Ah, the land of the rising sun and possibly my favourite place on Earth, who doesn’t want to go there, it’s everyone’s paradise whether you like cars, anime, amusement parks (which they have a lot of, check out our list of the most visited amusement parks and you’ll see Japan really takes the cake) or anything else you can think of from cuisine (big yum) to wildlife. But no matter how incredible it is, that doesn’t take away from how rigid some society values and rules are, so here are some professional tips on how to always land on top when traveling Japan.
Buying a Rail Pass Without Doing the Math
If you’re a big Japan fan, you know about the JR Pass, and it used to be a steal, but after recent price hikes, it’s not always worth it. If you’re not planning multiple cross-country train trips, local passes or individual tickets might be cheaper. Seriously, consider what you’ll actually be doing. If you’ve only got 2 big cities on your checklist, buying transport passes there and paying for the shinkansen from A to B may prove more cost-effective, and remember, you’ll need every penny for the cute miscellaneous objects and yummy food.
Tipping Anywhere
This, now this is how life is supposed to be, as a non-American, I can vouch, tipping isn’t something that should ever be seen as obligatory, here it can even be seen as awkward or rude. Good service is already included, and no one expects extra money. Just say “gochisousama deshita” and bow if you want to be polite. (Keep tipping in America, though, you don’t want workers to go hungry)
Skipping Convenience Stores as a Legit Food Option
I think this is a given for most, but if you were outside the hype-train that is the Japanese conbini, just know it’s God’s favourite creation and also know that thinking you should only eat at restaurants is a mistake. 7-Eleven, Lawson, and FamilyMart offer UNsurprisingly amazing food, onigiri, bento boxes, and desserts that are cheap and great for busy days. Japanese people actually eat that stuff, not 3 restaurant meals a day, be both economically savvy and authentic, have some fried chicken.
Wasting Time Looking for Public Trash Cans
Look, they’re there in some places, I’m not saying they’re an unheard-of western concept, just keep in mind that natives often carry small pieces of harmless rubbish like a bit of tissue or a gum wrap in their bag pocket until they’re in a convenient spot. Although if you have something bigger that you shouldn’t be plopping into your pack, consider using any convenience store’s bins, ah, God’s creation here to save the day again.
Visiting One Trick Pony Places/Cities
Hear me out, I know that every inch of Japan could make a traveler go “aaah” and “ooh” but you only have what? 9? 12? 14 days? You can’t be on your way to and from a place for 3-5 hours just to leave with an “ah, yeah, it was cool” to say, pick your itinerary wisely. I’d recommend skipping things like going to Mt. Fuji Just to “See It”, if you won’t do the five lakes properly, or Odaiba (Tokyo), or even towns like Nara, which are very popular among tourists, and while they all sound good, you might leave feeling like you could have spent your day better, or like you tried to indulged in something pointless.
It’s hard to say one trick pony about Japan, honestly, everything is sensational, I’m just pushing for some destination and personal goal awareness.
Quick Round of Tips to End Off
Don’t
- Expect Everyone to Speak English
- Speak loudly on public transport
- Forget cash THEY’RE A CASH-BASED SOCIETY
- Forget to follow our Instagram
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