Japan Travel Smart

Sit back and tune in to another carefully crafted episode of JTS with unconventional tricks and tips inspired from personal experience alone to vastly enhance anyone's independent discovery of Japan!

In the age of increasingly ambitious and complex independent travel itineraries, it becomes incredibly easy to mess up your best possible travel plans. Take every scenario into consideration by maintaining your own pre-travel checklist! We'll tell you everything to account for on this episode of JTS!

Be inspired to visit more than one popular destination in Hyogo, a stone’s throw away from Kyoto and Osaka!

Traveling in Japan for weeks at a time while packing just a carry-on: Is it feasible or even possible? Find out on this episode of JTS!

It's time to get you up to speed with the wonderful world of Japanese convenience stores, as well as the relatively low key supermarket offerings. What sets them apart? How do you ask the clerk for a fork or refuse a shopping bag? And why even care about supermarkets in the first place? Find out in this episode!

Dare to head away from the well trodden path and go into coastal Iwate for a different Japan! Find out how we did it on this episode of Japan Travel Smart!

What is some travel advice applicable to Japan that no one is really bringing up? Find out in this episode!

So you’ve decided to do your own travel itinerary planning for your trip to Japan. But where should you start? Here are some websites that will make it easy.

Were you already thinking you'd need to skip Shikoku on a trip around Japan? Think again! I'll tell you how easy it is to include the island region of Shikoku on ANY Japan itinerary.

Errata: At 11:08 we said that "Ehime" was our arrival point to Shikoku when we meant Kagawa Prefecture. Marugame is Kagawa's gateway into Shikoku!

Japan has changed so much ever since we first started visiting. Some of these changes really alter the travel situation for better or for worse! Find out what changes actually affect your visiting experience in order to be better prepared!

These Tokyo attractions and experiences are popular, but are they worth it in 2025 and beyond? Be sure to listen in before signing off on that Tokyo travel plan!

Business contact and listener feedback: japantravelsmart@gmail.com

Nara is not a "day trip". Here's why.

Nara Park, Todaiji Temple and Kasuga Shrine

Heijo Palace Site, Toshodaiji Temple, Yakushiji Temple

Imaicho Town, Tanzan Shrine, Hasedera Temple

Business contact and listener feedback: japantravelsmart@gmail.com

Don’t waste your travel budget on simple mistakes that can be prevented by listening to JTS! We’ve got 9 more ways to stretch your yennies on this episode of the show! 

Lodging: Minshuku and shukubo

Observation decks: Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building, Bunkyo City Office

Shinkansen discounts: SmartEX app, Platt Kodama, kinken shops

Workshops: kominkan

Omamori and omikuji

Business contact and listener feedback: japantravelsmart@gmail.com

We continue our Smart to Visit series by returning to the Tohoku region on one of our most eclectic trip reports yet! It’s time to introduce Aomori and Akita prefectures!

Hachinohe

-Niida-maru cruise

-Nanbu Senbei

Aomori City

-Nebuta Matsuri

-Nebuta Warasse 

Osorezan

Hirosaki

-Hirosaki Castle

-Apple pie

Thrift and second hand stores of Tohoku

-Yorozuya

-Mansaido

Resort Shirakami between Aomori and Akita City

Akita City

-Akita Inu

-Namahage at Oga

Omagari Fireworks Festival

Kakunodate

-Samurai Quarters

Nyuto Onsen

Business contact and listener feedback: japantravelsmart@gmail.com

Everyone screws up traveling in Japan. But especially me. Find out more on this episode.

Business contact and listener feedback: japantravelsmart@gmail.com

There's an entire world to see just past Sapporo. Get to know about Hokkaido's incredible national park areas on this entry of Japan Travel Smart!

New Chitose Airport, Asahikawa Airport , Memanbetsu Airport, Kushiro Airport

Daisetsuzan National Park

-Sounkyo Onsen

-Mount Kurodake

-Ohachidaira Caldera

Shiretoko National Park  

-Utoro

-Shiretoko Goko Lakes

-Kamuiwakka Hot Falls 

Akan Mashu National Park 

-Lake Akan 

-Ainu Kotan village 

-Iozan (Sulfur Mountain)

-Lake Mashu, Lake Kussharo

Business contact and listener feedback: japantravelsmart@gmail.com

Should you actually consider bike sharing services to get around for your Japan trip? What is important to know to get set up to use shared bicycles and what's some important riding advice to bike safely in Japan? Find out everything about bike sharing on this episode of Japan Travel Smart!

Boldly head out from the busy and crowded tourist areas of Tokyo to find a much more intimate version of the city in western Tokyo! Find out where you can go on this episode of the show!

Nakano (Nakano Broadway)

Koenji

Mitaka and Kichijoji (Inokashira Park, Ghibli Museum, Kichijoji Autumn Festival, Harmonica Yokocho)

Shimokitazawa (Ichibangai and Suzuran-dori)

Sangenjaya (Sangenjaya Fureai Square )

Tokyo Ramen Festa (Komazawa Olympic Park)

Fuchu (Suntory Musashino Brewery, Tokyo Racecourse)

Mount Takao

Tachikawa (Showa Kinen Park)

Tama (Sanrio Puroland)

Machida (Snoopy Museum)

Higashi-Kurume  (Spadium Japon)

Okutama

Business contact and listener feedback: japantravelsmart@gmail.com

What options de we have at our disposal to experience onsen culture in Japan? How to properly use a shared bathing space without committing faux paux or creating embarrassment for yourself? Find out all about hot springs in Japan in this episode of JTS!

-Onsen vs sento

-Staying at ryokan

-Onsen towns: Kusatsu Onsen, Kinosaki Onsen, Gero Onsen, Noboribetsu

-Super sento

-Ofuro, rotenburo, ashiyu

-Yukata

Business contact and listener feedback: japantravelsmart@gmail.com

Get to know Kyushu through its cities on this episode of Japan Travel Smart! We'll talk about what makes each of them unique and worth checking out on a visit to Kyushu.

Fukuoka

-Yatai food stalls

-Tenjin shopping

-Tonkotsu ramen

-JR Hakata City Rooftop Garden

Nagasaki

-Peace Park Nagasaki

-Atomic Bomb Museum

-Castella cake

Kumamoto

-Kumamoto Castle

-Kumamon Square

Kagoshima

-Senganen Garden

-Reimeikan Museum

-Sakurajima

Miyazaki

-Chicken Nanban

-Miyazaki Beef

-Aoshima Beach

Beppu and Oita

-Hot springs

-Jigoku Hells

Business contact and listener feedback: japantravelsmart@gmail.com

Flying to Japan is expensive, right? Right? Well, it certainly can be, but it doesn't have to be needlessly expensive on a budget. Find out more on this episode of Japan Travel Smart!

Business contact and listener feedback: japantravelsmart@gmail.com

Regional rail passes in Japan offer foreign visitors the chance to binge on exploration of a unique region in Japan, but what exactly is the trick to them? Can they hope to match the former glory of the JR Pass or is it truly over? In this episode we blow the lid off regional rail passes!

Business contact and listener feedback: japantravelsmart@gmail.com

What Japanese from the basic phrase book have we found to be actually useful when traveling in Japan? In this episode of Japan Travel Smart we bring up better Japanese for travel that we really use.

Sumimasen vs Gomenasai

Dozo

Shitsureishimasu!

Orimasu

Hitori, Futari, Sannin, Yonin

Osusume wa...

Mou ikkai!

Gochisousama!

Okaikei onegaishimasu

Ojamashimasu! Gomen kudasai!

Domo. Kanshashimasu

Kekkou desu

Itekimasu! Tadaima

Business contact and listener feedback: japantravelsmart@gmail.com

There exist some popular places in Japan that are a bit dubious at best.

In this episode we’ve come up with 9 examples of spots in Japan that you might want to reconsider visiting for reasons that may shock you!

Business contact and listener feedback: japantravelsmart@gmail.com

The best rail travel tips and advice for the best rail travel country! It all begins here on Japan Travel Smart!

Business contact and listener feedback: japantravelsmart@gmail.com

Get our unique takes on Osaka on this special “smart to visit” episode of Japan Travel Smart!

Airports

Kansai International Airport

Osaka International (Itami) Airport

Kobe Airport

City centers

Namba

Umeda

Locations

Dotonbori

Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan

Osaka Castle and Castle Park

Osaka Museum of History

Shin Sekai New World

Den Den Town

Takedao Abandoned Railway Hike

Food

Takoyaki

Okonomiyaki

Kushikatsu

Akashiyaki

Observation decks

Abeno Harukas

Umeda Sky Building

Osaka Dojimahama Tower

Business contact and listener feedback: japantravelsmart@gmail.com

Is it possible that things are completely different in Japan when it comes to proper etiquette? You have no idea how much it is, and for your sake we'll tell you on this episode.

Business contact and listener feedback: japantravelsmart@gmail.com

In this first entry to our "Smart to visit" episode series, we introduce the attractive Shin'etsu subregion of Japan and the main draws of Nagano and Niigata prefectures!

Locations named on this episode

-Togakushi Shrines in Mount Togakushi

-Matsumoto city and Matsumoto Castle

-Nagaoka city

-Sado Island

Errata: at 10:32 we meant to say Shin'etsu region rather than San'in region

Business contact and listener feedback: japantravelsmart@gmail.com

You've arrived at Narita Airport. Now what? We go in depth about your options to get into town, and we are pretty sure that your usual option isn't the best that you could be using.

Business contact and listener feedback: japantravelsmart@gmail.com

What's a better way to get around a Japanese city for cheap? And how do we even manage to always travel all over Japan on a reasonable budget? We share our best tips to save money during a Japan trip!

Business contact and listener feedback: japantravelsmart@gmail.com

How expensive is Tokyo? Do you need to speak the language to get around? We clear up some common misconceptions about Japan that people who visit are often caught off guard by.

Business contact and listener feedback: japantravelsmart@gmail.com

Why do people keep going on holiday back to Japan?

That's me. I am people.

We explain the reasons for the name of the podcast. We set some groundwork for what to expect content-wise and we give our best reasons for Japan to be a destination that you want to keep coming back to!

Business contact and listener feedback: japantravelsmart@gmail.com