My husband, Lee, and I went to Japan and spent three weeks traveling around with friends who had been transferred there by a pharmaceutical company and were living in Tokyo for two years. My major source of information before leaving was viewing Lost in Translation. It wasn't enough. We were really fortunate that our knowledgeable friends exposed us to places and experiences that most foreign visitors miss. We stayed in traditional hotels, slept on mats, frequented public baths and ate just about anything - as long as it wasn't still wiggling or potentially deadly.
Over the next several days I will share experiences and learnings from that trip. One I will share with you right away is to bring two small suitcases versus one large one. The large ones just don't fit in the overhead compartments on trains or in the trunks of most Japanese cabs. You can't rent a car there unless you have a valid Japanese drivers license so, if you can't catch a cab to get from the train station to your next hotel, one or two small suitcases are much easier to navigate up the narrow, curvy, often hilly sidewalks and streets.
One thing to carry in your Wise Pack travel purse at all times is your passport. The officials can ask anyone anytime to see their passport and you'd better have it on you. Put it in the pocket right behind your back where it's safest.
