 4/26. Is there really a 2 month gap where the train is not in service? Thanks for your help

As you read in the title, above yokai watch, pokemon, and the nintendo world, I have no Idea where to go. I wanna see the pretty cherry blossoms and I want to see cultural things I just have no idea of an exact place. Help. (I'm only considering going on my first trip to Japan now)

Hello! I'm looking to do a road trip in Gifu! My plan is to start in Nagoya and end in Kanazawa.

Does anyone have any car rental recommendations where I can do pick and drop off in different cities?

Hello! We are visiting japan from 24th may to 1st of june this year. I'm second time visiting the country and it's my wife first, so the tentative plan is

24/5: arrival to osaka at 8am, travel to hiroshima

25/5: miyajima

26/5: travel to kanazawa

27/5: kanazawa

28/5: Kaga onsen for a day of ryokan experience

29/5: travel to tokyo

30/5: tokyo

31/5: tokyo

1/6: departure from tokyo at 11pm

Is the plan feasible or do you think i should skip some place? mainly interested in sceneryw

Partner won the chance to buy tickets to the Nintendo museum, but she keeps getting the service not available at this time. Do we have to call in their business hours? If it helps we are Australia so they are an hour behind us.

I will be travelling to Tokyo, Osaka and Kyoto in April. I have a Google Pixel and will need to get a physical IC card.

We arrive at Narita. Staying in Asakusa before we start travelling around.

How easy is it to get physical cards currently? Also open to people providing more updates on this thread closer to April.

I will be using a debit Mastercard and cash. How much should I load on the IC card?

Thanks!

Hey everyone, I am in Tokyo Shinjuku area and struggling to find a nice place which serves wagyu beef for one person. Most of the places I checked on internet they don’t really entertain one person. I would really appreciate if someone can share the name of the restaurants which entertain solo person. Cheers

Hi can you give a comment about my 2 day trip in Tokyo please, feel free to give me suggestions. Thank you!

Day 1: Asakusa & Shibuya

1. Morning:
2. Visit Sensō-ji Temple in AsakusaWalk through Nakamise Shopping Street (souvenirs and snacks)
3. Afternoon:
4. Head to Shibuya CrossingSee the Hachikō statue
5. Evening:
6. Dinner at a local restaurant in Shibuya

Estimated Expenses:

• Sensō-ji Temple: Free
• Snacks and souvenirs at Nakamise: ¥2,000
• Lunch in Shibuya: ¥1,500
• Dinner in Shibuya: ¥3,000
• Transportation (metro): ¥1,000

Day 2: Harajuku & Shinjuku

1. Morning:
2. Explore Takeshita Street in HarajukuVisit a cat café
3. Afternoon:
4. Explore Shinjuku's Omoide Yokocho (Memory Lane)Try yakitori and sake
5. Evening:
6. Visit Tokyo Tower for the city view

Estimated Expenses:

• Shopping and snacks in Takeshita Street: ¥2,500
• Cat café: ¥1,500
• Lunch in Shinjuku: ¥2,000
• Dinner in Memory Lane: ¥3,000
• Tokyo Tower entry fee: ¥1,200
• Transportation (metro): ¥1,000

Total Estimated Expenses:

• Day 1: ¥7,500
• Day 2: ¥11,200
• Grand Total: ¥18,700

I have been to Kyoto in late November and early December. I loved the foliage and used a bicycle as my mai mode of transport. I did feel it was getting quite chilly in December, at least too chilly for cycling IMO. Going back to Japan this December. Any tips as to where the weather is ok and not too much rain?

I would love some clarity on some things regarding my trip back home in 4 days.

I came to Japan for a three month long visit at dear friend of mine and this was way back in November of last year. I know I dont need to do anything more with the visit Japan QR code and such. But one thing I cant seem to find to answer some of my questions (or just one question)

I will be flying from Fukuoka airport to Tokyo HND. No issue there, but at the Tokyo HND airport, the details of goin through customs and immigration to catch my flight back to Canada. What can I expect? Because I know I have to likely go through customs anyway to pick up my baggage then go to terminal 3 to catch my flight back to Canada.

I think I planned my trip horribly just to get cheaper hotels at certain locations. I am a solo traveler, and this is my first-ever solo trip. Now I’m realizing my itinerary is inefficient and I need help fixing it.

Current Plan • Feb 2-4: Tokyo (explore, TeamLab Planets, Kamakura day trip). • Feb 5: Travel to Fujikawaguchiko (visit Chureito Pagoda, Lake Kawaguchi, evening fireworks, stay overnight). • Feb 6: Travel to Hakuba to ski (first time) and enjoy the evening at nearby bars.

The Problem • Earliest public transport from Fujikawaguchiko to Hakuba leaves ~10 AM, meaning I’ll reach Hakuba by 2-3 PM, leaving barely any time to ski or enjoy the day.

I considered renting a car, but: • I have an Indian driving license (no IDP). • Nervous about winter driving conditions on unfamiliar roads.

What can i do here now?

Hey all. My gf frustratingly booked a nonrefundable hotel in Kawazu and then pushed back our flight so that we’re basically landing at 3 PM in Narita the day we’re supposed to check in at Kawazu. I think this is too late to catch a train like I had planned. Renting a car from Toyota rental would cost another $500. Does anyone have any ideas for getting there before I decide that we should just eat the hotel charge and ditch Kawazu? Thanks.

I got tickets to the Nintendo museum, but sadly the entry time is 4pm. Looks like they close at 6pm, how long do people who go usually spend there? Is 2 hours enough time? Just worried about being rushed and not being able to play the games and stuff. Thank you!

Just got home after my first Japan trip (tokyo, mt. Fuji, kamakura/enoshima, & hakone) and i’m planning on our next one right away.

I read how the Sakura season is the peak travel period around Japan and the crowds are everywhere but is the crowd as massive in Hokkaido/Sapporo as it is on the golden route? How was it? How beautiful is it compared to the golden route during the sakura?

We plan to travel on the Golden route over the autumn instead. Let me know your thoughts please :) I plan to h

Hi all,

My wife and I are travelling to Japan in mid Feb. We’d like to do some snowboarding at Zao Ski Resort, but are staying in Ginza.

My question is, should we pre-book the train tickets to and from? Alternatively we are thinking of driving, but as it’s a one day trip, it’s over 4 hours both ways, driving might not be ideal.

Would appreciate any advice on the matter. It will only be a one-day adventure. Not planning on booking a hotel and staying the night.

Spending 12 days in Japan in late May/early June for our honeymoon!

We are planning to go Osaka -> Kyoto -> Tokyo. Possibly Hakone for a day or two.

Question #1: We are not sure yet on how much time we want to spend in and around each city. Is it feasible to book hotels last minute (without overpaying or having to stay in undesirable locations)? Our nightly budget would be in the range of 10-25k yen.

If not, how early do you recommend booking? Is Japan busy that time of year?

Question #2: Is it worth adding Hakone or another destination in addition to these 3 major cities? Something less touristy?

Greatly appreciate any tips or recommendations :)

Hi - my partner and I will be visiting Niseko to snowboard and then traveling around Japan for another week after. Our plan was to use to Yamato to ship our snowboard from Haneda Airport to our Niseko hotel. After Niseko, we will be touring Tokyo and other nearby cities for 8 days before we leave back for home via Narita airport.

Does anyone have any suggestions of where we could store our boards after Niseko? I was hoping we could use Yamato to ship and store our boards at Narita for the 8 days, but I'm not quite sure that's possible and I can't tell from their website. Does anyone have any experience with this and would be able to provide information?

Can someone explain how to travel from Shinjuku to Kamakura and then to Enoshima? I know about the Enoshima-Kamakura Pass, but I want to go to Kamakura first from Shinjuku, then travel to Enoshima from Kamakura, and finally return to Shinjuku from Enoshima. Can the Enoshima-Kamakura Pass be used for this route? I'm a bit confused—what ticket should I buy, and where can I purchase it?

I figured if there’s a place to try raw chicken, it’s Japan. Any good recommendations?

Hi...need help with only admission tickets to Universal Studios Osaka for 10th April, 2025...all tickets available online are inclusive of Expo passes and priced hefty...

Hello my partner and I are going to japan in late April. We wanted to get tickets for Disneyland, Disneysea and Universal studios. From my understanding, and what I've read online is they start selling tickets 3 months before the date. We have been checking the website, but still nothing for April yet. I was just wondering if anyone had any more information about ticket sales for them?

Hi there - I’m going to Japan in October and my partner and I would love to spend 2 nights at a ryokan.

Reading through reddit it seems Hakone is quite touristy so would love any recommendations for any areas known for ryokan and onsen that we can look into, ideally within 2 or 4 hours of Tokyo - bonus points if you have any specific ryokans you can recommend. Thank you!

Edit: budget wise we are happy to splurge - our main priority is having an amazing experience :-)

I know I need to use my IC card and purchase an additional limited express ticket at the station. I can't find out how much each charge is going to be though. As I'm leaving today, I purposely let my IC card balance run down. How do I know how much the card will be charged for Shinjuku to Narita T2. Thanks!

I signed up for the lottery to buy Nintendo Museum tickets. Just not sure what time during the day or night the results are drawn.

Anyone have any info?

Hi folks,

My friends and I booked a vacation to Japan that will somewhat overlap with Sakura season. Except we didnt know it was gonna be Sakura season

We've already booked hotels etc, but would be willing to make a day trip somewhere or book a detour somewhere if it's really worth it

Here is our plan

March 18-22nd Tokyo, Nikko

March 23rd- Fuji Lakes area

March 24-March 27th Kyoto, Osaka, Himeji/Nara

March 28th-29 Tokyo Again

Would a tentative Daytrip somewhere be worth it? I understand Sakura season is unpredictable, but would a tentative daytrip somewhere not on this iternarary be possibly worth it?