Before you go:
 Re-entry Permit – Basically, no permit means no getting back in to Japan with your
current visa. You can obtain one from the immigration office in either Sendai or Sakata.
It costs 3000yen for a single re-entry permit or 6000yen for a multiple re-entry permit.
 Visa - Do you need a visa for the country you are going to or a transit visa for getting
there? It will depend on the country you are visiting and where you are from.
 Vaccinations - Do you need any vaccinations/medication for the countries that you are
visiting? Find out early and talk to a doctor. You may have to go to Sendai.
 Overseas Insurance - As we are residents in Japan this means that most travel
insurance policies from back home won’t cover you. You can apply for it through most
Japanese travel agents. It’s easier if you can go there in person. It is easy to get travel
insurance at Narita Airport.
When?
Planning your vacation: 2 to 3 months in advance avoids any confusion or disappointment
and also gets you cheaper tickets! Get chatting with your advisor ASAP.
Best times to go:
New Year Vacation (Dec/Jan): If planned properly you can sometimes get about 3 weeks.
From Dec. 29th to Jan. 3rd is Japan’s Christmas holiday. Schools will be closed and you won’t
have to go to work. Note: December 25th is not a holiday in Japan.
End of School Year Vacation (March after Graduation): Great time as there is very little to
do at school. Good for domestic travel as it is a nice time of the year (Cherry Blossom
season) and not that busy.
Golden Week (May): 4 public holidays in one week. Domestic travel can be very busy and
expensive.
Summer Vacation (July/August especially around the Obon festival): Again domestic travel
can be expensive and busy.
School end of term exams: Check your school year calendar. You can get away for a few days
if you are not involved in the exams.
National Holidays: Brilliant for long weekends around Japan.
2011: Sept. 19th, 23rd (silver week); Oct. 10th; Nov. 3rd, 23rd; Dec. 23rd;
2012: Jan. 1st, 9th; Feb. 11th; March 20th; April 30th; May 3rd, 4th, 5th; July 16th.
How?
Domestic Travel: on the whole really convenient but if not thought through will cost! Look
out for a Kinken shop in your area (discount tickets!).
Train: JR Seishun 18 Kippu. Seasonal unlimited use of JR trains (not bullet) for 5 days.
Look at train stations for weekend travel deals which include accommodation.
Tokyo Free Kippu – ticket to and from Tokyo along with a pass for all JR lines in Tokyo
(very handy!), limited to within 4 days!
If you have the time you can travel local trains all the way, usually half the price. Just ask
the ticket attendant for the cheapest ticket to where you’re going!!
Bus/Coach: Cheap e.g. Yamagata city to Tokyo for as little as 4000yen.
Airplane: ANA & JAL Discount Domestic Flights. JAL Birthday flights.
Japan’s discount airlines – Skynet, Skymark and AirDo
No credit card to book online? No worries, book it and then pay at a conbini store!
Ferries: Car and passenger ferries can be got all over Japan, if you have the time.
Car: Get friends involved and do a road trip.
International Travel: internet research, research, research!
Airplane: English Speaking Travel Agencies: No. 1 Travel, JTB, STA Travel.
Ferries: You can get to Korea, China and Russia but can be time consuming!
What ?
The Obvious
If you are travelling during school time then you have to take paid holiday/nenkyu.
Let your school / BOE know as early as possible – they can say “NO” if during school time.
Money!
Remember that sometimes ATMs shut down about 8 or 9pm and don’t work at all on public
holidays.
Your Japanese bank card should work in most conbinis, but your credit cards from home
probably won’t. The best places are 7Eleven and the Post Office (these will accept
international cards).
Most small hotels, ryokans, etc only take cash! A Business hotel can be as cheap as staying
in a hostel (and much better), manga or internet cafes can also be a good last minute option.
If you are travelling in winter; shut off the water! Get a JTE or your apartment manager to
show you how.
Take a map!
Japanese road signs can be shockingly unreliable or confusing.
If you get lost ask for directions in a conbini.
Where?
Yamagata and Tohoku
Dewa San Zan – Hike up the three sacred mountains of Haguro (open all year round),
Yudono and Gassan (summer skiing).
Zao – Excellent hiking and skiing. Take a hike to the Okama crater lake.
Sendai and Matsushima Bay – The best shopping and nightlife near Yamagata and one of
Japan’s most beautiful landmarks.
Hit the beaches in Sakata, Niigata. Fukushima and the Pacific coast.
Sado Island off Niigata and Tobishima Island off Sakata.
Yamadera famous temple on the side of a mountain.
Japan
Top spots in Japan (excluding Tokyo and Kyoto)
Mount Fuji // Okinawa (like Florida, hot all year-round) // Sapporo (Snow festival) // Koya
san (famous mountain temple town) // Yakushima (WHS) // Hiroshima (Miyajima – floating
Torii) // Kamakura
Overseas
SE Asia
Korea
Hawaii
Russia
Top Tips from your Sempai!
To Tokyo – most people take the night bus, which is cheap but tiring. If you go to View (the travel agent
connected to JR) they are in most big stations you can get return shinkansen (bullet train) and a night’s
hotel for nearly the same price as the night bus as long as you have 2 or 3 people. For example, return
shinkansen from Yamagata to Tokyo will cost a little over 20,000yen, if you go through the travel agent
you can get the same return tickets and a night’s hotel ranging from 12,000yen to 18,000yen depending on
the time of year and how many people in your group. You will need someone who can speak Japanese.
You must use the return part of your ticket within a week but sometimes this can be extended.
Bus - If you insist on taking the bus the cheapest company from Yamagata city is Orion bus, here is the
website (only in Japanese) http://www.orion-tourbus.jp/
Flights – And finally this search engine always seems to come up with the cheapest flights
http://www.skyscanner.jp/cheap-flights-map (English and Japanese)
To Sendai – Going to Sendai, take the bus! It is cheaper, faster and leave much more frequently than the
train.
Volunteering
Go M.A.D. (Go Make A Difference) is an international web-based volunteer
organization founded by teachers on the Japan Exchange & Teaching (JET)
Programme.
Every year around December there are two groups who go to Thailand to
volunteer at two Children’s home, Baan Dada and Baan Unrak. Throughout the
year there would be volunteer updates in Japan or aboard. Sign up for Go
M.A.D. to get updates on upcoming events.
Internet References
Travel Info
Yamagata Travel Info http://www.yamagatakanko.com/english/index.html
Japan National Tourist Organization http://www.jnto.go.jp/eng/index.html
Japan Guide Travel & Living http://www.japan-guide.com/
(This site pretty much has everything you need for living in Japan)
Online Train Timetable
Hyperdia http://www.hyperdia.com/en/
Jorudan http://www.jorudan.co.jp/english/norikae/
Ekikara (Japanese Only) http://www.ekikara.jp/top.htm
Rail Passes
Various Rail-Passes Available in Japan: http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2357.html
(Including Seishun 18 Kippu & JR Higashi Nihon/Hokkaido Pass)
Double Kippu for going to Sendai (Two 1-way tickets for Yamagata-Sendai for 1,500 yen -> Can be purchased at
Yamagata/Sendai station ticket machine.
Highway Bus
Yamako-Bus (To Tokyo, Kyoto/Osaka- Japanese Only) http://www.yamakobus.co.jp/
Tohoku Express (to Tokyo -Japanese Only) http://www.tohoku-express.co.jp/
(Highway busses to various parts of Japan also available from Sendai and Fukushima City)
Discount Plane Tickets
No-1 Travel http://www.no1-travel.com/
HIS Travel (Japanese- Same company as No-1 but more options available) http://www.his-j.com/index.html
Toraberuko-Chan (Search for cheapest flights/tours available- Japanese Only) http://www.tour.ne.jp/
Accommodation
Types of Accommodation in Japan http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2025.html
Toyoko Inn (Reasonably priced rooms/located all across Japan) http://www.toyoko-inn.com/eng/
Rakuten Travel Hotel Search (Japanese Only) http://travel.rakuten.co.jp/index.html
Rakuten Travel Hotel English Search (Doesn't list as many places as Japanese site but slowly
improving) http://travel.rakuten.co.jp/en/
Nobody’s a stranger, they’re just friends you haven’t met yet! www.couchsurfing.com
Volunteering
go.make.a.difference@gmail.com