I can still recall my very first trip to Japan in 2013. At the time, it seemed so foreign and culturally different to anything else I had ever experienced. The flashing neon signs, masses of people everywhere and yet, a completely organised, efficient and uniquely Japanese way of doing things.
It was on that very first trip that Japan captured my heart and left me wanting more. Five trips later, one year of Japanese language classes under my belt and countless hours of watching Japanese anime, I still get such a sense of excitement when stepping off the plane in Tokyo.
I have no doubts that you will love it too – but whether it’s your first trip or return, there are a few essential things to know when travelling to Japan that will make your trip much easier.
From knowing how to get around the maze that is Tokyo, to basic etiquette and phrases that I’d wish I’d known on my first trip. These are all the things to know before going to Japan, plus a few insider tips to help you when travelling to Japan for the first time.
Cash is King – But Not As Much As You Might Think
Let’s start with the basics. Many people will tell you that you need cash in Japan, and that is true – to a certain extent.
Over my five trips in the last ten years, I’ve noticed many more businesses accepting card payments, especially since the pandemic for smaller businesses like restaurants and cafes. Even on my first trip, I found almost all accommodation accepts cards, as do large chain shops and convenience stores like Lawsons and 7/11.
Many smaller businesses still operate with cash, and you will need to keep some yen on you at all times.
We’ve found that using cards can sometimes be hit-and-miss when buying train tickets at the ticket machines (for long-distance trains in between cities, like the Shinkansen and other regional trains).
It is not essential to bring yen into the country with you, thanks to the 7/11 ATMs which allow international cards to withdraw cash. No ATM fee is charged either, making this a great option for debit cards that allow fee-free international withdrawals.
The good news is that 7/11 ATMs are found widely across Japan – and not just in the stores (although 7/11’s are found pretty much on every corner in the cities!). For example, you’ll find 7/11 ATMs in both Narita and Haneda Airport in Tokyo, so you can take out cash once you’ve landed.
Convenience Stores are AMAZING
While we’re talking about convenience stores – if you told me I’d be eating my dinner from a 7/11 in Australia, I’d be gobsmacked (and a bit disappointed!). But in Japan, the convenience stores (called Konbini) are an institution in their own right.
The major chains you’ll find across the country, even in small towns, are 7/11, Lawsons and FamilyMart. The convenience store culture in Japan is vital, and deeply ingrained for the everyday Japanese person.
What makes them so special? Well, besides the fact that they are usually open 24/7 every day of the year, they have a wide range of products and services.
From every Japanese snack imaginable to fresh bakery products to high-quality refrigerated meals that you can even heat and eat in-store. Japanese konbini really do have it all.
After long days of exploring and getting our step count to over 20,000 steps, or spending all day experiencing the magic of Universal Studios Japan, we had quite a few delicious, quick and filling konbini dinners from the nearest convenience store near our hotel.
Plus, it certainly helps bring down the daily budget! (to see how much we spent during 4 weeks in Japan, check out my exact cost breakdown here)
Whether it’s dinner after a long day of exploring, snacks for those long shinkansen rides or getting cash out from the 7/11 ATM, the remarkable convenience store culture is one of my favourite things about visiting Japan.
Make sure to bring some unique Japanese konbini snacks home as a souvenir!
Tip: Cafes that serve breakfast-type foods aren’t as common in Japan, or open after traditional Western breakfast hours. We usually don’t opt for breakfast to be included in our hotels, so the onigiri rice balls are our go-to grab-and-go breakfast from the nearest convenience store.
Where are All the Rubbish Bins?
I distinctly remember one of the big surprises from my first trip to Japan was finding a rubbish bin/trash can in public was SO difficult. Most of the time, we resorted to carrying our rubbish around with us for half the day!
Despite the lack of public trash cans, the streets in Japan are SO tidy; and it turns out this is by design.
By removing rubbish bins, authorities are aiming to keep public spaces clean and free from litter. This encourages people to be mindful of their waste, reducing the chance of overflowing bins or dumping.
As Japanese culture has a strong emphasis on personal responsibility and cleanliness, you are expected to carry your trash with you until you find somewhere to dispose of it (which for most Japanese people, is their own homes).
This means for Japanese people, carrying a small bag to collect their trash until they can dispose of it, is a normal part of life. While this won’t change your day-to-day too much as a tourist, it’s an important cultural difference worth knowing and being aware of.
If you do need to get rid of some rubbish, I’ve found the best place is to look for rubbish bins inside public bathrooms or convenience stores. You can also usually recycle your plastic bottles from vending machines back into a dedicated slot in many drink vending machines.
Google Maps Will Be Your Best Friend
I remember that on my very first trip to Japan in 2013, I physically printed out a map of the Tokyo subway system.
I recently found this when cleaning out some old documents, and couldn’t believe I managed to make sense of the convoluted map of the maze of different coloured subway lines in Tokyo
Fun fact: there are 14 main subway lines managed by two companies with over 200 stations, plus countless other privately run lines.
Luckily, these days getting around Tokyo and Japan is a breeze as almost all public transport routes and timetables (including the metro, trains and buses) are synced into Google Maps.
These days, this even includes information on which carriage to get into to make transfers and changing stations the easiest, and what Station Exit to look for to get to your destination.
When you’re in big stations like Shinjuku, with over 200 exits, knowing this information can make a huge difference in reaching your destination on time and without backtracking around the city.
Due to this, I highly recommend getting some form of internet connection on your device to help make getting around easy, rather than a daunting task.
There are quite a few different ways to get mobile data on your phone in Japan, and I’ve tried them all. Here’s a quick summary of the main options:
eSim
I used an eSim (digital SIM card) for the first time on my last trip to Japan in 2023, and it was a game changer.
Gone are the days of needing to swap out physical sim cards and hope you don’t lose your sim card from home. eSims are compatible with most modern devices, and you can easily recharge it online from your phone. Plus, I can set it up at home just before I get on the plane, so the minute I land in Japan I have instant internet access.
An important thing to know before travelling to Japan is to set this up at home before you leave.
With eSims, you need a stable internet connection to activate the eSim, so dodgy airport WiFi isn’t always the best option. Plus, it gives you peace of mind knowing that you can arrive at your destination with it all working and ready to use.
With AirAlo, when you activate it at home, your data plan usage period doesn’t start counting down until you reach the intended destination.
- Pro: Affordable, various data plans, easy to recharge, no need to switch SIM cards, instant connection
- Allows you to keep your at-home SIM card in to receive calls and text messages to your number (great if you have 2-factor Authentication setup for things like online banking and purchases etc)
- Con: Set-up is required initially for first use (but the online instructions are very easy to follow) and device is unlocked
How To Book:
Tourist Prepaid SIM Card
On one trip a few years back I was able to buy a prepaid tourist sim card from a vending machine at the airport on arrival. Unfortunately, this service doesn’t seem as common or well-priced as it used to be, but you can still order prepaid SIM cards online that you can pick up on arrival at any of the main international airports in Japan.
- Pro: Convenient, pick-up at the airport upon arrival
- Con: Need to order online in advance, and comes in fixed durations so you may need to purchase multiple sim cards, data-only
How To Book:
Pocket Wi-Fi
On my second trip to Japan, I ordered a Pocket Wi-Fi device.
This device is a small rechargeable wi-fi router hub that you keep on you to connect one or more devices to for Wi-Fi.
I used this when prepaid sim cards weren’t as readily available, but it isn’t my favourite method anymore as needing to carry around and recharge an extra device became a bit cumbersome.
However, this might be a cost-effective solution if you have a bigger group or family who want to share one device.
I was able to ship my device to my first hotel and simply returned the device in the prepaid shipping envelope in the post box at the airport before departure. You can also organise to pick up and drop off pocket wifi at the airport upon arrival and departure.
- Pro: Can be shared by multiple devices at one time, affordable option for sharing with a group/ family member
- Con: Need to carry the device around and recharge it, need to return the device after use
How To Book:
Public Wi-Fi
Public Wi-Fi is pretty common in Japan, in places like train stations, coffee shops and even some smaller towns offer city-wide public Wi-Fi.
However, it can have very mixed levels of speed and reliability. Personally, I have concerns about security with public Wi-Fi (especially when checking emails or logging onto password-protected sites).
- Pro: Cost-effective as it’s free, available in many public places, suitable for light internet use.
- Con: Limited availability, may not be secure, speeds and reliability can vary.
You Don’t Need a Japan Rail Pass
A common misconception is that you need to get a Japan Rail Pass. This is definitely not the case.
The Japan Rail Pass is a special ticket for foreign tourists that allows unlimited travel on most Japan Railways (JR) operated trains for a fixed period e.g. 7, 14 or 21 days.
This included most Shinkansen bullet train services, excluding the fastest Nozomi trains.
However, you do not need to purchase a JR Pass to access these trains. It is very easy and convenient to purchase individual tickets either online or at the station for these trains. You need to work out if buying a JR pass is worth it and will pay off given the trips you plan to take.
The general rule of thumb used to be that a 7-day JR pass would pay off if you were doing a return Tokyo – Osaka/Kyoto – Tokyo trip in those 7 days.
However, in October 2023 there was a significant price increase for all passes. An ordinary 7-day pass that used to cost 29,650 yen increased by nearly 70% to the new price of 50,000 yen (AUD 515 / USD 350 / EUR 315).
The return trip of Tokyo – Osaka/Kyoto – Tokyo costs around 26,000 yen, versus the new JR Pass cost of 50,000 yen.
This means the JR pass offers significantly less value to tourists than it did previously.
Unless you are doing a significant amount of long-distance travel in a short period, I struggle to see how a JR pass would be “worth it” under the new pricing. However, you can always check by using one of the Japan Rail Pass calculators, like this one.
Get a Suica Card
Get a prepaid, rechargeable transport card (Suica or alternative IC card) for use on the subway, buses and other public transport across Japan.
Suica and PASMO are the main IC cards used in Tokyo, the ICOCA is the Kansai region (Osaka) alternative.
This prepaid transport card allows you to tap on and off at the metro stations, instead of buying individual paper tickets each trip. You’ll be using the metro a lot in cities like Tokyo and Osaka to get around, so this saves a lot of time not having to buy individual tickets for each journey.
Unfortunately, as of August 2023, physical Suica cards are no longer being issued in Tokyo due to chip shortages. There are a few workarounds to this though:
- If you use an iPhone you can add a digital Suica for free to your Apple Wallet.
- Android, other non-iPhone users or those wanting a physical card, can pick up a Welcome Suica (similar to a Suica, but is a 28-day card for tourists only) from Haneda Airport Terminal 3 Station (Monorail ticket area) or at the JR East Travel Service Centers in Tokyo, Shinagawa, Shibuya, Shinjuku, Ikebukuro, or Ueno.
- If you are arriving in Osaka, ICOCA cards are still available for purchase. These can be used across the country just like the Suica.
Alternatively, for shorter stays you can pre-purchase a 1, 2 or 3-day unlimited subway pass in Tokyo – these are great value, especially for the 3-day option!
Subway Etiquette
Like many other aspects of daily life in Japan, subway etiquette is taken pretty seriously.
A few key rules to be aware of for your first-time Japan trip are:
- Queue when waiting for the train at the designated markings on the ground. Stand in line and wait for passengers to get off before entering the train.
- Don’t use your phone for voice calls when on the subway (mobile browsing is okay)
- No eating or drinking on the train
- Take off bulky backpacks and place them at your feet
And don’t make this mistake as we did on one of our earlier trips!
During peak hours, certain carriages are designated women-only cars.
We jumped on a train and didn’t realise until a few minutes into the journey that Dane was the only man on the carriage – awkward!! You can tell based on the pink signage on the ground in front of the carriage if it is a women-only car during peak hours.
Watch Out for This When Travelling with a Suitcase
Ever since my first trip to Japan, I’ve since travelled with a backpack over a suitcase.
For one main reason – the stairs! Whilst most stations do have a lift, they can be tricky to find or down the opposite end of the platform, with queues to use it.
If I had 100 yen for every time I saw a tourist trying to lug a huge suitcase up the stairs at the train station, I’d be rich!
While using a backpack isn’t an option for everyone, if you do take a suitcase, seriously reconsider how big a suitcase you need to bring. Not only for the stairs but as a consideration when getting the Shinkansen bullet train.
There are no longer luggage storage compartments on the Shinkansen between Tokyo and Kyoto/Osaka. Only a couple of seats on every carriage have a space behind them for large luggage, and these seats need to be reserved in advance.
If you don’t reserve these seats, you will need to either;
- Lift your suitcase above your head to fit into the overhead luggage rack
- Store your suitcase in front of your legs, behind the seat in front of you
Either way, with a large and overpacked suitcase, this is NOT fun (for you, and other people on the train around you). Leave the extra pair of shoes/handbag/hairdryer at home, and you’ll be thankful for it!
This is one of the best things to know about visiting Japan: there is a luggage forwarding service called “Takkyubin”.
For a modest fee, your luggage is sent ahead of you to your next location (usually overnight). If we have a long journey with heavy bags across the country, we often just pack an overnight backpack and send our luggage ahead of us.
Enquire with your hotel when you check out about doing this, they do all the paperwork for you and send the bags off. This handy service is SO efficient, reliable and fairly cheap, and I LOVE using it in Japan, especially after I’ve done a bit too much shopping in Tokyo!
Learn These Basic Phrases
You definitely don’t need to speak Japanese when visiting Japan for the first time, but knowing a few essential common phrases can help a lot. Here are the main ones I recommend learning:
- Sumimasen: Excuse Me / Sorry (if you’re going to learn anything, let it be this one phrase! Use this for getting people’s attention when ordering food, moving past people and don’t be afraid to say it loudly, especially in a noisy restaurant!)
- Arigatou Gozaimasu: Thank You
- Ohio Gozaimasu: Good Morning
- Konnichiwa: Good Afternoon
- Konbanwa: Good Evening
- Kanpai: Cheers
Download Google Translate
Another reason to get mobile data on your phone is so you can use Google Translate.
This app was worth its weight in gold (metaphorically speaking!).
Getting around Japan is easy, as all stations have English signage, but where we found Google Translate SO helpful was in many restaurants that only have Japanese menus.
Google Translate has a super handy feature where you can take a photo of something, like a menu, and it will translate it. It’s not perfect but we found ourselves using this feature almost daily on our most recent trip in 2023.
There was also one interesting situation in Takayama where we used it to decipher a bear bell sign, but that’s a story for another day…
Book Popular Attractions in Advance
I feel like this advice is pretty universal for most global travel around the world these days, but in Japan, it holds particularly true. Many popular tourist attractions are also hugely popular with the large local population.
Many places you need to book in advance, particularly during popular timeslots (like sunset at Shibuya Sky, for example).
Some spots where you will definitely need to book in advance include:
- Universal Studios Japan Express Passes (Osaka)
- Shibuya Sky (Tokyo)
- TeamLab Planets (Tokyo)
Places like Osaka Castle don’t need to be booked in advance, but the lines get HUGE, so being able to book skip-the-line tickets is a lifesaver.
Many places will be even busier on weekends with local tourists, especially for popular day trips from Tokyo, so try to visit places like Chureito Pagoda mid-week if doing a day trip.
Know Your Public Holidays
Japan has a few major public holidays (known as national holidays) which usually result in an increased number of people travelling.
The major one to watch out for is Golden Week, a series of public holidays that occur in late April / early May, one of the most significant holiday seasons in the country.
During Golden Week, many Japanese people take advantage of the consecutive holidays to travel and visit family.
During Golden Week and national holidays, things like Shinkansen tickets may be booked out, and attractions will be even more crowded. Make sure to book accommodation well in advance, and check for any closures in attractions you want to visit.
It can be a lot of fun being in Japan during these national holidays, as there are usually many festivals and celebrations, but it’s essential to be aware of them and the potential impacts they could have on your own travel plans.
Need-to-Know Eating Etiquette
There are many cultural norms and etiquette when it comes to eating in etiquette. Here are a few key ones to be aware of:
- Don’t Walk and Eat: many food markets have designated areas to eat, as it’s considered impolite to walk and eat in public spaces
- Chopstick Etiquette: Never stick your chopsticks upright into a bowl of rice, as this is a symbol of death and a big taboo. Place them on the side of your plate/bowl.
- Slurp Away: Slurping your ramen is common, and actually a compliment to the chef as it’s seen as a sign that you are enjoying your meal. So do like the Japanese do, and slurp away!
- Be Prepared to Queue: For most good restaurants in Japan, be prepared to queue. It’s not uncommon to see a queue outside or wrapping out the corner, especially for more popular restaurants. But don’t worry, these usually move quickly thanks to the Japanese efficiency, and are always worth the wait in our experience.
- Ramen Restaurants: I could write a whole article on this, since we are such ramen fiends, but I’ll try to keep it short.
Ramen restaurants are not meant to be a social affair, but more an in-and-out experience (especially as there are usually queues of people waiting outside), Once you’ve been served your hot bowl of ramen noodle goodness, it’s expected that you eat, enjoy and leave.
While you don’t need to rush, it’s not like a Western restaurant experience where you sit down over your food and drinks for hours socialising with friends.
Also, be prepared to order and pay for your food using a ticket machine at the front of the store (which you’ll need cash for). Sometimes these are all in Japanese, so get the Google Translate app ready!
Types of Accommodation
In Japan, the types of accommodation can vary widely.
I love staying in business hotels, as they are high-quality affordable accommodations. Just be warned that room sizes in Japan, especially for most business hotels and other budget accommodations, are very small.
We’ve stayed in rooms so small that we could only open one suitcase at a time!
The quality of accommodation in Japan is fairly good – even budget accommodation with shared bathrooms is of a much higher quality than you’d find in Europe or Australia.
These are the main types of accommodation you’ll find in Japan:
- Ryokans: These are traditional Japanese lodgings, commonly featuring tatami mat rooms with futon beds on the floor. Cheaper ryokans may have shared bathrooms.
Most traditional ryokans offer kaiseki (a traditional Japanese multi-course dinner) as part of the room rate. It’s a fun experience to try high-quality, local cuisine while wearing your yukata robes at dinner when staying in a ryokan.
Generally, ryokans will be more expensive but offer a unique and traditional lodging experience.
- Business Hotels: Primarily catered to business travellers, these affordable hotels offer compact rooms with essential amenities. This is my go-to option for high-quality, affordable accommodation in Japan as a step up from hostels.
Several large chains have numerous hotels in the cities. I stayed in many Via Inns on my last trip, in both Tokyo and Osaka. Other recognisable large chains include Dormy Inn, Daiwa Roynet, The B Hotels and Tokyo Inn. - Capsule Hotels: Japan was one of the first countries to introduce capsule hotels, with sleeping pods stacked side by side.
This is another budget alternative, with small individual pods and communal facilities. I haven’t stayed in one, as my husband is 198cm tall and too tall for the pods! So just watch out for this if you’re also tall. - Hostels: Japan hostels are again generally high-quality, with a mixture of dorm rooms and private rooms. A popular chain is K’s House. I stayed at their Kyoto property on a previous trip.
There are also many boutique (and even bougie) hostels in Japan – such as Piece Hostel Sanjo that I stayed in in Kyoto on my most recent trip – including this beautiful rooftop common area! I also can’t forget the incredible view of Mt Fuji from my private tatami mat room at Hostel Michikusa-ya in Fuji Five Lakes.
Other accommodations in Japan you’ll typically find are temple lodgings (such as in Koyasan), resort hotels, numerous luxury hotels (both chains and boutique hotels) and simple family-run guesthouses.
Whatever your budget and preferences, you’ll find options for every type of traveller during your stay in Japan.
Bring your Non-Holey Socks
In Japan you’ll find you need to take your shoes off often, especially when visiting temples and shrines, traditional ryokan accommodations and restaurants.
Wearing shoes that are easy to take on and off, plus socks that don’t have holes in them, will save you a lot of time (and potential embarrassment!).
Final Thoughts
That wraps up this essential list of things you need to know about travelling to Japan. I wish I’d known even half of these before visiting Japan for the first time, but I hope this list will prepare you and help make your trip easier.
Make sure to check out my other Japan guides to help you plan your Japan adventures.
Japan Itineraries:
- A Fun 7 Day Tokyo Itinerary: Complete 1 Week in Tokyo Guide
- The Perfect 3 Day Kyoto Itinerary: How to Avoid the Crowds
- An Exciting 4 Days in Osaka Itinerary for First-Timers
- Exploring Fuji Five Lakes: 3 Days in Kawaguchiko Guide
- Takayama Itinerary: 2 Days Discovering Traditional Japan
- A Perfect 4 Weeks in Japan Itinerary: Ultimate Travel Guide
Japan Travel Planning, Tips & Tricks:
- How to Plan a Trip to Japan: Ultimate Japan Travel Guide
- Is Japan Expensive? My EXACT Japan Trip Cost Breakdown Revealed
- 30 Unmissable Experiences for Your Japan Bucket List
- Cool Stuff to Buy in Japan: 20 Souvenirs Actually Worth Buying
Other Japan Travel Guides:
Your blogs are incredible. Thank you sooo much for the effort and the level of details. It’s like finding a precious gem. I couldn’t thank you enough.
Lyne from Canada
Hi Lyne, thanks so much for your kind comment – I really appreciate the feedback! It makes it so worthwhile going the extra level of detail when I read messages like these 🙂
Happy travels! Tess