Japan Travel Smart

Japan Travel Smart is a newer addition to the Japan podcast scene, but it has quickly earned a reputation for tightly focused, practical travel advice. Hosted by Johnny, a self-described frequent Japan traveler who keeps going back, the show takes a biweekly format with episodes running around 20-25 minutes. That shorter runtime is intentional: each episode targets a specific travel skill or tip rather than trying to cover everything at once. The 4.9-star rating from 29 reviews signals strong listener satisfaction, and reviewers consistently highlight how useful the advice is for both first-timers and repeat visitors. Topics include survival tips for navigating Japan without speaking Japanese, how to use IC cards effectively, the best ways to handle cash in a country that still relies on it heavily, and strategies for visiting popular spots without fighting crowds. Johnny speaks from direct personal experience rather than aggregating information from other sources, which gives the advice a tested, practical quality. The show launched in 2024 and has put out 28 episodes so far, so the catalog is still small enough to listen through entirely before a trip. Recent re-recorded episodes suggest the host is actively refining and improving earlier content rather than just moving on, which is a good sign for quality control. If you want concise, opinionated, and field-tested Japan travel advice without wading through hour-long episodes, this podcast delivers exactly that.