Tony - Japan 2024 Planning - Take 2

[Kingmeow]

7 hours ago, Tony Galiani said:

Of course, asking the Princess of Procrastination to get her own QR code is a challenge.

 

I did it for my Princess on her phone to that eliminates the procrastination and challenge part.  🤣

 

7 hours ago, Tony Galiani said:

BTW - please leave a few items for me at Super Kids.  Hoping not to walk in there and find everything sold out to Forum members!

 

No worries!  I plan to visit multiple Super Kids Land throughout our 3 weeks.  Definitely the one in Nagoya and I just found out there's one in Kobe too!

 

Besides, US Customs only allows $800 per person for duty free.  So I can only buy max $1600 worth of trains!  🤑🤑🤑  🤣🤣🤣

Edited October 4 by Kingmeow

[Tony Galiani]

@kuro68000 and @cteno4 Didn't think of taking a screen shot!  Oh well.  I did take a picture - maybe that will work as a Plan B.

 

@chadbag - your memory is correct.  We had the same issue this past February.  I thought the QR code would work for my wife and I since I had entered her info but it did not.  Hence her need to do the forms while I did not need to do them as the QR code worked for me.

 

@Kingmeow - I took a different approach.  I told my wife that if she did not get her QR code sorted she could just wait in the airport while I continued onward.  Not sure she really is keen on that idea though ....

 

Tony

[Tony Galiani]

Just found an interesting note on screen shots in the How To Use section of the Visit Japan web site.  I was thinking that I would take the time to set up for a tax free 2D code and was reading through the process.  At the last step there is a note saying "screenshots cannot be used". 

This sort of surprised me but then I had a sudden flash back to working with our Athletics Department for events on campus and remembered they also prohibited screen shots of QR codes for events.  Then the reason came back to me - one person would get a ticket and then let friends take photos of the QR code to use.  I cannot remember the details but there is a way to tell the difference between the screen code and the actual QR code and staff at the entry gates had to be trained how to spot this.  (BTW - for assigned seating this would not be an issue as the code would only work once but seating in the student sections was general admission without assigned seats.)

 So I guess for any system, there is someone around who will try to find a workaround.

 

I would think screen shots would not be an issue for entry at Immigration but am going to reread the info to make sure.  I know I am also going to follow up on getting the 2D code since wi-fi is so prevalent in Japan that it should still be usable.

Ciao,

Tony

[kuro68000]

Well spotted Tony. I can't remember if I used a screenshot or not last time. I suppose the way to check is to take two screenshots a day apart, and see if they change, i.e. they encode the date and time they were generated.

 

Still, I think it's largely academic as they do have solid WiFi at Japanese airports, and it's probably considered important infrastructure now that they use it for immigration purposes.

 

What did nearly shaft me last time was trying to pay for a Ubigi eSIM from within Japan. My bank took the helpful step of removing the "tell us you are travelling" feature, claiming that their systems were "intelligent" and would know it was me. Well, they didn't, and they tried to send me a code by SMS. Fortunately I did have my UK SIM on me, so I had to re-fit it and get that SMS. My provider didn't charge me, but it must have cost the bank something to send an international SMS.

 

Looking now they seem to have brought the "tell us you are travelling" feature back. Even so, it's still a pain because Japanese online systems don't support the SMS verification method, so last time even with the UK SIM I wasn't able to buy Shinkansen tickets online, and the queue at the machine made me miss the earlier train.

 

Edit: Oh no, I went to tell them my travel dates, and they said I didn't need to thanks to their new "intelligent" system... I'm doomed.

Edited October 5 by kuro68000

[chadbag]

13 hours ago, Tony Galiani said:

Just found an interesting note on screen shots in the How To Use section of the Visit Japan web site.  I was thinking that I would take the time to set up for a tax free 2D code and was reading through the process.  At the last step there is a note saying "screenshots cannot be used". 

This sort of surprised me but then I had a sudden flash back to working with our Athletics Department for events on campus and remembered they also prohibited screen shots of QR codes for events.  Then the reason came back to me - one person would get a ticket and then let friends take photos of the QR code to use.  I cannot remember the details but there is a way to tell the difference between the screen code and the actual QR code and staff at the entry gates had to be trained how to spot this.  (BTW - for assigned seating this would not be an issue as the code would only work once but seating in the student sections was general admission without assigned seats.)

 So I guess for any system, there is someone around who will try to find a workaround.

 

I would think screen shots would not be an issue for entry at Immigration but am going to reread the info to make sure.  I know I am also going to follow up on getting the 2D code since wi-fi is so prevalent in Japan that it should still be usable.

Ciao,

Tony

 

 

There are systems that update the code every couple minutes -- for example for some online tickets for concerts etc.  So a screen shot of the ticket probably won't work unless it is made right at the same time.   There are online sites that talk about these sorts of tickets and how they've been hacked.

 

 

[Gunzel]

14 hours ago, kuro68000 said:

Fortunately I did have my UK SIM on me, so I had to re-fit it and get that SMS. My provider didn't charge me, but it must have cost the bank something to send an international SMS.

It’s probably a quirk of history but roaming SMS is pretty much free to receive everywhere. That’s why I like an eSIM for travel so I can leave my home SIM in with data roaming disabled and still get 2FA codes and other SMS. It doesn’t cost any more for the sender either. They pay the cost to send your message to your home country. 
 

Rotating QR codes and tickets with animations are pretty common now in order to defeat screenshots. 

[kuro68000]

32 minutes ago, Gunzel said:

It’s probably a quirk of history but roaming SMS is pretty much free to receive everywhere. That’s why I like an eSIM for travel so I can leave my home SIM in with data roaming disabled and still get 2FA codes and other SMS. It doesn’t cost any more for the sender either. They pay the cost to send your message to your home country. 

 

Yeah, it's really the lack of support for online purchases from Japanese companies that is the issue. I do wonder if having two SIMs (eSIM and physical SIM) has much effect on battery life. I was going to get a smaller 5000mAh mobile battery for my next trip.

[Tony Galiani]

We now travel with a small mobile battery since finding charging stations can sometimes be a challenge.  On our recent trip to Canada, at Newark none of the chargers we tried in the terminal seating area worked.  And the couple next to us reported the same issue.

Tony

[Kingmeow]

I have one of those that is 12,000 mAh but it's a little on the thick side, about 1/2".  Had it for years.  Now a days, on Amazon, they have really thin ones packing 10,000 mAh for a fairly inexpensive price.  Some even have built in cables (USB-C) so that's one less thing to carry.

Edited October 6 by Kingmeow

[kuro68000]

38 minutes ago, Kingmeow said:

I have one of those that is 12,000 mAh but it's a little on the thick side, about 1/2".  Had it for years.  Now a days, on Amazon, they have really thin ones packing 10,000 mAh for a fairly inexpensive price.  Some even have built in cables (USB-C) so that's one less thing to carry.

 

I do wonder how real the super thin and light 10Ah ones are though. I'm looking at an Auskang one which is a genuine 5Ah. It's a bit expensive for that capacity, but it is very thin and has the cable built in. Hopefully there will be some deals next month, around the 11.11 event. I've got way too much stuff waiting for that sale...

 

I've ordered some cheap Apple Find My compatible tags as well. Been promised an old iPhone 7 with dead battery to set them up with. Planning to use them in my luggage and maybe in anything I ship home. See where the literal slow boat is.

[Kingmeow]

Amazon Prime week is next week for those in the US.  I don't know where you are located though.

[chadbag]

We have a few battery packs we bring but almost never end up using them much.  But we do occasionally need them so we will continue to bring them.  And there are good ones out there now that are inexpensive, high capacity (stick with "brand names" -- We have Anker, Sony, Sanyo).

[kuro68000]

12 hours ago, Kingmeow said:

Amazon Prime week is next week for those in the US.  I don't know where you are located though.

 

Same here in the UK I think, it Amazon sales are usually fake. One of the things I love about Japan is that the sales are real discounts. Amazon stuff is usually cheaper at other times of the year. There is a website called CamelCamelCamel that tracks Amazon prices, very handy for detecting fake sales.

 

 

10 hours ago, chadbag said:

We have a few battery packs we bring but almost never end up using them much.  But we do occasionally need them so we will continue to bring them.  And there are good ones out there now that are inexpensive, high capacity (stick with "brand names" -- We have Anker, Sony, Sanyo).

 

I use mine pretty much every day when travelling. Phone just can't get through a full day of navigation, photos, videos, and general browsing, without resorting to power saving modes. I prefer not to use power saving as it reduces the accuracy of location data collection greatly, and I like to have that data for review later. My current one is an INIU 10,000mAh model, and it's very good. Just a bit bulky. Sometimes I carry a 30W cube charger too. I had a 20W Anker one, but recently upgraded to 30W (the max my phone will take). Handy for quick top-ups at cafes etc, or on the train.

[Kingmeow]

Yeah, my wife is sporting an ancient iPhone 11.  😲  I have a newer Samsung Galaxy.  It has reached the point where the iPhone will not make it through a day on a single charge.  The Galaxy can, just barely but sometimes it needs a jolt in the evening before reaching the hotel.

 

When you are on vacation you are using your phone a lot more than if when you're at home.  At home, you know the roads, the shops and their hours, where to eat, etc.

[Tony Galiani]

@Kingmeow - might it be worth getting a new battery for that "ancient" phone?  I am using an iPhone Xs which I think is passe at this point but I had a new battery installed when the old battery seemed to lose staying power.  There are plenty of places that will do this for under a US$100.  Though, since they typically use a generic battery, the phone will have an Apple message alerting you to a non-standard battery.  That goes away after two weeks or so.

 

WRT a portable battery, we picked up one of ours on our last trip to Japan.  Yodobashi Camera IIRC.  Plenty of options to buy here but it is always nice to pick up items when we travel - sort of useful souvenirs.

 

Cheers,

Tony

[Kingmeow]

@Tony Galiani Hmmm...that could be an option but I know my Princess Wife would like shiny and new.  Even if it means days of cleaning up and transferring things over, reloading apps and configuring, etc.  Verizon (US) is currently having a trade-in deal for a free iPhone 16 so their marketing program is working on my wife.  🤣

 

My son has the same iPhone 11.  Maybe he will be more receptive to a battery swap.  There's really nothing wrong with the phones, not even cracked displays.  OK, they are not 5G.  But 5G or not, I don't feel any difference with my Galaxy which is 5G.

 

BTW, only a week away!  😎

[chadbag]

12 minutes ago, Kingmeow said:

@Tony Galiani Hmmm...that could be an option but I know my Princess Wife would like shiny and new.  Even if it means days of cleaning up and transferring things over, reloading apps and configuring, etc.  Verizon (US) is currently having a trade-in deal for a free iPhone 16 so their marketing program is working on my wife.  🤣

 

My son has the same iPhone 11.  Maybe he will be more receptive to a battery swap.  There's really nothing wrong with the phones, not even cracked displays.  OK, they are not 5G.  But 5G or not, I don't feel any difference with my Galaxy which is 5G.

 

BTW, only a week away!  😎

 

As an aside, my wife upgraded her iPhone 11 a year and a half ago as in our area, we started having problems attaching to towers in certain areas.  It was like they had turned the LTE off in rolling out 5G.  Upgrading solved the problem.  I had the same problem with my XS Max.   So there are other reasons to upgrade 🙂

 

[Tony Galiani]

My wife has the latest phone so she is all set.  And I am happy to stick with my out dated iPhone since my phone needs are minimal.  Typically, I use about half the data allowance on my eSim when we travel while she has to up her allowance several times each trip.  Though on our coming trip I am telling her just to get the max data amount from the get go.

 

Tony

[kuro68000]

Mine is a Pixel 8 Pro, a little less than a year old, and generally thought to have a pretty good battery. I measured the capacity and it's still at over 100%. It's just the heavy use that does it. Google Maps is really good for low power when navigating, but there isn't much anyone can do about photos and especially video.

 

More and more places have 100V outlets now, but you can't rely on them being available when visiting a new place, and it narrows your choice of eateries. Plus I have real trouble getting enough to eat when I'm travelling anyway, because stopping is using up precious time when I could be on the move. I end up fitting it around waiting for trains and buses.

[Kingmeow]

3 hours ago, kuro68000 said:

Plus I have real trouble getting enough to eat when I'm travelling anyway, because stopping is using up precious time when I could be on the move shopping for and buying trains.

 

Fixed it for you.  🤣

[kuro68000]

4 hours ago, Kingmeow said:

Fixed it for you.  🤣

 

That's actually 100% accurate... The siren call of the next Hard Off makes it almost impossible for me to do anything other than take the odd photo.

[Tony Galiani]

Has anyone tried using the tax free 2-D form via the Japan Entry web site?  If I am reading correctly, you can register via the web site, then scan you entry sticker so that you will have a tax free QR code to use when shopping.  I just looked at my passport and see that there is a QR code on the sticker so assume this is what needs to be scanned after you receive the visa sticker on arrival.  Looks like it might be an easy way to do tax free as the shop could just scan the QR code off your phone (if you have activated it).  Planning to try it on my upcoming trip but curious about it.

Tony

[Kingmeow]

20 minutes ago, Tony Galiani said:

Looks like it might be an easy way to do tax free as the shop could just scan the QR code off your phone (if you have activated it).

 

The fact that it appears on the phone I plan to skip the QR code on Japan Web.

 

How many times have you hand over your phone or tried to show something to someone and the screen times out?  🤣  Happens to me all the time.  Maybe I have my timeout setting too short to conserve battery.  There's also the situation where your battery is running low.  Handing over a paper Passport with the sticker on a page is much simpler in my opinion.

 

Here's how I would envision the exchange at Super Kids Land.  😃

Me: Takes purchase to check out.  Turn on phone and pull up QR code.  Hands phone to clerk.

Clerk: He fiddles with your items.  Screen times out.  Hands back the phone to you.

Me: (Wife standing next to you rolls eyes 🤣) Enters password to turn phone back on.  Hands it back over to clerk.

Clerk: Tries to scan it as fast as possible to avoid screen timing out.

Me: Waiting, hoping it works.

Clerk: Phone rings or gets distracted.  Screen times out again.  Hands phone back to me.

Me: Repeat the above.  🤣🤣🤣

 

Also, as an aside, you need to upload a picture if you want to get the 2D on Japan Web.  Too lazy and they already have too much of my info.  😄

[kuro68000]

16 hours ago, Tony Galiani said:

Has anyone tried using the tax free 2-D form via the Japan Entry web site?  If I am reading correctly, you can register via the web site, then scan you entry sticker so that you will have a tax free QR code to use when shopping.  I just looked at my passport and see that there is a QR code on the sticker so assume this is what needs to be scanned after you receive the visa sticker on arrival.  Looks like it might be an easy way to do tax free as the shop could just scan the QR code off your phone (if you have activated it).  Planning to try it on my upcoming trip but curious about it.

Tony

 

I didn't know about that!

 

Edit: I managed to get it to work, but it's not simple if you have already registered your passport details.

 

Log in and go to edit your passport details. It takes you to page 3 of the process. You need to click the "back" link at the top twice to go to page 1. There you can set "use QR code for tax free" to yes. Then go to page 2 and re-scan your passport with your phone, which will generate the photo of your face.

 

Be careful as it seems to randomly erase other information you already entered. I had to put in nationality and my occupation/home address again.

Edited October 14 by kuro68000

[Tony Galiani]

@Kingmeow - That sounds like my line!  I thought I would walk on the wild side and try it but we shall see ....

 

@kuro68000 - Thanks for the info.  Can I take it from your note that you don't have to be in Japan to set it up?  And you have hit on one of my tech pet peeves - the random loss of information from apps.

 

In the past year we have lost our boarding passes and our TSA PreCheck note on our electronic boarding passes.  We were able to get those issues resolved before they became a problem but on one trip the couple on line at TSA in JFK in front of us did not know their PreCheck had fallen off.  After about 20 minutes in line they get to the agent only to be turned away (and, understandably, they were not happy).

 

So my peeve - make what you have work properly before launching your next app "enhancement".  My airline apps (particularly United's) have some great stuff but it would be nice if we did not have to worry about basic things like having TSA access  or connecting airline boarding passes disappear.  (And WRT, the lost boarding passes which in our case were for our flight on Austrian Airlines after a United connecting flight, the gate agent said it happens a lot.)

 

Cheers,

Tony