During the Spring of 2017, I traveled to Japan for three weeks. I had traveled to Tokyo back in 2013 and I wanted to make a return trip ever since. Below are in my opinion, three great items for your next trip to Japan.
Prepaid Sim
I have been to Japan twice. During my first trip to Japan, I quickly found out that access to free WiFi is almost nonexistent. There are some areas which you may find free access, but gaining that access is a tremendous effort. For my second trip to Japan, I decided to get a prepaid sim card for my cell phone.Most of the mobile internet companies offer either a prepaid sim or a wifi hotspot. I decided to go with the prepaid sim because I did not want the concern of needing to charge the wifi device. My recommendation is to research internet companies before going to Japan. I choose to go with a company called Sakura Mobile.The great thing about Sakura Mobile is that they offer options to deliver the prepaid sim right to your hotel room. I like this because you don't have to walk around the airport and compare prepaid data plans on the fly. A couple of things that I thought were annoying about the prepaid sim was needing to fill out several forms in order to use it. Also, you will need to return the sim after the end of your trip to Japan. But I thought the negatives were more than worth it. Your first trip to Japan you will get lost. Having WiFi on my phone ensured that I'd at least find my way back.
Google Translate
I wrote early last year about the using the Yomiwa app as a quick translator for Japan. I learned however that the Google Translate app is probably a much better fit for travel in Japan. This was primarily because of the new feature that allows you to point your camera at text and have it translated into English. I found this tremendously helpful on the Shinkansen (Bullet train) as they sometimes will not have an English menu. The Translations in Google's app aren't 100% accurate, but they provide you a hint if you're not fluent in the native language.
Medicine
Lastly, I would recommend bringing medicine with you on your trip. I always used to take this for granted until I caught a cold during my last week in Japan. Because medicine in the in pharmacy stores are written in another language, you're not sure what you could be purchasing. Make sure you pack both headache and cold medicine along with your trip.
Summary: Three Great Items For Your Next Trip to Japan
In conclusion, I found these three items for your next trip to Japan great to have. They also come in handy if you're traveling to overseas in general.