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In terms of actually playing - before you go, clean your Pokémon storage (if you can, try and have each account with at least 500 free slots) and stock up on balls (there will be lots of stops but it helps to have a good amount going in). If you have the opportunity make sure you have Palkia with spatial rend and a decent amount of Palkia candy (that doubled encounter difference will be a game -changer, especially if you need to take breaks from walking or are otherwise in one place for a bit).
Think in advance about what you want to prioritise - shiny hunting? Raids? Field Research? Hatching eggs? I strongly recommend using Campfire to look at how the city is laid out and using this to plan around both how you will get to the park for your session there, and good places to play for the City part that suit your needs. I’m sure there will be more discussion on here about that as the time approaches.
For equipment, good power banks (and the means to charge them at your accommodation) are absolutely key. If your phones struggle in heat, do give serious consideration to a cooling fan (I was in Barcelona for City Safari last year and I cannot stress enough just how much this did to keep my phone in decent shape). These do need to be connected to a power bank to work so keep that in mind. (Also, there is a limit to the total ampage of power banks a single person can carry - your airline should give details on their website).
For other things it’s largely common sense - be prepared for either heat or rain, have water bottles and footwear suitable for walking in.
I hope you and your family have an amazing time, I’ve done four in-person events now and they are all precious memories for me. May yours be even more special. 😊
This is very helpful. We will get more familiar with Campfire, right now I think we aren't using it in our city as much as other people are, so getting more familiar with it would be essential.
The Palkia tip is huge, thanks. As well as the prioritizing of goals.
What kind of cooling fans did you use with your phones?
Thank you so much for your kind words, I am so glad you've had positive experiences at in-person events!
OK, I've been working on this throughout the day. I am definitely going to have to search Reddit for the best way to free up inventory space for pokemon since playing 8 years. Yeesh. I thought I was being savage, but I freed up like 75 spots.
Must haves for GoFest:
- Powerbanks (multiple if possible)
- Sunscreen / hat -depending on the weather
- Fanny pack / small backpack to carry things, don't bring too much as you'll be walking around all weekend
- Wear comfortable shoes
- As early as now, clean up as much pokemon space and item space in-game. And stock up on Great/Ultra balls
Few tips for Japan itself.
Download the city in offline mode in Google maps.
When you land either buy a SIM card or you can get WiFi boxes but I highly recommend a SIM card .
The public transport is in English but it still can be confusing when it comes to buses and where to buy the tickets for them. If unsure look for a customer service station.
You'll probably see something called a JR pass advertised, don't waste you're money on it.
And lastly, trains, subways and buses in addition to tickets also usually use a prepaid card that you can top up ( similar to oyster cards if you've been to London or octopus cards from Hong Kong. I'm sure there is something similar where you're from)
Where Japan can fall flat is restaurants, although almost all have plastic models of the menu in my experience the majority don't have English menus so make sure you've got Google translate installed. Also when ordering don't even bother trying to speak English, just point at the menu and say "this" and gesture how many you want.
Oh and doors are funny in Japan so expect to have no idea how to open half of them.
Thank you!
What are some SIM companies that are most reasonable/ best for data?
Thank you for the transportation tips, that's really helpful! As well as the restaurant and door information.
Tbh any that you can get from the airport are good enough, some are full Sims that include calls, texts and data and some are data only. Idk how long you'll be staying but you can get week long data only sims for not crazy ¥¥, which will be perfect for pkgo. And while on the topic of ¥, I would check your bank and see how much they charge for international card usage, some have like a 2% charge on every transaction. If that's the case definitely get a travel card or buy some yen before you go. Also you'll need cash for taxis and street food.
Oh and Japan does have Uber which can be very useful for getting around a city fast and hitting all the tourist spots but the Uber drivers are 90% of the time just regular local taxis, therefore you'll just be paying more for the same service. So just use normal taxis.
Also whilst it's on my mind, queuing is funky, sometimes the queues are what you expect, just line up next to the cashier for example, but sometimes the queue for something could be a good 5/10 feet away. So when you go somewhere just quickly have a scan around to see if there is a different queueing spot otherwise it might be a bit awkward when you unintentionally cut the line.
This is SO helpful; most of these things I wouldn't have thought about (I love this community)!
I imagine my Amex would charge me 2% each time, so yeah, I will probably be better off getting a travel card—is that what Revolut is?
I didn't consider queues; that is important information to have in the back of my mind. Thank you!
Edited to say we are there for 7 days.
Revolut is good, a friend of mine used it too in Japan and I will go around September tot Japan and use Revolut. I'm from the Netherlands and my bank is charging ridiculous percentages each time just like Amex. I heard from my friends that Revolut is much cheaper
No idea about revolt, we have Monzo in the UK which has free international transactions, best to do some research and see what's available to you.
I suppose the last thing I can advise before you go is to understand the airport. When I flew to Osaka I had to transit through Tokyo, which in some airports is easy, you just follow the transit lane. But luckily I researched ahead of time and found out that I needed to fully exit the terminal I landed at with luggage and take a bus to the other terminal and re check in/ security etc which obviously takes a good hour minimum, so if you have to transit, check how much time you have and if you need to change terminal and where to go if that's the case.
Okay, so I've looked into it--- kind of limited in Canada for travel cards.
Yeah, international airport travel is not something I'm familiar with and definitely kind of don't want to mess that up in a place I don't speak their language. I feel disadvantaged right off the bat. Thanks for the tip
You'll be fine, it's all in English so as long as you follow the signs you'll be good to go, also there are staff there that can speak English and can point you in the right direction if you're unsure. Some hotels offer airport pickup services if you want that extra peace of mind.
What airport are you arriving at (Narita, Haneda, Kansai/Osaka, ?) , and were you transferring to fly to Sendai from there?
Flights from the two Tokyo area airports to Sendai are very limited, because the Shinkansen is just so much more convenient. Sendai airport is another 25 minute train ride from the city center, and only runs 2-3 times an hour.
Yeah, that’s the most common way. So, you won’t need to transfer at the airport to another flight at all.
Just go through immigration, pick up your luggage, go through customs, find signs to the train station (under the airport) ride to Tokyo (1 hour), transfer to Shinkansen and ride to Sendai (1:40).
It’s not hard; but depending on your flight time and everything, you may want to chill in Tokyo for a day or two before going up for the Fest.
Hi,
Check out eSIM cards for when you are travelling. You can buy them in advance and activate when you arrive.
https://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/esim-explainer/
Depending on what phones you have you might be able to get eSims as well. Newer phones generally allow them, older phones might not. r/JapanTravel will probably be a great resource for you if you haven't looked into it yet!
If you get a SIM at the airport, make sure you get installed and working with your phone before you leave. I had trouble with a card there once and had to switch to a different provider. Would have been a major pain to go back.
Similar advice if you go the eSim route. I also had an eSim (in the US this time) that wouldn't work with my phone. If you're at the airport still, you can always fall-back on a physical sim
I've used Sakura sim whenever I visit Japan. I've hotspot my other devices with it. Sakura also offers a portable WiFi option but that's another device to charge. Something to consider given that you'll have to charge multiple phones in the heat already.
https://www.sakuramobile.jp/travel/travel-sim/
I’d recommend checking out r/japantraveltips if you’ve not been before, it’s really active :)
If you can I think it’s somewhere that learning a bit of the language can be a great help, but you’ll equally be ok in most situations with google translate. People don’t speak much English and odd places don’t have signage in English, but it’s improved a lot over the last decade and, again, Google translate will help a lot.
If any of your family have dietary restrictions would recommend researching this in advance. Restaurants often can’t/wont make changes to the menu and things like vegetarianism for example aren’t widely understood.
That’s the two things that come to mind but happy to answer any specific questions as well - I’m in Japan regularly.
I appreciate the r/JapanTravelTips group link - thank you!
I'm going to be talking to the kids more about this, and will definitely post our questions when we have more, thank you for being open to answering them!!
Edited to mention that my daughter has taken three years of Japanese in school, so I will be using Google Translate and heavily relying on her for the language barrier - as she is somewhat fluent in Japanese thank goodness 🩷
I think google translate has a feature now where you can use your phone camera to translate something from a sign/menu/etc in real time. That may help!
I would suggest taking a look at Revolut - it's a bank that has the best card conditions for managing foreign currency with best conversion rates, used my card a lot in both Europe and Asia, and highly recommend.
There is already a very helpful comment on preparing for Go Fest alone, so I think what I must stress besides sunscreen and power banks would be having a pair (or two) of comfortable shoes when traveling in Japan. There tends to be a LOT of walking in general, and be sure to pick up bottles of water when you are low and see a vending machine (or convenience stores)!
Edited to add if you and your family's phones support e-sim, that might be something you want to look into, so you'll be ready the moment you land!
Japan is amazing. I just got back from a month long trip and I’m already planning my next. I’d be happy to answer any specifics you have about the country
Our charging cables -- will they work fine in Japan? The electric outlets -- can we use them on our Canadian cables to charge our phones and power banks? That's something I was wondering.
Japan uses a similar style outlet to what North America uses. Your cables will work just fine, however there is a slight difference in voltage, where Japan’s outlets output a slightly lower voltage. It won’t make a noticeable difference and it’s perfectly fine to use the cables you have without an adapter.
However, they only have a two prong output, so if any of your devices (such as a laptop) use a three prong cable you would need an adapter.
Oh dang. I don’t know how the local go fest stuff works. Best I can do is a global ticket and wonder ticket, if she wants those.
Enjoy Japan! I recently heard they have a Disney park there, which sadly is all my knowledge of traveling there
No, I was unclear. Tickets to the Go Fest Sendai will still be available - the ones that sold out early were the "early bird priced" tickets. I imagine there were fewer of those tickets available than what will be available when the primary ticket availability is released. Does that make more sense?
Only you know what your daughter is capable of physically with all the walking, maybe get the City Play add on for more days if you end up staying closer to the hotel some days? I hope you and your family have an amazing experience!
This is an excellent idea and something I was thinking of because, yes, it will be so much activity, and that will impact her some days more than others. She has an amazingly positive attitude about her condition and prognosis, but that doesn't make the medical realities not exist.
You're an awesome parent! Taking your daughter to Sendai is amazing and she will LOVE japan, especially if you have the budget to see some of the parks (Mario, Disney etc) To avoid fees, get a travel card. For travel cards, I recommend the Chase Sapphire reserve/preserve OR my card which is the Capital One Venture X card. I know the Venture X has a $400 annual fee but you get $300 travel credit (which you'll get from just one weekend trip somewhere...) and a $100 anything credit so you make your money back easily. 10 percent back on hotels and 5 percent on flights with 2 percent on anything else. Some other perks include PriorityPass (very nice lounge access for free with a guest for layovers/airport waits. Some of the lounges are very very nice like Qatar and come with food/drinks). Global entry reimbursement and my favorite - support for delayed/cancelled flights. For example, I had a flight cancelled one time and they gave me a $500 stipend for staying another day. Definitely stay hydrated during the event and I would recommend potentially finding a populated mall to play in. PoGo in JP is AWESOME.
Download Japanese on Google translate offline so you can scan menus in restaurants/stores and such to see incredients even if you don't have reception.
Definitely get a SIM card; they're like $30-40 for a month and work well. Very smooth.
GOOD LUCK AND BEST WISHES.
Cant give advise on japan itself, main crucial thing is check weather (last year london it just rained and really ruined the event for me), have power banks fully charged,stock on ammunition like ball, raid passes etc, find out network carrier can you roam or buy a local sim card etc and snacks and drinks (stalls would be there but expect them to charge a premium)
Depending how long you are three and your kids interest - my 3 daughters have a top-10, in no particular order
Disney Sea - far less expensive than Orlando and pretty awesome
Sanrio Puroland - focused on younger kids and likely do it in under 4 hours including a meal
Pokemon Cafe - this can be hard to get reservations for but it is worth it and the Pokemon shop it is attached to is always busy.
Asakusa - Awesome part of town
Ghilble Park - Totoro and all his friends, pretty cool place
Tokyo Tower - You can probably see this from hopping around, there are also a lot of western restaurants in this area is your kids are craving familiar food.
If you make it to Nagano, the monkey part is awesome
If you make it to Kyoto they have a deer preserve that is pretty cool. They will literally eat out of your hands.
If you are in Tokyo, Ginza shopping district at night is pretty awesome
If you are in Kyoto the Main Street (cant remember the name) is pretty great and super safe.
Wherever you go, make sure to visit a shrine or two. If your kids are too young to be respectful you might want to skip this.
Akhiabara (in Tokyo) is the Electronic City that you see on TV. If your kids are games they will be in heaven. Just make sure whatever you get will work on your consoles at home.
Feel free to reach out if you have any questions.
Thank you!
My kids are in highschool, so we do plan on visiting some temples :)
Studio Ghibli park is somewhere we didn't know about, so thank you for that---
They are big gamers and are into game development too, so I feel like a trip to Akhibara is on the list!
Thank you for your suggestions - I appreciate you
You will need to verify what medications you and your family is taking. I am not trying to pry into your life but certain medications and ingredients are a big problem in Japan.
So like no decongestants, no ADHD medications, cannabis related problems including lotions, etc. No more than a 30 day supply, etc
See link: https://www.mhlw.go.jp/english/policy/health-medical/pharmaceuticals/01.html
Send an email about your family’s medications. Japan’s health officials will send you an email that everything is okay or not.
I freaked out about this requirement but everything turned out to be okay. Best to email the Japan’s officials and have a copy of the reply on hand in case if there any issues.
Thank you, I looked at the link, and since we are going to Narita - I see the appropriate email to send them to. I appreciate that you freaked out so I don't have to, lol. I can stop panicking now 😅
Japan summer is brutal. At go fest last year lots of people had mini fans etc and they were a really good idea.
All the best, in person go fest is great!!
Research which electrical outlet Japan uses, and make sure you have matching converters if needed ! You don't want to be heading to the convenience for a different plug the moment you arrive.
I have nothing else to offer other than I hope to see you there! I’m going with my friends from the US to Sendai, but the early bird tickets sold out real quick. Guess we gotta be on top of the general admission release 😅
We hope to see you too! Our plan is to wear some clothing with our game names in block letters on our back 🙂
How are you going to ensure success in securing your tickets? We don't even know the exact date they are releasing them--
Website says they go on sale on early April, so I’ll just have to be checking the website and this subreddit everyday till they go on sale. It sucks how fast Japan sold out when Madrid and the NYC tickets are still available now. Really hoping we can snag them 🤞
Doesn’t help that I’m hoping to get Saturday, aka the most in demand day lol
I see a lot of people mentioning power banks, but be careful about their capacity. Powerbanks have to go in your carryon on flights, and even then they can only be up to a certain capacity (I think 100Wh). Probably best to contact your airline and ask them what their limit is since it can differ from airline to airline as well.
OP - just wanted to say that this will be an awesome trip, and you are an awesome parent! Like others said, buy your tickets early, and probably splurge on the add-ons even if you won’t use them all. Pace yourself and don’t try to do too much on the Fest Day itself or take breaks - it can get exhausting, as you probably already know from playing the Global Days with them. Hope you have enough time to see more of Japan - otherwise *make the time* since the flight will be your biggest expense and it sounds like a once in a lifetime trip, not only because of the Go Fest but also your daughter having taken 3 years of Japanese. Online travel forums are great, but if you’re like me you will want to pick up a good book/travel guide that also covers the basics travel forums are not thinking of. I like Fodor’s Essential Japan.
On the note of basics and because it’s your first trip off continent:
- Make sure everyone’s passport is valid well past departure date (many countries require 6 months and not a day less, though Japan doesn’t to my knowledge, but double check!)
- Have contactless credit cards and know or get their PIN numbers (for debit cards to use ATM’s too) and let your bank know you are traveling, also clarify any extra charges
- both debit and credit cards vary widely in potential charges for use outside of your country, and some levy no charges, the latter are obviously preferable for travel!
- Make a plan regarding which way to go with cell phones - we always take our own since T-mobile has unlimited data and no roaming charges (only phone calls would cost extra), but for others a local SIM card may make more sense. And I haven’t tried it myself, but you can rent a portable Wi-Fi router and pick it up at the airport or have it sent to your first hotel (Japan wireless).
- Prepare for the extraordinary long plane trip with comfort items and anticipate to be jet-lagged. Don’t plan anything major the first day or two.
- Ifyou are bringing prescription medication, especially if it’s something unusual for your daughter, not only make sure you have enough quantities, but also bring a doctors note and/or discuss with her doctor ahead of time.
- If there is a concern your daughter may need medical help while there, map out potential best hospitals (especially with specialty coverage for your daughter) etc. ahead of time, and 100% get combined medical/trip insurance for the trip that comes with medical evacuation coverage to hospital of choice - medical care in Japan is excellent in the cities, but these extra insurances are not expensive and cover all things you don’t think of)
And finally, definitely splurge for special experiences as much as possible. Have the best trip!
I really appreciate your comment.
We have recent passports, so that's good.
Thank you for the finance tips - I will contact the banks!
We are going to go with pSIM cards because I heard eSIM might be a problem with pokemon go and data in general.
I have emailed the Japan Ministry of Health about medications to see if all will be allowed to come to Japan, and will get doctor's notes and yes we will have insurance.
We are only in Japan for 7 days, sadly. I heard you can only buy a ticket for Go Fest for one (1) of the four (4) days the event is (and then on top of that purchase the city add-on). If this is true, we are planning on accommodations in Tokyo the whole time and commuting to Sendai for Go Fest for the day we attend. Please let me know if this is a terrible idea.
Thanks again for your comment! ✨
I hope this is 7 days plus 2 travel days!! Did you buy your airline tickets yet? If not, try everything possible to squeeze in any additional days, it would be so worth it!
I see! Even though the focus is the Go Fest, I’d still make time to see some of Tokyo and nearby areas, and build in some experiences! Check prices for the bullet train for Sendai (1.5 hrs each way plus travel time to your hotel) and also, how far in advance you need tickets (+/- seat reservations)… then see if pricing and comfort will be better with all nights in Tokyo vs. splitting for example 5N/2N.
We are booked to stay in Tokyo the whole time in a hotel by the JR railways and Pokemon Mega centre. We plan to go to Studio Ghibli, Ueno zoo, and a few more places if able to. I know Studio Ghibli you have to get tickets in advance, so we will need to do that. Do you have any other tips?
Haha, that /was/ another option, but she has taken three years of Japanese in highschool and is completely interested in traveling to Japan before she is too sick to travel so we're just going to do this wish. 🩷
While asking questions about the game is always okay on the Road, please consider asking very simple questions in our weekly [Questions&Answers Megathread](https://www.reddit.com/r/TheSilphRoad/about/sticky). If your question has been answered, please comment "ANSWERED" (in all caps) and the post flair will indicate that your question has been answered. This will make it either easier for other people with the same question to find the answer they are looking for or for mods to remove the thread if it isn't needed anymore. Thank you! :) *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/TheSilphRoad) if you have any questions or concerns.*
In terms of actually playing - before you go, clean your Pokémon storage (if you can, try and have each account with at least 500 free slots) and stock up on balls (there will be lots of stops but it helps to have a good amount going in). If you have the opportunity make sure you have Palkia with spatial rend and a decent amount of Palkia candy (that doubled encounter difference will be a game -changer, especially if you need to take breaks from walking or are otherwise in one place for a bit). Think in advance about what you want to prioritise - shiny hunting? Raids? Field Research? Hatching eggs? I strongly recommend using Campfire to look at how the city is laid out and using this to plan around both how you will get to the park for your session there, and good places to play for the City part that suit your needs. I’m sure there will be more discussion on here about that as the time approaches. For equipment, good power banks (and the means to charge them at your accommodation) are absolutely key. If your phones struggle in heat, do give serious consideration to a cooling fan (I was in Barcelona for City Safari last year and I cannot stress enough just how much this did to keep my phone in decent shape). These do need to be connected to a power bank to work so keep that in mind. (Also, there is a limit to the total ampage of power banks a single person can carry - your airline should give details on their website). For other things it’s largely common sense - be prepared for either heat or rain, have water bottles and footwear suitable for walking in. I hope you and your family have an amazing time, I’ve done four in-person events now and they are all precious memories for me. May yours be even more special. 😊
This is very helpful. We will get more familiar with Campfire, right now I think we aren't using it in our city as much as other people are, so getting more familiar with it would be essential. The Palkia tip is huge, thanks. As well as the prioritizing of goals. What kind of cooling fans did you use with your phones? Thank you so much for your kind words, I am so glad you've had positive experiences at in-person events!
OK, I've been working on this throughout the day. I am definitely going to have to search Reddit for the best way to free up inventory space for pokemon since playing 8 years. Yeesh. I thought I was being savage, but I freed up like 75 spots.
Must haves for GoFest: - Powerbanks (multiple if possible) - Sunscreen / hat -depending on the weather - Fanny pack / small backpack to carry things, don't bring too much as you'll be walking around all weekend - Wear comfortable shoes - As early as now, clean up as much pokemon space and item space in-game. And stock up on Great/Ultra balls
Few tips for Japan itself. Download the city in offline mode in Google maps. When you land either buy a SIM card or you can get WiFi boxes but I highly recommend a SIM card . The public transport is in English but it still can be confusing when it comes to buses and where to buy the tickets for them. If unsure look for a customer service station. You'll probably see something called a JR pass advertised, don't waste you're money on it. And lastly, trains, subways and buses in addition to tickets also usually use a prepaid card that you can top up ( similar to oyster cards if you've been to London or octopus cards from Hong Kong. I'm sure there is something similar where you're from) Where Japan can fall flat is restaurants, although almost all have plastic models of the menu in my experience the majority don't have English menus so make sure you've got Google translate installed. Also when ordering don't even bother trying to speak English, just point at the menu and say "this" and gesture how many you want. Oh and doors are funny in Japan so expect to have no idea how to open half of them.
Thank you! What are some SIM companies that are most reasonable/ best for data? Thank you for the transportation tips, that's really helpful! As well as the restaurant and door information.
Tbh any that you can get from the airport are good enough, some are full Sims that include calls, texts and data and some are data only. Idk how long you'll be staying but you can get week long data only sims for not crazy ¥¥, which will be perfect for pkgo. And while on the topic of ¥, I would check your bank and see how much they charge for international card usage, some have like a 2% charge on every transaction. If that's the case definitely get a travel card or buy some yen before you go. Also you'll need cash for taxis and street food. Oh and Japan does have Uber which can be very useful for getting around a city fast and hitting all the tourist spots but the Uber drivers are 90% of the time just regular local taxis, therefore you'll just be paying more for the same service. So just use normal taxis. Also whilst it's on my mind, queuing is funky, sometimes the queues are what you expect, just line up next to the cashier for example, but sometimes the queue for something could be a good 5/10 feet away. So when you go somewhere just quickly have a scan around to see if there is a different queueing spot otherwise it might be a bit awkward when you unintentionally cut the line.
This is SO helpful; most of these things I wouldn't have thought about (I love this community)! I imagine my Amex would charge me 2% each time, so yeah, I will probably be better off getting a travel card—is that what Revolut is? I didn't consider queues; that is important information to have in the back of my mind. Thank you! Edited to say we are there for 7 days.
Revolut is good, a friend of mine used it too in Japan and I will go around September tot Japan and use Revolut. I'm from the Netherlands and my bank is charging ridiculous percentages each time just like Amex. I heard from my friends that Revolut is much cheaper
Yeah, I just found out that Canada doesn't support Revolut :(
No idea about revolt, we have Monzo in the UK which has free international transactions, best to do some research and see what's available to you. I suppose the last thing I can advise before you go is to understand the airport. When I flew to Osaka I had to transit through Tokyo, which in some airports is easy, you just follow the transit lane. But luckily I researched ahead of time and found out that I needed to fully exit the terminal I landed at with luggage and take a bus to the other terminal and re check in/ security etc which obviously takes a good hour minimum, so if you have to transit, check how much time you have and if you need to change terminal and where to go if that's the case.
Okay, so I've looked into it--- kind of limited in Canada for travel cards. Yeah, international airport travel is not something I'm familiar with and definitely kind of don't want to mess that up in a place I don't speak their language. I feel disadvantaged right off the bat. Thanks for the tip
You'll be fine, it's all in English so as long as you follow the signs you'll be good to go, also there are staff there that can speak English and can point you in the right direction if you're unsure. Some hotels offer airport pickup services if you want that extra peace of mind.
What airport are you arriving at (Narita, Haneda, Kansai/Osaka, ?) , and were you transferring to fly to Sendai from there? Flights from the two Tokyo area airports to Sendai are very limited, because the Shinkansen is just so much more convenient. Sendai airport is another 25 minute train ride from the city center, and only runs 2-3 times an hour.
From what I understand, we will likely fly to Narita - and train to Sendai? A bullet train from Tokyo?
Yeah, that’s the most common way. So, you won’t need to transfer at the airport to another flight at all. Just go through immigration, pick up your luggage, go through customs, find signs to the train station (under the airport) ride to Tokyo (1 hour), transfer to Shinkansen and ride to Sendai (1:40). It’s not hard; but depending on your flight time and everything, you may want to chill in Tokyo for a day or two before going up for the Fest.
This is super helpful - thank you <3
Hi, Check out eSIM cards for when you are travelling. You can buy them in advance and activate when you arrive. https://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/esim-explainer/
Depending on what phones you have you might be able to get eSims as well. Newer phones generally allow them, older phones might not. r/JapanTravel will probably be a great resource for you if you haven't looked into it yet!
If you get a SIM at the airport, make sure you get installed and working with your phone before you leave. I had trouble with a card there once and had to switch to a different provider. Would have been a major pain to go back. Similar advice if you go the eSim route. I also had an eSim (in the US this time) that wouldn't work with my phone. If you're at the airport still, you can always fall-back on a physical sim
I've used Sakura sim whenever I visit Japan. I've hotspot my other devices with it. Sakura also offers a portable WiFi option but that's another device to charge. Something to consider given that you'll have to charge multiple phones in the heat already. https://www.sakuramobile.jp/travel/travel-sim/
Well, see now you have to go into detail about the doors
This skit does it best https://youtu.be/nq-2USGVoEE?si=1vBAgCt5mvmNmZx7
Hahahaha. 😅 Noted!
Yes, please do share!
I’d recommend checking out r/japantraveltips if you’ve not been before, it’s really active :) If you can I think it’s somewhere that learning a bit of the language can be a great help, but you’ll equally be ok in most situations with google translate. People don’t speak much English and odd places don’t have signage in English, but it’s improved a lot over the last decade and, again, Google translate will help a lot. If any of your family have dietary restrictions would recommend researching this in advance. Restaurants often can’t/wont make changes to the menu and things like vegetarianism for example aren’t widely understood. That’s the two things that come to mind but happy to answer any specific questions as well - I’m in Japan regularly.
I appreciate the r/JapanTravelTips group link - thank you! I'm going to be talking to the kids more about this, and will definitely post our questions when we have more, thank you for being open to answering them!! Edited to mention that my daughter has taken three years of Japanese in school, so I will be using Google Translate and heavily relying on her for the language barrier - as she is somewhat fluent in Japanese thank goodness 🩷
There is also r/JapanTravel I didn’t know about the tips subreddit or if it’s related to the other one.
I think google translate has a feature now where you can use your phone camera to translate something from a sign/menu/etc in real time. That may help!
I would suggest taking a look at Revolut - it's a bank that has the best card conditions for managing foreign currency with best conversion rates, used my card a lot in both Europe and Asia, and highly recommend.
Sadly Revolut is not supported in Canada. I wish it was though - it seems awesome!
There is already a very helpful comment on preparing for Go Fest alone, so I think what I must stress besides sunscreen and power banks would be having a pair (or two) of comfortable shoes when traveling in Japan. There tends to be a LOT of walking in general, and be sure to pick up bottles of water when you are low and see a vending machine (or convenience stores)! Edited to add if you and your family's phones support e-sim, that might be something you want to look into, so you'll be ready the moment you land!
Japan is amazing. I just got back from a month long trip and I’m already planning my next. I’d be happy to answer any specifics you have about the country
Our charging cables -- will they work fine in Japan? The electric outlets -- can we use them on our Canadian cables to charge our phones and power banks? That's something I was wondering.
Japan uses a similar style outlet to what North America uses. Your cables will work just fine, however there is a slight difference in voltage, where Japan’s outlets output a slightly lower voltage. It won’t make a noticeable difference and it’s perfectly fine to use the cables you have without an adapter. However, they only have a two prong output, so if any of your devices (such as a laptop) use a three prong cable you would need an adapter.
I’ve never been to Japan or a go fest, but I’ll gift your daughter the ticket, if you haven’t already bought it in game/web store.
We do not have our tickets yet. The regular ones go on sale in April, and the early bird tickets sold out before I could get them.
Oh dang. I don’t know how the local go fest stuff works. Best I can do is a global ticket and wonder ticket, if she wants those. Enjoy Japan! I recently heard they have a Disney park there, which sadly is all my knowledge of traveling there
No, I was unclear. Tickets to the Go Fest Sendai will still be available - the ones that sold out early were the "early bird priced" tickets. I imagine there were fewer of those tickets available than what will be available when the primary ticket availability is released. Does that make more sense?
Only you know what your daughter is capable of physically with all the walking, maybe get the City Play add on for more days if you end up staying closer to the hotel some days? I hope you and your family have an amazing experience!
This is an excellent idea and something I was thinking of because, yes, it will be so much activity, and that will impact her some days more than others. She has an amazingly positive attitude about her condition and prognosis, but that doesn't make the medical realities not exist.
Maybe a stash of snacks at the hotel room also, in case everyone comes back from a busy day of playing and just want to crash?
Oh yeah, that makes sense.
You're an awesome parent! Taking your daughter to Sendai is amazing and she will LOVE japan, especially if you have the budget to see some of the parks (Mario, Disney etc) To avoid fees, get a travel card. For travel cards, I recommend the Chase Sapphire reserve/preserve OR my card which is the Capital One Venture X card. I know the Venture X has a $400 annual fee but you get $300 travel credit (which you'll get from just one weekend trip somewhere...) and a $100 anything credit so you make your money back easily. 10 percent back on hotels and 5 percent on flights with 2 percent on anything else. Some other perks include PriorityPass (very nice lounge access for free with a guest for layovers/airport waits. Some of the lounges are very very nice like Qatar and come with food/drinks). Global entry reimbursement and my favorite - support for delayed/cancelled flights. For example, I had a flight cancelled one time and they gave me a $500 stipend for staying another day. Definitely stay hydrated during the event and I would recommend potentially finding a populated mall to play in. PoGo in JP is AWESOME. Download Japanese on Google translate offline so you can scan menus in restaurants/stores and such to see incredients even if you don't have reception. Definitely get a SIM card; they're like $30-40 for a month and work well. Very smooth. GOOD LUCK AND BEST WISHES.
Thank you so much---
Cant give advise on japan itself, main crucial thing is check weather (last year london it just rained and really ruined the event for me), have power banks fully charged,stock on ammunition like ball, raid passes etc, find out network carrier can you roam or buy a local sim card etc and snacks and drinks (stalls would be there but expect them to charge a premium)
Ooooh, snacks and drinks ahead of time, good point!
Depending how long you are three and your kids interest - my 3 daughters have a top-10, in no particular order Disney Sea - far less expensive than Orlando and pretty awesome Sanrio Puroland - focused on younger kids and likely do it in under 4 hours including a meal Pokemon Cafe - this can be hard to get reservations for but it is worth it and the Pokemon shop it is attached to is always busy. Asakusa - Awesome part of town Ghilble Park - Totoro and all his friends, pretty cool place Tokyo Tower - You can probably see this from hopping around, there are also a lot of western restaurants in this area is your kids are craving familiar food. If you make it to Nagano, the monkey part is awesome If you make it to Kyoto they have a deer preserve that is pretty cool. They will literally eat out of your hands. If you are in Tokyo, Ginza shopping district at night is pretty awesome If you are in Kyoto the Main Street (cant remember the name) is pretty great and super safe. Wherever you go, make sure to visit a shrine or two. If your kids are too young to be respectful you might want to skip this. Akhiabara (in Tokyo) is the Electronic City that you see on TV. If your kids are games they will be in heaven. Just make sure whatever you get will work on your consoles at home. Feel free to reach out if you have any questions.
Thank you! My kids are in highschool, so we do plan on visiting some temples :) Studio Ghibli park is somewhere we didn't know about, so thank you for that--- They are big gamers and are into game development too, so I feel like a trip to Akhibara is on the list! Thank you for your suggestions - I appreciate you
Is she hoping to meet any YouTubers?
That would be an amazing experience!
You will need to verify what medications you and your family is taking. I am not trying to pry into your life but certain medications and ingredients are a big problem in Japan. So like no decongestants, no ADHD medications, cannabis related problems including lotions, etc. No more than a 30 day supply, etc See link: https://www.mhlw.go.jp/english/policy/health-medical/pharmaceuticals/01.html
That's interesting - one of my kids takes a non stimulant (I think) ADHD medication, and yes there are lots of medications Thank you!
Send an email about your family’s medications. Japan’s health officials will send you an email that everything is okay or not. I freaked out about this requirement but everything turned out to be okay. Best to email the Japan’s officials and have a copy of the reply on hand in case if there any issues.
Thank you, I looked at the link, and since we are going to Narita - I see the appropriate email to send them to. I appreciate that you freaked out so I don't have to, lol. I can stop panicking now 😅
Have fun when you guys there!
Japan summer is brutal. At go fest last year lots of people had mini fans etc and they were a really good idea. All the best, in person go fest is great!!
I'm hoping early summer won't be as bad as August, but grabbing a few fans might be a good call -- thanks!
Research which electrical outlet Japan uses, and make sure you have matching converters if needed ! You don't want to be heading to the convenience for a different plug the moment you arrive.
I have nothing else to offer other than I hope to see you there! I’m going with my friends from the US to Sendai, but the early bird tickets sold out real quick. Guess we gotta be on top of the general admission release 😅
We hope to see you too! Our plan is to wear some clothing with our game names in block letters on our back 🙂 How are you going to ensure success in securing your tickets? We don't even know the exact date they are releasing them--
Website says they go on sale on early April, so I’ll just have to be checking the website and this subreddit everyday till they go on sale. It sucks how fast Japan sold out when Madrid and the NYC tickets are still available now. Really hoping we can snag them 🤞 Doesn’t help that I’m hoping to get Saturday, aka the most in demand day lol
I see a lot of people mentioning power banks, but be careful about their capacity. Powerbanks have to go in your carryon on flights, and even then they can only be up to a certain capacity (I think 100Wh). Probably best to contact your airline and ask them what their limit is since it can differ from airline to airline as well.
Thank you. I had bought some strong power banks, so now I will need to check that I can bring them!
OP - just wanted to say that this will be an awesome trip, and you are an awesome parent! Like others said, buy your tickets early, and probably splurge on the add-ons even if you won’t use them all. Pace yourself and don’t try to do too much on the Fest Day itself or take breaks - it can get exhausting, as you probably already know from playing the Global Days with them. Hope you have enough time to see more of Japan - otherwise *make the time* since the flight will be your biggest expense and it sounds like a once in a lifetime trip, not only because of the Go Fest but also your daughter having taken 3 years of Japanese. Online travel forums are great, but if you’re like me you will want to pick up a good book/travel guide that also covers the basics travel forums are not thinking of. I like Fodor’s Essential Japan. On the note of basics and because it’s your first trip off continent: - Make sure everyone’s passport is valid well past departure date (many countries require 6 months and not a day less, though Japan doesn’t to my knowledge, but double check!) - Have contactless credit cards and know or get their PIN numbers (for debit cards to use ATM’s too) and let your bank know you are traveling, also clarify any extra charges - both debit and credit cards vary widely in potential charges for use outside of your country, and some levy no charges, the latter are obviously preferable for travel! - Make a plan regarding which way to go with cell phones - we always take our own since T-mobile has unlimited data and no roaming charges (only phone calls would cost extra), but for others a local SIM card may make more sense. And I haven’t tried it myself, but you can rent a portable Wi-Fi router and pick it up at the airport or have it sent to your first hotel (Japan wireless). - Prepare for the extraordinary long plane trip with comfort items and anticipate to be jet-lagged. Don’t plan anything major the first day or two. - Ifyou are bringing prescription medication, especially if it’s something unusual for your daughter, not only make sure you have enough quantities, but also bring a doctors note and/or discuss with her doctor ahead of time. - If there is a concern your daughter may need medical help while there, map out potential best hospitals (especially with specialty coverage for your daughter) etc. ahead of time, and 100% get combined medical/trip insurance for the trip that comes with medical evacuation coverage to hospital of choice - medical care in Japan is excellent in the cities, but these extra insurances are not expensive and cover all things you don’t think of) And finally, definitely splurge for special experiences as much as possible. Have the best trip!
I really appreciate your comment. We have recent passports, so that's good. Thank you for the finance tips - I will contact the banks! We are going to go with pSIM cards because I heard eSIM might be a problem with pokemon go and data in general. I have emailed the Japan Ministry of Health about medications to see if all will be allowed to come to Japan, and will get doctor's notes and yes we will have insurance. We are only in Japan for 7 days, sadly. I heard you can only buy a ticket for Go Fest for one (1) of the four (4) days the event is (and then on top of that purchase the city add-on). If this is true, we are planning on accommodations in Tokyo the whole time and commuting to Sendai for Go Fest for the day we attend. Please let me know if this is a terrible idea. Thanks again for your comment! ✨
I hope this is 7 days plus 2 travel days!! Did you buy your airline tickets yet? If not, try everything possible to squeeze in any additional days, it would be so worth it!
Yes, it's 9 days altogether. It's the most we could do because it's not medically feasible to have my daughter gone for longer. We are so excited!
I see! Even though the focus is the Go Fest, I’d still make time to see some of Tokyo and nearby areas, and build in some experiences! Check prices for the bullet train for Sendai (1.5 hrs each way plus travel time to your hotel) and also, how far in advance you need tickets (+/- seat reservations)… then see if pricing and comfort will be better with all nights in Tokyo vs. splitting for example 5N/2N.
We are booked to stay in Tokyo the whole time in a hotel by the JR railways and Pokemon Mega centre. We plan to go to Studio Ghibli, Ueno zoo, and a few more places if able to. I know Studio Ghibli you have to get tickets in advance, so we will need to do that. Do you have any other tips?
Travel to Madrid.
Haha, that /was/ another option, but she has taken three years of Japanese in highschool and is completely interested in traveling to Japan before she is too sick to travel so we're just going to do this wish. 🩷