How to visit Japan without Losing your Shirt

by Rachel Manija Brown

Rachel Manija Brown is a writer in Los Angeles, author of All the Fishes Come Home to Roost, Rodale Books, 2005.  Raised in India, she brings a unique perspective to traveling in Japan.  We thank her for permission to reprint her LiveJournal post here. www.rachelmanijabrown.com.

Apart from the plane tickets, I found Japan to be a pretty cheap country to visit; not cheap like India, but inexpensive for a first-world country.  I'm sure it's very possible to spend your life savings in two days if that's what you really want to do, but if you don't require a lavish hotel or exclusive clubs, but merely want to eat good food and see the sights, I found Japanese cities to be cheaper to visit than comparable European or American cities that I've visited.

The Price Tag.

  a.  The $200 melon.  Yes, this is for real.  No, it is not representative of the cost of groceries.  That is a status symbol, used when you need to give someone a gift of a certain value.  Kind of like giving your boss a Prada purse.  You can't buy one by accident, because 1) they are clearly labeled, 2) the seller will see that you are a confused tourist and warn you.

  b.  "I walked into a bar and had two drinks, and now I owe the yakuza one meeelion dollars!"  This urban legend is all over the place, and also appeared in a Lewis Shiner story in Wild Cards.  This is not going to happen to you.  Do you accidentally walk into exclusive gourmet restaurants where an appetizer costs $50 in your own country and eat an entire meal, thinking all the while that you're in a neighborhood joint?  Well, you're not going to do that in Japan either.  Excruciatingly expensive places look excruciatingly expensive; neighborhood joints look like neighborhood joints.  Also, prices are typically listed on menus outside, and if not, they'll be listed inside.  If you're really worried, ask.

Lodging.

The hotel room in my icon is Crossroads, a charming bed-and-breakfast in the heart of Kyoto.  It cost about $40/night.

There are various types of hotels, and differences from western hotel norms.  Rates, for instance, are charged per person, not per room, so you will generally not save money by sharing a room.

Western-style beds may be narrow, and futons on the floor feel similar to mattresses.  If you are tall or large, you may be better off with a futon.  Also, pillows at Japanese-style hotels are sometimes filled with a substance that feels much like gravel.  I recommend bringing a small pillow if you have not experienced this before and are not sure that you will like it.

Every meal I have ever had at a hotel which offered Japanese food was delicious.  However, you do not get to pick from a menu, so be cautious of this option if you have food allergies or extensive food aversions.  Otherwise, I find Japanese breakfasts (rice, pickles, miso soup, fish) to be particularly delicious, and hard to obtain outside of hotels.

Finally, hotels may be extremely hard to find, even with maps.  As you will probably need to ask directions (possibly repeatedly), I recommend that you have your map, the name of the hotel, and Japanese for "Excuse me.  Which way is [hotel]?" written down and in hand when you leave the train station.

Food.

Otherwise, look around.  Go to neighborhood joints.  Try new things.  Places that look inexpensive will be inexpensive.  If you don't know how to order something, point to the thing you want out of the plastic food in the window.

If you are daring, especially at a sushi restaurant, you may sit at the counter and say "Omakase."  That means "chef's choice."  You may want to establish a price range first.  I've had some of the best meals of my life doing that.

Many restaurants only serve one thing: different types of eel (delicious!), or ramen, or sushi, or fried things on skewers.  You will know what it is from the plastic food displays in the windows.

Generally, food is terrific.  I have averaged one meal per trip that I didn't care for -- that's in three weeks of traveling.

Drink.

Yes, that is hot canned coffee in the vending machines -- wonderful on a chilly morning.

Transportation.

If you're not going to leave the Tokyo/Yokohama area, don't bother with a rail pass.  If you're going to city-skip, you'll need one.  They are expensive but necessary if you're planning to travel long distances.

The subways and trains are confusing, no way around it.  Stops are announced, but it's still confusing.  Get a subway and train map, and frequently ask for help.

Regarding gropers on the subways, I am sure that this is a genuine problem.  I never encountered it, though.  My guess is that like getting mugged in New York, if you live there it is likely to happen to you eventually, but it's no reason to avoid a visit.

Regarding people in white gloves shoving passengers into subways like sardines, this apparently exists, but I never saw it.  I would recommend avoiding subways at rush hour, though, just because they're crowded and you may not be able to sit down.

Getting lost in Tokyo.

The little buildings on corners with cops sitting in them are koban-- police boxes.  They exist to help lost people.  Go in and ask for help.  If the cop does not speak English, say, "[place] wa doko desu ka?"  Try to get him to draw you a map.  He will be happy to help you out.

Or ask strangers.  They may not know where you are, but if they do, they will be sympathetic.  At any given time, Tokyo has thousands of lost tourists wandering about in circles.

As a last resort, if you get really hopelessly lost, you may have to go to the nearest train or subway station and take it to a stop you're familiar with.

People.

Books.

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