Before you go, organise a variety of ways of accessing your money overseas, such as credit cards, travellers' cheques and cash. Check with your bank whether your ATM card will work overseas. While major credit cards are accepted at most hotels, many shops and service providers do not accept payment by card. ATMs which accept foreign cards are not widely available and many ATMs operate during business hours only. Banks that exchange travellers' cheques may be limited in some areas of Japan.

Make two photocopies of valuables such as your passport, tickets, visas and travellers' cheques. Keep one copy with you in a separate place to the original and leave another copy with someone at home.

While travelling, don't carry too much cash and remember that expensive watches, jewellery and cameras may be tempting targets for thieves.