Welcome to Japan!

While my work trips were to Huaraz, La Oroya and Cerro de Pasco in Peru, a friend of mine is going to be sent next August to Japan to visit his suppliers. Lucky him! So now, let me give him some little advices so he can enjoy his trip better…

1. August is summer. And by summer I don’t mean the usual 28ºC (82ºF) that we enjoy on our summers in Lima. No. That’s a Kyoto spring. The climate here is too hot and humid… You should bring at least on baggage full of underwear (unless you want to use the hotel laundry every single day…)
2. Dollars are worthless here. Leave them all in the hotel and carry only Yens. Without Yens, you’re nobody here.
3. Leave the credit card at the hotel safe vault. Or in your night table, which is as safe as the vault. In Japan you can use the credit card only in to pay the hotel bill. Or maybe in some expensive restaurants. But cash is the king. Period.
4. Don’t worry about pickpockets. Japan is a safe country. You’ll enjoy the feeling.
5. There are many good beers here. Just don’t buy any Happoshu. They’re horrible!
6. Leave you’re porn magazines at home. You could get yourself arrested at the airport! Besides, you can buy new ones here. On any convenience store!
7. Forget about tipping. You don’t need to give a single penny to anybody.
8. Come determined to enjoy your spare time after job. Japan is a very expensive country. Granted. But it’s worth the trip…

Yokoso! Japan
Welcome to Japan!