Packing your bag
Nothing compares having everything you need to desperately bothering others to get it.
Once I got so used to training every day that when I left to take a flight to Sweden for a seminar, it seemed like an every day trip to the dojo. So I packed my bag accordingly. This resulted in a missing sleeping bag and inflatable matras. Oh boy, the memories!
So always remember to meticilously pack your bagage with the stuff you need! ?
Do a trial pack. Weigh your suitcase. Twenty pounds should be the maximum. If it’s heavy now, it will feel three times heavier by the end of a long journey. Streamline before you go.
It’s generally considered a good idear to take your training gi with you in your handluggage for the simple reason that when your bags gets lost, you’ll still have your gi to train!
It’s also a good idea to take as few clothes as possible. Plan on laundering. One week’s worth of clothes is MORE than you need for two weeks. Since you’ll be training the most part, it’ll be your gi that gets dirty.
Put all important things like your passport, currency, all credit cards, and airline tickets inside a pouch and always wear it on you when you are traveling.
One item that’s pretty nice is wax earplugs, these will ease the noise of the airplane and will allow you to rest and maybe even sleep during your twelve-hour-torture. A sleeping aid, such as an inflatable headrest or pillow is also convenient. If you don’t have one, ask the airhostess for one. A torchlight or petzl will come in handy too, since there are plenty of times you need to search through your luggage for items in the dark.
A jogging is very comfortable on the plane but make sure to take two additional normal pants in your luggage. Plenty of T-shirts: I take a week’s worth; seven, since you’ll need at least two a day when you train. And if you take two trainings a day than take more, it’s always nice to put on a dry t-shirt!
When you get off the plane and it’s raining, than it would be nice to have your raincoat ready available, and not somewhere tucked deep away in your luggage. A warm pulover or a fleece is also nice in the evening when temperatures drop to the minimum.
High-energy snacks come in handy too, since you’ll be hungry and exhausted if you step off that plane. And also after or in between trainings it’s a welcome boost.
Appart from your tabi, take a pair of extra shoes in your luggage and make sure that they are in good condition and waterproof also take plenty of socks with you.
You may want to bring at least one shirt if you plan on eating in a restaurant.
Swimwear and towels you’ll need because some onsen require it. You can’t travel to Japan and NOT do an onsen (hot water bathing).
And a small phrasebook if you do not speak the langauge. Other items comprise things such as ducktape (it holds the world together) a pen and notebook, vitamins,…things like that.
Leave your keys at home or arrange for someone to keep them safe. Check your insurance for extra coverage. Don’t spend a whole night packing your bags, that should have been done ages ago. If there’s something missing, than don’t worry, it’s only two weeks you’ll have to do without and there’s still the ONE-HUNDRED-YEN shop for emergency’s.
You have every item neatly spread around on the floor before you load it into your travelling bags. At this stage it migth be smart to keep in mind that your bag will be handled like a sledgehammer on a rampage! (this is not a joke).
Making a Budget
On researching the net on budget trips to Japan I could’nt find much detailed hints and tips. So I thought our contribution would deffinatly help more people searching for ways to travel to Japan on a budget. Here goes…
Crisis is everywhere, and well, even without a crisis, unless you never wurry about money, be smart and make a budget when going to Japan.
Japan can be very expensive if you don’t watch out, but when you play it smart, you’ll be able to save some money on many things.
Also because you’re handling a currency you’re not used too it’s smart to keep an eye on your spendings.
In order to do that I seperated the money into purposes.
Your stay
You know upfront the exact amount you need to pay for your Ryokan or Hotel, so keep that separate.
Transport.
I searched for the best option for us, and I believe it’s taking a discount ticket for a day, each day we need transportation (Tokyo Free Kippu), this will get us around greater Tokyo except for the private railroads outside Tokyo. They are ¥1.580 for a whole day (1 ticket, 1 person). If you want to go to Noda to train, you’ll need an extra ticket for the private rail road though, that costs ¥ 600 2 ways. (1 person)
For extra far trips outside Tokyo you’ll probably need other tickets to pay seperately for.
I found a neat website too, to plan your travel with Tokyo’s public transport, it will show you the cost and duration too. Jorudan
Training
Check Ohashi san’s site for the schedual of Hombu and Ayase for the time you’re there, there are also other classes by other shihan being held around Tokyo, just ask them personally when you go to Hombu or Ayase. Or search the net a little. For example we plan to go to Duncan Stewards training on a sunday. Contact someone who recently went training around the period you are going for accurate prices (preferably your sensei), or like Duncan; you can contact him personally.
To give an example; I’ve put aside ¥ 24.000 (per person). We might need a little more if we want more trainings. But this is a safe certain amount to put asside for the period we’re going.
Food
I started off making a calculation of spending € 50 per person per day. That initially gave me an amount of ¥ 81.900 for 14 days (for 1 person).
I hope to do with less, even with half, but that will have to show in the first few days.
Then ofcourse you will see what you have left to spend on sightseeing and souvenirs. We will certainly go to many temples, as they are a nice thing to see when in Japan and on top of that, mostly they are free of entrance fees !!
This is a first budget that has a need of minimum € 1.500, meaning when you want to do some stuff, you’ll need more like € 2.000.
This is the flight not included. When you’re planning to go, check the airlines regularly, because prices can varry alot! We got lucky and had very cheap tickets!
After Our trip I will make a review of the budget with our actual spendings and ways to keep your trip budget friendly!
Getting ¥ens
When going to Japan, ofcourse you’re going to need yens.
As stated before, you’ll need cash, and not all bankcards will work there.
So you have 2 options; get the yens in your country or take cash with you and change it in Japan.
Now what I noticed is getting the yens in your own bank is the best option.
Be sure to check with your bank how long upfront you need to order them. Mostly it will take a week, but most banks have only one day a week of delivery.
For example; my bank has foreign currencies delivered on thursday. All orders need to be done before Thuesday evening of that same week. Meaning I had to order 1,5 week to 2 weeks before my departure.
On having a good exchange rate, you’re better off at your bank too.
A hint; order and change at the counter an as large amount as possible at once, don’t fragment it in seperate changes or orders, make the seperation (for different people or purposes ex.) afterwards. The larger the amount the better your exchange rate will be!
When you can’t get all the money at your dispossal early enough to get it changed into yen at home, then the best idea is the get cash into Japan and change it at the airport OR if you’re certain your bankcard will work there change it from your card. Go to Narita’s website here to see the daily exchange rate for cash & card and possible accepted cards. The rate is better for cards, but its a risk ofcourse.
Administration
With all the fuss around traveling these days, it’s very important to get all the necessary documents and papers together and to have it all ready well in advance of your trip since these things (bureaucracy) take up the most time.
Be sure to have a valid traveling pass (passport). If you have a Belgian traveling passport (this is for many others too, but be sure to check your country is on the list) it just needs to be valid for your stay in Japan (NOT an additional 6 months as before) This was descided on February 2008. You need a valid passport for the duration of your stay and a plain ticket that proves your stay will not be longer than 3 months. Make sure your haircut fits the picture 
Whatever you do, don’t burn your fingertips, as you will have to press both of your thumbs onto a registration device during customs check!
If you travel alone, then keep a card or document on you that holds your home adress, bloodtype and religion, just in case some unforseen things happen to you.
In order to keep an overview of everything, make a traveling plan on paper:
It should encompass financial details, transport possibilities and a plan of sightseeing things you want to visit. Add + 30% to 40% to the amount for inconveniences as they will always occur. Then go to the bank and take out the amount of money in Japanese Yen. Because in most, if not all, shops and restaurants (and dojo’s) you can pay in cash only!
A credit card is only convenient if you can withdraw cash somewhere. Make sure it’s a visa or american express and not a mastercard! YOU CANNOT WITHDRAW CASH WITH A MASTERCARD!!! (I speak out of experience hehehe).