The Top Mistakes Travellers Make When Booking A Trip To Japan (And How To Avoid Them)


Everyone makes mistakes, we all know that, but when you’re overseas in a foreign country, some of those mistakes feel a lot bigger than they would if you were back home. 

Missed flights, poor choices of accommodation, missing activities that you were really keen to do because you didn’t realise you had to book in advance – the list goes on. So if you want to make sure that your first dose of Japow is as carefree as can be, read on, because after 20 years in Japan, we’ve truly seen it all, including what to do and what not to do when booking your first trip to Japow.

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COMMON MISTAKES MADE BEFORE YOUR TRIP


First things first, let's break down some of the common mistakes travellers make in the planning stage of their trip.


Not Booking Early


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Yeahhhhh, those prices you're looking at, they’re not getting any cheaper….

What is the first thing you think of when somebody says the word ‘business’? Supply and demand! The same applies to a snow holiday, once all the early bird deals dry up and the bookings are well and truly flowing in from all over the world, you’ll find many options for accommodation, restaurants and lessons are already booked out. 

The ones that aren’t, will have you regretting you didn’t jump on the chance earlier... (they will be all of the most expensive options, because when deals are too good to miss, they get snapped up pretty quickly!) 


Not Properly Researching Accommodation



While most ski resorts around the world offer up one main village that acts as the hub for everything around the region, Japan is a lot more spread out. To put it into perspective, within Niseko United there are four interconnected resorts, in Furano there are two, and Hakuba, 10 (you read that correctly–10!).

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So as you can imagine, depending on which lift pass you buy, you may or may not be staying close to the resort that you plan on doing most of your riding at, or have your lessons booked at.

Research ahead, try to establish a bit of a lay of the land before you book your hotel. If it’s not within walking distance to the slopes, check if the hotel offers other services such as shuttle buses or if you would be better off picking up an International Driver’s Permit and renting a car.


Lugging Gear


You thought your mum picking you up from school while blasting Madonna was embarrassing? 

Trust us, you don’t know true embarrassment until you’re on the train as the only gaijin (foreigner), while trying to manage a suitcase and a board bag. It’s honestly the worst. 

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If you’ve ever walked down a Japanese sidewalk or ridden their much applauded public transport system you’ll know one thing, they aren’t known for being spacious.

Our recommendation? Pre-book your rentals to avoid needing to lug around a board bag around town, and then ‘Black Cat’ (Yamato Delivery Service) your suitcases straight from the airport in Tokyo to your accom in Niseko, Hakuba or Furano. During winter, baggage courier deliveries are very common, meaning your bags will arrive and be waiting for you upon arrival!


Not Pre-Booking Rentals


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A lot of people come to shred Japow over the winter months, A LOT. So if you want to guarantee that you’re riding the best possible gear this winter season, pre-book early. Not only will it ensure you’re riding the best set of planks for the unique Japow conditions, it’ll also save you time and hassle when the trip actually comes around and you’re dealing with all the last minute essentials like currency conversion, airport transfers and buying your lift pass


Not Looking Into Lessons and Guiding Options


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Don’t accidentally book your 10-year old for a 7-hour backcountry touring experience. Check out what’s on offer and look into who these services will be the best for. 

To get you started, here’s a breakdown of the main Rhythm Rides lesson and guiding services and how they differ from one another.


Type of Experience

What Is It?

Who’s It For?

Lessons

Private lessons to help you hone in your skills on the slopes!

All levels of riders

Resort Guiding

It’s all in the name – resort guiding is guiding within the confines of the resorts! 

All levels of riders! 

Touring

Touring is the whole shebang. Split-boards, avi packs, beacons, probes, multi-hour hikes, avalanche safety warnings – the full backcountry experience.

Expert Riders

Common mistakes made DURING YOUR TRIP


Ok, you've got over to Japan without any major issues, now, here's the biggest mitakes to make sure to avoid while in town!



Packing Inconvenient Shoes


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You’re going to the snow, your standard pair of Vans won’t stand a chance when you’re walking down icy footpaths and through knee deep snow! Get prepped with a good set of outdoor mountain boots (no, that is not a set of Timberlands)! If you don’t have the time to pick some up before arriving in town, you can also pick up an epic pair from any of our Rhythm Summit locations.


Disregarding Onsen Etiquette


We all know that there’s no better way to wrap up a day on the slopes than relaxing in a traditional onsen, but before you attend, it’s always important to check the facilities rules. 

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While it’s more commonly accepted in areas like Niseko and Hakuba, most Japanese onsen are still quite iffy about tattoos (even if they look cool). Make sure you confirm ahead of time that you will be allowed entry, because the last thing you want is being told off in Japanese while buck naked in a natural hot spring. 

Unsure about what other rules you should follow when attending an onsen or want to find out where the best hot springs are? Check out our Niseko, Hakuba and Furano focused onsen guides!

Assuming Everyone Speaks English


Without a doubt, compared to heavily populated areas like Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka, you will on average find more foreigners and English speakers around Japanese mountain towns. That being said, it’s Japan. There will still be many moments that you find yourself in a conversation with someone where you experience a massive language barrier. 

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We recommend brushing up on the basics and at least learning your greetings, thank yous and ordering techniques, it’ll help you go a long way. 

*Pro tip: Look up commonly used phrases online. Sure, it’s epic that Duolingo teaches you how to say “my sister has two cats”, but that’s not always helpful when you want to order a meal or book a reservation. 

**Pro Pro Tip: If you want to learn Japanese characters to help you read and navigate street signs easier, Dr Moku is an epic app. 

***Disclaimer to Pro Pro Tip: We are not paid by Dr Moku, it’s just a great app that a lot of us here at Rhythm used when we first landed in Japan!



Tipping


We know that for all of the Americans out there, a world without tipping seems like a dark and confusing place, but in Japan, tipping is not only an uncommon practice, it’s often regarded as rude. Even if you have 2 yen change and try to bust out the age old, “keep the change”, the store clerk will make sure you take your change. Just don’t try it. 

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The upside? If you’ve been budgeting for your trip and putting aside a certain budget for tipping, spend it on booking early bird rentals while you still can!


Assuming Trains are 24/7


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Is your connecting flight from Tokyo to Hokkaido on the red eye? Stay near the airport for the night.

While trains are rapid and constant during operational hours, most public transport systems around Japan finish around midnight and start again around 7am. This is something that a lot of people have found out the hard way after migrating into inner-city Tokyo for their layover and then not being able to get back to Narita the following morning without spending a lot of money on a long distance taxi ride.


Travelling Without Cash


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Cash is king! Japan is still a very cash oriented society, and while it’s become increasingly common to find card facilities you’ll still want a little bit of cash on you at all times.

Pro Tip: If you do use a card, you can withdraw money at most Konbini and Wise or UP will be the best options to avoid hefty conversion fees.

Now you're all travel ready for your first trip in Japan's mountain resorts, let's throw a spanner in the works... have you booked your rentals yet? Time is running out to score 20% off as part of our mammoth early bird savings!