Hmm, sound like the normal way that a traveller would think, or
maybe so...
I did ever thought so too, but after one guided tour, I was
confident enough, the second time I went I was in charge of the
transport part, look through the timetables, reserve seats, all in
Japanese. Third time too, but the 2005 trip was much longer (a
month) and took the entire Japan four islands, went to all terminal
stations (Wakkanai-North, Nemuro and Higashi Nemuro-Eastern,
Sasebo-Western, Nishi Oyama-South) for JR, and travelled almost
1200km on rails, but I had to reserve tickets for me and my mother
also, so how, dunno, then use some basic body language loh, or
else, some phrases listen already can learn one...
Not to worry, its not as difficult as it seems... (I was only 16
when I went in 2005, lol...) Like I am doing now, study hard and
work hard part time, and go travel again one day... With own money
this time, lol, no point depending on parents liao, they getting
old...