Advice needed for first trip to Japan - please and thank you!
April 6, 2022 10:13 AM   Subscribe

Piggybacking on my husband's early June work trip to Imabari Japan (Ehime Prefecture) and we've got questions!!

Very excited! And very interested in making sure we are respectful of the traditions and culture, so questions below:

We are flying from East Coast US to Tokyo. Staying in Tokyo for the night, then heading to Imabari the next day for 10 days. We are assuming that since it's not one of the MAJOR cities, that traditions and customs will be more expected (??) We haven't booked yet, but the plan is to book a flight from Tokyo to Matsuyama airport (one hour drive from where we're staying).


1. What is the "remove your shoes" rule and does it apply to everywhere? Do we keep slippers in our backpacks with us? What kind of slippers should we get and should be buy them here or wait til we get to Japan?

2. Tattoos: I have a couple smallish (wrist, ankle) What works best to cover these up that can hold up (sweat, water, etc.)?

3. Sightseeing: We would LOVE to find great historical, traditional sites (castles, museums, quaint nearby villages, etc.) as well as anything samurai and off a beaten path kind of must see. I will be on my own during the day through the week, so I will be able to take some day trips. Anything recommended within a couple of hours (by public transport)? I also plan to spend some time in Imabari itself - any recommendations?

4. Food: we are not foodies by any means, and our experience with and desire of Japanese food is pretty limited to Americanized Japanese (noodles, veggies, rice, beef/chicken smothered in teriyaki, hot soup, green salads, or California Rolls - I know, I know...)

5. Really, ANY suggestions/hacks about travel/transport, food, culture, experiences, etc. would be greatly appreciated!

Thank you very much!
posted by foxhat10 to Travel & Transportation around Imabari, Japan (9 answers total) 3 users marked this as a favorite
 
1. What is the "remove your shoes" rule and does it apply to everywhere? Do we keep slippers in our backpacks with us? What kind of slippers should we get and should be buy them here or wait til we get to Japan?

Always in private residences and possibly in your hotel or a spa. Virtually any place will have spare slippers but my feet are really big so I always carried a comfortable pair. Unless you’re staying in a private residence it’s unlikely to come up a lot.

2. Tattoos: I have a couple smallish (wrist, ankle) What works best to cover these up that can hold up (sweat, water, etc.)?

Bandaids work great. I wouldn’t stress about a few small ones too much as an obvious foreigner. Covering them up is good, but you’re not going to jail if you forget.

Sightseeing and food fall into the same category for me in Japan: it’s fine to have goals in mind but it’s what you find randomly on the way — and you will find some *very* random things on the way — that makes the trip memorable.
posted by Tell Me No Lies at 10:39 AM on April 6, 2022 [3 favorites]


Oh and having said it doesn’t matter much where you go, definitely make sure you get to Okunoshima. And remember to bring fresh produce with you.
posted by Tell Me No Lies at 10:45 AM on April 6, 2022 [1 favorite]


Remove shoes will also be in effect in a lot shrines and historic buildings that have older wooden or tatami floors. No-one brings their own slippers there. Just make sure your socks are always presentable.

(Also toilets often have rubber or other slippers set in front of them - you're supposed to put them on before going inside.)

A couple hours from Imabari easily brings you to Hiroshima, with both the bomb-related sights, reconstructed castle and lovely traditional gardens near the castle. Fukuyama is also a good day trip - I haven't been, but apparently there's a lot of nice shrines, though the (likewise reconstructed) castle might be a miss. Himeji is closer to three hours by train but so worth it - an original castle with gorgeous grounds. If you get the weekend too, at least one day of it, do try to make it to Kyoto, it's unmissable.

Food-wise, don't skip the train-station food - the little outlets for stuff like soba and washoku are often very good and cheap, plus don't require Japanese for ordering because you buy food tickets from a machine and hand them to the waiter or cook. Follow the crowds!

And it's June rainy season - it'll be hot and often very wet as well. Drink a LOT, prevent the sun from touching your skin (frilly sun umbrellas or wide-brimmed hats can be obtained in-country) and make sure to replenish electrolytes (Pocari Sweat and Aquarion are two vending machine choices there), because fainting in the 100% humidity heat does happen. Carry cash for the vending machines. Work out if it's worth to get a JR-West Rail Pass and which area of it. Get a local sim card (last time b-mobile had the best, but it was a while ago) to have phone data for train timetables, maps and Google Translate.

Have fun!
posted by I claim sanctuary at 11:32 AM on April 6, 2022 [5 favorites]


Consider carrying a small hand towel. My experience (5ish years in a medium sized town just north of Tokyo) was that most public restrooms will not have paper towels. You can get hand towels at the shops in the train station and they usually had some cute/fun ones. A hand towel can also be handy when it's miserably humid. I also got in the habit of checking for toilet paper vending machines on the way into public restrooms. If there was one, there usually wasn't any free toilet paper.
posted by cosimoilvecchio at 12:12 PM on April 6, 2022 [4 favorites]


What I noticed is that unlike the US, where one sees ramen, sushi, katsu, teriyaki, tempura, etc. all on the same menu, in Japan there are separate restaurants for different dishes.
posted by brujita at 1:53 PM on April 6, 2022 [3 favorites]


Sorry if this is wrong but is there any timeline on tourists being allowed in yet?
posted by turkeyphant at 3:34 PM on April 6, 2022 [3 favorites]


turkeyphant: "Sorry if this is wrong but is there any timeline on tourists being allowed in yet?"

From /r/JapanTravel's April update thread:
April 2022 - Tourism entry continues to be suspended, as the expanded border opening this month continues to apply to work and student entry. We do not anticipate tourism restarting within the next 6 months (March 2022 - August 2022) at minimum. Discussion is closed until a clear timetable for Tourism Reopening (specific dates & timelines) is announced by the Japanese Government through official channels - as of April 2022, no such timeline exists.)

It is safe to assume if no Government announcement has been made on specifics for re-opening for Tourism at least a month before your trip, you should look at cancelling or rebooking for a later date, or possibly another year.
posted by Rhaomi at 5:22 PM on April 6, 2022 [3 favorites]


Response by poster: Yikes - thank you for the travel update. It has been a few weeks since I looked at it and completely forgot since things seem a BIT back to normal... :( Boo.
posted by foxhat10 at 6:32 PM on April 6, 2022


Kochi, which is to the south of Ehime is famous for katsuo, which is the best type of tuna. I'd suggest eating that as much as possible. Also sanuki udon which is a specialty of neighbouring Kagawa prefecture.
posted by any portmanteau in a storm at 1:15 PM on April 8, 2022


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