Guide
Practical, field-tested advice — transport, etiquette, money and seasons.
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Japan Packing List: What to Bring, What to Leave, What Is Banned
I live here — most packing lists for Japan are just packing lists. This is only the part…
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Where to Stay in Japan: Business Hotel, Ryokan or Capsule
A Japanese wife in Nagoya — the honest answer is that a plain business hotel is right for…
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Money in Japan: Cash, Cards, ATMs and the New Tax-Free Rules
Carry 20,000 to 30,000 yen, use 7-Eleven ATMs, and never let a machine charge you in your home…
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Suica and Getting Around Japan: IC Cards, Airport Trains and the JR Pass Maths
Add Suica to Apple Wallet before you fly. Narita to the city from 1,030 yen. And the JR…
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Coin Lockers in Japan: Prices, Where to Find Them, and What to Do When They Are Full
Lockers cost 400 to 800 yen a day and you pay by tapping Suica. They also fill up…
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How to Get Online in Japan: eSIM, Pocket WiFi and Real 2026 Prices
Unlimited data for a week costs about $27, pocket WiFi costs double, and there is one installation step…
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How to Prepare for a Trip to Japan: The Order That Works
Two months to landing day, in order. What to book early, when to buy your data, what to…
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New Glasses in 30 Minutes: Buying Eyewear in Japan (JINS & Zoff)
A local girl in Nagoya — the errand my husband ran in Japan that foreign friends refuse to…
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I Got Married in a White Kimono: Shiromuku, Explained by a Bride
I live here — I got married in a white kimono, and this is everything I learned inside…
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New Year in Japan: A Local’s Guide to Hatsumode
A Japanese wife in Nagoya — what actually happens at a Japanese shrine on New Year’s, from someone…