Jobs in Japan for non-Japanese Speakers

I'm getting straight to the point in this blog post. I get this question a lot and I know a bit about the topic just from researching for myself (I'm being hopeful). For those of you who are reading this and know Japanese extremely well, start considering taking the JLPT N2 or N1. The Japanese Language Proficiency Test goes from level 5 to 1, 5 being the lowest level. If you can pass the N2 or N1 test you can have the chance to work for a Japanese company. Not only that, but a lot of companies will be expecting you to have a four year college degree, or bachelors degree. You could work at a restaurant, an office, or some other regular job you could get in your own country. As much as English is becoming a universal language Japan is still majority Japanese which it should be.

Now, for those who don't have any proficiency in Japanese or even just a tad you are in the category of jobs for English speakers.There aren't many to choose from, and some jobs are harder to get than others. Let's go over some jobs.

Don't Get Offended in Japan

Whether you're going to Japan as a tourist, a student, or a long-term resident you shouldn't get offended in Japan. You are the visitor in that country which means you should be trying to grow accustomed to the Japanese lifestyle and mannerisms. Even if you don't try to be accommodating to them, you should at least try to be more understanding. Japan does some things way differently than other cultures that can come across rude but it them it is normal behavior. When people don't try to understand the culture they are temporarily living in they may get offended by actions that are not meant to be taken in a offensive way.

I'll be sharing three gestures/mannerisms in the Japanese culture that may seem rude to other cultures. Be open-minded and understanding about these gestures so you can avoid taking it the wrong way when you go to Japan. Not all Japanese people do these things, but it is very common.

Public Transportation Etiquette in Japan

One of the most common and popular ways to get around Japan is through public transportation. Cars are not convenient for an every day commute to work or even going into the city to hang out with friends. The parking is limited and costly at times, and there's also a ton of traffic in the bigger cities. Cars are convenient for more rural areas outside of the city or to use for weekend getaways. But since we're talking about an every day use, public transportation is the way to go even though it sometimes has its own inconveniences.

Everything You Need to Know About Pokémon Go

I have been a huge Pokémon fan since forever it seems like. I grew up with generation 1 Pokémon and have followed the game and anime series throughout all its generations. So when I heard that a mobile app game for Pokémon was coming out I was stoked! It's like a dream come true to many of us who have imagined ourselves as Pokémon masters and travel with a set of Pokémon. Now that dream is a reality, in a way. I'm going to tell you everything you need to know about this game.
P.S. I really love this game!

Habits You'll Come Back with from Japan

The most time I've spent in Japan was when I studied abroad. When you study abroad in Japan, it's like you're living there. Once you're in a place for so long you start to pick up habits from the lifestyle. Now, if you weren't a big fan of the lifestyle you'll probably go home being your old self. If you enjoyed and respected the lifestyle, like I did, you'll go back home with the habits you've learned while living in Japan.

So without further ado, here are some habits I picked up in Japan!

Visiting Japan on a Budget While Becoming Fluent in Japanese

I'm super excited about this post! This post is done by my guest blogger, Japanese Talk Online. This is my first time collaborating with another blogger so I'm really happy to be introducing her to my readers. We met through a mutual reader/friend and our passion for educating people about Japan made it easy for us to work together. I hope to do more collaborations with her in the future. I'll have her bio and contact down below, but for now let's get on with the blog!

Fathers in Japan

That's right! It's Father's Day, and so I'll be telling you about the father's role in a Japanese household. I have previously done a blog post about mothers in Japan, so it's only right that I talk about the fathers now. As a brief recap, mothers are typically the ones who take care of the house and kids. They will make all decisions regarding these things. If you'd like to learn more about this topic you can click here to go to my blog post on mothers in Japan.

So after reading my blog post on moms you may be wondering what is left for the dads. It may sound simple to most people but it's a very important task that helps the family a lot, and that task is working a job. Yep, the dads need to work.

Japan has a different work mentality than any other country. The people take pride in their work and strive to always do better. If you asked a young Japanese person if they saw their dads a lot when they were little they'd probably tell you something like "I'd barely see him." That's completely normal in Japan. The reason for this is because of the work mentality I was talking about. It is understood that the fathers will go to work early and come home late. I remember my own father would come home at about 5 o'clock in the evening. He'd eat dinner with the family and we would all be in the living room watching the television together. In Japan, dads won't come home until about 9 o'clock at night. There are several reason for this. First, the wives except their husbands to come home at late hours. If the men come home early it is a sign that they have not worked hard enough. Second reason, after work hours are over in the office or field it is appropriate to go out drinking with your boss and coworkers. This is except of an employee and it also gives the employee a good word for himself with his boss. It is important to get good with the boss as it could possibly lead to better opportunities at work. Lastly, a father could be coming home late from work because of the work hours in general. It is common for some employees to stay at work until the boss leaves. Even if the employee has finished all their work for the day they'd look for more work to do until their boss is ready to leave. Once the boss is ready to leave the work place the employees will follow.

Father spending time with his family.

Now, even though the work life is a bit hard and keeps the fathers away from their families it's not like the children never see their dads. There are sometimes weekends off and then there are vacations and holidays. The quality time they do spend with their family is typically a good experience. They'll either stay at home and spend time together or go out. Families go out to shopping malls and museums to spend time with each other. There are even times families will go on vacation to resorts. Dads in Japan try to create memories with their families while balancing a hard and sometimes stressful job in order to supply and take care of their families.

I hope you learned a bit about Japanese dads and what they go through in order to take care of their families. It's a dad's duty to take care of their family no matter what country they are from. But with the unique Japanese work mentality Japanese dads have to work around their jobs.

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Fast Food Places to Try in Japan

When you travel to Japan you probably plan on eating more traditional, notable foods that are distinct to the country. Why would you spend money on a plane ticket to Japan just to eat food you can get in your own country? Well, that's because Japan does things differently with their food. Their own cuisine and culture influences other foods they've taken from other countries. So, is it worth visiting well-known fast food chains while in Japan? Yes, and I'll tell you why!

McDonald's

Probably one of the most well-known fast food chains around the world. McDonald's in Japan is an experience in itself. Not only does the quality of McDonald's food seems better in Japan, but they have menu items that are not common in other countries. On the Japan menu, they have teriyaki burgers which is always a nice option if you want a different kind of hamburger. And they also have a menu item called Shaka Shaka Chicken which is a thin fried chicken breast that comes in a paper pouch. You can order it with any of the available seasonings put pour into the bag and shake the chicken to coat it with the selected seasoning. Not only do they have different permanent items but McDonald's Japan has great seasonal items such as items available during cherry blossom season in the spring. So check out a McDonald's when you get to Japan, it's an experience.

Mos Burger

I said fast food chains, but I said nothing about American chains only. Mos Burger is a Japanese chain that sells typically items such as burgers, fries, nuggets, hot dogs, and onion rings. Of course it's not going to be just any regular hamburger. There are different kinds of hamburgers due to the use of Japanese ingredients. Mos Burger has a teriyaki burger, a spicy miso burger, and a katsu burger. These are just a few of their burgers on their menu that are distinct to Japan. If you ever get the chance to go to Mos Burger I suggest trying their onion rings. They have some of the best onion rings I've ever tasted. Here is my order at Mos Burger: A teriyaki burger with an order of onion rings and a melon soda. I get this all the time. It's so delicious!

KFC

The fast food chain for all chicken lovers. KFC is extremely popular in Japan. The chicken dishes are very good, with the chicken being very tasty and juicy (nothing is worse than dry chicken). But the reason for KFC's popularity in Japan is due to its Christmas dinners. On Christmas Eve it is customary to stand in a long line to get a chicken meal for Christmas. A long time ago, Japan didn't celebrate Christmas. It was two foreigners in Japan who were looking for a Christmas turkey substitute. Their best option was KFC chicken. This tradition spread across Japan as the holiday was beginning to be celebrated. Now Christmas is highly marketed in Japan with KFC as the face of Christmas.

Coco Ichibanya

This is another Japanese fast food chain that I highly recommend trying. Coco Ichibanya is a Japanese curry house. Japanese curry is a thick curry over rice. Coco Ichibanya has many different kinds of curry to try from the typical pork or chicken katsu to other kinds such as cheese curry and sausage curry. Not only do they have many curry options but another option to consider is the level of heat. You can get medium curry which has no level of spice. The scale of spiciness is from 1-10. Curry starts to get pretty spicy at level 3, but is still enjoyable. Level 5 or 6 will start to make you sweat. Level 10, well, it'll make you cry and probably go to the bathroom. You would be getting level 10 curry on a dare or something because you will not be able to taste the curry due to how spicy it is. Coco Ichibanya is available in the U.S., with chains in Hawaii and California.

I hope you'll try these fast food chains in Japan. It's a different experience than what you're probably used to. These are my favorite ones, so you'll definitely find something you'll like.

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Stories from Japan- Arashiyama's Bamboo Forest

While studying in Japan I made it my goal to experience as much of Japan as possible. Since the study abroad program was stationed in Kyoto it was pretty easy to explore all of Kyoto. One of the areas I explored and my favorite is Arashiyama. On this particular day that I was in Arashiyama a group of us were trying to go to Monkey Mountain where we could feed the monkeys but it closed early. So we decided to walk around the Arashiyama area to figure something else out.

Stories From Japan- Sumimasen

Story Time!!!!

This story is back from when I was studying abroad in Japan. It was our first night in Kyoto, Japan, and we were exploring the city. It was getting dark and we were getting a little hungry. In Japan a lot of places will have either displays or signs outside their restaurant to show samples of their food. My newly acquired friends and I decided to try a restaurant around the Shijo area which is the shopping district of Kyoto. I think the restaurant is called Kyoto. The food looked good and I was being as adventurous yet so I wanted someplace that had American food. We had to walk up some stairs to get to this place.

Anime Analysis: Death Parade

I’ve been asked many times to do anime reviews. I’ve declined these requests because I find reviews to be a pain. Why should I give my opinion on something when people aren’t really interested in my opinion? And not only that, I need to try to sound smart in my review because my pure enjoyment of the anime alone doesn’t count. There are tons of anime that I really like that have a lot of problems in it, but people seem to think if there are a lot of problems with it, then it’s no good. This is why I can’t do reviews. That and it feels like I’m back in my freshman English class critiquing a story for each element such as plot, character, setting, and so on.

I would rather write on a deeper level when it comes to anime because anime is more than a cartoon. Anime has the ability to each people values and lessons in life. I know many anime that has inspired me in ways reality can’t. So instead of anime reviews, you’ll be seeing anime analysis posts from me, starting with this one.

TokyoTreat Review

This is by far the best snack/candy subscription box I've come across. It's going to be hard to get any better then TokyoTreat. I would usually give you the good, the bad, and whatever else I have to say about this box but there's really only good to TokyoTreat. I'm reviewing TokyoTreat with having experienced two months worth of boxes, the April and May box. I write these reviews solely to help people decide on what they should spend their money on, and if you need to spend your money on a monthly subscription box full of Japanese snacks then this is a box well worth it.

Let's get started!

I fully enjoyed these boxes from TokyoTreat. As you may or may not know, I've already done a review on the popular, well-known Japan Crate. In review, it was an okay box but I felt it wasn't worth the money. The snacks and candies were not thought out well enough in my opinion. TokyoTreat fixes all of this and has brought new light into snack boxes for me. The candies and snacks in TokyoTreat are more thought out for the consumers and are realistic snacks people eat in Japan. It's well diverse in its types of candies and snacks, from chips to dyi kits to flavored candies. There will always be something for everyone.

Now, like all snack subscription boxes there are sizes. TokyoTreat has small, regular, and premium. Just like when I tried Japan Crate, I bought the premium box for TokyoTreat. It is well worth it. You get all the snacks from the small and regular boxes plus all the candy included from the premium box. The premium box also contains a drink, a special merchandise of some kind, and a dyi kit. For $35.00 and free shipping that's a pretty good deal. If you're not game for spending $35.00 a month, I totally understand. The small boxes are $15.00 and the regular are $25.00. With these boxes you can only get a few snacks and a regular gets the dyi kit. No drink and special item for these two boxes. I suggested this before but it could be a good idea to share with a friend. You could both split the cost of the box and share all the snacks. Whatever can't be shared can get claimed by a good game of rock-paper-scissors.

The snacks!!! I am in love with these snacks TokyoTreat chooses. The snacks are ones that are popular in Japan and taste delicious. In the April box, my favorite snacks were the custard flavor Koala's March from Lotte and the yakisoba flavored Baby Star snack. For May, there were a ton of green tea flavored snacks. There was no way to go wrong with these. In addition to the green tea snacks, for those who may not be green tea fans, there were other great snacks in the May box such as Raspberry Kit Kats and the different flavored Umaibou snacks. The drinks were great too! April had the Sakura Pepsi which tasted like bubblegum cola and May had Green Tea Soda. The two were okay tasting but I was more thrilled about getting that experience of trying these drinks without having to be in Japan.

And for all of you who are into the "weird Japan" related snacks, they even cater to you. Unlike like other boxes it's not filled with only the "weird Japan" snacks. TokyoTreat supplies that one snack that would be very adventurous to none Japanese residents. In April they supplied dried nori (seaweed) and wasabi crisps and in May they had spicy cod snacks. I say "weird Japan" because that's what a lot of people think of these flavors, but in reality these flavors are normal over in Japan.

So overall, I loved this Japanese snack subscription box, TokyoTreat. I've kept the monthly subscription that I signed up for. My husband and I look forward in seeing what will come to us. And as a bonus, the pamphlet that comes in the box is really nice too, showing the descriptions of all the snacks and even has little Japanese folklore stories inside. Like I said before, you really can't go wrong with TokyoTreat!

I hope you enjoyed this review. I think it's pretty helpful for those who are looking for the perfect snack subscription box. Follow me on all my social media for more Japan related things! Thanks again!

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Moms in Japan

The lifestyle in Japan is changing with the times. Women are starting to focus on making a career than settling down. Some women even do both career and motherhood. But there are women in Japan who value motherhood as a full time job along with many other responsibilities. In the spirit of Mother's Day I'll share the tasks mothers have in Japan. In no way am I saying they are superior to mothers in any other country because that's just ignorant. This is solely to educate about Japanese culture in a Japanese home. I got to hear a lot about the Japanese household life from my tour guide when I went on a tour in Japan, and I'd like to share this bit of knowledge with you.

If You Like New Orleans, You'll Like Japan Pt.2

So a long while ago when I first started blogging I did a really popular topic called "If You Like New Orleans, You'll Like Japan." If you haven't checked it out yet click here. This article drove it home for me because I consider New Orleans and Japan my homes. They are places that I hold dear to my heart. New Orleans is my physical home, it's where I live and build my life. Japan is my emotional home, where I connect well with society and the way of life (this will be another topic I'll talk about in the future).

I wrote the first part of "If You Like New Orleans, You'll Like Japan" as therapy, this is called Japan Therapy after all. I miss Japan all the time, so I decided to write a blog post for myself in order to cope with not being in Japan. I figured that writing similarities about Japan and New Orleans would help, and it did.

Now, I'm writing this part two for a lot more people than myself. I'm writing to those of you who went to Japan to visit and are missing it like I am. I'm writing to those who aren't knowledgeable enough about Japan to realize how amazing of a place it is. I'm writing to those of you who live in New Orleans like I do but don't know just how close your city is in relation to Japan. I started this blog as therapy for myself, but now I've been on this mission to educate people about Japan. And if you don't live in New Orleans but love Japan, maybe this will give you a reason to visit New Orleans sometimes. Both are very unique places.

Let's get down to business.

12 Places You Need to Go in Kyoto

If you follow me on social media, you know my favorite city in Japan is Kyoto. Having studied abroad in Kyoto has played a role in that decision, but I really do like how Kyoto has the best of both worlds. There's that traditional aspect of life in Kyoto due to it's history has Japan's old capitol and the more modern lifestyle that has grown has times have been changing. If you want to see nature, Kyoto offers some of the best sights. If you want to experience the city life, Kyoto has a great shopping district with entertainment, shops, and restaurants.

I'm going to offer you 12 places that should be experiences. It'll range from famous landmarks to places that aren't advertised as much. If I haven't been to a place then it won't be on this list. I'm only mentioning places I've been to and have found to be either fun or interesting. They are in no particular order.

1. Fushimi Inari

This is one of the most famous shrines in Japan. Not only is it beautifully set in the southern mountains of Kyoto but it can also be used as a great form of exercise. If you are an outdoors kind of person then you'll enjoy walking the whole path at Fushimi Inari that goes up the mountain and back down. As you're walking the path, you'll be going under a bunch of gates. Facing forwards the gates look ordinary but once you turn around you'll see Kanji written all over that are names of people who contributed to the shrine. If you're more of just a sightseer then you can just walk a bit of the path like I did and enjoy the shops located at the bottom

Doki Doki Crate Review

Some of you mat already know this but Doki Doki Crate is a monthly subscription box full of goodies that represent Japanese kawaii (cute) culture. This box is from Japan Crate, a monthly subscription box full of Japanese snacks. I've already done a review of the Japan Crate that you can check out here. If you've read my review you'd remember I wasn't too happy with Japan Crate as their selection of snacks was not up to par and because of that I didn't find it worth the subscription since you'd just keep on getting too any snacks you'd be disappointed in. With Doki Doki Crate I have the opposite opinion. But I will tell you all of the good, the bad, and the kawaii. Let's get started!

I'm specifically reviewing the April Doki Doki Crate that was themed as arcade. Arcades in Japan are pretty awesome. The crate was inspired by the UFO catcher/crane games. The prizes you can find in these games are plushies, figures, toys, and snacks.

How to Memorize Japanese Vocabulary

I'm currently learning Japanese, as many of you may be learning too. I have mastered hiragana and katakana and have learned all the particles such as は、の、を、が、に、etc. Basically what I'm missing are the words. I don't know why, but I have the hardest time trying to remember vocabulary. And if I want to start speaking Japanese, I think it's pretty important to have some vocabulary down.

Well, lately, I've been studying like crazy (crazy meaning when I have the time which is like a hour a day). I think I've finally got the swing of things with learning the vocabulary and I'd like to share it with you. I'm pretty old school when it comes to studying so my method of studying involves flashcards.

So here's how I do it, in two easy steps.

Female Anime Characters as My Role Models

It's amazing how people choose role models. Most of the time they're real people such as family, celebrities, or maybe just a random person they've met. I can't say I truly have a role model who is real. There's not too many people I can actually look up to in real life, as sad as that sounds. The reason for this most likely comes from my own sense of morals I have developed over the years. My morals are greatly influenced by Japanese culture, a culture that is unique to the country. So as you can see, I can't really look up to many people in real life. Don't get me wrong, there are some things I can recognize in a few people that are notable qualities but it doesn't measure up to the nonredeemable parts. But it's okay if I don't have a real life role model. A role model doesn't have to be physically by you all the time, just somebody you can look up to.

I found my role models through anime. I have watched many anime and read a ton of manga. There are so many anime that I've seen that some shows are a distant memory, making room for new shows as they come out. But there are those anime that just stand out and will be remembered forever. I have quite a few anime like this, that were so life changing that I'd never forget the characters' names or the plot of the story. In the anime that are most important to me are characters that I can look up to and really improve myself through their characteristics.

Here are my female anime character role models!

Remembering Tohoku 5 Years Later

On March 11, 2011, a horrible occurrence happened on the other side of the world. Japan had a massive earthquake in its territory resulting in a tsunami wiping out most, if not all, the coastal area of the Tohoku prefecture. It was a devastating natural disaster that altered many lives in that region. This disaster is most known for the Fukushima radiation leak that occurred because of the tsunami. There are only a handful of natural disasters that were this big. One of them that is close to home for me personally is Hurricane Katrina in 2005. It's hard to go through an event like that but it's great to see actual progress and people living their lives again.

Planning a Trip to Japan

You could go the easy route and pay a travel agent to plan your trip but that'll cost you a lot of money, money that you may not even have. It's a lot of work, but planning your own trip to Japan is fun and affordable. I've been to Japan twice already and have announced my third trip on social media already. I'm not going until November, but I have a few friends who are going in the spring and summer so I thought I'd push this article up on my to do list. So here are the steps you need to take to plan a trip to Japan.

Step 1: Book Your Flight

I already did a blog post about the flight. You can check it out here. I discuss the cost, the length, and the food to expect. But I'll mention a few things again. Normally you'd book your flight as soon as your prospective date is available. I knew I wanted to go in November, around the Thanksgiving holiday. I checked the United Airlines website every month to see when November was available. I just booked my flight a few days ago, so you should be able to book your flight 8-9 month before hand. The flight can range in price. I find it ranges from $1,200-$1,500 for a two-way flight. This may be expensive to so people, and it is. The airfare can be the most expensive part of your Japan trip. There are ways to get cheaper tickets though. The first is to get a miles credit card. You know how some credit cards gives you point towards every purchase? Well, some airlines have credit cards that gives you miles. This is how I got my plane tickets to Japan. In two years my husband and I accumulated enough miles for free flights. Another way to get cheaper tickets is by following websites who have special offers. Websites I've heard of for this is Orbitz and Groupon. Now you would have to look for yourself every so often in order to catch these deals. The best way to be notified about these deals is by following bloggers who specialize in Japan airfare deals. They're out there and ready to use. If you use these tickets they will most likely come with a set date to be used. This may make your trip a little rushed so all these other steps I'm mentioning would need to be done as soon as possible.

Step 2: Planning Your Itinerary

What does this involve? Well, when you go to Japan where do you want to go? Do you just want to stay in Tokyo the whole time? (I'll be doing that in 2020). Do you want to see the main three cities of Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka? Or do you want to see as many places as possible during your stay? Planning an itinerary will help with two other steps: buying a train pass and booking hotels. So plan out where you want to go. For example, my husband and I already have a game plan on what cities we want to visit: Nagoya, Nagano, Kyoto, Osaka, Kobe, Matsue, and Tokyo. Since we plan to go to more than three cities and they aren't too close to each other it is beneficial to buy train passes. If we were only going to the three main cities we wouldn't need a train pass. Next is to plan how long you'd like to stay in each city. I haven't planned the exact days yet but I know what cities I'll be needing a hotel for. Finally, add detail to your itinerary by making a list of things you want to see and do in each city. If you're not sure where to visit or what to do visit a Japan guide website. I actually work as a freelance writer for a guide site called Japanistas. I liked their past work and decided they were a good fit for me than all the other websites. If you visit their website they have a ton of guides and articles on things to do in many of the cities in Japan.

(Optional) Step 3: Purchase a Train Pass

This is optional because, like I mentioned in the Itinerary section, if you're not planning to do much traveling in Japan it's not worth getting. But for those who will be doing a lot of traveling, like myself, it is in your best interest to purchase a train pass. By the time you use the pass three times you would probably already have used its worth. This train pass is called the Japan Rail Pass and it is good for all Japan Railway systems. This pass needs to be purchased before you leave for Japan. A voucher will be mailed to you and you'll have to present it to a major Japan Railway station once you've arrived in Japan. Once you obtain your pass, you'll have to use the manned gates for officials to look at your pass (some may ask for your passport as identification). Visit http://www.japanrailpass.net/en/ to see what pass will work for your trip.

Step 4: Book Your Hotel

Unless you're planning to travel to Japan in the next month or two, booking a hotel should be done about 4 months in advance or when the reservation is available. Now, there are two ways to book a hotel for Japan. You can either use a travel site such as Travelocity and Hotels or you can book a reservation with the hotel of choice directly. I won't go into detail on using the travel sites because those are pretty easy since many of you have probably already used those sites before. To book a room directly is a bit harder, especially for those who may not know the hotels in Japan. I will tell you all how I do it. First, I go to the city's website I'll be visiting. I'll use Kyoto as an example since it's my favorite city in Japan. So I would google search Kyoto, and their website should appear in the first four selections (http://kyoto.travel/en/). I'd go to their website and select the "plan your visit" section and choose accommodations since I'm trying to book a hotel. Japan has many kinds of hotels, but the ones that book reservations in advance are ryokans and and western style hotels. A ryokan which are traditional Japanese hotels will most likely be cheaper than western style hotels. If you're going for a cheaper route booking a ryokan would be in your best interest but research about ryokans before booking one because they are very unique hotels. For my trip, I'll be looking for a hotel. Once I click the hotel option it gives me names of all the hotels. Pick any hotel and it'll give you a link to that hotel's website. Tada! You can now book a room directly with the hotel of your choosing.

Step 5: Plan Your Arrangements

Do you have children or pets? You'll need a babysitter. Start asking friends or family members about house sitting or babysitting. House hitting usually requires someone who can stop by your house to make sure everything is okay, like no one has broken in, and to get your mail. Have a car? If you're leaving for two weeks or longer you might want to give your car keys to someone you trust. Let them have the responsibility of starting up your car every few days just so your car will work when you get back home from Japan. Have a job? Start giving your vacation notice to your manager. Pretty much get done whatever needs to be done before you leave for Japan.

Step 6: Make a Packing Check List

Start packing the week before the trip to decrease your stress levels. Trust me, if you wait until the day or night before you will be a very angry and stressed out person which will put a damper on your trip. If you need assistance in thinking of things to bring you can refer to my post on items to bring. 

Step 7: Double Check

I don't care if you made a list and already check stuff off, double check! Make sure you have everything, especially your passport and boarding pass for your flight.

And lastly, enjoy your trip! You'll have so much fun no matter if you are taking a solo trip or going with a friend or significant other. Take a ton of pictures to have as keepsakes and value your time in Japan.

Thank you for reading. I hope this helps many of you who are starting to plan a trip to Japan and for those who will plan a trip in the future. If you liked this post, please check out my other posts about Japan. Also follow me on social media for more things Japan related.

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