One of the first things you need to do if you’re going to Japan is actually get to Japan. Despite the fact that plane tickets are anything but cheap, I recommend flying because it’s the fastest and most comfortable way to get to Japan. If you do end up flying, you’ll need to survive the plane ride. The most important thing to remember during your 10+ hour flight is that you need to keep yourself busy.
It’s better to pack more things to keep yourself busy than not have enough. The plane ride will be long, and you might need a variety of things to do in case you get bored. If you like to draw, bring a sketchbook and pencils. Bring a diary or journal and write down all your excitements, fears, and expectations of going to Japan. Or write stories or vivid imagery of something that happened to you while you were at the airport. Audiobooks and podcasts are helpful if you want them. There are many free ebooks out there as well. You can do some research on your own, or click here to find a list of the best free Ebooks according to Goodreads.com.
If you can sleep on planes, (and hopefully you can) that will take up some of your time. Depending on the airline you’re flying on (and what class you’re flying) your flight might be very comfortable. If you’re like me and you’re crammed in the middle of two strangers nowhere near the aisle, it may be less comfortable. Most airlines provide two meals, a snack, a blanket, a pillow and a pair of headphones to each passenger. The quality of these items vastly depends on the airline you travel on. The food from ANA, for example, tasted like portions from a king’s feast; Delta’s food was not to that caliber.
It’s important to think of yourself as being in “Japan time” as soon as you get on the plane. If you get on the plana and it’s 3am in Japan, I suggest you take some Melatonin (or other sleeping medicine, I recommend Melatonin because it’s natural and very effective: it works by making you very tired for 20 minutes or so, so you can fall asleep more easily. If you’re a light sleeper, this may not work because the effects wear off quickly) and go to sleep. Chances are you won’t be tired, but it will help your jet lag later.
The most important thing to do to make your jet lag less, well, exhausting, is to stay on the same schedule. In my opinion, the jet lag is worse when you get back to America as opposed to when you get to Japan. No matter how tired you are, stay awake during daylight hours, and no matter how awake you feel, make yourself go to sleep at a decent time to get a good night’s sleep. The website Sleepfoundation.org reccomends 7 and a half to 9 hours of sleep a night for most adults, 8 and a half to 10 for teens, and even more for children depending on their age. It’s important to make sure you get the same number of hours of sleep per night. If you don’t, it could damage your cardiovascular health, immune system (ability to fight infections) and balance of energy. Getting good sleep also makes going to sleep on schedule easier and your memory, reaction time and overall concentration stay strong. Stay hydrated with water instead of soda or other sugary drinks and eating a healthy diet can’t hurt either.
Last, but not least, take some time during your flight to psych yourself up for your trip to Japan!
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