Hey TFCians,
Back in June 2024, I visited Japan, fully funded by credit card reward points converted to airmiles. I spent a total of about Rs. 35,000 in cash (excluding shopping) for the 5-day trip, with Rs. 24,000 going toward a Tokyo-Kyoto round-trip Shinkansen train ticket.
Visa:
First things first, you need a visa to visit Japan. Depending on your location, you can apply through VFS or directly at the Japanese embassy. In Kolkata, the Japan embassy doesn’t accept applications directly, so I applied through the VFS office. I applied about 80 days in advance and received a 15-day visitor visa. Visa fees were Rs. 500, excluding VFS service charges.
Flights:
I booked round-trip tickets from CCU to HND in ANA Business Class using 1,15,500 United airmiles and $61 tax.
At Delhi airport en route to HND, I accessed the Encalm Privé Lounge, exclusive for business and first-class travelers only—no credit card or membership access allowed here. This lounge is new and excellent, with high-quality food.
At Haneda Airport, I used the ANA Business Class lounge. It was quite crowded when I visited at 8:30 AM, likely due to morning rush hour. Food quality was good, but I didn’t tried much.
Hotels:
In Kyoto, I booked the Mercure Kyoto Station Hotel for two nights, using one free night from my Accor Plus membership and covering the other night with 4,000 Accor points and $11.
In Tokyo, I stayed at the Courtyard Tokyo Ginza Hotel for three nights, redeeming 97,000 Marriott Bonvoy points.
Credit Card Acceptance in Japan:
A heads-up if you’re planning on relying solely on credit cards in Japan, especially Amex. Many places, including my hotel (Courtyard Ginza), didn’t accept Amex, which was surprising given that Marriott even has few co-branded Amex card. Additionally, train ticket machines didn’t accept any of my credit cards. A friend mentioned that his Axis Reserve card worked, but for me, none of my cards—including Yes Private, Axis Atlas, ICICI Emeralde Private, and HDFC Infinia—were accepted. Even at the ticket counter POS machine, I had to use my CS debit card for Shinkansen tickets.
For local train tickets, I used the digital Suica via Apple Wallet, which was very convenient. While large malls and stores generally accept all major credit cards, small stores often accept Visa and Mastercard but usually don’t accept Amex.
Day 0:
I started my journey from Kolkata Airport, catching a Vistara flight to Delhi at 10:25 AM and landing around 12:30 PM. To my surprise, someone from the ANA India team was waiting at my arrival gate! She guided me through the international departure section, took my passport to get my boarding pass issued, and then we headed to immigration together. Immigration was a breeze with no questions asked, and I got to use the priority line for business class travelers at security.
After clearing everything, I relaxed in the Encalm Privé lounge. Now, I’m not sure if ANA always provides this meet-and-greet service for business and first-class passengers or if it was just because I had a connecting flight, but it was a nice touch.
At 5:25 PM, boarding started, and we took off at 6 PM from Delhi to Tokyo Haneda, on a 7-hour journey aboard the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner. ANA’s business class was everything I’d heard—fantastic service, incredibly kind and attentive cabin crew, and honestly, the food was amazing.
Day 1:
At 5:30 AM Japan time, I landed at Haneda (HND) Airport in Tokyo. After deboarding, I headed straight to immigration. The officer asked about my profession and my departure date—that was it, and I was officially in Japan!
Once I cleared immigration and customs, I withdrew about 15,000 Yen using my CS debit card. Thanks to the Flexiroam offer through my Mastercard World Elite, I had 2GB of free global data, so I didn’t need to buy a SIM. My plan for the day was to go directly to Kyoto and start exploring. Before leaving the airport, I found an arrival lounge on the far left side that charged around 1,500 Yen for a shower—no credit cards or membership cards were accepted there, so it was a cash-only experience. I had to wait 30 minutes for a shower as the lounge was full.
While waiting, I purchased a digital Suica card from my iPhone wallet and loaded it with funds via Apple Pay (using my US Amex card). After freshening up, I made my way to the Keikyu Line station. Using the digital Suica card was straightforward—just open Apple Wallet, tap on the Suica card, and scan it at the entry gate. I took the express train to Shinagawa Station. This was my first time seeing such a massive train station, and I had a little trouble finding the ticket counter for the Shinkansen (bullet train) to Kyoto. None of my credit cards (even my US ones) worked on the ticket machine, so I ended up buying a ticket at the counter for the Nozomi line, the fastest Shinkansen that takes only 2 hours to reach Kyoto.
At 9:30 AM, I boarded the Nozomi train, and by 11:30 AM, I was in Kyoto. I lucked out with a window seat on the right side and got a fantastic view of Mt. Fuji! The Shinkansen experience was everything I’d hoped for—smooth, fast, and very scenic.
My hotel was a quick 10-minute walk from Kyoto Station. After checking in, I ordered some food and took a short rest. In the afternoon, I set out to visit the famous Fushimi Inari Shrine. I noticed that most tourist attractions in Japan are conveniently located near train stations. Fushimi Inari was bustling with people, but the Thousand Torii Pathway was a bit less crowded, allowing me to enjoy a peaceful walk through the iconic red gates without too many people around.
Day 2:
After breakfast, I headed to the Arashiyama Bamboo Forest. There were several temples nearby, and I took the train from Kyoto Station to Saga Arashiyama Station, again using my Suica card through Apple Wallet. The forest is about a 10-minute walk from the station. As I arrived at the entrance, two Japanese people greeted me with “Namaste” and “Dhanyabad,” and I was genuinely surprised to hear them speaking Hindi! 😁
I explored the bamboo forest, visited the observatory deck, and took in the stunning views. I also wandered through some nearby temples and ended up spending most of the day there.
In the afternoon, I went to Nijo Castle and then made my way to Kiyomizu-dera Temple, along with a few other nearby temples whose names I can’t quite recall. Both Nijo Castle and Kiyomizu-dera are UNESCO World Heritage Sites, and they absolutely live up to that title. They were breathtaking!
Day 3:
Early in the morning, as I was checking out of the hotel, I met an Indian couple who had just arrived in Kyoto from Tokyo. They asked for a bit of help, which I was happy to give. Of course, they also asked the classic question—where can we get Indian food around here? I recommended ordering from Uber Eats. I also advised them to buy water from a nearby 7-Eleven since the hotel only provided 1L of water per day and didn’t offer paid bottles either.
After that, I left the hotel and purchased a Shinkansen Nozomi line ticket back to Tokyo, arriving at Shinagawa Station within 2 hours. From there, I took a train to Shimbashi Station and then another to Ginza Station, as my hotel was just a 5-minute walk from Ginza. The trip took me about 30 minutes—though locals could probably do it in half the time. The Tokyo metro map is intense, so it’s definitely easier to just follow Google Maps, which shows you which line to take and the best exit for your destination. At first, it felt confusing, but after some time, it became easy, and I have to say, Japan’s public transport system is the best—convenient and cheap, making taxis unnecessary.
I reached my hotel in Ginza, Tokyo, at 10 AM. After checking in early, I began exploring the area and came across an Apple Store. I decided to trade in my old iPhone 11 for an iPhone 15 Pro 256GB, which cost me around Rs. 78,000 after the trade-in (original cost was about Rs. 93,000).
In the afternoon, it started to rain, so I took a break. In the evening, I visited the famous Shibuya Crossing, one of the busiest pedestrian crossings in the world. The energy was amazing!
For meals in Tokyo, I began using Uber Eats, especially for Indian food. That evening, as I was waiting in the hotel lobby for my order, I met a British man who was also waiting for his food. We started talking about our orders, then about Japanese cuisine, culture, and people. We ended up having a soft drink together in the lobby and chatted for nearly three hours after dinner—it was a great way to end the day!
View attachment WhatsApp Video 2024-11-04 at 4.29.15 PM.mp4
Day 4:
After breakfast, I headed to Ginza Station and took the Ginza Line local train toward Asakusa. The Sensō-ji Temple was just 200 meters from the station. The temple atmosphere was incredible—vibrant yet peaceful, even with the crowds. Nakamise-dori Street was lively, bustling with people shopping, eating, and enjoying themselves. It was a joy to walk around and take in the energy of the place. I spent nearly half the day there.
In the afternoon, I visited Tokyo Skytree, where the panoramic views of the city were stunning. Later, I went to Tokyo Tower; it was drizzling, but that was no problem in Japan since hotels provide umbrellas for guest use.
That evening, I explored Ginza again near my hotel. Ginza is one of the best places for shopping in Japan, and the atmosphere was fantastic for a final night in Tokyo.
Day 5:
This was my last day in Japan, with an early flight back to Kolkata via Delhi the next morning. I started early and, after breakfast, headed to Gotokuji Temple. While most tourist spots in Japan are crowded, the temples still manage to have a peaceful atmosphere, and Gotokuji was no exception.
Next, I went to Shibuya Sky for an incredible view of the city; honestly, it made me feel like I could have skipped Tokyo Skytree altogether. Then, I visited the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building, taking a bus in Tokyo for the first time. All these towers offer similar views, so visiting just one is probably enough.
In the late afternoon, I went to the Itoya store in Ginza and gifted myself a Pilot Custom 823 pen, along with a couple more for my family. Japan is truly a paradise for pen lovers!
That evening, I visited Shinjuku Station, and wow—it’s the busiest station in the world for a reason. The crowd was intense! I spent some time exploring the Shinjuku area on foot; there were so many interesting characters, especially among the foreigners. The vibe was energetic, joyful, and welcoming. I ended my day there, returned to the hotel, had dinner, and packed up for my journey home.
Unfortunately, I don't have any photos from the last day. I later changed my Samsung phone, and, for some unknown reason, those images didn’t get backed up.
Day 6:
It was time to say goodbye to Japan and head home! I left my hotel at 6:30 AM and started walking toward Ginza station. Most of the station’s entry gates were closed and scheduled to open at 7 AM. I asked a local person, likely on his way to work, for help. Although he didn’t speak English, he kindly guided me to the nearest open entry gate. After checking two more gates, we finally found one that was open. He even pointed me to the correct line for reaching HND airport. This experience, like so many others, reminded me of just how friendly and helpful Japanese people are.
I reached HND airport at 7:45 AM, and immigration and security went smoothly. By 8:30 AM, I was relaxing in the ANA Business Class lounge. Although the lounge was very crowded, the food quality was excellent, and I tried a few dishes while waiting.
Boarding started at 9:45 AM, and though it took nearly an hour to reach the runway due to heavy traffic, the 8-hour 45-minute flight was enjoyable. I had some delicious meals on board and got a good nap as well. We landed at Delhi airport about 20 minutes ahead of schedule. After clearing immigration and customs, I made my way to the domestic departure area at Terminal 3 and took a break in the Amex Centurion lounge. I boarded my Vistara flight to Kolkata at 9 PM and landed at 11:50 PM.
With that, my 5-day Japan trip came to an end, filled with unforgettable memories. Though short, it was a joyful and truly amazing experience.
Back in June 2024, I visited Japan, fully funded by credit card reward points converted to airmiles. I spent a total of about Rs. 35,000 in cash (excluding shopping) for the 5-day trip, with Rs. 24,000 going toward a Tokyo-Kyoto round-trip Shinkansen train ticket.
Visa:
First things first, you need a visa to visit Japan. Depending on your location, you can apply through VFS or directly at the Japanese embassy. In Kolkata, the Japan embassy doesn’t accept applications directly, so I applied through the VFS office. I applied about 80 days in advance and received a 15-day visitor visa. Visa fees were Rs. 500, excluding VFS service charges.
Flights:
I booked round-trip tickets from CCU to HND in ANA Business Class using 1,15,500 United airmiles and $61 tax.
- CCU to DEL: Economy
- DEL to HND: Business
- HND to DEL: Business
- DEL to CCU: Economy
For the CCU-DEL sector, United didn’t charge miles, only airport taxes.
At Delhi airport en route to HND, I accessed the Encalm Privé Lounge, exclusive for business and first-class travelers only—no credit card or membership access allowed here. This lounge is new and excellent, with high-quality food.
At Haneda Airport, I used the ANA Business Class lounge. It was quite crowded when I visited at 8:30 AM, likely due to morning rush hour. Food quality was good, but I didn’t tried much.
Hotels:
In Kyoto, I booked the Mercure Kyoto Station Hotel for two nights, using one free night from my Accor Plus membership and covering the other night with 4,000 Accor points and $11.
In Tokyo, I stayed at the Courtyard Tokyo Ginza Hotel for three nights, redeeming 97,000 Marriott Bonvoy points.
Credit Card Acceptance in Japan:
A heads-up if you’re planning on relying solely on credit cards in Japan, especially Amex. Many places, including my hotel (Courtyard Ginza), didn’t accept Amex, which was surprising given that Marriott even has few co-branded Amex card. Additionally, train ticket machines didn’t accept any of my credit cards. A friend mentioned that his Axis Reserve card worked, but for me, none of my cards—including Yes Private, Axis Atlas, ICICI Emeralde Private, and HDFC Infinia—were accepted. Even at the ticket counter POS machine, I had to use my CS debit card for Shinkansen tickets.
For local train tickets, I used the digital Suica via Apple Wallet, which was very convenient. While large malls and stores generally accept all major credit cards, small stores often accept Visa and Mastercard but usually don’t accept Amex.
Day 0:
I started my journey from Kolkata Airport, catching a Vistara flight to Delhi at 10:25 AM and landing around 12:30 PM. To my surprise, someone from the ANA India team was waiting at my arrival gate! She guided me through the international departure section, took my passport to get my boarding pass issued, and then we headed to immigration together. Immigration was a breeze with no questions asked, and I got to use the priority line for business class travelers at security.
After clearing everything, I relaxed in the Encalm Privé lounge. Now, I’m not sure if ANA always provides this meet-and-greet service for business and first-class passengers or if it was just because I had a connecting flight, but it was a nice touch.
At 5:25 PM, boarding started, and we took off at 6 PM from Delhi to Tokyo Haneda, on a 7-hour journey aboard the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner. ANA’s business class was everything I’d heard—fantastic service, incredibly kind and attentive cabin crew, and honestly, the food was amazing.
Day 1:
At 5:30 AM Japan time, I landed at Haneda (HND) Airport in Tokyo. After deboarding, I headed straight to immigration. The officer asked about my profession and my departure date—that was it, and I was officially in Japan!
Once I cleared immigration and customs, I withdrew about 15,000 Yen using my CS debit card. Thanks to the Flexiroam offer through my Mastercard World Elite, I had 2GB of free global data, so I didn’t need to buy a SIM. My plan for the day was to go directly to Kyoto and start exploring. Before leaving the airport, I found an arrival lounge on the far left side that charged around 1,500 Yen for a shower—no credit cards or membership cards were accepted there, so it was a cash-only experience. I had to wait 30 minutes for a shower as the lounge was full.
While waiting, I purchased a digital Suica card from my iPhone wallet and loaded it with funds via Apple Pay (using my US Amex card). After freshening up, I made my way to the Keikyu Line station. Using the digital Suica card was straightforward—just open Apple Wallet, tap on the Suica card, and scan it at the entry gate. I took the express train to Shinagawa Station. This was my first time seeing such a massive train station, and I had a little trouble finding the ticket counter for the Shinkansen (bullet train) to Kyoto. None of my credit cards (even my US ones) worked on the ticket machine, so I ended up buying a ticket at the counter for the Nozomi line, the fastest Shinkansen that takes only 2 hours to reach Kyoto.
At 9:30 AM, I boarded the Nozomi train, and by 11:30 AM, I was in Kyoto. I lucked out with a window seat on the right side and got a fantastic view of Mt. Fuji! The Shinkansen experience was everything I’d hoped for—smooth, fast, and very scenic.
My hotel was a quick 10-minute walk from Kyoto Station. After checking in, I ordered some food and took a short rest. In the afternoon, I set out to visit the famous Fushimi Inari Shrine. I noticed that most tourist attractions in Japan are conveniently located near train stations. Fushimi Inari was bustling with people, but the Thousand Torii Pathway was a bit less crowded, allowing me to enjoy a peaceful walk through the iconic red gates without too many people around.
Day 2:
After breakfast, I headed to the Arashiyama Bamboo Forest. There were several temples nearby, and I took the train from Kyoto Station to Saga Arashiyama Station, again using my Suica card through Apple Wallet. The forest is about a 10-minute walk from the station. As I arrived at the entrance, two Japanese people greeted me with “Namaste” and “Dhanyabad,” and I was genuinely surprised to hear them speaking Hindi! 😁
I explored the bamboo forest, visited the observatory deck, and took in the stunning views. I also wandered through some nearby temples and ended up spending most of the day there.
In the afternoon, I went to Nijo Castle and then made my way to Kiyomizu-dera Temple, along with a few other nearby temples whose names I can’t quite recall. Both Nijo Castle and Kiyomizu-dera are UNESCO World Heritage Sites, and they absolutely live up to that title. They were breathtaking!
Day 3:
Early in the morning, as I was checking out of the hotel, I met an Indian couple who had just arrived in Kyoto from Tokyo. They asked for a bit of help, which I was happy to give. Of course, they also asked the classic question—where can we get Indian food around here? I recommended ordering from Uber Eats. I also advised them to buy water from a nearby 7-Eleven since the hotel only provided 1L of water per day and didn’t offer paid bottles either.
After that, I left the hotel and purchased a Shinkansen Nozomi line ticket back to Tokyo, arriving at Shinagawa Station within 2 hours. From there, I took a train to Shimbashi Station and then another to Ginza Station, as my hotel was just a 5-minute walk from Ginza. The trip took me about 30 minutes—though locals could probably do it in half the time. The Tokyo metro map is intense, so it’s definitely easier to just follow Google Maps, which shows you which line to take and the best exit for your destination. At first, it felt confusing, but after some time, it became easy, and I have to say, Japan’s public transport system is the best—convenient and cheap, making taxis unnecessary.
I reached my hotel in Ginza, Tokyo, at 10 AM. After checking in early, I began exploring the area and came across an Apple Store. I decided to trade in my old iPhone 11 for an iPhone 15 Pro 256GB, which cost me around Rs. 78,000 after the trade-in (original cost was about Rs. 93,000).
In the afternoon, it started to rain, so I took a break. In the evening, I visited the famous Shibuya Crossing, one of the busiest pedestrian crossings in the world. The energy was amazing!
For meals in Tokyo, I began using Uber Eats, especially for Indian food. That evening, as I was waiting in the hotel lobby for my order, I met a British man who was also waiting for his food. We started talking about our orders, then about Japanese cuisine, culture, and people. We ended up having a soft drink together in the lobby and chatted for nearly three hours after dinner—it was a great way to end the day!
View attachment WhatsApp Video 2024-11-04 at 4.29.15 PM.mp4
Day 4:
After breakfast, I headed to Ginza Station and took the Ginza Line local train toward Asakusa. The Sensō-ji Temple was just 200 meters from the station. The temple atmosphere was incredible—vibrant yet peaceful, even with the crowds. Nakamise-dori Street was lively, bustling with people shopping, eating, and enjoying themselves. It was a joy to walk around and take in the energy of the place. I spent nearly half the day there.
In the afternoon, I visited Tokyo Skytree, where the panoramic views of the city were stunning. Later, I went to Tokyo Tower; it was drizzling, but that was no problem in Japan since hotels provide umbrellas for guest use.
That evening, I explored Ginza again near my hotel. Ginza is one of the best places for shopping in Japan, and the atmosphere was fantastic for a final night in Tokyo.
Day 5:
This was my last day in Japan, with an early flight back to Kolkata via Delhi the next morning. I started early and, after breakfast, headed to Gotokuji Temple. While most tourist spots in Japan are crowded, the temples still manage to have a peaceful atmosphere, and Gotokuji was no exception.
Next, I went to Shibuya Sky for an incredible view of the city; honestly, it made me feel like I could have skipped Tokyo Skytree altogether. Then, I visited the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building, taking a bus in Tokyo for the first time. All these towers offer similar views, so visiting just one is probably enough.
In the late afternoon, I went to the Itoya store in Ginza and gifted myself a Pilot Custom 823 pen, along with a couple more for my family. Japan is truly a paradise for pen lovers!
That evening, I visited Shinjuku Station, and wow—it’s the busiest station in the world for a reason. The crowd was intense! I spent some time exploring the Shinjuku area on foot; there were so many interesting characters, especially among the foreigners. The vibe was energetic, joyful, and welcoming. I ended my day there, returned to the hotel, had dinner, and packed up for my journey home.
Unfortunately, I don't have any photos from the last day. I later changed my Samsung phone, and, for some unknown reason, those images didn’t get backed up.
Day 6:
It was time to say goodbye to Japan and head home! I left my hotel at 6:30 AM and started walking toward Ginza station. Most of the station’s entry gates were closed and scheduled to open at 7 AM. I asked a local person, likely on his way to work, for help. Although he didn’t speak English, he kindly guided me to the nearest open entry gate. After checking two more gates, we finally found one that was open. He even pointed me to the correct line for reaching HND airport. This experience, like so many others, reminded me of just how friendly and helpful Japanese people are.
I reached HND airport at 7:45 AM, and immigration and security went smoothly. By 8:30 AM, I was relaxing in the ANA Business Class lounge. Although the lounge was very crowded, the food quality was excellent, and I tried a few dishes while waiting.
Boarding started at 9:45 AM, and though it took nearly an hour to reach the runway due to heavy traffic, the 8-hour 45-minute flight was enjoyable. I had some delicious meals on board and got a good nap as well. We landed at Delhi airport about 20 minutes ahead of schedule. After clearing immigration and customs, I made my way to the domestic departure area at Terminal 3 and took a break in the Amex Centurion lounge. I boarded my Vistara flight to Kolkata at 9 PM and landed at 11:50 PM.
With that, my 5-day Japan trip came to an end, filled with unforgettable memories. Though short, it was a joyful and truly amazing experience.
