If you are one of the many people who is traveling to Japan this year, take advantage of these tips I acquired on my trip this month.

Before Japan:

• Research your local snack market. Are you planning to stock up on Japanese snacks as souvenirs? If so, go to your local Japanese or Asian grocery store (Uwajimaya, H-Mart, Daiso, etc.) and note their inventory. There’s nothing worse than wasting precious suitcase space to import things across the globe that are available down the street. Look for Meiji, Lotte, and Glico brand snacks, which are common in Japan.
• Learn some Japanese! I did not, reasoning that basic English is somewhat ubiquitous in most developed countries. But, I was in for a shock. English was surprisingly rare and the one person in our group who did learn Japanese fundamentals in preparation for the trip (one semester at community college) got a ton of mileage out of the skills. People appreciated his attempt and were more than happy to continue the conversation, giving him a great opportunity to practice (probably more than he wanted or expected).
• Watch some anime! You’ll be amazed how many references you’ll spot when in Japan if you familiarize yourself with recent series - from songs playing in stores, to themed food and collectible figurines. If you aren’t sure where to start, check out My Anime List’s charts of top-ranking anime. Or subscribe to Crunchyroll and see what’s popular. I would recommend watching a mixture of slice of life, action, and fantasy/sci-fi/horror, to get a taste of the genre spectrum.
• Book a variety of accommodations. When booking accommodations, consider experiencing a range of styles. There are ryokans (traditional guesthouses), capsule hotels, hotels with onsen (bathhouses), and more modern boutique hotels with bespoke decor. Not all capsule hotels are dormitory style or bunk beds. I stayed in First Cabin in Osaka, which offered cubicle-style rooms, complete with the usual Japanese comforts, like pajamas, slippers, and tea. It also had a mandatory quiet time at 10 p.m., providing peace and privacy. A ryokan in Kyoto First Cabin in Osaka
• Prioritize proximity to public transportation. If you’re planning on relying on public transportation,try to find accommodations that are close to transit stations. You will thank me later. Even if you don’t plan on spending much time at the hotel, you never know when you’re going to need to make pit stops to change clothes or drop off purchases.

In Japan:

• Get some cash. Though Japan is very modern and most businesses (even vending machines) accept card, you will occasionally stumble upon a small business that is cash-only. Unless you want to miss out on experiences, such as street food and mom-and-pop cafes, get some cash. We found that the 7/11 atms offer competitive rates.
• Make change in the arcades. Game centers are everywhere in Japan. Most feature machines that will break ¥1,000 bills into ¥100 coins at no cost. I promise, nobody will look at you funny if you walk into an arcade simply to make change. Though I’d be surprised if you didn’t give-in to the temptation to try your luck with a claw machine or shell out some coins for a gachapon figurine.
• Add a Seica card to your phone’s electronic wallet. Seica is Japan’s public transportation card. You can use it in any city on any mode of transportation, including buses, trains, and trams. Just tap the sensor on the exit gate with your phone! Some vending machines also accept Seica, helping you to squander those precious ¥100 coins.
• Anticipate the crowds. Japan is currently experiencing a boom in tourism. Visit popular sites early in the day to avoid crowds. Make reservations for restaurants, museums, and shows as far in advance as possible. When going to popular restaurants that don’t accept reservations, arrive before your stomach is grumbling so that you can work up an appetite in line instead of resorting to convenience store onigiri out of desperation.
• Don’t fret about potty time. Japan is filled with clean public restrooms. You can expect to find them in train stations, convenience stores, supermarkets, and department stores. No need to buy a coffee that you didn’t want in order to gain access to a potty (or set off the “buy drink to empty bladder -> fill bladder with drink -> buy another drink to empty bladder” cycle).
• Checkout Tablelog. Japanese people don’t use Google, Yelp, or Michelin to review restaurants. Instead, they use a site called Tablelog. We found that ratings above 4 stars are rare, so calibrate accordingly.
• Carry your passport if you intend to shop. Most stores in Japan offer tax-free shopping for foreigners for purchases over ¥5,000. You will have to show them your passport, however, and possibly a barcode that you can generate by going through the tax-free enrollment process on Visit Japan Web. If the purchase is consummable (e.g., makeup, food, drink), the store will give it to you in a sealed bag. Supposedly if you open the bag before leaving the country, you could be hit with consumption tax (but I have no idea how that works out logistically).
• Use your phone to translate. Get comfortable using translate apps to translate text to and from Japanese. The camera features are great for reading menus that aren’t available in English and product labels. Most web browsers also offer translation, which I used to navigate the Japanese booking site Hot Pepper Beauty in order to make hair and nail appointments.
• Approach onsens with caution if you have tattoos. I really enjoyed the onsen, bathhouses with water from natural springs, on our trip. But most had signs prohibiting tattoos. If you have tattoos, check-out an onsen’s policies before showing up. Consider buying waterproof concealer strips or booking a hotel with a private onsen.
• Look for these favorite souvenirs. Souvenirs that were popular among my travel group included:
  • Plushies - featuring local mascots, popular characters, and other cuteness, can be won in claw machines or purchased at shops
  • Scissors/tweezers/nail clippers - Japanese are famous for quality knives and this reputation extends to smaller bladed tools, too
  • Whiskey - If you like Japanese whiskey, you may be able to find some limited edition vintages or packaging, remember you’ll have to check luggage
  • Snacks - matcha snacks, mochi snacks, uncommon flavors of KitKat and Pocky, Country Ma’am Jiwaru Butter cookies, Glico Pucchin pudding, Hokkaido cream ice cream, dango with sweet soy sauce, creme brulee sweet potato, Royce chocolate (there are several Royce locations in the U.S., but the Japanese branches have special flavors), flavored canele. Creme Brulee Sweet Potato from Immo Pippi in Asakusa, Tokyo
  • Pens - Japan makes pens of excellent quality, my favorite are the ones that have multiple colors of ink within a single pen, which can be found at Muji and stationary stores, and erasable pens from the Pilot Frixion brand. Be sure to bag them up before traveling in case they break in your luggage.
  • Gachapon toys - capsule toys dispensed in coin-operated machines feature whimsical miniatures or popular characters with impressive detail. If you return the capsules in the collection bins, you can buy dozens of these toys without making a dent in your luggage space