@maiwanders

the pre-Japan checklist, revised after my sister's trip

• 01Check your passport expiry, 6 months past your return date
• 02Register on Visit Japan Web before you land
• 03Decide IC card vs JR Pass, don't buy both
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onigiri and bento kanji for a rushed 7-eleven stop

japan ticket machine cheat sheet, the words you actually need

• 01切符 (kippu) - ticket
• 02駅 (eki) - station
• 03特急券 (tokkyuken) - limited express ticket
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packing for a ryokan onsen stay, minus the yukata fumbling

• 01Small hand towel (tenugui-sized, not a bath towel)
• 02100 yen coins for the locker
• 03hair tie
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the tōzai line, honestly

• 01Kiba to Monzen-Nakachō, inbound, 7:50-8:30
• 02Car 10 (rearmost, Nishi-Funabashi bound side), weekday mornings
• 03Before 7:15am
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shinkansen with a suitcase: the checklist so you're not that passenger

• 01Measure length + width + height together, not just the biggest side
• 02Confirm the total is over 160cm before you panic-book anything
• 03Reserve the oversized luggage seat if it's 160-250cm
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booking a JR reserved seat the week trains actually sell out

• 01Download the JR-EAST Train Reservation app before you leave, not at the station↗
• 02Register with your passport number and an email you'll actually check
• 03add a credit card, and have a backup ready
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zero to reading a japan rail map without panicking

• 01Start with Google Maps for point to point routing
• 02memorize one line by sight before anything else
• 03get a Suica or Pasmo IC card set up and understand the gates
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the order everyone gets wrong their first onsen

• 01Undress completely in the changing room
• 02Take your small towel to the washing area
• 03Wash and rinse your entire body, seated
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Two weeks in Japan without burning out

• 01Days 1-4: Tokyo, one neighborhood per day
• 02Get Suica on your phone before you land
• 03Skip the JR Pass unless you run the math
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stationery to bring home for a friend who's never been to Japan

• 01Traveler's Company Traveler's Notebook (starter kit)↗
• 02Tsubame Note (W180, plain)
• 03Kokuyo Jibun Techo
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where to actually buy a JR regional rail pass before you land

• 01JR-EAST Find Your Pass↗
• 02JR-EAST Train Reservation (eki-net)↗
• 03JR-WEST Rail Pass page↗
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Ryokan with outdoor baths worth booking a year out

• 01Tsurunoyu Onsen (Nyuto Onsen, Akita)
• 02Kuroyu Onsen (Nyuto Onsen, Akita)
• 03Takaragawa Onsen Osenkaku (Minakami, Gunma)
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onsen day trips that don't need an overnight bag

onsen water types, ranked by what helped my legs

• 01Sulfate springs (硫酸塩泉)
• 02Chloride springs (塩化物泉)
• 03Sodium bicarbonate springs (炭酸水素塩泉)
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the travel gear that survived three Japan trips (and what didn't)

• 01Osprey Farpoint 40↗
• 02Peak Design Packing Cubes (S + M set)
• 03Anker 737 Power Bank (PowerCore 24K)
• ··7 more entries