Traveling Tips - March 2023

Traveling to Japan for 13 days (3/17-3/30 in 2023)

Current Itinerary:
* Arrive in Tokyo on 3/18
* Tokyo (18-21)
* Osaka (21-27) - To cover Osaka, Kyoto, Kobe, Nara
* Tokyo (27-30)
* Depart Tokyo on 3/30

Transit: Going to buy a 2 week JR pass & use Suica card
* Planning to take the Narita express to Tokyo station. Will I be able to activate the JR pass at the airport?
* Planning to take the Shinkansen using JR pass between the cities and within Tokyo as much as possible.
* Will 2 week JR pass (330 USD~/person) be worth it?

Questions/Asking for Tips:
* Can I book the Shinkansen with the JR pass before I get to Japan? If not, how do I use the JR to reserve/book Shinkansen tickets?
* Any recommendations for activities in the cities we are going to?
* Any recommendations for withdrawing cash in Japan? Not quite sure how much cash is needed for a 2 week visit.... We are planning to use our credit card as much as we can.
* Must go food spots in any of the cities?

New to traveling internationally so any advice would help. Thanks!!

Personally, I don't need a Japan Rail pass because I don't travel a lot.
I thought Shinkansen tickets would be cheaper here, but sales are currently suspended.
Reserved seats are not available for this package.
https://www.jrtours.co.jp/en/flex/osaka/
In Kansai, we recommend using a pass that specializes in the Kansai area.
https://www.westjr.co.jp/global/en/ticket/pass/
The Kansai area pass is only for 4 days, but it will be convenient.
Especially in Kyoto.
https://www.westjr.co.jp/global/en/ticket/pass/kansai/
If you go to Nara, Kintetsu trains are more convenient than JR.
Please read with translation software.
https://www.kintetsu.co.jp/area/narashinai/index02.html
In addition to JR, there are several railways running in Kobe. Osaka is also served by subways and trains operated by multiple railway companies, so you will need to use different passes depending on where you are going.
https://www.feel-kobe.jp/en/pass/
I can't ride JR, but Osaka has many opportunities to use other than JR, so I think it's convenient.
https://www.osp.osaka-info.jp/en/
It might be a good idea to use one KANSAI ONE PASS instead of buying multiple passes.
https://kansaionepass.com/kf_pr/kf_pr_en.html
Please click on the Destinations or Interests column of Japan Guide and select the place you want to go.
https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e623a.html
https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e623.html

Two week pass would be overkill. One week pass to cover the Osaka leg would be better.

Cash can be taken out of 7-11 atm machines using credit cards.

Agree with PPs.

Regarding your questions on food and activities, can you be more specific? What kind of activity in general are you interested in?
For �gnormal�h tourist information there is already a plethora of information on JG, but more specific questions can be answered by the users here.

I just found a different Kansai pass in another thread.
https://www.surutto.com/tickets/kansai_thru_english.html
There are many railway companies that use this pass, so it seems that there is no need to purchase another pass.

Kansai thru pass is very expensive. Careful with purchasing it. Kyoto to Nara and back only just works out similar to the daily average cost of the pass.

Ans if you have a JR pass already. Then the thrust pass would be overkill.