Preparing for Japan 2027?

Now that we’ve traveled internationally together twice, there are many lessons that we’ve gathered along the way. Importantly, being part of a larger party involving friends and family in this last trip has highlighted several key points for us. Our first trip to Japan together went smoothly, all things considered. Though hiccups arose in both trips, we consider ourselves very fortunate to even have the opportunity to travel with this degree of flexibility.

When Peter and I traveled to Japan alone, we were very cognizant of our packing. Though we packed fairly lightly, especially for the heat of Asia in August, we were also very minimal with our luggage. We didn’t want to be lifting luggage up and down the multitudes of stairs or deal with sending luggage, anticipating that we’d be back. But while we were in Japan, there was so much we wanted to bring back but simply did not have enough space. This resulted in major issues as we navigated our luggage and flights back to California. We ended up having to pay for a checked bag and still throw away a few merchandise items because of this poor foresight.

For this recent trip to Japan, we packed equally light in terms of clothes, but stored luggage within luggage so that we’d have plenty of space to purchase items along our travels. We also planned much better in terms of maximizing checked luggage and carry on allowances. This allowed us (me) to buy so much more during our travels. Best of all, because of thoughtful planning and experience, we actually did not need to carry heavy luggage around as we originally feared.

Japan in August was almost insufferable with the oppressive heat and humidity. February was a very nice and welcome change. We did take a risk in packing super light for February which is still technically winter in Japan. That risk paid off as a light sweater and a warm coat would suffice. The one thing we regret not packing was an extra pair of gym shoes as Japanese gyms typically require dedicated, clean shoes.

Concerning itineraries, when we traveled alone, it was very easy to pack it full of things we wanted to do. When traveling with so many other people, we wanted to be considerate of their needs and wants as well. Traveling with Peter alone is easy because I have complete control over the plans and he just helps navigate. That was something we learned very quickly during our first trip—Peter was much more savvy in GPSing around Japan and the public transit system. While it was fairly seamless to utilize Peter’s skills again for a large party, the actual plans were significantly more difficult.

It doesn’t take a genius to realize that finding activities and reservations for a party of 7 in Japan would be a tall order. We made it work for most of our activities, but several tasks required Miyabi, Jackie’s native Japanese friend, to call and organize in advance on our behalf. Aside from the logistical difficulties, it was also hard to plan in a way that would cater to everyone’s preferences. Everybody in the party allowed me free reign over the itinerary, so I packed it full with a variety of events. While the itinerary was demanding (and exhausting) at times, it was much better to have things planned and subsequently cancelled rather than not having anything at all. I think that was one thing we could all agree on: that we didn’t want to “waste” our time in Japan.

I felt like Peter and I were constantly checking in with people to make sure they were enjoying the trip. This worry was unfounded as everybody appeared to be genuinely enjoying their time. If anything, people often spoke up when they wanted to deviate from the itinerary or plans which was more than welcomed. I was glad that people felt comfortable to do so. It also allowed me and Peter to feel comfortable in planning itineraries the way we wanted—with the understanding that others in the party could step away at any time. We came to the conclusion that the only times we would intentionally carve in accommodations would be for our parents who may struggle more physically keeping up.

One of the big mistakes Peter and I made on our first trip was not bringing a small, lightweight backpack. This would be useful for not only carrying purchases but also to bring along plastic bags for trash. Almost everyone we know who has been to Japan has had similar complaints in the difficulty of disposing of trash. This is a double-edged sword of course, as we certainly appreciate just how clean the country is. For our second trip, we were sure to bring a very light backpack with only the bare necessities along with handy trash bags. This would be the least of our issues.

In just the last two days in Tokyo, we stumbled upon bigger issues. The first was our disastrous dinner on our final evening in Japan. We were baited in to essentially a tourist trap, and this was due to both our poor judgment and decision to be spontaneous. Many of the better restaurants in Japan require reservations, though the floor in terms of quality is already quite generous. The number of tourist traps are quite high and after that experience, we are determined to avoid them at all costs in the future. We’ve had hiccups in meal-planning throughout the trip, but none quite that… influential.

Another planning fail on our end was figuring out how to get back from Tokyo to the airport. One would think this part would be planned out to a tee, but for whatever reason, we left it unaddressed. Known for its relative ease and efficiency, we assumed public transportation would be available. The last time we left Japan, we flew directly from Hokkaido to Narita airport, from which we then flew back to LAX. Moving forward, we will be more cognizant of booking Skyliner tickets in advance should we stay in Tokyo again. Rookie mistake, but lesson learned!

There were several aspects of pre-planning that we would definitely do again. This includes making sure everybody in the party had their Suica cards prepared and loaded with cash for public transit. There has been more than one occasion where myself or someone within my party struggled with downloading the card upon arrival in Japan. We also took care of all our customs forms online the night before, so we could skip the lines upon landing in Japan. And of course, my favorite part of planning is securing the perfect accommodations. Our hotel selections were superb this time around, with our Kyoto stay being in a prime location to transit, and with our Tokyo stay being luxuriously spacious at an affordable price.

All in all, we are very happy with the outcome of this trip. We’re so lucky to go on these international trips with great company, buy tons of stuff, and have such a wide array of experiences. We jokingly say that we’ll be back to visit Japan on a yearly basis. With each trip, we seem to find new things to love about the country in addition to learning more about our own dynamics and preferences in travel. In fact, we’ve already started talking about a return to Japan in 2027!