Author Archives: Jonelle Patrick

How do you survive in a country where information about food ingredients is all in Japanese? The first time I lived in Japan, I had a friend who was deathly allergic—and I mean Epi-pen allergic—to shellfish. She was so allergic, she’d get a reaction if she even ate food that had been cut with theContinueContinue reading “How to travel in Japan with food allergies and other special diet needs”

If you have a smartphone, the easiest and fastest way to plot your routes anywhere in Japan is with a train finder app You can get the train app before you go, or download it once you arrive. It’s less than $5.00, and worth every yen. I use one called Navitime Japan Travel, and itContinueContinue reading “Navigating: How to get where you’re going in Japan”

Here’s how I buy bullet train tickets: There are lots of sites that will tell you how to buy a long-distance train ticket in detail (this is a good one) but here’s how I do it: • Decide on your dates and times of arrival and departure • Figure out what trains you’ll need toContinueContinue reading “How to buy tickets for the bullet train if you don’t speak Japanese”

Some drivers speak English, but don’t count on it. Here’s how to be sure you get where you’re going Your best bet is to hand the driver a written copy of the address you’re going to (or show them on your phone). It’s better if it’s written in Japanese, but it can be written withContinueContinue reading “How to take a taxi in Tokyo if you don’t speak Japanese”

Narita airport must get the worldwide prize for being farthest from the city it serves. Seriously, what the heckin’ heck were they thinking? But sadly, there’s no time to move it before you come. Depending on how much luggage you have, where you’re staying, and how much you want to spend, here are the optionsContinueContinue reading “How to get into Tokyo from Narita airport”

Nothing is more mortifying than hearing that the restaurant where you just ate the best lunch ever doesn’t take credit cards… Credit card use is spreading, but outside the big cities (and also in more traditional Tokyo neighborhoods), many small stores and restaurants are still cash only, so it’s a good idea to carry enoughContinueContinue reading “How & where to get cash in Japan”

You can go anywhere in Tokyo with only a short walk at either end. Subways and trains are used by everyone from schoolchildren to corporate bosses because they’re by far the best way to get around Tokyo. Taking a taxi is expensive and slow because Tokyo is huge and the streets are usually choked with traffic.ContinueContinue reading “How to buy & use a train card”