Travel Resources
Hey there! Now that I've booked a ton of trips to Japan, I have a good idea of the resources needed to have a seamless trip. Here's the stuff I use all the time.
Pre-trip Resources
Here's exactly what I use when planning my trip to Japan up until the day I arrive.
🏠 Japan Accommodations: Booking and Agoda
I book almost exclusively through Booking, and occasionally will use Agoda if the deal is better. I prefer Booking over other sites because they usually offer free cancellation for most properties and I find better deals on here. Occasionally I may use Expedia as well.
Whatever you do, I HIGHLY recommend booking all your hotels on only ONE platform. That way you don't double book and accidentally get charged. This has happened to me before!! Don't do it!
✈️ Japan Flights: Google Flights or CheapOAir
I book most of my flights through Google Flights. It's usually the best price and easiest to use. You can also use CheapOAir or Trip.com to look for occasional deals. My first flight ever to Japan was by CheapOAir and I got a great deal with Singapore Airlines.
🏔️ Activities and Tours: Klook and Get Your Guide
In Japan, Klook is the goat. You can find anything for Japan on Klook: hotels, tours, and even bullet train tickets. I book 95% of my tours and activities in Japan on Klook, and maybe 5% on GetYourGuide or Viator.
🚘Car Rentals: Booking, Klook
I had so much fun when we rented a car and drove around the Izu Peninsula, so I highly recommend renting a car in Japan if you want to explore off the beaten path. It's a totally different experience, and it's pretty easy to adjust to driving on the other side. The only thing we kept messing up were turning on the windshield wipers on accident, but that didn't cause too much harm.
We booked with Orix via Booking, but Klook and Toyota may also have good deals.
👩🏽💻Travel Insurance: Chase Sapphire or VisitorsCoverage
Okay, I'm going to be realll honest here. I used to never get trip insurance. What can I say, I thought I was young and invincible. Now my back hurts when I wake up in the morning.
Anyway, Japan is a very far trip from California, and my trips usually end up being 2 weeks to almost a month sometimes. And when it's a long flight and vacation like that, it just makes sense to get some form of protection. I'm lucky enough that my travel credit card gives free insurance.
So if you have the Chase Sapphire card, you automatically get trip and car rental insurance! So make sure to check your credit card benefits before booking any insurance.
If you don't have a travel credit card, no worries. You can also book decent and affordable travel insurance with VisitorsCoverage.
💆 Airport Lounge Access: Priority Pass
Resources to use in Japan
IC Transit Card: SUICA
Travel Credit Card: Chase Sapphire
🚌Book the JR Pass and JR Hokkaido pass on JR Pass
🚄 Book Shinkansen and subway tickets individually on Klook
📱 Cellular Data: Airalo
Travel Freebies
