5 reasons to book a trip to Japan immediately.

If someone mentions the J word, my ears immediately prick up. Like a lover in honeymoon phase, a smile engulfs my face and I’ll usually say:“Man, I LOVE Japan.”

It’s been 15 months since my first visit, yet the memories are as good as yesterday. It’s my ultimate antidepressant, a Facebook album has never been looked over so many times.Here are five reasons to book a trip to Japan– immediately.

An impossibly beautiful girl riding sky-high stilettos on a bike with no helmet; a waitress dressed as a French maid drawing a cat’s face out of chocolate sauce on top of my hot chocolate while singing; a dozen elderly men sitting, transfixed in front of a deafening Pachinko (gambling) machine. These are just some of the ‘I’m not in Kansas anymore’ moments you’ll have in Japan.

From the hilarious game shows on tv, to the flamboyant fashion in Harajuku on Sunday afternoons, to the cartoons everywhere, Japan really brings out your playful side.

2: You’ll learn stuff.

English is a global language, but in Japan, you’ll have to learn some staple Japanese phrases to get by. There’s often a lack of English signs, even in big cities like Osaka and if you get lost, at least you’ll become really awesome at charades. 😉

Here are some phrases to get you by:

Where is the toilet?: Toire-wa doko desu ka?
How much is it?: Ikura desu ka.
I don’t eat meat: Niku wo tabemasen.
Is there meat in this?: Nikuga haite imasu ka?
I don’t speak Japanese: Nihongo ga wakarimasen.
Do you speak English?: Eigo ga hanasemasuka?
That’s cool!: Kakko iiiiiii!
Really?: Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee?

Being lost in Japan is more fun than knowing where you are at home- trust me! People are so friendly and there’s more than enough Wifi around to get you to a map.

3: Shopping has never been so exciting.

Some people look forward to the food or their accommodation when they travel. Me? I can’t wait to get to a shopping centre. Oh, and I’m not talking about clothing stores, it’s the supermarkets that I love. I can stroll aisles for hours, captivated by rainbow packages.

Our humble Coles and Woolworths has nothing on the fluorescent 100 yen stores selling absolutely everything and anything you could, should and never need. And the beauty sections in chemists? Man, you’ll need a whole day just to suss those out. Yes, you will need an extra suitcase.

And don’t think the shopping stops outside. Vending machines are rife in Japan- they say there’s one per every 23 people! They have all sorts of things inside: hot cans of coffee, steamed buns, figurines and even um… used underwear?

4: Snow. Need I say more?

If you’re looking for real snow, sorry NZ, Japan’s snowfields are (from what I’ve been told) as good as the powder puffed mountains of Canada. Just hop on a Shinkansen from Tokyo and two hours later you’ll be knee deep in the fluffy white stuff.

We chose Nozowa Onsen, a charming village an hour from from Nagano to ski, have snow flights and build snowmen in.

Nozawa is a charming village famous for its onsen, (hot spas) which you can find in your own Ryokan (hotel) or, by following the robed people as they walk in the freezing cold.

Your first onsen, if you go public, will be memorable as you have to go in completely nude- it’s expected. Just relax and think of how good the minerals are for your fatigued muscles. Just remember to drink lots of water afterwards- it can get up to 60 degrees in there and you will dehydrate, especially if you’ve been out on the mountain all day, or drinking whiskey the night before. 😉

Oh, and if you do manage to head to Nozawa, be sure to see these guys.

5: The Shinkansen are the shiz.

Japan’s trains are like the scooters in Bali, rickshaws in India and the tuk-tuks in Thailand- it’s how you get around.

Whether it’s the JR Line or the local subway, travelling by rail is super cheap and the best thing: it’s efficient. If the timetable says your train leaves at 9.11am, the train will leave a 9.11.01 am, no exceptions. Snaps for Japan.

Booking the bullet trains is easy- you can arrange pre-entering the country by purchasing a J pass, or you can just rock up. The greatest thrill of riding the bullet trains is looking out the window to see how fast you are going – up to 320 km/h! I took this video out of the window going from Tokyo to Nagano.

Read more about Japan here and here.

Have you been to Japan? Tell us what you love about it below.

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