Tips for visiting

I invite everyone that knows us, be it friends or family to come out to Japan for a visit. You have a place to stay and that is half of the price, right there. However, there are a few things I advise:

- Fly into the Haneda Airport. Tokyo is so big it has two international airports, Haneda and Narita. Narita is about three hours away from us and Haneda is about an hour and a half.

- Plan for motion sickness. If you are easily prone to being motion sick, please plan to control it (bring Dramamine, acupressure bracelets, whatever you need to do). We can rent a van to come pick you up from the airport, but you will be riding in the back for a length. The trains are also very bouncy and jumpy and can make someone prone to motion sickness.....sick.

- Budget $500 - $1,000 per person. Japan is expensive. Most of your money will be spent on food, entrance fees and transportation. Add souvenirs to that and $1,000 is a safe budget.

- Bring cash. Assume you will not have access to an ATM here. Also, many many many places will not accept debit or credit cards. I say this and people who visit STILL ask when we're in a store.

- Start walking. If you are not used to walking for about five miles at a time, I suggest you start conditioning yourself. The main mode of transportation here is your feet. You get off the train and then walk to your destination. It can be very taxing on those who are not used to this.

- Bring an itinerary. Unless you are family or close friends, John and I will have to work during the week. I would love to do everything with everyone, but its not financially possible. For your "on your own" days, I can take you to the nearest train station...don't worry, we'll help you with the train system before you go out on your own.

- Be alert. Japan is not one of those vacations where you can let your mind check out and call it relaxation. As you move about, always be alert or you can become lost. Note the buildings you pass, the streets you take, etc. This will help you find your way back to the train stations.

- I don't know where anything is in Tokyo. If you want to see the glow-in-the-dark 80-ft tall Godzilla statue in Tokyo, realize I have no clue where such a thing exists. The best way to find things you want to see is to do some research and locate the nearest train station and then walking directions to the attraction from the train station.

- Riding the bullet train is expensive. The bullet train can take you to other cities like Osaka, Kyoto and Hiroshima. However expect tickets to start at about $200/person. Most other cities are not day trips, so you would need to plan for an overnight stay.

- Food portions are small. Walking all day can make anyone really hungry. You will quickly learn that American hungry is different than Japanese hungry. Portions are generally small, but typically your body will adjust.

- Leave your picky eating habits at home. Most restaurants have pictures which makes ordering easy. However, the wait staff may speak very little English. So asking about foods and their contents is difficult. There are staples like McDonalds, KFC and Burger King that are pretty much the same as the states. If you have special requirements (Jewish, vegetarian, vegan) then research Japanese foods that meet these requirements before your visit. This will give you an idea of a) how to ask if the food will meet your dietary expectations and b) which foods are okay for you to eat. Also, let me know so when I cook I can meals you can eat.

I'm not saying all this to be mean, but to help manage people's expectations about what their visit to Japan will entail. When you come, I will make sure you have a fun time, are able to use the trains and have a wonderful dinner every night. :)