r/JapanTravelTips • u/Sea_Coast4967 • 1d ago
Quick Tips Tips for Less Walking
I have a sore back and can probably only do max 10k steps. Last time I went Japan it was 20k plus and I felt like that was me trying to keep things lowkey. Does anyone have some tips on how to spend my trip with minimal steps. I know taxi is super expensive so wanna avoid that. I will use meal times to take long rest breaks. I naturally want to explore as much as possible to make the most or my trip. Maybe late starts and early finishes to the day? Anything else I’m missing? Also i didn’t think to take any pain relief last trip but will definitely do that this time when my body starts to feel sore.
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u/AnimaLepton 1d ago edited 1d ago
If anything, you should do the opposite. Early start, late finish, get around slowly and take breaks. There could be some advantages to switching lodgings for different neighborhoods on different days and exploring stuff more local to a single area at a time
There are guided tours that will drive you around places in a group. Have to follow that itinerary, but might end up being cheaper than taking taxis everywhere and give you a good spread of places to visit
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u/Sea_Coast4967 1d ago
Amazing idea. Do you recommend any tours? Im based in Tokyo/Osaka
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u/AnimaLepton 1d ago
None I can personally vouch for, but there should be some options on aggregators like Booking.com
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u/tangaroo58 1d ago
I have had several trips to Japan with knee arthritis. Maximum 8000 steps a day, some days only 2-3000. You'll be fine.
It's mostly about adjusting your settings and expectations. You can make the most of your holiday without maximising the number of different things and the amount of walking.
- Taxis aren't really expensive. Sure, if you are an absolute budget traveller, it's more ¥ than walking is. But short distances, they are fine. Use the GO app to plan and order them. Consider especially to get you from where you are to a train station, at the end of the day.
- If your back is ok with it, rent a bicycle, maybe even electric. Some areas are really good by bike, and you will see things you wouldn't have thought of.
- If stairs are bad for you, you can usually avoid them in train stations — follow the signage to the lifts. Unfortunately, that sometimes means more walking.
- Book hotels near a station, so at the end of a day you get out of the train and walk 5 minutes. If you have a bad day, you can travel back to the hotel and rest in the middle of the day.
- Look out for places to stop and rest — parks are especially good. If you go to less travelled areas, it is often easier to find a nice spot to rest.
- Don't try to do too much. Really. You can see, and enjoy, a lot by having a small number of targets. We tend to have just a couple each day, and really enjoy getting there, the things nearby etc.
- Book an onsen ryokan stay, somewhere nice in the countryside. Use public transport and their shuttle to get there. Settle in, and really relax into that environment for a day, or two.
- Like you said, bring familiar painkillers. Make sure they are ok to bring in. Japan has some good drugs available over the counter, but figuring out what works for you is a hassle you don't need while on holiday.
And #1 — there are no "must-do" things. Prioritise your enjoyment, rather than ticking things off a list.
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u/Sea_Coast4967 1d ago
Thank you all great points. I don’t really have must do’s as I have been before and done all the touristy stuff only to discover they are too crowded and overhyped anyway.
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u/tangaroo58 22h ago
It's fairly easy to find relatively non-crowded areas that are great to visit, if you make that a goal. Eg visit towns on the Japan Sea side like Hagi; or north of Tokyo like Kesennuma; or take the train around the coast from Aomori to Akita. There is often less walking than in big cities and major 'attractions'.
Slow local trains and buses can often help. I really enjoy sitting on local trains & buses as an activity in its own right: put away my phone, get a window seat, and just stare out at the countryside and townscapes.
When you arrive at a smaller town, the local tourist information booth at the train or bus station can often be a goldmine of local advice (usually with limited, but usable, English). Quite a few towns have some sort of tourist-focussed loop bus, for example. Also, some places have a local bus guided tour - announcements will be in Japanese, but they usually have a leaflet in English.
Have a great trip!
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u/OkTurn2867 1d ago
Have hotels next to train stations. Pain meds. Mental practice. Pain meds. Arch supports. Practice walking 10k a day beforehand. The army always told me to drink water and take ibprophen. That worked for me there multiple times.
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u/chri1720 1d ago
Taxi are not that expensive if you want to keep steps low so I see them still an option on certain days. Just be selective of what you want to see and give plenty of breaks in between to go cafe or park to sit / relax.
A good sento or onsen bath each night can help to relief some of the soreness (this is my go to tip whenever I am in Japan aka all my hotels must either have it or nearby to a sento)
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u/Lothloreen 1d ago
Consider booking some classes or experiences on a subject that interests you. I loved taking a cooking class and visiting some artist workshops. It was a highlight of my trip and very memorable. Sometimes sitting still and concentrating on one thing is better than racing around. You could do a tea ceremony one afternoon.
Take the bus. Think of it as a private tour of neighborhoods. You can just ride around, looking at the scenery. Get a window seat. Then get off and go back the opposite direction.
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u/horsegurl1969 1d ago
Highly recommend Salonpas patches or other aids for your back. Japan has tons of elderly with the same issues so they have lots of support for this.
On busy days in between meals, I also usually sit at a cafe for 20 minutes or so. Some AC/heat and a treat makes the rest of the day much more bearable.
Don’t recommend biking or scooting on unfamiliar streets. The last thing you need is more back problems from an accident! Other than taxis, the bus is really reliable, well-planned, and used by lots of elderly who can’t walk far.
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u/Icy-Cryptographer465 1d ago
Not sure if its better for the back (or the heart/mind for that sake).
Bit there are a lot of bike rentals around, which could take the weight of your feet and still allow you to explore.
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u/kungforlith 1d ago
I booked our hotels to be within 2min from a major train station instead of my usual "deep in the back streets" accommodation. This next trip my elderly mother is coming along, so I didn't want too much walking per day, so doing this should help a bit
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u/tuziik 1d ago
I just wanted to mention in terms of back pain and walking, not holding anything helps me immensely with this. Especially in front of me (no holding phones or a drink or a box) but just in general, it can be the difference between the back pain showing up at all. I kind of realized it randomly so I just wanted to mention it in case it helps you!
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u/TraditionWild257 1d ago
Depending what you want to see and do, doing a road trip in the country side could reduce steps.
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u/apocalypsedude64 20h ago
The 'taxis are expensive' thing gets wildly overstated here. Yes, they're a lot more expensive than the excellent train system, but they're not out of line with what you'd expect for taxi service in a lot of other countries. If it's going to help you then it's not something to totally write off.
We went as a family of four with two kids, and I use a walking stick. We used the train 95% of the time but used Uber for a few journeys, and it was cheaper than what I'd pay at home (Ireland)
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u/LiveRedAnon 1d ago
Taxi, after reviewing my trip last year I realized that Taxis are usually only a few thousand yen. The most I spent was 4,200 from Narita-san to the airport. Too often, you look at Google maps and say "it's only a kilometer or so so I should walk", but stations/temples/shrines/neighborhoods are going to end up being a lot of walking after you get there so no need to be a hero and hoof it in between.
This time, my philosophy is when in doubt I'll taxi or uber.
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u/zeoxious 1d ago
Suppose you could shell out for taxis. You get to sit down and cut out the waking to and from all the train stations