Since it was my first time visiting Japan, there were a few things I was clueless about. Don’t worry, I learned the best travel tips for Japan so you don’t have to! While I was there I got to see a few of the many sides to this bustling beautiful country. The ancient traditional side in Kyoto, the busy and fast-paced side in Tokyo, and the stunning and dramatic natural side in Hakone.
And while these three cities offer visitors completely different experiences, they were all distinctly Japanese. It was a joy to get a very small glimpse into Japanese culture during my 7 days in Japan, and I look forward to returning again to see even more of it.
In the meantime, here are 20 of my best Japan travel tips for your next trip!
20 Best Travel Tips for Japan
1. Japan is VERY safe.
We never once worried about safety while traveling around Japan. I even noticed locals leaving their belongings unattended for short periods of time without a care in the world. Japan would be a fabulous place for female solo travelers as well as first time visitors to Asia.
2. Carry cash.
Cash is king in Japan. Many small restaurants, gift shops, guesthouses and local establishments may prefer cash over card and many may not accept card all together.
3. Your foreign card may not work in Japan.
ATMs can be a little tricky if you have a non-Japanese card. We struggled to find a machine that would accept our foreign cards. If you need cash, you’ll want to keep your eyes peeled for an international ATM. They should be marked clearly on the front of the machine.
We also struggled to get our cards to work in the automated metro and train machines even though they said they accepted Visa, Mastercard etc. It’s a good thing to keep in mind!
4. Use public transportation.
I’ve never seen a country with such an intricate yet well organized public transportation system! Everything is so well marked in both Japanese and English that riding around the country was a breeze! You can get nearly anywhere via the train, bus or metro.
If you leave the major cities and head somewhere like Hakone, expect less English. You’ll find it’s still very manageable though.
5. Invest in public transport passes.
As amazing as the public transportation options are in Japan, it can also be pretty expensive. If you plan to travel between a few cities, look into the JR pass. For 7 days they cost about $250 and cover most intercity travels. Our passes paid for themselves nearly three times over, especially on our journey to spend 48 hours in Kyoto from Tokyo – that train ticket was over $130!!
Most cities and regions also have their own day passes for the bus and/or metro. If your itinerary includes many rides, definitely invest in a travel pass.
6. The trains and buses are always on time. Exactly on time.
Ok, now that you’ve got your public transportation passes and are ready to explore Japan, be sure you arrive at the station early and on time! When your ticket says 12:00, it means 12:00 and not a second later!
The stops between stations are also quite short, with only 2-3 minutes to get off and on. Be careful not to miss your stop, and be ready to be prompt!
7. Learn a few survival Japanese phrases.
I think it’s always a good idea when traveling to a new place to learn a few phrases to get by. The locals really appreciate the effort and in turn you get to learn a piece of their culture. Besides, it’s so fun to say hello, goodbye, thank you and where’s the toilet? in a different language, no?
Hello – こんにちは – konnichiwa
Goodbye – さようなら – sayonara
Thank you – ありがとうございます – arigato (gozaimasu)
Yes/No – はい / いいえ – hai/iie
I’m sorry – ごめんなさい – gomennasai
Can you speak English? – 英語はできますか – eigo wa hanasemasu ka?
Where is the (something) – はどこですか – ______ wa doko desu ka?
Bathroom – トイレ – toire
Where is the bathroom? – トイレはどこですか – toire wa doko desu ka?
How much is it? – いくらですか – ikura desu ka?
8. Mind your Japanese manners.
Japanese culture places great emphasis on manners and being in polite in public. You’ll want to familiarize yourself with a few important Japanese etiquettes that will impress the locals!
- Tipping is not required at restaurants or for other service jobs.
- When eating soup, pick up and drink from the bowl.
- Avoid pointing. Instead use your open hand to indicate something.
- Take your shoes off when you enter homes, guesthouses, and some stores/restaurants.
- Accept and give items with two hands, including money.
- Be quiet or chat with low voices while on public transport.
- Switch your phone to silent on public transport.
- Mind the walking direction on escalators and staircases. On staircases typically one side is for walking up or down, and on escalators one side is for standing, while the other is for walking.
- Respect the public space and don’t litter – it’s especially rude in Japan.
- Smoke in designated areas. In many places in Japan, the main public streets are no smoking zones.
9. Take advantage of Google Maps.
We were so dependent on Google Maps to get around Japan and it was absolutely a life saver! Since we don’t speak any Japanese, having a pocket GPS telling you exactly what time, what bus/train, and what station to go to was immensely helpful. We found it to be pretty accurate down to even the platform or track number! With that said, always be sure to double check the station information – trust but verify.
10. SIM cards can be expensive and probably need to be pre-ordered.
I love having a connection to the outside world when I travel for safety and convenience sake. However, finding and securing a SIM card for Japan didn’t seem worth the extra effort or the hefty price tag.
Tokyo Cheapo has a great Japan SIM card guide for those willing to make the effort!
11. Try all the snacks.
And then a little bit more. We had almost too much fun going through convenience stores and buying all of the funky and cool snacks we’d never seen before! It’s very possible we ate a life supply of Pocky sticks and mochi in the short 7 days we were there.
12. Check out these awesome guides.
Tokyo Cheapo/Japan Cheapo, TimeOut Tokyo and Japan-Guide were invaluable resources for our planning. Nearly any question you may have or recommendation you need will be listed on at least one of these four sites. Be sure to take advantage of these great resources!
13. Taste the best Japanese foods.
Foods to try: ramen, dumplings, mochi, crepes, tempura, sushi, street pancakes, fresh seafood, sake, bento boxes, convenience store rice snacks – the list goes on!
14. Watch out for cover fees.
This is mostly applicable to Tokyo, but many popular places had cover or entrance fees. Owl cafes, Golden Gai, The Kawai Monster Cafe, Robot Restaurant and more. These are all places I’d read about visiting before coming to Japan, but no one mentioned the hefty entrance fees!
15. WiFi was fairly difficult to come by in public spaces.
I think living in South Korea has made me very spoiled in regard to WiFi. Free public WiFi wasn’t really a thing in the majority of cafes and restaurants in Japan and even in our hotels the WiFi was often slow and unreliable.
I did see many signs for free WiFi on the trains or throughout the city, but I could never get it to work on my phone! So be sure to have your travel plans for the day fully loaded before you leave your accommodation just in case you find yourself without a connection to the interwebz.
16. You might need a reservation for an activity.
While planning out our itinerary for our 72 hours in Tokyo, I had a list of cafes and restaurants I wanted to check out. We’d arrive at said places only to find that we needed a reservation and that they’d been full for days! I hadn’t realized reservations were such a key part of travel in Japan. If you have a must-see item on your bucket list, it doesn’t hurt to call ahead and check if you need to put your name down before arriving.
17. Japan is an expensive place to visit compared to the rest of Asia.
Of course there are some things that are cheaper in Japan, but for the most part the cost of meals, accommodation and travel was fairly comparable to prices in America if not more expensive – especially in Tokyo! If you’re looking for a budget travel destination, Japan may not be the best place to visit in that regard.
18. Plan in advance.
Check your public transport route ahead of time. Some trains come and go very frequently, while others may not. Special days and holidays may affect the schedule too. Don’t be caught off guard at the station.
Be sure to also book your accommodation ahead of time. Japan is a hopping place and things fill up quickly!
19. There are a lack of public garbage cans.
Very similar to Korea, it was difficult to find public garbage cans while out and about. I think it’s just not a cultural norm to walk around eating and drinking. This isn’t that important of a Japan travel tip, but just be prepared for the possibility of needing to carry your garbage around.
20. Be sure to look up and on the outside of buildings.
The cafe, restaurant or store you’re looking for may be above the ground level. Check the sides and upper floors of the building for signage if you’re having a hard time locating your destination! There were many times were circled a place because we had the right address but just couldn’t find the sign.
Bonus Japan Travel Tip: Travel Somewhere Off the Beaten Track
Japan is an insanely popular tourist destination and attracts millions and millions of people each year. Visitors love exploring the best things to do in Tokyo, spending days in Kyoto and venturing the best places in Japan like Osaka, Okinawa and Hakone. Check out these cool places in Japan that you probably haven’t heard of before!
- Zamami Island: A beautiful and remote fishing village off the southern coast of Japan
- Tottori Prefecture: Home to Japan’s largest sand dune (Tottori Sakyu) and the cute little coastal village of Iwami
- Ine no Funaya: Nicknamed “The Venice of Japan” is a cute little floating village located outside of Kyoto
- Fukui: A happy little destination located in the Chubu region and home to the picturesque Echigo Ono Castle and the epic cliffs in Tojinbo
- Hiking Kumano Kodo: A mountainous religious and ancient pilgrimage trails in southern Japan where Nachi Falls await travelers
I hope these travel tips for Japan find you well on your trip! If you have any other tips or feel I’ve missed something important, please share below! 🙂
Awesome! I wanna go to Japan!!!
Thanks for being a fan Jeremy William Wood!! You should definitely go to Japan if you haven’t been already! 😉