Konichiwa awesome friends!

Excuse us for being a bit late! We realize it's September but we'll still call this our August one 🙄.

First off, we have to say how heartbroken we are with the devastating fires in Hawaii , Northwest Territories, and BC. Our thoughts go out to everyone affected and if you're looking for a way to help, seek out these active organizations providing relief in Maui, Northwest Territories, and BC.

August is coming to a close and it's been a busy one to say the least. We didn't do any travel this month but instead, it's been a month of frantic scrambling to get everything in order before Will leaves for the annual ATTA conference in Hokkaido.

So we've hinted at this last month but the big news is that we'll be on the road for 3 months in Asia starting in September.

What's up in September for you? Tell us about your trip plans or just what's going on in life! Just reply to this e-mail.

Where In Japan?

Some things are fixed and a few things are still fluid but here's what we have so far! For those that have been to any of these places, we would definitely love your recommendations!

Hokkaido
Shikoku
Tokyo
Osaka
Kobe
Kyoto
Kawaguchiko

There are 4 different segments of Japan that we'll be doing that's jumbled into the 3 months so we'll be all over.

Japan Trip Planning Process

Even though we've been to Japan numerous times, it feels like with every trip, you have to get back to the drawing board and figure things out from scratch.

I've been keeping track of the process so far. Here's a high level lay of it for those that are going through it or will be planning for Japan soon.

Choosing the areas you want to cover - There's the Golden Route (Tokyo, Hakone, Mt. Fuji, Kyoto, Nara, Osaka) that are a must for first-timers but if you've been, you also want to try to go somewhere different. That's how Shikoku was added.
Are you going during a special time of the year - We just so happen to be there during fall colours so we ended up adding places like Kawaguchiko and spending more time in Kyoto.
Book your flights - Once you have your dates figured out, you'll want to book ASAP. With the way things are going, don't expect prices to drop.
Is the JR Pass worth it? - The big news is that the JR Pass is going to be significantly more expensive after October 2023 (definitely get it now if you need it) but more importantly, do you actually need it? We created a spreadsheet to add up all of the costs using Hyperdia.
One direction - To help with the above, we found a way to save time and money by flying into Osaka and flying out of Tokyo.
Use the FB groups - These have actually been invaluable for seeing what the current thoughts are on specific places in Japan, other people's itineraries, tips, etc. The two main ones we've been using have been Japan Travel Planning and TOKYO travel TIPS. The search feature is invaluable.
What are the cool kids doing? - If it's your thing, you can find out where some of the "Instagrammable" locations, activities, and restaurants are by simply doing a search on IG. We used terms like "Tokyo food" to see what popped up. It's a rabbit hole of content but we kept track of what we liked in our trip planning spreadsheet.
Build that spreadsheet - Oh yes, it's time to get it down. It doesn't have to be a spreadsheet but that's how our mind works and seeing it on a calendar view.
Create a custom map - Using Google's My Maps, start pinning things on a map and break down each layer by day (there's a limit of 10). Maps allow you to figure out how to cluster places together. You can also use these custom maps when you're there (if you have data)
Figure out what you need to reserve ahead of time - More than ever before, it feels like everything in Japan needs to be reserved - theme parks, restaurants, observation decks, and special activities (i.e. TeamLab, Toyosu Fish Market).
Create a list of all restaurants that you'll need concierge to book - Another thing to track but since many require a local Japanese to call and book, have a document ready to hand to your concierge on the first day to help you out.
eSIM or pocket wifi? - There are pros and cons for both but when it came down to it, Airalo had one of the best rates and for pocket wifi, Ninja Wifi is the most popular.
Car rental - If you're venturing outside of the big city, it might make more sense to have a rental car than rely on the trains and buses. This is the case in most of Hokkaido and Shikoku. If you do, make sure you get your IDP before you go. Klook is a good place to start for Japan car rentals but we found it sometimes cheaper to go directly to the companies themselves.
Taxi hailing apps - Most will already have Uber ready but another one that foreigners can use in Japan is DiDi.
Don't forget travel insurance - This time around, we're trying Insured Nomads.
Figure out your IC card on arrival - Not sure if you've heard but there's a massive IC card shortage so you can't get regular Pasmo or Suica cards but the good news is that the tourist versions of them are still available.

We'll be putting all of this in a future article but it's been certainly quite the complex process when planning to be away for this long. There's more but these cover the big ones.

Beyond Japan, we will also be making stops in Hong Kong, China, and possibly even Taiwan!

This Month's Travel Deals

Here are a couple of the good travel deals we've found for this month. Remember, the most up to date page is the deals page and we also share the really good ones on our special FB group.

Airalo: New customers can use SEP15 to get 15% off. Existing customers can use SEP10 to save 10% off of their eSIMs. Expires Sep 30, 2023.
Belkin: Labor Day Sale - Buy more and save more. Use the code LDAY2023 for up to $60 off. Expires September 4, 2023.
Europcar: Dreaming of incredible holidays? How about a trip to Germany! Get ready for your fairytale vacation in Germany and save up to 15% now for your reservation. Book your reservation until September 30, 2023.
Backcountry: Semi-Annual Sale – Up to 60% off summer gear and apparel. Expires September 5, 2023.
Costa Rica Retreat: The Botanika Oso Peninsula by Hilton is $699 USD for 4 nights!
Week in Bali: This combination includes 3 nights in Seminyak and 4 nights in Ubud for only $1299 CAD.

This Month in Travel

Here are a few interesting articles we found this month. This sure inspires wanderlust and could be your ticket to awesome ;)

Why We Travel - A brilliantly thoughtful piece on why we travel by author Pico Ayer. Let us know if this resonates with you, it sure does with us!
Delta x Starbucks - If you're based in the US, make sure you link your accounts so you can get 1000 miles.
Maui Recovery - Currently half of Maui's rooms sit empty as the island balances sensitivity while getting their public messaging straight that parts of Maui are open and can serve tourists.
Viator - TripAdvisor purchased Viator nearly a decade ago and it looks like that bet paid off. Viator now pulls in more revenue than TripAdvisor itself.
Michelin in Toronto - On August 9, 2023, Michelin added 12 more restaurants to the guide for Toronto.
Outside Magazine - They just published their 10 most beautiful hikes in U.S. National Forests. Have you done any of these?
Top Destinations in 2024 - Take these polls as a grain of salt but in 2024, people are looking to travel to a variety of destinations with the ranking of Mexico, Canada, France, Spain, Italy, and then Greece.

What's next at Going Awesome Places

So September to November is going to be mostly on the road so you'll have to pardon our lack of articles and videos. That said, we do have a bunch scheduled so it won't be completely dark.

To follow in our adventures, make sure to watch our stories, reels, and posts on Instagram which is where we'll have the most activity! We'd love for you guys to comment on the posts as well as they help with the algorithm!

We want to hear from you!

Are you in the middle of Japan planning and have specific questions, don't hesitate to reach out? Or is there anything you'd like us to discuss in upcoming newsletters? Let us know by replying to this e-mail!

Cheers,

Going Awesome Places Team

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