Aside from the actual travel, one of the things I love most about this miles and points hobby is planning. I love strategizing how to earn the miles, dreaming about where to go, and researching the nitty gritty details to plan a vacation. However, sometimes my planning instinct goes into overdrive.
For example, for most “normal” people, planning a trip to Japan goes something like this:
- Pick a date a few months in advance
- Buy flights
- Book hotels in Tokyo and Kyoto
- That’s it
But for some of us, planning a trip isn’t that simple.
How to Overthink a Trip to Japan
Flights:
- Before booking flights, read about the 15 gazillion award options available.
- Start looking for sample award availability 1-2 months ahead of time.
- Watch YouTube video reviews about seats on the JAL Airbus 350-1000 plane and compare them to reviews of seats on JAL Boeing 777-300 ER. Throw in a few video reviews of ANA seats.
- Debate the merits of flying in economy together as a family of 5 or splitting up into two flights for upgraded award seat availability
Lodging:
- Read multiple blog posts about the “best” place to stay in Tokyo
- Torture yourself with the decision of using hotel points for a free stay vs. paying to stay in traditional Machiya house in Kyoto
- Decide on a hotel in Tokyo, only to discover the dates you need aren’t available. Re-check daily.
Itinerary:
- Figure out an itinerary visiting 3 different cities, and change it frequently
- Agonize over how many days to devote to Disney and Universal Studios
- Try to avoid FOMO by not reading about more destinations in Japan that you don’t have time to visit
Is overthinking good or bad?
Most of the time, I love going through these planning iterations. Researching and planning trips bring me joy. But sometimes, I get overwhelmed with the options and decisions, and then trip planning stresses me out. The reality is that my family will enjoy our trip to Japan regardless of if we stay in the “right” hotel or have the ideal itinerary. Too much overthinking is not good, and I need to keep myself in check.
Is anyone else an over-thinker when it comes to this hobby and trip planning?
Author: Nancy
Nancy lives near Dallas, Texas, with her husband and three kids. Her favorite vacations include the beach, cruising and everything Disney.
I believe Aleks is talking about Ube ice cream. It’s purple and doesn’t taste like potato, lol. It’s really good – my 13 yr old is obsessed with it.
@Chelsea I will have to look for it, thanks!
Love your honesty! I do all this and think I’m getting worse instead of better. So true when hubby says I bring the stress upon myself. Maybe getting worse because I’m in my 70’s now and not sure how much longer we’ll be able to travel. That jet lag really gets me now. But I’m super grateful for this game, the many trips we’ve taken and you 2!! Thanks!!
@Lynn Yes, I bring the stress upon myself! 🙂 I’m grateful for all of these travel opportunities too.
Japan has a lot of transportation options, so it’s easy to travel inside it, even without much planning. But it can save you time and energy to plan your “moves” ahead, at least the major ones. Put some draft plan for every day of where you gonna be and what activities you’d like to do.
I would advise to save some timetables: trains, ferries, etc. in case you won’t be able to access those in real time. It also give you more options if running late or want to leave early.
On my last Japan trip we visited 3 areas: Kyoto, Osaka and Okinawa – used taxis in first two and rented a car at the 3rd place; left some free time to explore while keeping the selected highlights on “the must-see” list. Mostly worked out great, especially the part where we wanted to taste many new Japanese dishes (Osaka) and street food (Kyoto), plus novelty items like sweet potato ice cream. Went late fall, so there were many places that had night-light installations: temples in Kyoto, Botanical gardens in Okinawa, castle in Osaka – adding to the highlights of our trip, and something fun to do in the evenings.
Taxis are not super economical for 2 travelers, but could make much more sen$e for larger family. The benefit is that you save a ton of time and energy, and some places you’ll need those to beat the tourist crowds and anxiety.
Car rental is good too, with some experience driving on the left, and alternative to (not so cheap) trains or buses to get to more distant areas. Just make sure to get intl. driving license from local AAA (easy).
Last advise for planning: in Kyoto – plan to get to touristy places as early as possible, especially on weekends.
Happy travels!
@Alex Thanks for all your advice! Sweet potato ice cream does not sound good to me at all, but maybe?
It’s purple potato and ice cream was delicious. They have a whole store in Okinawa that sells potato-flavored items: cookies, buns, paste, etc.
Well, I’m guilty of doing most of those things. Plus, I’ve canceled the trip three times due to Covid and had to start from scratch. Japan is one country where overthinking can actually pay off IMO. I do highly recommend renting a machiya in Kyoto if you can. One of the most memorable experiences I had, and there are some that will accommodate five relatively comfortably. Otherwise, I wouldn’t sweat too much the hotels part. As long as it’s centrally located, that’s all that matters.
@Leana I forgot you had to plan and re-plan your trip 3 times! You’ve convinced me to rent a machiya.
That’s me, especially the FOMO part. Also, add in a “cant make up my mind and wait too long to book it, now it isn’t the best deal anymore” regret into the mix. Analysis paralysis.
@BothofUs2 Yes, exactly! Then I throw in the “But we may never go to Japan again and this might be a once-in-a-lifeime trip so we have to see it all.”
Yup – this sounds like my trip to Japan 🙂
@Dan @Points With a Crew At least I’m not alone in this behavior )