The Japan Travel Pros Podcast

Pro Tips from Real People Who Live Here!
You've landed in Japan. Now what?
In this episode, Ari walks through what to expect during your first 24 hours in Japan, from getting through the airport and reaching your hotel to making the most of your first full day.
We talk about airport transportation, jet lag, restaurant reservations, choosing the right hotel location and getting started in Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto… or anywhere else.
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Brought to you by Japan Travel Pros. Your collaboration partner based in Japan's Kansai Region. Clients from around the world trust our Japan-based local travel experts. We give you context and good judgment, and you get the confidence to travel to Japan your way.
Get started at⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠JapanTravelPros.com/plan⁠⁠⁠
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Episode Chapters:
(00:00) Intro & Overview
(01:30) Day 0: Arrival Day
(02:40) Plan Ahead, Stay Flexible
(03:17) Arriving from N.America (afternoon/evening)
(04:15) Morning Arrivals
(05:57) Jet Lag, Adrenaline & Fatigue
(06:26) At the Airport
(09:31) Getting to Your Hotel
(09:57) Tokyo Airports to City
(10:59) Osaka & Kyoto from KIX Airport
(11:55) Reserve Transport Ahead of Time or Buy at Airport?
(12:40) Airport to Bullet Train Connection Time
(14:13) Leave Bags or Early Check-in?
(15:12) Food in Japan - First 24 Hours
(17:58) Getting Acclimated in Japan (Exercise, Sights, Jet Lag etc)
(20:40) First Day in Tokyo
(24:32) Should You Take a Tour on Day 1?
(25:27) Day 1 in Osaka
(27:22) Day 1 in Kyoto
(30:03) Local Transport Tips
(32:42) Closing Thoughts
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Theme Music:
"Tokyo Nights" by Snoozy Beats
licensed under an Attribution 4.0 International License (free download available from the Snoozy Beats page on Free Music Archive)
-----More Music:
"旅ゆけば" by Tinymemory (Dova Syndrome Music Materials License (dova-s .jp)
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Have you found yourself researching your trip so much that you can't make a decision?
With so many places to visit, hotels to choose from and opinions about what you allegedly *gotta* see, it's easy to get stuck when planning a trip to Japan.
In this episode, Ari talks about analysis paralysis, FOMO and five questions to help you get unstuck and get your trip planned.
Plus, a pair of walking shoes, how to thank well-intentioned friends & colleagues while still managing to sidestep their Japan advice... and a little wisdom from Neil Peart.
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Brought to you by Japan Travel Pros. Your collaboration partner based in Japan's Kansai Region. Clients from around the world trust our Japan-based local travel experts. We give you context and good judgment, and you get the confidence to travel to Japan your way.
Get started at⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠JapanTravelPros.com/plan⁠⁠
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Theme Music:
"Tokyo Nights" by Snoozy Beats
licensed under an Attribution 4.0 International License (free download available from the Snoozy Beats page on Free Music Archive)
-----More Music:
"旅ゆけば" by Tinymemory (Dova Syndrome Music Materials License (dova-s .jp)
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When is the best time to visit Japan if you want to avoid the crowds?
Does Japan even have a low season anymore?
And if Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka & some of Japan’s most famous sights are crowded, does that mean Japan itself is crowded?
In this episode, Ari looks at how crowds and seasonality in Japan have changed, why weekdays aren't necessarily quieter at popular attractions and why where you go can make as much difference as when you go.
There may not be a magical time when the weather is perfect, prices are low and famous sites are empty. But that doesn't mean your entire trip has to feel crowded.
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Brought to you by Japan Travel Pros. Your collaboration partner based in Japan's Kansai Region. Clients from around the world trust our Japan-based local travel experts. We give you context and good judgment, and you get the confidence to travel to Japan your way.
Get started at⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠JapanTravelPros.com/plan⁠
__________
Theme Music:
"Tokyo Nights" by Snoozy Beats
licensed under an Attribution 4.0 International License (free download available from the Snoozy Beats page on Free Music Archive)
-----More Music:
"旅ゆけば" by Tinymemory (Dova Syndrome Music Materials License (dova-s .jp)
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We're back with Frank from 5 AM Ramen for the second half of our conversation. If you haven't heard Part 1 yet, maybe give that episode a listen first.
This time we're talking about ramen's continuing evolution, the impact of YouTube & social media on small ramen shops, practical advice for first-time visitors and the people behind some of Japan's most memorable bowls.
We also get into ramen reviews, neighborhood discoveries and Frank's choice for his ultimate last bowl of ramen.
Tokyo ramen tours
Food Tours Tokyo
5 AM Ramen – YouTube channel⁠ — including Frank's completed Yamanote Line ramen series

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This episode is brought to you by Japan Travel Pros. We make travel planning make sense. Clients from around the world trust our Japan-based local travel experts. We give you context and good judgment, and you get the confidence to travel to Japan your way.
Get started at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠JapanTravelPros.com/plan⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
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Music:
Island Travel - by Anonyment
旅ゆけば - by Tinymemory
Investor Night - by Anonyment
(all tracks with Dova Syndrome Music Materials License (dova-s .jp) 
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Frank knows ramen. You might even say that Frank eats, sleeps & breathes ramen.
Through 5AM Ramen, Frank has eaten hundreds of bowls a year (many years ongoing), explored ramen shops across Japan & beyond and built a career around sharing what he's learned through YouTube, ramen tours and hands-on experiences in Tokyo.
In Part 1 of our conversation, Frank joins Ari to talk about growing up in Tokyo, his earliest ramen memories and how 5AM Ramen got started. We get into everything from instant ramen and late-night bowls to ramen tours, regional styles, tonkotsu, Jiro and the enormous variety that makes ramen such an interesting part of Japanese food culture.
We also talk about Frank's own multicultural background and why ramen, despite its roots outside Japan, has become such a distinctly Japanese food while continuing to evolve.
In this episode:
Frank's earliest ramen memories growing up in Tokyo
Where the name 5AM Ramen came from
How Frank went from a ramen blog to running ramen tours and a popular YouTube channel
What it's like eating 200~400 bowls of ramen a year
How ramen tasting tours work
Why there's no single “right” way to enjoy ramen
Shio, miso, shoyu, tonkotsu & the incredible range of ramen styles
Why ramen leaves so much room for experimentation
This is Part 1 of our conversation with Frank. Look for Part 2, where we get into how ramen is changing today, the influence of YouTube and social media, what happens when small local shops suddenly get international attention, and some practical advice for visiting ramen shops in Japan.

Learn more about Frank and 5 AM Ramen:
5 AM Ramen
5AMRamen.com
Food Tour Tokyo
FoodTourTokyo.com
You can also find 5 AM Ramen on YouTube.
https://www.youtube.com/c/5AMRamen
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Brought to you by Japan Travel Pros. We make travel planning make sense. Clients from around the world trust our Japan-based local travel experts. We give you context and good judgment, and you get the confidence to travel to Japan your way.
Get started at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠JapanTravelPros.com/plan⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
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Episode Chapters:
(00:00) Intro & Overview
(03:05) Meet Frank
(05:00) 5AM Ramen Origins
(09:05) Ramen Tours in Tokyo
(22:47) Eating 200-400 Bowls a Year
(24:05) 5AM Ramen YouTube Channel
(27:28) Ramen & Multi-Culture
(31:30) Tonkotsu Ramen
(39:10) Closing Thoughts
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Music:
Island Travel - by Anonyment
旅ゆけば - by Tinymemory
Investor Night - by Anonyment
(all tracks with Dova Syndrome Music Materials License (dova-s .jp) 
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