Tips when you travel around Japan-1

Hey hey!
It's  almost 1 year passed. I just started to write an article in this year, 2016. As the second year master student here, I just realized that I should prepare my nearest future after graduate. Well, In this rticle I won't share about that.  As I told before, I'll write in English, but quite ashamed on myself because maybe you'll find lots of grammatical mistakes in my article hehe. In the sake of training myself to write in other language, I'll do my best :)

In Japan, the big event as homecoming for Japanese is in the end of each year. For Indonesian could I say as Mudik Lebaran. Yep, they will take there holidays around a week for holidays or homecoming to their hometown. Different to others country, here, you won't (almost) find  any fireworks here, except if you go to somewhere like Huis Ten Bosch in Nagasaki area ( there's a story about that later).

Please be carefull, if you realize that your pocket already reach its limit, before everything about Holidays promotions come. If you'll travel around Japan, you can choose two options, my low fare or normal fare. The most popular low fare of public transportation for Indonesian students here is train, especially Japan Rail pass (red: 18kippu). 18kippu or Jyuuhachikippu is the train pass to travel around Japan for 5 days only JPY 11850, wow! This rail pass will be sold around three times a year during school holidays, Spring, Summer and Winter holidays. Further info 18 kippu here.

Fyi, each area of Japan also provide another pass, such Kyushu rail pass, Kanto rail pass, etc. Everything about JR rail pass you can find it here

JR east, JR west, JR Kyushu, and JR Hokkaido. Or if you're going to experience Shinkanshen (bullet train, please refer this JR central, in this case you should prepare more money :D 

Here some suggestions for you who want to travel Japan

1. Save your money more than expected holiday expenses

2. Plan your itinerary in detail, at least your destinations and which transportations will be used. Prepare more than one plan, that prevent your holidays messed up because your missarranged schedule. Don't forget to check weather forecast everyday! Surely , the application shows the predictions >90% accurate.

3. Find low fare (red- backpacker) lodging. Consider the address of the logding, choose the lodging which is nearest station, no need to take another public mass transportation, here you can enjoy walking.

4. If you're a Muslim, and can't read Kanji ( Japanese characters), would better you bring cheat sheet of Halal- Haram kanji, or you can find Halal restaurants which has been establishing year by year, Alhamdulillah. There's a good information from KMII ( Indonesian Muslim Community) about living in Japan as Muslim (check this out)
And don't forget to bring Sajadah or another sheet, it's make you easy even if you will have your Shalat in the park or outside the building.

5. Separate your pocket into: cards pocket, money (sheet), and coins. That's make you easier to take your money asap. And I suggest you to have commuter pass, why? You can deposite your money inside the card, not only to pay the train but also you can use it to pay your meal/snacks in convenient store, cafe, or shop. For Tokyo and Yokohama area there are two types, Pasmo and Suica, different with another area such Kyoto have Icoca, and Kyushu have Sugoca. A good news for traveler, Pasmo and Suica also usable all around Japan, yeay!

My stories about winter holidays will be posted as soon as possible.
Happy reading and don't forget to give me the corrections if any mistyped, misspelled or gramatical error! Cheers! :)