We were downright giddy for our celebratory 2-year wedding anniversary trip to Asia. Like our marriage, we knew this island would surely surprise us. We boarded our plane in Chicago at 4:30 pm for a direct flight to Tokyo on Thursday.
The Flight To Tokyo
Hands down, ANA (All Nippon Airways) wins the vote for best aircraft safety pre-takeoff video EVER. Try not to giggle as you see a big fellow dressed as a geisha/samurai telling you to remove all sharp objects (like swords) before taking the emergency exit blow-up if the plane went down. LOL!
The 14-hour red eye flight was a doozy, but thankfully we had a lot of conversation to catch up on. Plus, the ANA airplane had super nice TVs for each seat to help pass the time. Being writers, we also took the precious quiet time — which couldn’t be procrastinated away due to being SO long — to get some much-needed writing done.
The plane was huge with a little extra and much-appreciated legroom. Don’t worry; large backpacks will fit under the seats and your carry-on should fit in the overhead compartment like a breeze. Plus, the flight attendants were wonderfully attentive and so adorable.
We were seated in the middle section between two guys who completely passed out (no idea how they slept slumped over). This left us free of social obligations and free to party. 
Alcohol was free on the flight, and even though we know alcohol dehydrates you and is tough on your body for long flights, we had to try just one Japanese beer: Sapporo (It’s pretty much like an American light beer).
The meals on the plane were surprisingly tasty. For those not skilled with chopsticks (cough cough, Sam), the flight staff were kind enough to provide a fork.
A Note About Chopsticks:
*Pro tip: familiarize yourself with chopsticks before coming to Japan. Even if not proficiently, you will be expected to use them. Many restaurants don’t have regular western silverware easily accessible on the table for you.
Landing In Tokyo And Making Friends
Upon arriving in Tokyo, weirdly, it was night again. About 9 pm to be precise. But it was THE NEXT DAY’S NIGHT — Friday night. (The bizarre 14-hour time zone difference is one of the closest things to magic we’ve ever experienced.)
Heads up: Bidets are everywhere in Japan. Like on EVERY toilet. Having never used one before, it was an interesting experience tinkering around with them. The Japanese like to be clean down there, and we agree! The toilet seats are even heated, which in the United States is usually perceived as a gross thing. But once you feel the luxurious difference a warm seat makes (especially in chilly November!), you’ll come to appreciate it.
We immediately made Japanese friends in the airport who wanted to practice their English, and an Australian friend named Garth staying at the same hotel (Hotel MyStays, Shinjuku). Both of their first questions to us were: “Do you speak English?” LOL!
Garth was heading home to Australia in the morning, but we were glad to hear him tell us that Golden Gai and Memory Lane here in Tokyo are totally worth it! He suggested Ichiran Ramen right around the corner from us in the famous Kabukicho. We headed there immediately afterward for a midnight meal (or you could call it breakfast, since it was early morning back home in our Eastern Standard Time) and a biiru (beer).
Speaking English In Japan (And Learning A Few Polite Japanese Phrases)
Many Japanese learn the basics of English in school, but comprehending it and speaking it are different things. We learned some tips from our Japanese taxi driver (read our full interview with him): speak slowly, enunciate, choose simple words, and avoid contractions and slang.
Most people in Japanese cities and tourist locations can speak enough English for you to get a transaction done (aka, buy a meal or something from a store). Longer conversations will be harder, yes, but with patience and persistence on both your ends, the language barrier wasn’t as bad as we had anticipated.
If you have the Google Translate app installed on your phone, you’ll be fine. The three most popular words we started using right away were “hello,” “thank you,” and “excuse me” — definitely memorize these! (Konnichiwa, Arigato, and Sumimasen!)
After your nerves wore off and you blushed a few times at your own poor speech, it was actually a lot of fun practicing another tongue and connecting with locals in their own way.
Convenience Stores: Your 24/7 One-Stop Solution
Familiar with 7-Eleven, Family Mart, or Lawson? If not, you will be by the time you leave Japan.
These affordable convenience stores are literally everywhere. In Tokyo, we actually found many right across the street from each other. But for good reason: they sell EVERYTHING inside.
From cans of beer (drinking in the street is totally legal, but keep it classy) to hot tea and coffee in bottles, packaged meals and snacks of all kinds, and even desserts like ice cream, you could survive solely from these stores if you wanted to be affordable and beginner friendly. Hygiene items, face masks, and even ties and t-shirts and sold there, among hundreds of other things. And to top it all off, you can pay with credit card, which is a nice reassurance. These stores will allow you to pack lighter, knowing they will have many things you need readily available.
*If you need an ATM, these convenience stores are also your best bet.
All This Said… Overwhelm Will Still Hit You HARD. Let It Happen.
We won’t lie — after arriving in Tokyo, the slap-in-the-face sensation of being far away from home (Ohio, United States) set in pretty hard. Umm, not to mention all the neon lights, packed streets, strong aromas, and chatter in a language we didn’t understand.
We were nervous to talk to anyone, go into any stores or restaurants, or do much of anything to be honest.
We felt utterly exhausted. Don’t underestimate what that will do to you. Don’t schedule too much your first day.
So What Can You Do To Feel Your Best, Especially With The Jet Lag?
Try to get on their schedule right away. We know it’s hard, but don’t nap during the day or stay up all night.
To keep yourself energized (and to avoid getting sick), we recommend bringing along a supplement with vitamins and minerals to replenish anything you might not be getting from your new diet. We drank Athletic Greens and Spark travel packets, easily added to water.
The good news? A night of sleep, plus some online research, cures most nervous ailments related to travel. Give yourself some time to be shy… but then commit to being brave. At least for a few minutes at a time.
There’s a 100% accurate quote that goes something like this: “All it takes is 3 seconds of courage for something amazing to happen.” Remember that while in Japan.
Have questions about Tokyo as you try to plan your trip? Let us know what topics you’d like addressed, and we’ll do our best to help! Look for more to come about our first trip to the Land of the Rising Sun here at Born in Defiance.
