3 things I would have done differently on my solo trip to Japan

• After losing a job, Erica Hobbs booked a 24-day trip to Japan.
• The November vacation was planned at the last minute, so she ended up traveling solo.
• In hindsight, she would have pre-booked transportation and chosen to stay in more hostels to make friends.

In November, after three months of interviews, I lost a job and decided it was time for a travel break. I left in a week three and a half Travel to Japan.

Time worked – favorable dollar exchange ratethe mild weather and vivid fall foliage made it a great time to visit.

With little time to find a travel companion, I embraced the freedom of solo travel and the ability to make plans on a whim. And since I’d traveled on my own before, I thought I might as well. it The trip to Japan proved to be more difficult than expected.

My trip included exploring the “golden triangle” of Tokyo, Kyoto and Osakawith day trips to nearby destinations such as Nikko, Mount Fuji, Nara and Himeji. It also included visits to Hiroshima and Miyajima Island, and a week in Central Japan.

The trip cost about $3,400, not including airfare, which I paid for with credit card points. Like one cost conscious backpackI stayed in pod hotels or hostels and mostly ate street food, convenience store fare, or ramen shop noodles.

My biggest expense was accommodation, which came to more than $915 for 24 nights. Ground transportation was also added. While the local trains were quite cheap, the tickets for Shinkansen bullet train were costly. My trip from Tokyo to Toyama was the most expensive at about $100, Hiroshima to Osaka was about $70, and Osaka to Tokyo was about $90.

Some indulgences included participating in a Kimono tea ceremony, a Kobe Steak Dinnerand visits to a handful of themed cafes.

While I loved the trip, here are three things I would have done differently.

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1. More pre-trip planning

My pre-trip research focused mostly on sites and activities, logistics. I haven’t pre-booked anything except some of my money day in Tokyo. This led to a chaotic and inefficient journey filled with missed trains, missed opportunities and unnecessary stress.

I had read that Japan was popular in the fall, but it was busier than I expected, and hard to find last minute budget accommodation. Many of the popular attractions, incl Tokyo’s Ghibli Museum and Ninja Tokyo Restaurant, were booked in advance. Other locations across the country, including Osaka’s Nintendo Museum, and Ryokans – Traditional Japanese Homestays – Anywhere, it also backs up quickly.

I got lucky with the tea ceremony – a plus Solo travel -but I wish I had pre-booked the ones I missed.

I would also have booked accommodation ahead of time on sites with a free cancellation policy. This would allow me to secure housing while also providing flexibility to change plans.

For shipping, I would have provided my own Great card When I got to the airport. These cards – which include Suica, Pasmo and ICOCA – are prepaid and allow easy travel between public transport systems in major cities. After a 13-hour flight, I rushed to my hotel. But getting one of these cards later was more difficult than I expected – they were only available at the biggest train stations and not constantly.

2. Opt for hostels instead of capsule hotels

Many people think that solo travel is all about doing things alone, but one of my favorite parts is the new people you meet along the way. Hostels are usually good for being social, and I thought I would have the same fate capsule hotels. Instead, I found pod hotels—though delightfully quiet and spa-like—to be far less social. There were also many local travelers staying in these who did not speak English.

However, I immediately made friends at the hostels I stayed at. Hiroshimaseven of us spent the day exploring Miyajima Island together, and I climbed a mountain I wouldn’t have climbed alone. Had I started my journey in hostels, I would have made travel buddies earlier.

3. Spent more time in Nikko and Osaka

About 90 miles north of Tokyo, Nikko is a popular day tripbut I wish I had set aside two full days to explore the city properly. It is known for both its elaborate shrines and temples and beautiful mountain scenery. When I visited in November, the sites closed at 4pm, and things started getting dark before long, which meant there was a limited window to explore all that Nikko had to offer.

The 126-acre Tokugawa Shrine and Temple Complex—which became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1999—is less than 10 miles from Lake Chuzenji, where the ascent of Mount Nantai begins, but the journey from one to the other can be last an hour. I could have happily wandered the complex – especially its famous Toshogu Shrine – for an entire day.

I also wish I had a full day to explore the beautiful lake, waterfalls and hiking opportunities around the mountain. My one day there felt rushed and limited to just the highlights.

I also wish I had passed More time in Osaka. Since it is mostly known for its food, I thought two days would be enough, but it was the non-food parts that were my favorite and what I wish I had more time for.

Her Dontonbori area was full of lights and people with a palpable energy that I loved being a part of. I enjoyed spending a half day at the Osaka Castle, But with more time I would have visited the Osaka Housing and Living Museum and the Osaka Kaiyukan aquarium, which travelers I met along the way. I would also have flown home directly from Osaka, which would have saved me half a day and a $90 train fare.