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Travelling in HANDBOOK

OKU JAPAN belocal.jp Travel o -the-beaten-track Adventures in the Japanese countryside Travelling in Japan

This handbook contains information for those travelling in Japan. You will find information about getting around, local cuisine, bathing in Japanese hotsprings, and how to navigate the world of Japanese etiquette. Travelling in Japan Handbook

Contents

Accommodation 2 Staying at a Japanese inn 3 Eating 4 Drinking 7 Bathing 9 Toilets 10 Japanese customs and etiquette 11 Communications 12 Trains 13 Local buses 16 Luggage delivery 17 Japanese Phrases 18

OKU JAPAN belocal.jp Travel o -the-beaten-track Adventures in the Japanese countryside

1 Travelling in Japan

Accommodation

Ryokan

Ryokan (旅館) are traditional Japanese inns, and a visit to one is a highlight of a trip to Japan. Rooms are invariably simply but elegantly decorated, with matting. Most ryokan have large, communal segregated baths, and it is common to bathe either before or after dinner. Dinner will usually be served in a dining room, but occasionally in your room. In most ryokan dinner is very elaborately prepared and presented from carefully chosen seasonal ingredients; one of the high points of travelling in Japan, particularly for the Japanese, is to try the local specialities. While you have been eating, the ryokan staff will have laid out your in your room, ready for sleeping.

Minshuku

Minshuku (民宿) are similar to ryokan, but more often than not family-run and a little simpler: the overall experience is much the same but the food is a little less elaborate, dining is communal, bathrooms are shared and guests are expected to lay out their own futon.

Hotels

Japanese hotels (ホテル) will always have western-style rooms, but sometimes they also have Japanese-style tatami rooms. They have the same amenities as those in other countries, although room sizes are generally smaller.

Shukubo

Shukubo (宿坊) are temple lodgings for pilgrims, though they welcome all travellers. Rooms are Japanese-style with tatami mats, with shared facilities. Food is served in a dining room by the monks, and is vegetarian shojin-ryori (精進料理) cuisine. Staying at shukubo is a memorable experience, and you will have the chance to rise early and attend the morning prayer. It is important to remember that they are religious institutions. PLEASE NOTE: Wearing yukata (cotton robes) or sleeping wear is not acceptable at the ‘morning service’ (morning prayer).

2 Staying at a Japanese inn

When you arrive at a Japanese inn (whether ryokan, minshuku or shukubo), take off your outdoor shoes in the (玄関) entrance area before stepping up onto the raised floor where shoes are not allowed. Put on the slippers provided which you will wear inside the house. Your hosts may ask you to write in the register or hand over your passport so they can take your details. You will then be shown to your room. Remember to leave your house slippers outside your room – you should only tread on the tatami mats in socks or in bare feet. Your room will be simply furnished and will probably contain a flask of hot water and utensils to make a pot of green while you sit and relax after your journey.

After tea, you might explore outside the inn or there might be time for a pre-dinner bath. A yukata (cotton gown) will be placed in your room and you will find it more comfortable to change into this while in the inn. It is also acceptable to wear the yukata outside – wear the geta (wooden clogs) when walking outside. Place the right hand side first when closing your yukata – Hint: wear underwear underneath.

After changing into your yukata gown, make your way to the bathing room. At smaller inns, the bath may be a small domestic tub used privately in turn by guests. In larger inns, the baths may be used communally, with separate rooms for men and for women. (See the chapter on bathing for more information about bathing etiquette, including how to use the small Japanese towels – much smaller than bath towels back home, but ideal for travelling once you are accustomed to them).

After bathing, you can relax in your room or stroll outside until dinner time. After dinner, you can bathe again, go for a walk, or simply relax in your room until it is time to on your futon. are slightly harder than western , however when laid directly on tatami matting they are really quite comfortable. Your futon is stored in the cupboard in your room.

Breakfast in the morning is normally served communally in a dining room at a fixed time. Please remember that the bathtub may not be available in the morning, unless the inn is located in a hot-spring area and hot water is ‘on tap’. Unless they are at a hot-spring location, Japanese guests do not expect to bathe or shower in the morning and are content with a wash at a handbasin. Some inns, especially those more familiar with western customs, may offer morning showers even if they do not fill the bathtub.

3 Eating

Most meals will be , though breakfast in western-style hotels usually includes more familiar choices too. Dinner and breakfast in ryokan and minshuku are set meals, usually with a whole succession of different dishes. Dinner is usually prepared for 18:00 or 18:30. Alcoholic and soft drinks are not included with meals and you will pay for any such drinks consumed when you depart. Tipping is not customary at hotels and restaurants in Japan.

They key ingredient of every Japanese meal is , always white and sticky. Other key ingredients are soybeans, used in (味噌) soup, (豆腐) bean curd and (醤油 pronounced shōyu). Seafood in its many forms features heavily, often being used in sauces or soups. Pickles are another key ingredient of the Japanese meal. Japanese food refrains from heavy sauces and spices in favour of subtle flavours coming from the freshness of the ingredients themselves. Japanese restaurants abroad reflect only a small amount of the variety of dishes available in Japan, so it is likely you will experience a whole new range of tastes if this is your first visit!

Japanese meals generally consist of various small dishes served all at the same time. There is usually no specified order in which to eat. The Japanese use chopsticks (箸 pronounced hashi) to eat their food, with the exception of ‘curry rice’ and . There are two points of etiquette to be aware of with chopsticks. Never use chopsticks to pass food to another person’s chopsticks and never place your chopsticks upright in a bowl of rice. These resemble Japanese funerary rites.

Many Japanese dishes come with different sauces and garnishes. Japanese people never put soy sauce on their rice, though they do dip their in it before eating, and they pour it on grilled fish as well.

Restaurants

The Japanese eat out on average several times a week and the sheer number of restaurants, eateries, canteens and hole-in-the-wall dining establishments is incredible. These restaurants can be found in stations, in underground shopping areas, the top floors of department stores, and along shopping arcades. Socialising in Japan nearly always involves eating out, as Japanese people rarely invite each other to their homes.

Set lunch menus are very good value, often offering the same menu as the evening but for a reduced price. These typically consist of a meat or fish dish, with a bowl of , pickles, and rice. These can be as inexpensive as JPY600 yet ample enough even for large appetites.

4 Restaurants will present you with the check after the meal, and you are expected to pay at the counter when leaving — do not leave payment on the table and walk out. The phrase for “check” is kanjō or kaikei. If it’s getting late, a server will usually come to your table to tell you it’s time for the “last order.” Tipping is not customary in Japan.

Shokudo

While most restaurants in Japan specialize in a certain type of dish, each neighborhood is guaranteed to have a few shokudō (食堂), serving up simple, popular dishes and teishoku (set meals) at affordable prices (JPY600-1,000).

A staple of the shokudō is (丼), literally “rice bowl”, meaning a bowl of rice with a topping. Popular ones include: • (親子丼) — “parent-and-child bowl”, usually chicken and egg (but sometimes salmon and roe) • (カツ丼) — a deep-fried pork cutlet with egg • gyūdon (牛丼) — beef and onion • chūkadon (中華丼) — “Chinese bowl”, stir-fried and meat in a thick sauce • curry rice (カレーライス) — a thick, mild, brown paste that would leave most Indians scratching their heads. Often the cheapest dish on the menu, a large portion (大盛り ōmori) is guaranteed to leave you stuffed.

Noodles

The alternative to rice are noodles, and the two main types are (そば, buckwheat) and (うどん , wheat). • kake soba (かけそば) — plain broth and maybe a little spring onion on top • tsukimi soba (月見そば) — soup with a raw egg dropped in named “moon- viewing” because of the resemblance to a moon behind clouds • kitsune soba (きつねそば) — soup with with sweetened thin sheets of deep- fried tofu • zaru soba (ざるそば) — chilled noodles served with a dipping sauce, shallot and , popular in summer

Soba and Udon are very common, and can often be found often at train stations. Chinese egg noodles or rāmen (ラーメン) are also very popular but more expensive (JPY500+) due to the greater effort involved and the , which typically include a slice of grilled pork and a variety of vegetables. The four major styles of are: • shio rāmen (塩ラーメン) — salty pork broth • shoyu rāmen (醤油ラーメン) — soy broth

5 • miso rāmen (味噌ラーメン) — miso (soybean paste) broth • (とんこつラーメン), thick pork broth

Sushi and

Probably Japan’s most famous food export, the word sushi (寿司) actually refers to the vinegared rice that accompanies it. Sliced raw fish on its own is called sashimi. Sushi chefs train for years to perfect their skills, and the preparation of sushi is actually quite tricky. Above all it is important that the fish be extremely fresh.

• nigiri — the canonical sushi form consisting of rice with fish pressed on top • maki — fish and rice rolled up in seaweed and cut into bite-size chunks • temaki — fish and rice rolled up in a big cone of nori • gunkan — “battleship” sushi, like nigiri but with nori wrapped around the edge to contain the contents • chirashi — a large bowl of vinegared rice with seafood scattered on top

A few species more or less guaranteed to feature in every restaurant are maguro (tuna), (salmon), ika (squid), tako (octopus), and tamago (egg). More exotic options include uni (sea urchin roe), toro (fatty tuna belly, which is very expensive) and shirako (fish sperm). Most Japanese people eat sushi only rarely; it is relatively expensive compared to other restaurants. You can eat sushi with chopsticks or alternatively with your fingers.

Grilled and fried dishes

Before the opening up of Japan to outside world in the late 19th century, little meat was eaten in Japan. It had been largely banned after the introduction of Buddhism in the 5th century. However the Japanese now eat beef, pork and chicken with great enthusiasm, and many well-known dishes such as and shabu-shabu are recent innovations.

• (お好み焼き) — Japanese pancake-pizza, based on a wheat- cabbage batter with meat or seafood of your choice, slathered with sauce, mayo, bonito flakes, dried seaweed and pickled ginger • teppanyaki (鉄板焼き) — meat grilled on a hot iron plate • (天ぷら) — battered shrimp, fish and vegetables deep-fried very quickly, served with a dipping broth • (豚カツ) — deep-fried pork cutlets elevated into an art form • (焼肉) — Japanese-style barbeque, cooked by yourself at your table • (焼き鳥) — chicken on skewers

6 Stewed dishes

Particularly in the cold winter months various stews (鍋 nabe) are popular ways to warm up. Common types include: • chankonabe (ちゃんこ鍋) — a hotchpotch hotpot much favored by sumo wrestlers • (おでん) — fish soup simmered for days to deepen its flavour, often sold on the street and in convenience stores in the winter • sukiyaki (すき焼き) — a hotpot of beef, tofu, noodles and more, often sweet • shabu-shabu (しゃぶしゃぶ ) — thinly-sliced beef dipped in a savoury broth and dipping sauces

Pseudo-Western dishes

Much admired and much copied, western food, or at least something resembling it, is common even in rural Japan. A few popular only-in-Japan dishes include: • hambaagu (ハンバーグ) — a standalone beef patty often served with Japanese sauces • omuraisu (オムライス) — rice wrapped in an omelette with a dollop of ketchup • wafū suteeki (和風ステーキ) — steak served Japanese-style with soy sauce • (コロッケ) — croquettes, usually filled with potato, along with some meat and onion • kare (カレー) — Japanese-style curry (not as spicy as Indian curry)

Convenience stores

Japan’s konbini (コンビニ) are everywhere, and serve both hot and cold food, snacks, beer, ice cream, as well as milk, juice and bread. Drinking

Beer

There are many brands of Japanese beer (ビール biiru), including Kirin, Asahi, Sapporo, and Suntory. Microbrewed beers are also starting to appear in Japan, with a few restaurants offering their own ‘ji-biiru’ 地ビール( ).

Beer is available from vending machines in various sizes, but in restaurants bottles (瓶 bin) or draft (生 nama meaning “fresh”) are the norm. Bottles are large and can be shared. One tradition is to pour your companion’s glass and have them pour yours. Holding the glass while they pour shows respect. A hand placed on top of the glass means you have had enough. 7 Saké

What is known outside Japan as saké (酒) is more commonly called nihonshu within the country. The word saké (usually with the honorific ‘o’ before it) refers to any alcoholic drink. Sake is around 15% alcohol, and is brewed like wine, from rice. It can be served hot (熱燗 atsukan), room temperature (冷や hiya) or cold (冷酒 reishu). See: Japan Sake Brewers Assocation http://www.japansake.or.jp/sake/english/ Wikipedia also has a good write-up: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sake

Shochu

Shochu is a distilled spirit like whisky made from potatoes, yam or grain. It is more common on the southern island of Kyushu, and is much stronger than sake.

Tea

The most popular beverage is tea (お茶 o-cha), provided free of charge with almost every meal, hot in winter and cold in summer. There is a huge variety of tea in bottles and cans in convenience-store fridges and vending machines. Western-style is called kōcha (紅茶); if you don’t ask for it specifically you’re likely to get Japanese brown or . Chinese tea is also very popular. The major types of Japanese tea are: • (煎茶), the common green tea • (抹茶), soupy powdered ceremonial green tea • hōjicha (ほうじ 茶 ), roasted green tea • (玄米茶), tea with roasted rice • mugicha (麦茶), a drink of roasted , served iced in summer

Coffee

Coffee コーヒー( kōhī) has become very popular in Japan, at western coffee shops such as , and the more traditional kissaten or coffeeshops. Japanese chains include Doutor and Excelsior. It is easy to buy coffee from vending machines even in remote areas. Most ryokan do not usually serve it with breakfast.

Soft drinks/soda

Soft drinks are available from vending machines in a bewildering, often changing variety. Along with the common Coke and Fanta are various Japanese brands and isotonic sports drinks such as and the milk-based .

8 Bathing

Bathing is an important part of daily life in Japan, and be it a scenic onsen hot spring, a neighbourhood sento bath or just an ordinary household tub, bathing Japanese style is a pleasure. Japanese wax lyrical about the joys of hot water (お湯 o-yu) and dub even the ordinary tub with a honorific お風呂( o-), and a visit to a Japanese hot spring should be on the agenda of every visitor.

Onsen

Onsen (温泉), quite literally “hot springs”, are one of the quintessential experiences of travelling in Japan. There are more than 3,000 named hot springs throughout Japan, ranging from simple rock pools in the mountains to large swanky hot spring resort hotels. A real onsen will have its source nearby, piping in the hot water and adjusting it to the right temperature for bathing. Onsen will always have a sheet posted describing the chemical composition of the water.

Most common are the indoor baths, usually segregated between men and women. Some up-market resorts offer private baths known as family baths, or reserved baths (貸切風呂 kashikiri-furo). Rotenburo (露天風呂) are open air baths, often located next to a rushing river or with some view of the surrounding scenery. Most onsen charge anywhere from JPY300 to JPY1000, and offer changing rooms, showers, soap and shampoo, and often lounges to relax afterwards. There are more simple publicly- run baths often deep in the mountains where the facilities are more basic.

A note about jewellery: The minerals in some hot springs may affect jewellery and can cause discolouration. Please remove rings and other jewellery when bathing in hot springs. If discoloration occurs, toothpaste has proven effective at removing the stains.

Tattoos: some onsen may refuse entry to people with tattoos as they are associated in Japan with members of the yakuza (Japanese organised crime).

Sentō and spas

Sentō (銭湯) are the old-style neighbourhood bath houses, once common but now slowly dying out as all new housing is built with modern bathrooms. Sento were once a focal point for a neighbourhood, where families would go every evening, wearing their bath robes and carrying a small bucket filled with towels, soaps, and shampoo. You can still see the sento - easy to spot with their entrances concealed behind low curtains.

9 Onsen etiquette

1. Look for the characters “man” (男) and “woman” (女) (often coloured blue and red respectively) to enter the correct bath! You will usually have to remove your shoes to step into the changing room, and there will be either lockers or simple shelves to store your belongings. 2. Undress and place your clothes in the provided basket if there is one, or the locker, and take the key. 3. Take your small towel (often provided for a fee), and enter the bath area. You will see a row of taps and/or shower attachments along one wall. 4. Take a small plastic stool, and sit in front of the taps. Being careful not to splash your neighbour, rinse and wash yourself, making sure to rinse all the soap suds away. This is important, as the bath water will be used by many people after you, and soap in the water is a big taboo. 5. You can now enter the bath itself. Test the water temperature as the baths are often hot!

If there is an outdoor bath, it will usually be cooler than the indoor one. The idea is to slip gently into the water and let the heat penetrate your bones. Your small towel can be left by the edge of the bath or placed on your head, but not in the water. You can move between baths, taking a cool shower in between, repeating the process as often as you like.

When you are finished, use the towel to dry off, squeezing it to remove excess water. You will find the hot onsen water will evaporate fairly quickly. After your bath is finished, there will often be a lounge to relax 休憩室( kyūkeishitsu). Beers are often on sale from vending machines. Feel free to relax, take a quick , or just sit and observe the Japanese at leisure.

Toilets

Japanese toilets come in both the western-style and Asian-style squat varieties. Japan is undoubtedly the world leader in advanced toilet design. High-tech toilets called washlets are common. They incorporate seat warmers, hot air dryers and small robotic arms that squirt water. Make sure you are sitting before you press any of the buttons. One thing to note is that usually the flush mechanism is not operated by the control panel, but by a more conventional switch or knob.

Note: There is always a red button labelled 止 on the panel — pressing this will instantly stop everything.

10 Common buttons are: • Oshiri (おしり), lit. “honorable buttocks”, for spraying your rear — typically shown in blue with a stylized icon • Bidet (ビデ), for spraying your front — typically shown in pink with a female icon • Kansō (乾燥), for drying off when finished — typically yellow with a wavy air icon

Japanese-style (squat) toilet

Most are now western-style, but you may find Japanese-style squat toilets in some rural areas.

Japanese customs and etiquette

While Japanese culture and customs can be confusing at first, as a foreigner you are generally not expected to understand them. In fact, many Japanese take a pride in the belief that their culture is extremely complex and impossible for the foreigner to comprehend. You will likely be forgiven for any minor cultural gaffs you make. However, it is important to show respect for the Japanese and their beliefs, as in any other country you visit.

1. Language – try to learn at least a few phrases. Japanese is not really so difficult, and there are very few sounds that are difficult for a native English speaker to pronounce. Your efforts will be rewarded even with just a few words, and the Japanese will never make fun of your mistakes. 2. Shoes – make sure to remove your street shoes before entering ryokan, minshuku, temples, shrines, and restaurants – anywhere that has a raised floor. Remove slippers before walking on tatami. Lastly, change out of your normal slippers into the special toilet slippers at the entrance to the toilet. Use these only within the toilet area and be sure to change back into your regular slippers on exiting the toilet. 3. The Japanese consider over-familiarity inappropriate, so hearty backslaps or hugs are best avoided if you have just met someone. 4. Topics such as the Imperial Family and Japan’s role in World War II are best avoided as they are still sensitive subjects in Japan.

11 Communications

Emergency telephone calls

Emergency calls can be made from any phone free of charge: call 110 for police or call 119 for fire and ambulance.

Pay telephones

There are still some public pay telephones (公衆電話 kōshū denwa). Grey and green pay phones accept JPY10 and JPY100 coins, and pre-paid cards. Some of the grey phones, as indicated on the LCD display, can make international calls. International phone charges from pay phones can be unusually high; it is best to use a mobile phone or a service such as Skype.

By post

You can send postcards to anywhere in the world for JPY70. Public mail deposit boxes are found throughout Japan. They have two slots, one for regular domestic mail, and the other for overseas and express mail.

By internet

Internet cafes (インターネットカフェ) can be found in or around many train stations. Here, you can upload your pictures from a digital camera, and if you forgot your cable, some cafes will lend you a memory card reader for free. Manga coffee shops (漫画喫茶 manga-kissa) usually have internet PCs as well. The cost is typically around JPY400/hour, with free drinks. Some hotels have rental or free PCs available for hotel guests. Some larger train stations and airports also have rental PCs to netsurf and send e-mail, usually about JPY600/hour.

12 Note: On your guided Oku Japan tour, your guide will handle all travel arrangements starting from the first tour hotel and finishing at the last tour hotel. Your guide will also handle the luggage delivery included in your tour. The following chapters about trains, local buses and luggage delivery are designed principally for clients who have asked us to make additional arrangements for independent travel before or after the guided tour.

Trains

Japan’s railway network is famous for its punctuality and efficiency. Railway stations now have enough signs in English for most overseas visitors to navigate successfully. If you ask politely, you will probably find someone with enough English to help you. Japanese people are often shy about their language ability, but usually willing to assist foreign travellers.

Trains are listed with departure time, arrival time and the name of the train operator. Where possible, we also include the name of the line and the train’s ultimate destination. JR denotes Japan Railways, the national network operator, which is now divided into regional companies (JR East, JR Central, JR West etc). A valid Japan Rail Pass can be used on all JR lines, with the exception of a few specific trains such as the ‘Nozomi’ Bullet Train. Each railway line has its own name - for example, JR Chuo Honsen refers to the JR line along the Kiso Valley where the Nakasendo Trail is located. In addition to JR, there are many privately-run railway lines, mostly regional commuter routes. Japan Rail Passes are not valid on them and separate tickets are required. If your journey involves two different operators (for example, JR and then the private Kintetsu railway), you need a separate ticket for each sector. We indicate in your itinerary where this is necessary.

Example train transfer:

Getting there: from Kyoto to Magome

Train from Kyoto to Nakatsugawa by JR 08:54 Kyoto 京都 → 09:30 名古屋 by JR Shinkansen/bullet train Nozomi No.2 bound for Tokyo 10:00 Nagoya 名古屋 → 10:49 Nakatsugawa 中津川 by JR Wide-View Shinano No.7 bound for Nagano

13 Seat reservations

Where a train name is indicated in red, this indicates a Japan Railways (JR) express train which offers reserved seating. Express trains usually have a name and a number, such as ‘Wide View Shinano 9’. Seat reservations are usually optional, since most express trains have cars/coaches for people without seat reservations, in addition to cars/coaches for people with reservations (there are a few special all-reserved services, such as the Narita Express, where you must have a seat reservation in order to board the train).

Reservation office sign (Midori-no-madoguchi)

If we are supplying individual train tickets for your tour, we will also make seat reservations for you on the longer-distance journeys whenever reservations are available (we will note any exceptions in your Day-by-Day Itinerary).

If you are travelling with a Japan Rail Pass, we still recommend making seat reservations, which are free for Japan Rail Pass holders, since a reservation guarantees you a seat and the reserved cars/coaches are generally less-crowded than the others. To make a reservation, show your Japan Rail Pass at a JR reservation counter (‘midori- no-madoguchi’ denoted by a green sign, located at larger JR stations) along with the relevant train details from your itinerary. Local trains do not require seat reservations.

Please show both your rail pass / individual train ticket and your seat reservation ticket when entering and exiting the station, and on board the train when requested.

Individual train tickets

Tickets for longer-distance travel usually consist of two separate documents:

14 1. Fare Ticket (in Japanese: Joshaken 乗車券). This ticket covers the regular fare from point A to B and permits travel by any non-express train. This ticket must be kept until you have completed your entire journey, even if you are changing trains or breaking your journey en route. See illustration below

2. Express Surcharge Ticket (In Japanese: Tokkyuken 特急券): This is a supplementary fee payable in addition to the standard fare to permit travel by Express train or Bullet train (Shinkansen) for the whole journey or a specific portion of it. The ticket also confirms if a reservation has been made for a specific seat on a specific train:

Using your individual tickets

Example: you are travelling from Tokyo to Nara, with a change of trains en route in Kyoto. Tokyo to Kyoto is by bullet train/Shinkansen and Kyoto to Nara is by local train. Your Fare Ticket (Joshaken) is valid all the way from Tokyo to Nara; you show it as you enter the barrier at Tokyo station, retain it while you change trains in Kyoto and then surrender it as you exit Nara station. Your Express Surcharge Ticket (tokkyuken)

15 is valid on the sector of the journey by bullet train/Shinkansen from Tokyo to Kyoto; you show it as you pass through the secondary barriers inside Tokyo station to access the bullet train/Shinkansen platforms and surrender it as you exit the bullet train/ Shinkansen platforms inside Kyoto station.

• Tickets can be used in the automatic ticket barriers but we recommend using the staffed barriers and showing them for manual inspection to avoid possible complications. • Tickets do not necessarily permit a break of journey at an intermediate point. • Seat reservations are only valid on the train specified and no refund can be made after the service departs. However, on JR trains they can be changed before departure if necessary at any reservations office (Midori-no-madoguchi). Private lines such as Kintetsu, Nankai (Mount Koya) are not changeable. Local buses

Japan has an efficient and punctual network of local buses. We have indicated on your itinerary where you will use them. Most buses have the entrance at the back. Take a small paper ticket from the machine as you enter. This ticket shows the number of the bus stop at which you boarded.

To calculate your fare, match the bus stop number on your ticket with the number on the display at the front of the bus. The fare payable in Japanese yen appears below it. The displayed fare changes during the journey, increasing gradually as the bus progresses. Check the final fare payable as you leave the bus. See right for a picture of the fare display on the bus. You pay when you exit and deposit the fare into the machine beside the driver. Please have your fare ready, especially if the bus is crowded. You can obtain change from the machine to the left of the driver, but only from coins or JPY1,000 notes/bills; the bus does not accept JPY5,000 or JPY10,000 notes/bills. After changing your note/ bill into coins, you still need to deposit coins into the machine beside the bus driver to pay your fare.

16 Luggage delivery

Several companies offer secure and efficient baggage forwarding inside Japan. Use these services to avoid having to carry all your luggage with you – especially useful while walking village-to-village on our self-guided walking tours. ‘Takkyubin’ is the Japanese brand name of the best-known service. The services are reliable, safe and economical. You can send luggage from most hotels and from many ryokan to any address in Japan. The hotel concierge will help you arrange the baggage forwarding and tell you how much to pay. Some smaller local accommodations may not offer the service, but they will direct you to the nearest location where the service is available. We suggest in your itinerary the occasions where you may choose to forward your baggage; if you are travelling light, then you may not need to use the service.

Please note the following general rules:

1. Please do not put any breakable items in your luggage such as glass or pottery. 2. Do not send open bags or loose items. Everything should be in a closed suitcase, pack or bag. 3. You pay per bag, so it is more economical to send one larger bag rather than several smaller ones.

You need the address to which you are sending your luggage, preferably written in Japanese. Delivery normally takes a minimum of 24 hours (but a minimum of 72 hours to an airport location – the luggage delivery companies have counters at airports where you can collect your bags and then check them in for your homeward flight). Please note you cannot receive your luggage on the same day that you send it, but apart from this limitation, you can specify the time and date you would like your luggage to be delivered. Please make sure that the delivery slip clearly shows your name and the date you will check-in, so the accommodation to which you send the luggage knows when you will arrive.

17 Japanese phrases

At the time of arrival

Japanese Pronunciation English 私は（name)です。 Watashi wa (name) dess. My name is... チェックインお願いします。 Cheku in onegai shimass I would like to check in. 荷物を届いてますか？ Nimotsu wa todoite masska Has our luggage arrived? 荷物をお願いします。 Nimotsu wo onegai shimass Please take our bags.

During your stay

Japanese Pronunciation English 。。。。は ど こ で す か 。 (Place) wa doko desska? Where is (name of place)? トイレはどこですか。 Toiray wa doko desska? Where is the bathroom? 夕食は何時ですか。 Yushoku wa nanji desska? What time is dinner? 朝ごはんは何時ですか。 Asagohan wa nanji desska? What time is breakfast? 寒いです。 Samui dess I’m cold. 暑いです。 Atsui dess I’m hot. (Object) ありますか。 (Object) arimasska? Do you have.....? (Object) お願いします。 (Object) onegai shimass Please give us..... 明日のお昼ご飯を Ashitano ohiru gohan wo Please make お願いします。 onegai shimass us lunch for tomorrow. お部屋を替えれますか。 Oheya o kaereremasska? Could we change the room? 私はお肉も魚も食べられ Watashi wa niku mo sakana I eat meat and ます mo taberemass fish.

18 私は魚は食べられますが、 Watashi wa sakana wa I eat fish but I do お肉は食べられません。 taberemass ga, oniku wa not eat meat. taberemasen 私は、お肉と魚、両方食べ Watashi wa oniku to sakana, I do not eat fish られません。だし汁は大丈 ryoho taberemasen. Tada and I do not eat 夫 で す 。 wa daijoubu dess meat; I can accept dashi fish stock as an ingredient.

At the time of departure

Japanese Pronunciation English チェックアウト Cheku outo onegai shimass We would like to お願いします。 check out. ありがとうご ざ い ました 。 Arigatou gozai mashita Thank you.

At the station

Japanese Pronunciation English (Station name)はどこで (Station name) wa doko Where is (name) すか。 desska? station? 最寄り駅はどこですか。 Moyori eki wa doko desska? Where is the closest station? この電車は(Station name) Kono densha wa (Station Does this train に 止まります か？ name) ni tomari masska? stop at (name) station? 駅 Eki Station 地下鉄 Chikatetu Subway 切符 Kippu Ticket 乗車券 Jyoshaken Ticket (another way of saying ticket) 乗り換え Norikae Change trains

19 At the restaurant/at the shops

Japanese Pronunciation English (Object) ありますか。 (Object) arimasska? Do you have.....? お水をください。 Omizu o kudasai Please give me water. これを下さい。 Kore o kudasai Please give me this. これはいくらですか。 Kore wa ikura desska? How much is this? お勘定をお願いします。 Okanjoo o onegaishimass Could we please have the check.

Commonly used phrases

Japanese Pronunciation English こんにちわ Kon nichi wa Hello おはようございます Ohayou go zaimass Good morning こんばんわ Kon ban wa Good evening おやすみなさい Oya sumi nasai Good night さよなら Sa yo nara Good bye ありがとうございます Arigato gozai mass Thank you すいません Sumimasen Excuse me

20 disclaimer

Please note:

Oku Japan / BeLocal cannot be held responsible for any physical injury, theft, loss, accident or any incident arising from a journey you undertake with our itinerary. On our self-guided walking tours, as with any journey on foot in a rural or mountainous area, proper care and planning is essential. This itinerary is prepared with the understanding that you have the necessary experience to undertake it.

If we have made independent travel arrangements for you in addition to your group tour, it is your responsibility to:

• Be clear what travel tickets are supplied by Oku Japan / BeLocal (as detailed in the Summary section of your Day-by-Day Itinerary), and what tickets you will purchase yourself (for example local bus tickets). • Review your itinerary once received and let us know if anything is incorrect. • Prepare adequately for your trip, including wearing appropriate clothing and checking weather daily. • Make sure you have adequate physical strength to complete the suggested route. • Notify each accommodation if you change your plans. All the accommodations have been prepaid by Oku Japan/belocal.jp and will charge cancellation fees if you cancel or do not show up. Please see our general conditions for details of charges if you need to cancel or change your itinerary. Travelling in Japan

This handbook contains information and advice for travellers in Japan. It includes information about getting around, accommodation, food & drink, bathing, etiquette, and some useful Japanese phrases.

www.okujapan.com OKU JAPAN belocal.jp Travel o -the-beaten-track Adventures in the Japanese countryside www.belocal.jp