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@@RondaLaxton-ht7xf Kyoto is very hilly and there are extremely steep trails. Near the attractions/temples it’s primarily a walking town, versus a commuter traveler town. But since I don’t want to make assumptions about your mom’s abilities or tolerance for steep hills, here’s what I would recommend… On Google Maps, there’s a feature where you can do 360° immersive views of a location, called Street View. If you google, “Google Maps 360 View”, you’ll see what I mean. That way you can search Kyoto and view the terrains of some of the areas. As a starting point you can put in Higashiyama, which is one of the main parts of Kyoto. Another option that I definitely recommend is to search for a Kyoto walking tour on RUclips. There are excellent walking tour videos of most of the cities in Japan and they should give you a great sense of what your mom might be able to handle during your trip. Let me know if either of these suggestions are helpful.

@@angiejas1579 I’m not quite sure if locations in Japan accept Apple Pay, but the digital Suica card is the best alternative, since it gets rid of the need to choose between Visa/MC/AmEx enabled cards. Once you load money on it, you can use it anywhere that accepts IC Cards.

Hi @yoonchun, for something like this I want to make sure I give you the 100% correct information just to make sure you're safe on all accounts. This is the best website to refer to for information about medicine declarations. It's from the US Embassy and it tells you everything you need to know, including the forms you might need for certain declarations: jp.usembassy.gov/services/importing-medication/ I hope this helps. Let me know if you have any additional questions at all.

Amazing, Michael!! You guys will be there right in time for the Cherry Blossoms and there are sooooo many festivals in both Tokyo and Osaka that you'll be able to enjoy. I'm excited for you!! 😁

As far as I have ever known, there is no fee for loading money from your credit card to the Japanese Suica. It's done in the same way as you use your Apple Wallet, so you should be fine! Can you explain a little more what you mean about withdrawing cask from the Suica Card at 7-Eleven? You can withdraw money from the ATM with your debit card, but as far as I know you cannot use your Suica card to withdraw money. Is that what you mean?

@@VoyagesJapanthanks!

Hi Caroline, the option between getting an eSIM for your phone or renting a portable wifi will depend on your travel situation in Japan. Let me explain... If you'll be traveling alone or if you don't think you'll need a lot of data on your trip (for surfing the web, connecting to Google Maps, etc.) an eSIM might be the preferable option. That way you won't have to carry around a portable wifi device, or worry about the hassle of renting, picking up, returning the device, etc. eSIMs also come in handy in situations like the TeamLab Borderless attraction in Tokyo, where you have to store your bag in your locker. With an eSIM you can still have access to the web without needing to carry the pocket device with you. The other benefit of an eSIM is that you won't have to worry about carrying around an additional charger (one for your phone and one for the portable wifi). The eSIM will only rely on the phone's battery. But there are situations where a portable wifi might be more convenient. If you're traveling in a larger group of people or with your family, having a pocket Wifi will allow multiple people/devices to connect to wifi at the same time. If you tried doing the same with an eSIM, you'd have to set up a hotspot on your phone and that will drain your battery faster. The other benefit of having a pocket wiFI is that if you're staying for a longer period of time, it might be more cost-effective. Especially if you think you'll be using it a lot. Some pocket wifi plans have unlimited data or high data caps, while you're usually more limited with eSIM data. Just like in the States, relying on wifi for streaming, video calls, etc, instead of using your data, is always a more stable and [usually] cheaper option. So apologies for the long answer, but I hope this helps you to sort out what will be best for your travel situation. I personally always go with a Pocket wifi, and the reason is because I prefer to have "unlimited" access to the web, and I don't really make too many data calls from Japan. Let me know if this helps.

@@Janocte88 Hi there, was there a message in Japanese next to the penguin? Feel free to email me at kelly@voyagesjapan.com with a screenshot and I can try to help troubleshoot.

@@tarajadebrown Awesome!! I’m really glad this was useful. I have a few more helpful and practical videos coming up soon, so be sure to check back in before your trip! ☺️

@@findstr.s-hi-c._w Great tip! I know it might seem like common sense, but it’s really not. I know it totally confused me the first time I went. I’m really glad you brought that up.

Hi Denise, I would recommend getting there by 6 or 7am to avoid the crowds as much as possible. If you’re a photography fan, you’ll enjoy getting some photos of the surroundings at sunrise-ish time. The bus tours usually start getting in at around 8:00/8:30 and they’re usually super packed, so I’m glad you’re planning to get there early!

Thank u! This really helps!!

@@Enigma-ew5oh You’ve made a great point. The most unfortunate part of Google My Maps is that for some reason, all of the transportation modes aren’t showing. However, once you load your map in Google Maps, you’ll be able to find directions/options between locations just as you normally would in Google Maps. To load your Google My Maps into Google Maps, open the Google Maps app on your phone and at the bottom of your screen you should see 3 icons on the navigation menu. Press the bookmark icon that says “You”. Near the bottom of that screen you should see a small circular icon that says “Maps” underneath it. You can load your Google My Maps itinerary from there, and when you click on one of your itinerary icons you will have access to the normal directions function. I’m basing those instructions on an iPhone layout so it might differ slightly on the Android layout of Google Maps. But let me know if this helps to solve the issue you’re having.

@@Money_Man_Meech OMG!!! That comment made my day!! My whole year! 🤩 I’m so so glad the tips helped out on your trip. You have no clue how much that means to me. It’s so important that we all share our experiences to help others enjoy theirs even more. Thank you thank you for sharing and for being a part of this community. AWESOME note!!

@@anaverschoor3959 Hahahaha! You’re the only one who has pointed it out. It’s like you’ve found Waldo! :) Made me laugh. Thank you for watching and for the great comment! :)

@@teenie Great question! You would tell them you’re paying with Suica. Apple Pay is simply holding the card in the wallet and allowing you to load and reload it with money. But the actual Suica card is what will register with their system.

@@trishmacmillan4646 Awesome, Trish! So glad it worked for you. Thank you for sharing the update on Visa usage 😎

That's going to be a huge saving! But if you go back a second time, consider renting a car and taking a road trip to some of the places outside of Tokyo. There are some REALLY awesome places that are pretty surreal. Look up "Hill of the Buddha" and "Biei Japan" on Google. Worth the car rental. But for your first time there, 2 weeks just staying in Tokyo is going to be VERY well spent!! Great idea.

You're very welcome. Thank you for watching!!

@@Tmill2905 Thank you for watching, Tracey!

@@asheirahs_nook You’re very very welcome! It really does come in handy while you’re there. If you have a chance, be sure to try out the 360° view on Google Maps. It’s really cool to get a view of the places you might want to visit ahead of time. Have an amazing trip! And if you’re planning on visiting Kyoto for the leaf viewing, be sure to download the free Kyoto guide. It has some cute restaurants and activities to check out. Enjoy your trip and safe travels!

@@711Arigna You’re very welcome! Thank you for watching.

@@PoppyCollins-lg4bd Awesome, Poppy!

@@Nancy-zi6kd Yes!!! I’m so very glad it was helpful for you. You’re welcome, Nancy!

@@trektn Noted. Thank you for the feedback and for taking the time to watch.

@keremyaka1, I agree. The best solution is to find a debit/credit card without foreign transaction fees. For example, I just got an email the other day from AmEx notifying me that they are temporarily suspending foreign transaction fees on one of my cards. It would be the perfect time to travel to Japan, given the volatility of the Yen right now, coupled with no transaction fees. You can't get a better combination than that. I always recommend applying for a card specifically for your trip if you have the ability to do so. Or simply use the ATMs in Japan in a very deliberate way, to avoid making multiple transactions. Also, reducing the number of credit card transactions while in Japan is a huge factor that travelers rarely consider. Glad you brought this point up.

😅 Hahaha! Just start practicing now. You'll get it down!

@@michaelmaslo3937 If you and your wife end up doing Kyoto as well, be sure to download the free guide. It’s a quick 3-day itinerary with ideas of things to do. Enjoy!

@@michaelmaslo3937 You’re so very welcome, Michael. I’ll be honest, this is my favorite video on the channel, just because it’s so useful and practical if you’re going to Japan. There’s so much to see and do, but organizing all of it can be really difficult. I’m so glad this will be helpful for you and your wife. Cherry blossom season in Tokyo!!! So excited for you! 🤗

@@rossspokes5119 Oh it’s definitely worth a return trip. I have a free guide that you should check out that’s a quick snippet on what to do in 72 hours in Kyoto. I hope you have a chance to go again!

@@VoyagesJapan Cannot wait to Return, Last trip we did Tokyo, Kawaguchiko ( Mt Fuji ) Osaka, Hiroshima, and back to Tokyo. Missed out on Kyoto, Nara. Planning a trip now for October 2025.

@@rossspokes5119 Thank you for sharing!

I don’t know how I missed this comment. But I hope it helped on your trip!! Thank you so much for watching

@@Sophie_kent Great question. For your first time in Japan, my recommendation is to fly into and stay in Tokyo as your base. Then ideally you would take day trips from there, as you see fit. But that all depends on how much time you have in Japan. To be honest, on your first trip there you might want to spend your entire trip in Tokyo. There’s just so much to see and do, depending on your interests. Here, let me explain: Tokyo is broken up into a number of different areas and each of them have a different “vibe” and culture to them. To give you a quick example of the popular parts, Ginza is in Central Tokyo, and that’s where you’ll find some of the top luxury/upscale stores like Chanel and LV and Hermes. It’s one of the shopping capitals of the world when it comes to high end shopping. Akihabara (the famous electronics area and home to the huge SEGA store that you’ve probably seen in lots of movies and videos) is also in Central Tokyo. If you go to Northern Tokyo, you’ll find Ueno Park, which is one of the most famous parks (and first parks) in Tokyo. It’s where most people congregate for Cherry Blossom parties in the Spring. Google a picture. It’s magical. And then moving towards Eastern Tokyo, there’s Asakusa, where you’ll find one of the most sacred and spectacular temples in Japan. It’s where a lot of tourists visit as well, do offer prayers. Daikanyama is in Western Tokyo and it’s my favorite favorite favorite place to go when I’m there. I’m an architecture and design Stan, so it’s like heaven to me. :) I could go on and on…and on about all the different sites in the different parts of Tokyo. But you can see how you could easily spend 3-5 days just getting a feel for Tokyo alone. Especially if it’s your first time visiting And then there are the cities outside of Tokyo, like Kyoto and Osaka and Nara, that are a whole other world to themselves l. Since Kyoto is only 2+ hours from Tokyo by bullet train, it’s the best day trip (more like 2-3 day) trip to explore around. And Osaka has a different vibe from both of those places. And Hiroshima is another day trip further down South in Japan, and it is so much more than the remarkable Peace Memorial Museum. You can take a ferry to Miyajima from Hiroshima to see the iconic red Torii gates that look like they’re floating in the sea. So to answer your question in a very roundabout way, it’s important to plan out what’s super important to you and what you’re interested in. If you feel like some things aren’t as interesting and cool to you, skip them. Don’t just do what every tourist has on their list. Really figure out how you would spend your time and plan your main starting location and day trips around that. Let me know if you have any questions about specific locations. I’m still working on it, but I started an article on the blog that you might find super interesting and helpful. I’ll link to it below. I truly hope this helps to clarify how to plan out your trip and how to situate yourself between Tokyo and the surrounding day trips…. www.voyagesjapan.com/blog/japan-regions

@@VoyagesJapan thank you so much for your detailed answer! I’m planning a solo trip- approx 10 days- in March -navigating Tokyo station and taking the bullet train does intimidate me. But I like your idea of enjoying Tokyo with some day trips. Maybe I can find some tours. Thank you so much. I’ll be reading your blog.

@@Sophie_kent OMG!!! This is going to be so awesome for you! You’re going right in time for leaf-viewing season!! Also, if you need help with navigating trains in Japan, there’s a fantastic video by the Bright Trip RUclips channel you should check out before you go. It’s really well produced and helpful and easy to understand. Here’s the link: ruclips.net/video/2Abrpfj3Aa4/видео.html Have a phenomenal trip and let me know if you have any questions as you’re planning. Always happy to help!

@@VoyagesJapan thank you!

Also Sophie, if you find a tour on Klook.com that you like, you can use the promo code "VOYAGES" for 10% off. But don't feel pressured to go with Klook. There are lots of great tours out there. I just remembered they recently sent me a discount code for the community and I haven't publicized it yet, so I figured I would share it for your trip in case it helps.

@@victormoreno6929 I’m so glad this was helpful! I’ve also been building out the Voyages blog with articles to help people who are planning to visit Japan, which is why I’ve been away from making videos for a while. I haven’t officially marketed the site, but here’s an article I really think might be helpful as you’re starting to plan your trip: www.voyagesjapan.com/blog/plan-your-japan-trip There are a few more articles that are posted but the site is still a work in progress. You’re welcome to browse around to see if there’s anything else you might be able to use. Hope this helps!

@@lautrufend I’m very very sorry for the delay in getting back to you. I was able to find an answer for you here: www.reddit.com/r/JapanTravelTips/s/6YotDGOpPx Let me know if this is helpful for you. I really hope it’s not too late.

@@Xosonybin Have you already loaded the Suica card into your Apple Wallet? Not by downloading the Suica app, but by loading it directly into your Apple Wallet?

@@VoyagesJapan it won’t let me load the suica card on the Apple wallet. I didn’t bother to download the suica app because I heard it’s only in Japanese

@@Xosonybin Ah I see. Well the other option is the Suica app. Fast forward my video to almost the end and there’s a walkthrough for how to get through the Japanese part of the Suica app. I translated it on the video so you know what to enter.

@@VoyagesJapan unfortunately that didn’t work either🥲 but thank you so much!!! I’ll just get the card when I get there

@@Xosonybin Oh man 😔 I’m really sorry it didn’t work. That’s so frustrating. But I do hope you have a wonderful trip. And if you get there and for whatever reason the Suica cards are sold out, remember you have options for the Welcome cards (Welcome Suica and Pasmo Passport), and if you’re going to Kyoto you can pick up an ICOCA card, which will also work in Tokyo. Safe travels and have a wonderful time!!

@@jai_xica7 Hi jai, are you asking if the US Passport works for general travel to Japan? If so, this is the link to the official US Department of State website and it explains what documentation will be needed for US travelers, including Passport requirements. Let me know if this helps. travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages/Japan.html#:~:text=You%20must%20have%20a%20valid,day%20%22visa%20free%22%20entry.

@@tarajadebrown You’re very welcome! There’s a free downloadable checklist in the description. I know there was an overwhelming amount of information on the video so I figured the checklist would help to put it all in an organized form that’s easier to digest. Hope all of this helps!

@@Snags5050 Thank you so much!! I’m so glad the video was helpful. I’m working on the blog right now and there will be even more helpful info if you’re traveling to Japan soon. Also be sure to check out the travel guides. I’ve created some free itineraries that might be helpful. I know that might be a lot all at once, but just letting you know in case you’re planning a trip. Glad to have you as a part of the community! 😊

@@musikain Hi there, this is the official link for purchasing the pass. About midway down the page there is an explanation for the different locations where the pass can be purchased (they’re available to be purchased in Japan, but it can’t be purchased online). Hope this helps! www2.city.kyoto.lg.jp/kotsu/webguide/en/ticket/regular_1day_card_comm.html

@@VoyagesJapan Thank you very much!! This will definitely help us save some money on transportation on our 2-day trip in Kyoto. ❤️

@@musikain That’s what it’s all about!! I’m so glad I could be of help. Be sure to download the Kyoto guide I made as well. It’s just a cute little itinerary with some suggestions for things to do and places to eat while you’re there. I hope you have a wonderful trip!

Hi @hedwigsnape, that's a great question. I was playing with it earlier on my iPhone and I hope these instructions help (it's kind of hard to type it out, but I'll give it a shot!): 1. Go into Google Maps on your phone and on the bottom navigation bar press the "Saved" icon. 2. There are 3 small circular icons on the next screen and the third one should say "Maps". Select that one. 3. Here you should see the maps you've created in Google My Maps. Select the map you want to view on Google Maps. 4. Once the map is loaded, you should see all of the itinerary icons you've created. If you tap on any of them, the dialogue box with the Directions icon should pop up. This functions just like the normal Google Maps turn by turn directions, and this will give you directions from wherever you are to your itinerary marker. Let me know if this is what you were looking for help on and if this works. I want to get to the bottom of this too so that you can use it on your trip! :)

@@VoyagesJapan thank you for your response. I'll try it out!

Thank you so much, Arlene! I'm glad the information was helpful and I'm really grateful that you decided to join the community. Let me now if you have any questions on upcoming trips. I'd be happy to help. New videos and website updates are coming very soon! 😃

Hi @EatTravelWithMe. The normal Suica card does not expire, but you have to use it at least once within a 10 year timeframe for it to stay active. If you have a card from April you will be able to use it when you're there in October. However, if you purchased a Welcome Suica card (the visitor version of the card), it is only valid for 28 days after the first use. So in that case, you won't be able to use it when you return. It all just depends on which type of card you have. Hope that helps!

@@VoyagesJapan Thank you for the helpful info!!!!

Hi @shahinpayani, I would say that it's probably best to use a JR Pass Calculator to determine whether you should buy a JR Pass. I'll leave the link to a couple of them below. The reason I recommend using the calculator is because once you put the different legs of your trip in the calculator, as well as the duration of your stay in each place, it will calculate whether the pass is the best option, or whether you should purchase individual Shinkansen tickets. On surface it looks like you might be better off with individual tickets. I say that because you have a number of legs of your trip where you're staying in staying one place. That means that you wouldn't actually be using it for all of the days that you're static in one location. So you might end up getting a 14-day pass and only using it 4 or 5 times. So the calculator will do the math for you to let you know if it's the more economical choice. Here are the links: www.japan-guide.com/railpass/ www.jrpass.com/farecalculator

Than you @SimpleAndFunDiscovery! I'm glad the tips were helpful.

@@mimitran8569 Hi Mimi, the Welcome Suica will also work in Kyoto and Osaka. All of the features are the same as the normal Suica, with the exception of the 28-day expiration period and the fact that you can’t get a refund of your balance on your card. So just make sure you only load the amount you’ll need on the card. Hope that helps!

@@VoyagesJapan awesome!! thanks for the info!

@@jolorainee You’re very welcome!! Thank you for watching and thank you for the compliment