Tourist are returning but Kyoto not too crowded yet. Now is the best time to enjoy without too many tourist.

The only place that is pretty crowded are Kiyozumi-Dera due to several school excursion.

Nara can skip as the population of deer have reduced significantly due to Covid. I counted less than 50 deers from train station to the center of the park. They bite u if u don't feed them fast enough. (when u are not facing them)

most hotel are haunted and more scary.

Interact more with flight attendant when u fly and you will know how haunted the hotels are in Japan.

Sometimes the crew from 3-4 room will all come down and sit in the lobby till morning as they encounter "things" in their rooms.

For the past 30 years of my traveling, I have heard my fair share of haunted hotels stories and Taiwan (taipei) tops the list followed by Japan

If mid Dec, there are Christmas market, illumination in many places.

Usual tourist place in Tokyo will be, Shinjuku (Kabukicho), Skytree, Teamlab planet, Oedo Onsen at Urayasu, Shibuya, Harajuku, Meiji-jingu Shrine, Sensoji, Small World, several theme parks, pet cafe, Tsujiki outer market etc

Both month will be packed. Nov packed with Autumn tourist and Mar will be Sakura season tourist. these period the hotels are more expensive

you can do it before u reach Japan. I do it a week before

Raman, beef rice (yoshinoya) and tendon, still have 600-800 yen range. Don't worry, ridiculous price increase for food only happen in Malaysia n Singapore.

Agree, AA only good for short trip within tropical country with just a carry on bag.

Once add check-in bag the price difference are too little to be of value. A lot of people do not realize if flight delay, baggage damage/missing, the compensation are very different between budget airlines and full airlines.

Leave Osaka and Kyoto for next trip, you will not enjoy as it's too rush. I spend 1 week in Kyoto and did not cover all the places of interest.

Seat reservation can be done even if the train arriving in 5 mins if they still have seats available (which usually have). If not, just reserve the next train and relax at the station by strolling around or browse FB

I find that many hotels in Japan offers self laundry room complete with detergent and softener dispersing machine.

2 full days at Kawaguchi can be a bit overkill unless u like to just relax and do nothing, looking at scenery. I would swap one day from Kawaguchi to Kyoto but if u don't like temples/shrine then that extra day can put in Tokyo.

That is true 3-4 years ago, after Covid in Tokyo, mostly have all adjusted to cashless payment.

Bus, subway takes Suica or mobile payment (japan phone or apple).

Restaurant, Shinkansen, limited express, hotel, supermarket, shopping mall all accept cards

Maybe a few small back lane restaurant or machine ordering food outlet like Sukiya etc, requires cash to insert into machine. Newer ones have machine equip to accept mobile payment, suica and credit card.

Almost all 7-11. Lawson or Family mart with ATM machine accepts international card for withdrawal (with fee)

I'm here in Tokyo for 2 weeks (today is day 8) I use only less than 8,000yen in cash to top up my Suica and pay for small back alley restaurant meal. The rest I pay with credit card. (my supermarket shopping, movie, restaurant, cafe, shinkansen, Tokyo wide pass, entry to various attractions)

The 72 hours Tokyo subway pass looks cheap = 500yen/day but is limited to subway line only (underground). Not usable on JR lines, and any local train that is not underground. In other words, very limited usage. ( u may find on certain days, places that u go all cannot take subway or need a lot of transfer if take subway and have direct faster JR line)

JR ticketing counter already closed by the time you clear immigration n custom. Use google map for your option of travel, it's very accurate and have train/bus information.
If u want convenience, the take NEX to Tokyo (50 mins)
cheapest will be Keisei line with a transfer (different station nearby) at Funabashi = 4 mins walk

There is also a limousine bus from airport to Ginza station (1300yen) n u can take taxi from there to your hotel.

This post has been edited by michaelchang: Dec 25 2022, 08:17 PM

He is considered as 12

I bought 72 hours subway pass and found out certain day, I only use 1 return trip (approx 300+ yen) and the rest I pay using Suica as it's JR line. There is one day which I have zero usage as the place I wanted to go utilize JR and local train (above ground), so wasted the subway pass.

Mask required indoors almost everywhere and the further you are from the big cities, the more stringent.

I stayed at a small town Maebashi, breakfast in hotel must wear glove to take food and put in takeaway container. limited seating ( 5 tables ) as they encourage you to take back to your room to eat. Hand sanitizer at entrance , front desk, in room, in lift , on dining table and even beside vending machine in hotel lobby.

In Japan, there are very big PRC community that work or own business there. Those from China have not travel out yet.. maybe very small numbers dare to travel as the majority, their mindset about Covid are still in 2020.

It's never too late, just that you will pay more for flights and hotel compared to booking 3-4 months before. But if nearer to the date of travel in Feb, sometimes, if u are lucky, plane ticket can get good deal if there are many seats empty.

I bought n use this last month in Tokyo (fast speed for the first 500mb everyday)
https://shopee.com.my/Japan-Unlimited-Data-...1566.4210053834

you can buy shinkansen ticket 10 mins before departure but if you are traveling during holidays and peak hour. Best to book in advance. December holiday, all reserved seats during the day are sold out 2 days before. only left with evening departure. You still can buy tickets but risk standing all the way.