You'll be carrying everything you bring for the first 2 weeks between lodging and stations, and up and down stairs in the stations, and tossing them on the high luggage rack on the trains. Jeans and cotton take forever to dry. One student eventually threw away some clothes on the rail trip because they never dried and started mildewing, even after using hotel hair dryers on them for an hour. Click here for travel tips from others . Camera Tips Traveler's Checks - Bring your money in this form.
Credit cards are only good for purchases in some stores.
In general, Sumitomo Banks will accept US credit cards for cash. Click here for VISA ATMs in Japan that take foreign credit cards for cash advance locator . Dairy products other than milk and yogurt are few. There are some bland cheeses to suit the Japanese taste. Fresh fruits are expensive.