I just got back from a two-week tour of Japan which was a blend of business and leisure. The first week was spent engaging with global leaders at the United Nations Summit in Kyoto, while the second week involved exploring several of Japan's smaller, yet vibrant cities, such as Kanazawa, Matsumoto, Nakatsugawa, and Osaka.

Accompanying me was my freshly minted Pixel 8 Pro, a premium smartphone review unit. This device was officially released while I was still touring, and I found it extremely advantageous throughout my journey. The multitude of features the phone flaunted allowed me to conveniently navigate many aspects of the trip.

Prior to embarking on this journey, I made it a point to opt for an international mobile plan from. I was aware that without it, the costs of data, calls, and texts could exceed my flight expenses. Despite seeming hefty at $10 per day, the international pass proved to be cost-effective when compared to roaming charges incurred whilst abroad. Several other network providers offer similar plans with potential discounts for prolonged usage or for multiple activations on the same plan.

The plan came equipped with unlimited data usage which came in handy for my communication needs throughout the trip. Although I did make calls and send texts back to the US, majority of my interactions with my travel companions were facilitated by WhatsApp. Our common WhatsApp group emerged as an invaluable tool as it enabled swift and easy sharing of information among us.

To ease myself into the new time zone quicker, I updated my phone’s time settings to match Japan’s as I boarded my departure flight. I had to manually adjust Google Calendar's default time back to my home timezone to avoid confusions during my virtual meetings. A handy trick I learnt was to turn off 'Use device time zone' in Google Calendars' settings.

Another application that proved invaluable during our trip was Google Maps. We relied on it for both walking directions and transport schedules and fares. Navigating through a foreign city was challenging due to language differences, but things got easier once we started using Google Lens to identify and understand local signs and markers.

While in Japan, I found myself frequently using an Instant Currency calculator app to cross verify the conversion rate after transactions. The Pixel 8 Pro's high quality camera allowed me to capture and instantly share stunning photos throughout the trip. Even under challenging conditions, Google Translate came to our rescue, allowing us to understand local signs and communicate with locals effectively.