Japan Q&A - Japanese Toilets, Cell Coverage, Bullet Train How To's, Metro Cards for Kids, & More!
Description
Thanks for finding our podcast! We are a family of 5 who does most of our travel using credit card points and miles and we share how we leverage credit card offers to earn a ton of points/miles so we can afford travel as a larger family.
Follow us on Instagram @TravelPartyof5
These are all the experiences we booked in Japan using Viator:
This episode wraps up our Japan series with a practical Q&A: From eSIM setup and Suica hacks to Shinkansen tradeoffs and Japanese toilets, we share what worked, what didn’t, and what we’d do differently next time.
• choosing eSIMs over pocket Wi‑Fi for simple, low‑cost data
• adding Suica to Apple Wallet and getting physical child IC cards
• booking Shinkansen on short notice and budgeting for higher fares
• reserving luggage space vs overhead racks for carry‑ons
• live navigation with Google or Apple Maps and using Google Translate
• Borderless vs Planets and why early time slots matter
• views of Shibuya Crossing without paying tower fees
• packing light with airline weight limits and carry‑on tips
• paying with cards, IC cards at vending, and minimal cash needs
• eating etiquette, where to sit, and the lack of public bins
• clean, ubiquitous bidet toilets and what to expect
• no‑tipping norms and rare cases we tipped
• long flights with kids: downloads, snacks, and clear expectations
• future wishlist: Fuji, Hokkaido, Okinawa, Kyoto’s new TeamLab
Send me a DM on Instagram @travelpartyof5 if you have further questions!



