Japan – Travel guide at Wikivoyage

Capital
Tokyo
Currency
yen (JPY)
Population
123.8 million (2024)
Electricity
100 volt / 50 hertz and 100 volt / 60 hertz (NEMA 1-15, NEMA 5-15)
Country code
81
Time zone
Japan Standard Time, Asia/Tokyo, UTC+09:00
Emergencies
119 (fire department), 110 (police), 118 (Japan Coast Guard)
Driving side
left
Often called the "Land of the Rising Sun", Japanese culture stretches back millennia, yet it has also adopted (and created) the latest modern fashions and trends.
Japan is a study in contrasts and contradictions. Many Japanese corporations dominate their industries, yet Japan has suffered a prolonged economic slowdown since 1989. Cities are some of the most modern and high tech in the world, but tumbledown wooden shacks can still be spotted next to glass-fronted designer condominiums. Japan has beautiful temples and gardens which are often surrounded by garish signs and ugly concrete buildings. In the middle of a modern skyscraper you might discover a sliding wooden door which leads to a traditional room with tatami mats, calligraphy, and tea ceremony. These juxtapositions mean you may often be surprised and rarely bored in Japan.
Although Japan is seen in the West as a land combining tradition and modernity, and juxtapositions definitely exist, part of this idea is obsolete, and is a product of Japan being the first major Asian power to modernize as well as Western patronization and heavy promotion by the travel industry. Continued demolition of some of Japan's historic landmarks goes on apace. Still, with the proper planning, and with expectations held in check, a trip to Japan can be incredibly enjoyable and definitely worthwhile.
Japan's location on islands at the outermost edge of Asia has had a profound influence on its history. Close to mainland Asia, yet far enough to keep itself separate, Japan has experienced alternating periods of closure and openness. Until the mid-19th century, Japan was able to turn on or off its connection to the rest of the world, accepting foreign cultural influences in fits and starts.
Recorded Japanese history begins in the 5th century, although archeological evidence of settlement stretches back 50,000 years. The mythical Emperor Jimmu is said to have founded the current Imperial line in the 7th century BCE. Archeological evidence, however, has only managed to trace the Imperial line back to the
Kofun Period
during the 3rd to 7th centuries CE, which was also when the Japanese first had significant contact with China and Korea. Japan then gradually became a centralized state during the
Asuka Period
, during which Japan extensively absorbed many aspects of Chinese culture, and saw the introduction of Mahayana Buddhism and Confucianism. During that period, Prince Shotoku, the regent of Japan, sent envoys to Tang China to learn more about Chinese culture and practices and introduce them to Japan.
The Great Buddha of
Kamakura
The first strong Japanese state was centered in
Nara
(Heijo-kyo), which was built to model the then Chinese capital
Chang'an
. This period, dubbed the
Nara Period
was the last time the emperor held political power. Power fell into the hands of the Fujiwara clan of court nobles (
kuge
) during the
Heian Period
, when the capital was moved to
Kyoto
(Heian-kyo), also modeled after the Chinese capital Chang'an. It remained the Japanese imperial residence until the 19th century. Chinese influence reached its peak during the early Heian Period, during which Buddhism became a popular religion among the masses. This was followed by the
Kamakura Period
, when the samurai warrior class gained political power. Minamoto no Yoritomo, the most powerful of them, was dubbed
shogun
by the emperor, and ruled from his base in
Kamakura
. In the
Muromachi Period
, the
Ashikaga shogunate
came to power, ruling from their base in
Ashikaga
. Japan descended into the chaos of the
Warring States Period
in the 15th century.
Japan was unified towards the end of the Warring States Period, known as the
Azuchi-Momoyama Period
, under the influence of the powerful warlords Oda Nobunaga and Toyotomi Hideyoshi, ruling from their bases in
Kiyosu
and
Osaka
respectively. Tokugawa Ieyasu completed unification of the country in 1600 through his victory at the
Battle of
Sekigahara
, and founded the
Tokugawa Shogunate
, a feudal state ruled from Edo, or modern-day
Tokyo
. Although the Emperor and his court nobles continued to rule in name from the imperial capital in Kyoto, in practice, absolute power was concentrated in the hands of the Shogun. A strict caste system was imposed, with the Shogun and his
samurai
warriors at the top of the heap and no social mobility permitted.
During this
Edo Period
, Tokugawa rule kept the country stable but stagnant with a policy of strict isolationism while the West rushed ahead. U.S. Commodore Matthew Perry's Black Ships arrived in
Yokohama
in 1854, forcing the country to open up to trade with the West. This resulted in the signing of unequal treaties, leading to the collapse of the shogunate, and power being returned to the emperor in the
Meiji Restoration
of 1868. The imperial capital was relocated from Kyoto to Edo, now renamed Tokyo. Japan observed Western colonization in Southeast Asia and the division and weakening of China, which they had for so long considered to be the world's greatest superpower. Vowing not to be overtaken by the West, Japan launched itself headlong into a drive to modernize at frantic speed, and became the first non-Western country to industrialize. Adopting Western technology and culture wholesale, Japan's cities soon sprouted railways, brick buildings and factories. The disastrous Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923, which flattened large parts of Tokyo and killed over 100,000 people, was barely a bump in the road.
Nuclear devastation in
Hiroshima
(1945)
From day one, resource-poor Japan had looked elsewhere for the supplies it needed, and this soon turned into a drive to
expand and colonize
its neighbors. During the Sino-Japanese War of 1894–95, Japan took control of Taiwan, Korea and parts of Manchuria, and its victory against Russia in the 1904–05 Russo-Japanese War cemented its position of strength. With an increasingly totalitarian government controlled by the military, Japan overthrew the Korean monarchy and annexed Korea in 1910. During
World War I
, Japan participated in the war as part of the Allies and subsequently gained control of the German concessions in China. Japan then staged the Mukden Incident as a pretext to occupy
Manchuria
in 1931, and launched a full-scale invasion of China in 1937. Japan invaded British
Hong Kong
and Southeast Asia in 1941, and by the middle of 1942, had an
empire
stretching across much of eastern Asia and the Pacific. In 1941, Japan attacked
Pearl Harbor
, destroying a small portion of the U.S. Pacific fleet but drawing the U.S. into the war, whose tide soon started to turn against Japan. Japan was forced to surrender in 1945 after the
nuclear attacks
on
Hiroshima
and
Nagasaki
. 1.86 million Japanese civilians and military personnel had died, well over 10 million Chinese and other Asians, and Japan was occupied for the first time in its history. The Japanese government has been lukewarm at best in apologizing for or even acknowledging the atrocities committed during World War II, which remains a major bone of contention in diplomatic relations with other Asian countries, in particular its neighbors China and South Korea.
The Seagaia indoor beach in
Miyazaki
, a ¥200 billion literal Bubble meters away from an actual beach
The Emperor kept his throne but was turned into a constitutional monarch. Thus converted to pacifism and democracy, with the U.S. taking care of defense, Japan now directed its prodigious energies into peaceful technology, and re-emerged from poverty to conquer the world's marketplaces with an endless stream of cars and consumer electronics, attaining the second-largest GDP in the world after the United States.
But frenzied growth could not last forever, and in 1989, the bubble well and truly burst. In the 1990s, Japan's
lost decade
, the real estate bubbles deflated, the stock market fell by half, and the
Great Hanshin Earthquake
of 1995 leveled parts of
Kobe
and killed over 6,000 people. The economy has yet to fully recover from its doldrums, with deflation driving down prices, an unsupportable burden of government debt, and a polarization of Japanese society into "haves" with permanent jobs and "have-not"
freeters
drifting between temporary jobs. National anxiety has also increased because neighboring
China
is taking a more assertive regional stance, and has overtaken Japan to become the world's second largest economy. Nevertheless, Japan continues to be home to many of the world's leading high technology corporations, and the Japanese maintain one of the highest standards of living in the world.
Tragedy struck again in March 2011 with the
Great Tohoku Earthquake and Tsunami
. Japan's worst disaster since World War II claimed the lives of over 15,000 people with another 2,500 missing. Many cities and towns in northern
Tohoku
located along the Pacific coast were severely damaged or destroyed.
In May 2019, Emperor Naruhito ascended to the Chrysanthemum Throne after the abdication of his father, Emperor Emeritus Akihito. This marked the first Imperial succession from a living emperor since Emperor Kōkaku abdicated the throne in 1817.
Government and politics
edit
Japan is a constitutional monarchy, modeled after the British parliamentary system. The Imperial House of Japan is the oldest continuing hereditary monarchy house in the world, traditionally said to have begun in 660 BC. The constitution enacted after World War II redefined the emperor's role to be entirely ceremonial; unlike European monarchs, he is not even the source of sovereign power, nor is it "his" government. The few government functions he performs are always done following instructions from the Cabinet.
The legislative branch is the National Diet, consisting of the upper House of Councillors and the larger and more powerful lower House of Representatives. Both are popularly elected under a parallel system, where some seats are filled by individual candidates and others are filled from a party list. The Cabinet forms the executive branch of government. It is led by the prime minister, who is elected by the Diet; the prime minister appoints ministers to the Cabinet, a majority of whom must be members of the Diet. The Supreme Court and three tiers of lower courts form the judicial branch.
Japan has several major political parties, which have shifted, merged, and split over time. The Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), which is generally conservative and pro-business, has been in power almost continuously since 1955. Led by geriatric bureaucrats, mired in factional politics and endless minor scandals, the LDP as of 2025 continues to govern with no compelling alternatives in sight.
Japan is not always crowded
like this beach in
Taketomi
Okinawa
As an island nation shut off from the rest of the world for a very long time (with only some contact with China and Korea), Japan is very
homogeneous
, and over 99% of the population is of Yamato (i.e. Japanese) ethnicity. The largest minority are Koreans, around 1 million strong, many in their 3rd or 4th generations. There are also sizable populations of Chinese, Filipinos and Brazilians, although many of the latter are of Japanese descent. Though largely assimilated, the resident Chinese population maintains a presence in Japan's three Chinatowns in
Kobe
Nagasaki
and
Yokohama
. Indigenous ethnic minorities include the
Ainu
on
Hokkaido
, gradually driven north over the centuries and now numbering around 50,000, and the
Ryukyuan
people of
Okinawa
Japan's population started shrinking in 2008, and since efforts to increase the birth rate have largely fallen flat, immigration is increasingly being used to fill in the gaps. Particularly in Tokyo quite a few service industry workers now hail from China, Vietnam or Nepal.
The Japanese are well known for their politeness. Many Japanese are thrilled to have visitors to their country and are incredibly helpful to lost and bewildered-looking foreigners. Younger Japanese people are often extremely interested in meeting and becoming friends with foreigners as well. Do not be surprised if a young Japanese person (usually of the opposite gender) approaches you in a public place and tries to initiate a conversation with you in English. On the other hand, many are not used to dealing with foreigners (外人
gaijin
, or 外国人
gaikokujin
) and are more reserved and reluctant to communicate.
Foreign visitors are rarer outside the major cities, and you may encounter moments when entering a shop causes the staff to seemingly panic and scurry off into the back. They're just afraid that you'll try to address them in English and they'll be embarrassed because they can't understand or reply. A smile and a
konnichiwa
("Hello") often helps.
Having been in the Chinese cultural sphere for much of its history, substantial Chinese influences can be seen in Japanese culture. They have been seamlessly blended with native Japanese customs to give rise to a culture that is distinctly Japanese.
During the Edo Period, Japanese culture was strongly influenced by Confucianism. The Tokugawa Shogunate instituted a rigid class system, with the Shogun at the apex, a small group of feudal lords called
daimyō
below him, and the other samurai below that, followed by a vast population of commoners below them. At the bottom below even the commoners was a group of outcastes called the
burakumin
, who took on jobs considered "unclean" such as undertakers, butchers and executioners. Commoners were expected to pay respect to samurai (at the risk of being killed if they didn't), and women were expected to be subservient to men. Samurai were expected to adopt a "Death before dishonor" attitude, and would typically commit suicide by self-disembowelment (
harakiri/seppuku
) rather than live in shame. Although the Edo Period ended with the Meiji Restoration in 1868, its legacy lives on in Japanese society. Honor remains an important concept in Japanese society, employees are still expected to be unquestioningly obedient to their bosses, and women continue to struggle for equal treatment.
Japanese people are fiercely proud of their heritage and culture, and hold on to many ancient traditions that go back hundreds of years. At the same time, they also seem to be obsessed with the latest technology, and consumer technology in Japan is often several years ahead of the rest of the world. This paradox of being traditional yet ultramodern often serves to intrigue visitors.
It is customary to remove your shoes before entering a private home, and often in certain traditional accommodations or temples.
The Awa Odori, a famous Obon Festival in
Tokushima
The most important holiday in Japan is the
New Year
(お正月
Oshōgatsu
), which pretty much shuts down the country from 30 December to 3 January. Japanese head home to their families (which means massive transport congestion), eat festive foods, and head out to the neighborhood temple at the stroke of midnight to wish in the New Year. Many Japanese travel to other countries as well, and prices for airfares are very high.
In March or April, Japanese head out en masse for
hanami
(花見, lit. "flower viewing"), a festival of outdoors picnics and drunken revelry in parks, cleverly disguised as
cherry blossom
(桜
sakura
) viewing. The exact timing of the famously fleeting blossoms varies from year to year and Japan's TV channels follow the progress of the cherry blossom front from south to north obsessively.
Top
sakura
spots
like Kyoto are packed with tourists. Peak
hanami
often coincides with the start of the new school & financial year on April 1, which means lots of people on the move and full hotels in major cities.
Japan's longest holiday is
Golden Week
(29 April to 5 May), when there are four public holidays within a week and people go on an extended vacation. Trains become crowded and flight and hotel prices are jacked up to multiples of normal prices, making this a bad time to travel in Japan, but the weeks immediately before or after Golden Week are excellent choices.
Summer brings a spate of festivals designed to distract people from the intolerable heat and humidity. There are local festivals (祭
matsuri
) and impressive fireworks competitions (花火
hanabi
) throughout the country.
Tanabata
(七夕), on 7 July (or early August in some places), commemorates a story of star-crossed lovers who could only meet on this day.
The largest summer festival is
Obon
(お盆), held in mid-July in eastern Japan (
Kanto
) and mid-August in western Japan (
Kansai
), which honors departed ancestral spirits. Everybody heads home to visit village graveyards, and transport is packed.
Christmas Day
(25 December) is not a public holiday in Japan, but most Japanese people nevertheless celebrate it by ordering fried chicken from KFC for their Christmas meal. If you wish to partake in this tradition, be sure to place your orders well in advance, as the high volume of orders received for this day means that you're not guaranteed to snag a meal by just showing up on the day.
Christmas Eve
is considered to be one of the most romantic days of the year in Japan, and restaurants will be fully booked by young couples looking to have a romantic night out, so be sure to make your dinner reservations well in advance.
Valentine's Day
(14 February) is typically celebrated in Japan by women giving chocolates to men, of which there are two types:
giri-choco
義理チョコ
, lit. "obligation chocolate") is given as a courtesy to male colleagues, classmates, acquaintances etc., while
honmei-choco
本命チョコ
, lit. "true feelings chocolate") is given to a man the woman has romantic feelings for. Men will reciprocate the favor by giving
giri-choco
to their female colleagues, classmates, etc., or
honmei-choco
to their romantic partners, on
White Day
(14 March), so-named because white chocolate was traditionally given on this day, though in modern times all kinds of chocolate, including dark chocolate may be given.
1 January
— New Year's Day (
ganjitsu
元日,
gantan
元旦 or
o-shōgatsu
お正月)
2 and 3 January
— New Year's Bank Holidays
Second Monday in January
— Coming-of-Age Day (
seijin no hi
成人の日)
11 February
— National Foundation Day (
kenkoku kinen no hi
建国記念の日)
23 February
— The Emperor's Birthday (
tennō tanjōbi
天皇誕生日)
21 March
— Vernal Equinox Day (
shunbun no hi
春分の日)
29 April
— Showa Day (
shōwa no hi
昭和の日)
3 May
— Constitution Day (
kenpō kinnenbi
憲法記念日)
4 May
— Greenery Day (
midori no hi
みどりの日) - some gardens and zoos admit free entrance for all
5 May
— Children's Day (
kodomo no hi
こどもの日) - Some museums, gardens etc. admit free entrance for children
Third Monday in July
— Marine Day (
umi no hi
海の日)
11 August
- Mountain Day (
yama no hi
山の日)
Third Monday in September
— Respect-for-the-Aged Day (
keirō no hi
敬老の日) - Many museums and gardens admit free entrance for the aged, typically 60 or older
23 September
— Autumnal Equinox Day (
shūbun no hi
秋分の日)
Second Monday in October
— Sports Day (
supōtsu no hi
スポーツの日)
3 November
— Culture Day (
bunka no hi
文化の日) - Many museums and gardens admit free entrance for all
23 November
— Labor Thanksgiving Day (
kinrō kansha no hi
勤労感謝の日) - Some museums and gardens admit free entrance for all
31 December
— New Year's Bank Holiday
Holidays based on the seasons, such as equinoxes, may vary by a day or two. Additional bank holidays, also known as compensation holidays, are usually added if any holiday falls on a Sunday, and in cases when two dates for holidays are close together.
Most Japanese people take additional time off around New Year's, during Golden Week, and during Obon. The most important festival is New Year's Day, and many shops and restaurants close for at least 2 days during this period. However, convenience stores remain open, and many temples conduct New Year's Day fairs, so it's still not difficult to find food to eat.
The Japanese calendar
edit
The Imperial era year, which counts from the year of ascension of the Emperor, is often used for reckoning dates in Japan, including transportation timetables and store receipts.
The current era is
Reiwa
(令和), which began on 1 May 2019 with the ascension of Emperor Naruhito to the Chrysanthemum Throne. Reiwa
corresponds to
2026
; the year may be written as "R
" or just "
". You may see dates written down in the format of year/month/day; for example, "
/4/1" is 1 April
2026
The Western Gregorian calendar is commonly used. Japan has celebrated its festivals according to the Gregorian calendar since 1873 and no longer uses the Chinese calendar, with the exception of some festivals in the Ryukyu Islands.
Chomeiji, a Buddhist temple in
Omihachiman
Shinto
torii
gate to
Dewa Sanzan
area, at Yudonosan shrine
Swastikas in Japan
When traveling throughout Japan, first-time visitors will be shocked at how many swastikas (卍,
manji
) they see on maps and at temples. This is a symbol of Buddhism, and marks Buddhist temples or other sacred sites to Japanese Buddhism. The symbol will always be in a "square" (i.e. not at an angle) and will open to the left. While the Nazis appropriated the swastika from Buddhism and Hinduism, their version opens to the right and can be at an angle. The Japanese version is unrelated to the Nazi one.
Japan has two dominant religious traditions:
Shinto
(神道
Shintō
) is the ancient animist religion of traditional Japan. At just over 1,200 years in Japan,
Buddhism
(仏教
Bukkyō
) is the more recent imported faith.
Christianity
(キリスト教
Kirisutokyō
), introduced by European missionaries, was widely persecuted during the feudal era but is now accepted, and a small percentage of Japanese are Christian, concentrated in western Japan.
Generally speaking, the Japanese are not a particularly religious people. While they are strongly influenced by Buddhist philosophies and regularly visit shrines and temples to offer coins and make silent prayers, religious faith and doctrine play a small role (if any) in the life of the average Japanese. Thus it would be impossible to try to represent what percentage of the population is Shinto versus Buddhist, or even Christian. According to a famous poll, Japan is 80% Shinto
and
80% Buddhist, and another oft-quoted dictum states that Japanese are Shinto when they live, as weddings and festivals are typically Shinto, but Buddhist when they die, since funerals usually use Buddhist rites. Neither Buddhism nor Shinto demand exclusivity, so most Japanese practice a mix of both religions.
At the same time, Shinto and Buddhism have had an enormous influence on the country's history and cultural life. The Shinto religion focuses on the spirit of the land, and is reflected in the country's exquisite gardens and peaceful shrines deep in ancient forests. When you visit a shrine (神社
jinja
) with its simple
torii
(鳥居) gate, you are seeing Shinto customs and styles. If you see an empty plot of land with some white paper suspended in a square, that's a Shinto ceremony to dedicate the land for a new building. Buddhism in Japan has branched out in numerous directions over the centuries. Westerners are probably most familiar with Zen (禅) Buddhism, which was introduced to Japan in the 14th and 15th centuries. Zen fit the aesthetic and moral sensibilities of medieval Japan, influencing arts such as flower-arranging (生け花
ikebana
), tea ceremony (茶道
sadō
), ceramics, painting, calligraphy, poetry, and the
martial arts
. Over the years, Shinto and Buddhism have intertwined considerably. You will find them side by side in cities, towns, and people's lives. It's not at all unusual to find a sparse Shinto
torii
standing before an elaborate Buddhist temple (お寺
o-tera
).
Christianity is evident almost exclusively in a commercial sense. In season, variations of Santa Claus, Christmas trees and other non-religious Christmas symbols are on display in malls and shopping centers throughout metropolitan areas. A Christian minority exists in Japan, and there was historically a group called
Kakure Kirishitan
(隠れキリシタン) or "hidden Christians" who went underground when Japan persecuted Christianity. However, this group is all but extinct nowadays, having become mainstream Christians or Shinto/Buddhist for the most part. At 1-2% of the Japanese population, Christianity is not very visible and most Japanese people will have wrong or no knowledge of even basic tenets of Christianity. Conversely, a lot of Christian imagery (mainly Gothic cathedral architecture styles) is used in
anime
manga
and video games; this is less so due to religious reasons or undertones in the works, but rather due to the fact that a lot of Japanese think that imagery is asthetically pleasing.
Autumn colors in
Kofu
Yamanashi
The Japanese are proud of their four seasons, but the tourist with a flexible travel schedule should aim for spring or autumn.
Spring
is one of the best times of year to be in Japan. The temperatures are warm but not hot, there's not too much rain, and March–April brings the justly famous
cherry blossoms
sakura
) and is a time of revelry and festivals.
Summer
starts with a dreary
rainy season
(known as
tsuyu
or
baiu
) in June and turns into a steam bath in July–August, with extreme humidity and the temperature heading as high as 40
°C. Avoid summer, or head to northern
Hokkaido
or the mountains of
Chubu
and
Tohoku
to escape. The upside, though, is a slew of fireworks shows (花火大会
hanabi taikai
) and festivals big and small.
Autumn
, starting in September, is also an excellent time to be in Japan. Temperatures and humidity become more tolerable, fair days are common and fall colors can be just as impressive as cherry blossoms. However, in early autumn
typhoons
often hit the southern parts of Japan and bring everything to a standstill.
Winter
is a good time to go skiing or hot-spring hopping, but as some buildings lack central heating, it's often miserably cold indoors. Heading south to
Okinawa
provides some relief. There is usually heavy snow in Hokkaido and northeast Japan due to the cold wind blasts from Siberia. The Pacific coast of Honshu (where most major cities are located) has milder winters than the Sea of Japan coast: it may be snowing in Kyoto while it is cloudy or sprinkling rain in Osaka, an hour away.
There are multitudes of books written on Japan. A good place to begin is one of the many recommended reading lists such as sites like
The Crazy Japan Times
or
Japan Visitor
. Some recommended books include:
Untangling My Chopsticks
ISBN 076790852X
), by Victoria Abbott Riccardi. Set mainly in
Kyoto
My Mother is a Tractor
ISBN 1412048974
), by Nicholas Klar. A former English teacher with a witty and informative take on Japanese society. Written from the depths of the Japanese countryside.
Hitching Rides with Buddha
ISBN 1841957852
), by Will Ferguson, is about a Canadian English teacher who hitches rides across the country, following the blooming cherry blossoms. It is a funny, serious, and honest evaluation of all sorts of aspects of Japanese culture.
Culture Shock: Japan
ISBN 1558688528
). A part of the "Culture Shock" series, this is an excellent overview of the culture and lifestyle of the Japanese. A good resource for a long or work-related stay in Japan or even for interaction with Japanese people.
All-You-Can Japan
ISBN 1453666354
), by Josh Shulman, is a travel guide that offers a wise and economical travel strategy. The author was born and raised in Japan, and writes this short guide in a casual, easy-to-read language.
Television shows about Japan:
Japanology Plus
(and its prior incarnation
Begin Japanology
Produced by NHK World-Japan, these long-running series explore a plethora of topics in Japanese culture and customs, from arts and foods to robots and refrigerators, as well as some unexpected topics like batteries or scissors.
Travel-oriented shows produced by NHK World-Japan include
Journeys in Japan
and
Train Cruise
Visitor information
edit
Much of the government's travel information is available in English.
Travel Japan
multilingual website is run by Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO). Good for an overview by prefecture or topic.
Japan47Go
is a bilingual database site by Japan Travel and Tourism Association. More than 110,000 spots and events can be searched by date, topic, region etc.
Most prefectures' official guide sites are multilingual. See respective prefecture articles.
Guidoor
is a digital platform for smaller municipalities' official tourist information. As of 2023, about a quarter of all municipalities provide information on the platform in Japanese, English, and other languages.
Visa policy of Japan
Japan
Visa-free - up to 6 months
Visa-free - 90 days
Visa-free - 30 days (registered passports only)
Visa-free - 15 days
Visa-free - 15 days (registered passports only)
Visa required
Admission refused
Visa policy overview
Visa free entry
: 15, 30 or 90 days for citizens of
certain countries
Transit Visa
: 15 days
Temporary Visitor Visa
: max. 90 days (for short-term stay like tourism and business)
Working Visa
: max. 3 years
General Visa
: max. 3 years (for accepting training)
Special Visa
: max. 3 years (for long-term residence)
You can contact your nearest
Japanese embassies and consulates
for more details.
Citizens of many countries
, including the US, Canada, UK and EU, can obtain entry permission on arrival without a visa. This is usually valid for a stay of up to 90 days, although Mexicans and some Europeans are permitted to stay for 180 days if they ask for a longer stay upon entry. All others must obtain a "temporary visitor" visa prior to arrival, which is generally valid for a stay of 90 days. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs maintains an
on-line Guide to Japanese Visas
Transit without a visa (TWOV)
edit
No visa is required for a same-day transit between international flights at the same airport, so long as you do not leave the secured area.
Visitors with tickets for onward travel to a third country may be granted a
Shore Pass
for a maximum of 72 hours with their permitted stay area limited to the vicinity of the port of entry. The port of departure does not have to be the same as the port of entry. Instead, it only needs to be in its vicinity.
Shore Passes are granted at immigration discretion and airlines may hesitate to allow you to board if you have a multi-day layover and are relying on getting on. Getting a transit visa in advance is always a safer option.
Travellers entering Japan with anything other than a temporary visitor visa are required to obtain a "Residence Card" (在留カード), colloquially known as a
gaijin card
, within 90 days of arrival and carry it at all times in lieu of their passport. Those staying for 90 days or less may complete this registration, but they are not obligated to. This will be invalidated upon exit from Japan, unless a re-entry permit is held.
Foreigners must typically fill out a
disembarkation form
for immigration, a
declaration form
for customs, and a
quarantine form
if required. The
Visit Japan Web service
can be used to electronically submit all required forms in advance. After completing the forms, present the QR code to the immigration and customs stations.
Drug laws
are stricter in Japan than in many other countries. Some over-the-counter and prescription drugs that are legal in other countries are not allowed in Japan. Ignorance is not considered an excuse, and you can expect to be jailed and deported if caught. See the
Japan Customs website
for details, or check with the nearest Japanese embassy or consulate. (See also
Drugs
.)
Some
over-the-counter medications
, notably pseudoephedrine (Actifed, Claritin-D, Sudafed, Vicks inhalers) and codeine (some cough medications), cannot be brought into Japan.
Some items that may not be brought in can be found locally with restrictions: for example, Benza-Block L, a common cold medicine in Japan, contains pseudoephedrine, with the restriction that one person may only buy one box from one pharmacy at a time.
Some
prescription medicines
(mostly strong painkillers) are also banned even if you have a prescription, unless you get a
yunyu kakuninsho
(輸入確認書, "import confirmation document"), which typically takes 1-2 weeks to obtain. Some drugs may need additional import/export certificates.
You may also require permission in order to import drug-filled syringes, such as
EpiPens
Drugs used to treat
ADHD
are restricted: amphetamine (Adderall) is completely illegal, while methylphenidate (Ritalin/Concerta) and atomoxetine (Strattera) may require permission depending on the amount.
Cannabis
and
CBD/THC
products, though trending towards legalization in the West, are
illegal
in Japan.
By law, Japan also forbids the importation of most
meat, fruit, vegetable and plant products,
in some cases punishable by imprisonment and/or fines of up to ¥3 million.
Once in Japan, you must carry your
passport or trusted traveler card
(see below) with you at all times. If caught in a random check without it (and nightclub raids are not uncommon), you'll be detained until somebody can fetch it for you. First offenders who apologize are usually let off with a warning, although you could be fined up to ¥200,000. You are also required to show the latest entry sticker if availing of products that are not available to Japanese residents (e.g. JR Pass, special train fares for foreigners).
All foreigners (except those on government business and certain permanent residents) age 16 and older are electronically fingerprinted and photographed as part of immigration entry procedures. This may be followed by a short interview conducted by the immigration officer. Entry will be denied if any of these procedures are refused.
Trusted Traveler Program
edit
Foreigners who travel frequently to Japan may be able to take advantage of Japan's
Trusted Traveler Program
(TTP) to expedite arrival procedures. Among the requirements in order to use the service, you must possess a passport from a country that has visa-free arrangements with Japan, have never been deported, and have never been criminally convicted.
Tourists that qualify for the TTP include those holding premium credit cards issued by a global brand (such as Mastercard, Visa or American Express) that have visited Japan at least once within the last 12 months. United States citizens enrolled in Global Entry (the US Trusted Traveler Program) are also eligible under the same travel requirements.
The fee to apply for the program is
4000. Upon approval, you will receive a registered user card valid for either 3 years or until the expiration date of your passport, whichever is sooner. The card will allow you to use the automated immigration kiosks at most international airports, bypassing the staffed immigration counters. You can also carry the card on you in place of your passport, and it will suffice as identification if requested by authorities; the main exception is for tax-exempt shopping, for which both passport and card are required.
It is important to note that TTP travelers
do not receive the "temporary visitor" landing permission stamp on their passport
, which is required to receive travel passes or tickets restricted to foreigners such as the Japan Rail Pass. In these instances, you will have to undergo standard immigration procedures to receive the stamp.
Foreign aircraft at Narita Airport
Most international flights arrive at
Narita Airport
NRT
IATA
) or
Haneda Airport
HND
IATA
) near
Tokyo
, or
Kansai Airport
KIX
IATA
) near
Osaka
. Many flights from major Asian cities also serve
Chubu Centrair Airport
NGO
IATA
) near
Nagoya
Fukuoka Airport
FUK
IATA
) on Kyushu Island, and
Chitose Airport
CTS
IATA
) near
Sapporo
, Hokkaido Island.
Just about every sizable city has an airport although most only offer domestic flights and a few services to
China
South Korea
, and
Taiwan
. Depending on the destination, transiting via a neighboring country can sometimes be cheaper and/or faster than via a major Japanese hub. For example, travelling to
Okinawa
from
Taipei
takes 1.5 hours, compared to three hours from Tokyo.
Airports are generally easy to get through and not particularly crowded assuming you avoid the main holiday periods — namely New Year's (end of December
beginning of January), Golden Week (end of April
beginning of May), and Obon (mid-August), when things are more hectic and expensive.
Japan's two major airlines are flag carrier
Japan Airlines
dead link
JAL
, 日本航空
nihon kōkū
) and
All Nippon Airways
ANA
, 全日本空輸
zen nippon kūyu
, or just 全日空
zennikkū
). Low-cost carriers have become popular with cheap domestic and international flights, and Narita is now a hub for low cost carriers, including
Jetstar Japan
Skymark
, and
Peach
There are international ferries to Japan from South Korea, and China. These are not always price competitive with air tickets, and also often have long travel times. As of January 2024, there are no regular ferries between Russia and Japan.
Tama
Monorail in
Tokyo
, one of the country's many futuristic transport systems
Japan has one of the world's best transport systems, and getting around is usually a breeze, with the train being overwhelmingly the most popular option. Trains are generally very punctual except during inclement weather or natural disasters. Travelling around Japan can be expensive, but there is a variety of passes that can be used to limit the damage.
For sorting through transport schedules and fares,
Navitime
and
Hyperdia
are useful companions, although some features are limited to subscribers. Google Maps and Apple Maps can give detailed train and bus directions including platform numbers, but given the plethora of choices on popular routes it can be hard to filter results. You'll often have better results using apps like Jorudan's
Japan Transit Planner
to navigate the train system, then use Google or Apple for walking from the stations.
English timetables for long-distance trains are available on the websites of
JR Hokkaido
JR East
JR Central
dead link
and
JR Kyushu
. Timetables for the Tokaido, San'yo and Kyushu Shinkansen can also be viewed in English at
Tabi-o-ji
Navitime and Tabi-o-ji offer options to exclude the
Nozomi
and
Mizuho
trains from search results, which will benefit holders of the Japan Rail Pass. On Navitime, select the Japan Rail Pass option under Tourist Pass; on Tabi-o-ji, select to exclude Nozomi and Mizuho trains.
A town block indicator plate in
Nagoya
displaying the address
Nakamura-ku, Meieki 4-chōme, 5-banchi
. That's Nakamura ward, Meieki neighborhood, district 4, block 5. As is common on indicator plates, this sign uses
kanji
rather than Arabic numerals for the
chōme
(四 rather than 4).
In most of Japan, addresses use a hierarchical scheme that's quite different from Western addresses. Most
roads
have no name; instead, cities are split into neighborhoods with names, which are divided into numbered districts (丁目
chōme
), which are subdivided into numbered street blocks. Addresses are written in order from largest to smallest; an example address ending in 名駅4丁目5-6 or 名駅4-5-6 would be the neighborhood of Meieki (名駅), district 4, block 5, house 6. (Addresses are usually written in English as "Meieki 4-5-6" or "4-5-6 Meieki", although the post office recommends the confusing "5-6 Meieki 4-chome".) Additional numbers may be appended for the floor or room number.
Numbering for
districts, blocks, and houses
is often
not
sequential; numbers are usually assigned
chronologically
as buildings are built, or based on distance from the city center. Small signs near street corners display the ward/neighborhood and district in Japanese (such as 名駅4丁目,
Meieki 4-chōme
); they often include the block number, but sometimes not, in which case the signs are very unhelpful since a district could be a dozen or more blocks. A building's entrance will usually show the block and house number (such as 5-6, sometimes written 5番6号), but not the district.
The lack of road names makes it difficult to give directions;
maps
and especially
navigation apps
are a blessing in Japan. A minute spent checking a map can save you half an hour of aimlessly walking.
Most places are described in terms of the walking distance from the nearest train station, and relative to local landmarks. Business cards very often have little maps printed on the back to make navigation easier (at least if you can read Japanese).
Many
train stations
have maps of the local area that can help you find a destination if it is reasonably close to the station.
Police boxes
(交番
kōban
) also have detailed maps of the area. Going to a
kōban
to ask for directions is perfectly normal (it's why they're there), although the policemen usually don't speak much English.
Google Maps
and
Apple Maps
in Japan are very accurate, even showing the insides of buildings. However, it may occasionally misinterpret an address and lead you to the wrong location.
See also:
Japan#Buy
One of the first things any visitor to Japan should do is purchase a transportation
IC card
(交通系ICカード
koutsūkei ai shī kādo
). IC cards can be used to pay for public transport and at convenience stores, vending machines and restaurants in all the major cities.
Public transport fares are calculated automatically no matter how complicated your journey or how often you transfer; just tap on and off at the start and end of your trip. IC cards are also accepted in lieu of paper tickets for some bullet trains when journeys are purchased online in advance.
Most railways support IC cards; simply tap your card on the turnstile as you go in, and do the same as you go out. Most buses support IC cards as well, but their usage depends on the bus; you either board via the front door and tap once to pay a flat fee, or you board via the back door and tap in and then alight via the front door and tap out.
IC cards sometimes give a small discount over cash payments. Children under 6 travel for free. Children between 6 and 11 are eligible for child (子供用
kodomo-yō
) cards entitling holders to half fares. Buying one requires ID, so bring the child's passport to a commuter pass office (定期券売り場) in any larger station.
The
N700
Shinkansen train
Coin lockers at Kyoto Station
Japan offers one of the most efficient rail transportation systems in the world, the crowning jewel of which is the
Shinkansen
(新幹線), popularly known in English as the
bullet train
, the world's first
high-speed rail
line.
The
Japan Rail Pass
offers — with a few exceptions — unlimited travel on all Japan Railway (JR) services including bullet trains, limited express and regular commuter trains. This used to be an incredible bargain, but you need to travel a
lot
to make this pay off now. See
Rail travel in Japan#Japan Rail Pass
for the pros and cons, and some sample computations on whether it's worth it.
There are also regional and local rail passes offered by the various JR companies (such as the JR East Rail Pass), as well as by the subway and private rail companies. Discount tickets are also sold, such as the
Seishun 18 Ticket
An aircraft departing Osaka International Airport, commonly known as Itami Airport. The airport serves as Osaka's main domestic airport.
Japan's excellent
Shinkansen
network means that flying is usually more of a luxury than a necessity. Flying remains, however, the most practical mode of reaching Japan's outlying islands, most notably for connections from the mainland to
Hokkaido
and/or
Okinawa
. Flying is also useful for getting around sparsely-populated Hokkaido, as the Shinkansen network there is limited.
Tokyo
's
Narita Airport
handles a few domestic flights, but most domestic flights leave from
Haneda
HND
IATA
) to the south of the city. Similarly, while there are some domestic flights from
Kansai International Airport
, more use
Itami
ITM
IATA
) to the north of Osaka, and
Kobe
's airport also fields some flights. Narita
Haneda or Kansai
Itami is quite a trek, so allow 3-4 hr to transfer. Chubu, on the other hand, has many domestic flights and was built for easy interchange.
List prices for domestic flights are very expensive, but significant discounts are available if purchased in advance. Japan's largest carriers,
Japan Airlines
JAL
, 日本航空
Nihon Kōkū
) and
All Nippon Airways
ANA
, 全日空
Zennikkū
) offer special fares where international visitors can fly domestic segments anywhere in the country at reduced rates. The most common discount ticket is called the Japan Explorer Pass (JAL) or the Experience Japan Fare (ANA), offer discounted economy fares. This is a particularly good deal for travel to
Hokkaido
or the remote southern islands of
Okinawa
. Alternatively, the airlines offer a Welcome to Japan Fare (JAL) or Visit Japan Fare (ANA). If you reserve on the airlines' respective international websites, the offers for international travelers may be displayed as the cheapest ones, but if you try on the Japan website (in English and in yen), the regular discounts for a purchase in advance may be cheaper.
Low-cost carriers in Japan's domestic air market include
Jetstar Japan
Peach Aviation
Fuji Dream Airlines
Skymark Airlines
StarFlyer
and
Air DO
. Some of these airlines offer online bookings in English (Fuji Dream and StarFlyer do not). StarFlyer offers a discounted fare to foreigners on select routes. Their most basic offers may not include a checked baggage (which is sold as an option), and if you reserve via a third-party web site you may not be able to purchase the option.
ANA, JAL, and their subsidiaries offer a special standby card, the
Skymate Card
, to young passengers (up to the age of 22). With the card, passengers can fly standby at half of the full published fare, which is usually less than the equivalent express train fare. The card can be obtained from any JAL or ANA ticket counter with a passport-sized photo and a one-time fee.
Second class sleeping section on
Ferry Akebono
between
Kagoshima
and
Naha
Four C-Class accommodation berths aboard the Taiheiyo Kitakami
Boats are a surprisingly uncommon means of transport for the island, as all the major islands are linked together by bridges and tunnels. The fares are generally fixed (some promotions may be applicable) regardless of purchase date although they can be comparable to or higher than discounted airline tickets.
Luggage is practically limited only by what you're able to carry, there are generally no size or weight checks. It's not uncommon to see school groups, sports teams, or military traveling in groups in shared accommodations with all their gear although truckers traveling with cargo are sometimes segregated to their own floors and facilities. You can also pay extra to bring a vehicle.
Booking is typically done by phone although tickets for some long distance ferries can be bought online through the operators' websites or sometimes third party agencies. The booking platforms are not necessarily very sophisticated but can be translated and used to book tickets with reasonable success. Otherwise, it's entirely possible to purchase tickets at the pier (leave some time before departure, especially if you need to navigate language barriers, but passengers can usually board up until minutes before the scheduled departure time--this is not an airplane).
Long-distance overnight ferries like those linking
Okinawa
and
Hokkaido
are booked with accommodations divided into classes that range from a mat on the floor of an expansive shared tatami room to hostel-style bunk rooms with privacy curtains/shutters to cruise ship style private hotel rooms and suites with their own en suite toilet, sink, and bathtub.
Food and purchasing options on board are relatively competitively priced and may include vending machines, a small shop/convenience store, and restaurant service ranging from a small cafe to a large buffet spread for specified mealtimes. Passengers are also welcome to bring their own food and drink (including alcohol) for consumption on board. On longer trips (particularly in second class) the primary means of entertainment is alcoholic
this can be fun if you're invited in, but less so if you're trying to sleep. Select lines have entertainment on board (performances/shows) and most have gender segregated bathhouse facilities available to all (bring your own or buy a towel on board for a couple hundred yen if traveling without room accommodations as they are not otherwise provided by the ferry).
For some smaller islands, boats may well be the only practical option. Hovercrafts and jet ferries are fast but expensive, with prices varying between ¥2000-5000 for an hour-long trip. Slow cargo boats are more affordable, a rule of thumb being ¥1000 per hour in second class, but departures are infrequent. There are also some inexpensive and convenient short-distance intercity ferries such as the
Aomori
Hakodate
ferry.
Local buses
(路線バス
rosen basu
) are the norm in big cities and small towns. Bus fares are either fixed (you pay once, when entering or exiting the bus) or distance-based (you board the rear of the bus, grab a numbered ticket, and match the number with the fare displayed on a board at the front of the bus when it's time to get off). Many buses accept IC cards. Buses are indispensable in less-populated areas, and in cities such as
Kyoto
where there is not much local rail transit. The electronic board almost always includes a display and recorded voice announcements of the next stop — usually only in Japanese, although some cities (like Kyoto) make a welcome exception. However, if asked most drivers will be glad to tell you when you've reached your destination.
Highway buses
(高速バス
kōsoku basu
; ハイウェイバス
haiwei basu
) are plentiful in Japan, and are a major mode of intercity transportation and cheap alternative to rail travel, especially for overnight travel. Many companies have adopted a dynamic pricing model, where fares are based on the time of day, the type of seating on the bus, and how far in advance the ticket is purchased.
Major operators of highway buses include the
Willer Express
Japan Bus Lines
Keio Bus
, and the
JR Group
. Regional transit operators also operate long-distance buses. Tickets for such buses can be purchased online (probably the cheapest option), at the point of departure (at a surcharge), or, with a command of some Japanese, at convenience stores. Most companies offer online reservations in English and several other languages.
Airport buses
aka limousine buses (リムジンバス
rimujin basu
) travel from major train stations and hotels to airports. Such buses also travel frequently to their own terminals in the city.
The classic Japanese taxi: a black Toyota Crown Comfort with mirrors mounted on the hood
You will find taxis everywhere in Japan, not only in the city but also in the country. Taxis are clean and completely safe, though a bit expensive. But sometimes, they are the only way to get where you are going. Taxi meters are strictly regulated and clearly visible to the passenger. If you are not sure if you have enough money for the trip, your driver may be able to guess the approximate cost of a trip beforehand. If you get a cost estimate beforehand, some taxi drivers will stop the meter at the estimated price regardless of how much further the destination may be. Taxi fares are higher at night. Tipping is not customary and would most likely be refused.
Taxi apps are increasingly common and the largest player is
GO
, which has an English-language app that takes the hassle out of communicating your destination. Beware that if you hail a taxi with an app, you cannot board it at or near a regular taxi stand and will often need to walk a block away to escape the geofence. These apps will provide the approximate fare, although trips are still charged by the meter and can fluctuate. Many taxi companies will add a fee for immediate phone or app hails; this booking charge is higher for taxis reserved in advance. Some taxi companies offer fixed-fare rides for smartphone hails.
It's often faster and cheaper to hail taxis on the street, although outside train stations and other transfer points you should board at a taxi stand. (The taxi stand will usually either have a long line of patient passengers, or a long line of idle taxis.) If the destination is a well-known location, such as a hotel, train station, or public facility, the name alone should be enough. Even in the major cities, you are very unlikely to encounter a taxi driver who can speak English, so having the Japanese name or address of your destination can be very helpful. Likewise, have staff at your hotel write down the names and addresses of places you want to visit in Japanese to show your taxi driver.
In Japanese taxis, the driver controls the opening and closing of the rear left passenger door. Try to avoid closing your door when you board the taxi. Taxi drivers have a reputation for speeding and aggressive driving, but there are very few accidents involving bad drivers.
All licensed taxis in Japan have green license plates. Illegal cabs will have standard white or yellow plates and should be avoided.
As of 2025 actual rideshare services are limited to small trials, mostly in remote country locations too small to sustain regular taxis. The Uber and
Didi
apps work but can generally only be used to hail taxis.
Bihoro
Pass and Highway 243,
Akan National Park
Hokkaido
Rental cars and driving in Japan are rare in or around the major cities, as public transport is generally excellent and gets you almost everywhere. In addition, the roads of major cities like Tokyo are plagued with massive traffic jams and parking is expensive and difficult to find, so driving there is more of a hindrance than anything else. However, many rural areas can really only be explored with your own transport, so driving should certainly not be dismissed out of hand, especially on
Hokkaido
. Often the most feasible option is to combine the two: take the train out to the countryside and then pick up a rental car at a station. JR's
Ekiren
has outlets at most larger train stations and often has discounted train & car packages.
An international driver's license, Japanese license or translated national license will be required if you wish to rent a car or drive in Japan, and must be carried at all times. See the
main article
for details. Driving is on the left.
Japan has many great
cycling routes
. Rentals can be found throughout the country, especially near popular routes like the
Shimanami Kaido Bikeway
. Even very rural roads are well paved, but as Japan is quite mountainous, you will need your lowest climbing gear a lot.
In cities, it is a great idea to use a bicycle to get around, explore the city and see your sights.
Japan is an excellent country for hitchhiking, although some Japanese language ability is highly recommended. See
Hitchhiking in Japan
for a more detail and practical tips for this.
Though the cramped cities and older buildings present many barriers to those with disabilities and other mobility issues, Japan is a very
wheelchair accessible
country. Japan has switched into high-gear to create a "barrier-free" society.
The vast majority of train and subway stations are wheelchair accessible. Anyone who needs special assistance can inform station staff at the ticketing gates and will be guided to the train and helped off the train at a station. Most trains and local buses (but not long-distance buses) have priority seats (優先席
yūsenseki
). The Shinkansen generally does not, but you can always reserve a seat (for a fee, or for free with a Japan Rail Pass). On a wheelchair, you can park in the hallway between cars, reserve a wheelchair seat (which are limited; JR recommends booking 2 days in advance, and you should keep your travel times flexible), or reserve a private room.
The major tourist attractions are partially adapted generally provide some sort of accessible route. While discounts are available for those with disabilities, disability identification cards not issued in Japan may not be accepted.
Hotels with wheelchair-accessible rooms can be hard to find and are often labeled "barrier free" (バリアフリー
baria furii
) or "universal" (ユニバーサル
yunibāsaru
) instead of "accessible". Even if an accessible room is available, most hotels require booking via phone or email.
Matsue Castle,
Matsue
The Japanese were also a nation of castle-builders. In the feudal days, you could find several castles in nearly every prefecture. Because of bombings in World War II, fires, edicts to tear down castles, etc. only 12 of Japan's castles are original, meaning that their main keeps or donjons (天守閣
tenshukaku
) date back to the Edo Period or earlier. Four of them are on the island of Shikoku, two just north in the Chugoku region, two in Kansai, three in the Chubu region, and one in the northern Tohoku region.
The
original castles
are:
Japan also has many
reconstructed castles
, many of which receive more visitors than the originals. The donjons of these castles have been rebuilt in modern times. However, other structures may be original. For example,
Nagoya Castle
's southeast, southwest, and northwest turrets all date back to the castle's original construction. Okinawa's
Shuri Castle
is unique among Japan's castles, because it is not a Japanese castle; it was the royal palace of the Ryukyu Kingdom and built in a distinctive Ryukyuan architectural style, with a much stronger Chinese influence than Japanese-style castles.
Ruins
typically feature only the castle walls or parts of the original layout are visible. Although they lack the structures of reconstructed castles, ruins often feel more authentic without the concrete reconstructions that sometimes feel too commercial and touristy. Many ruins maintain historical significance, and some have original structures that are still standing. One of the most notable ones is
Kyoto
's Nijo Castle, which is not listed as an original because its main keep burnt down and was not reconstructed, but the palace buildings that served as the lord's residence are among the finest and best preserved in all of Japan.
Ritsurin Garden,
Takamatsu
Japan is famous for its gardens, known for its unique aesthetics both in landscape gardens and Zen rock/sand gardens. The nation has designated an official "Top Three Gardens", based on their beauty, size, authenticity (gardens that have not been drastically altered), and historical significance. Those gardens are
Kairakuen
in
Mito
Kenrokuen
in
Kanazawa
, and
Korakuen
in
Okayama
. The largest garden, and the favorite of many travellers, is actually
Ritsurin Park
in
Takamatsu
Rock and sand gardens can typically be found in temples, specifically those of Zen Buddhism. The most famous of these is
Ryoanji Temple
in
Kyoto
, but such temples can be found throughout Japan. Moss gardens are also popular in Japan and
Koke-dera
, also in Kyoto, has one of the nation's best.
Pure Land gardens dating back to the Heian Period were built to represent the Buddhist Paradise. They all feature a large central pond in front of the Amida Hall. They're simplistic to such an extent that those who are unaware would not likely even view them as gardens at all. The Byodoin Temple in
Uji
, Motsuji Temple in
Hiraizumi
, and Joruriji Temple in
Kizugawa
are among the most famous of those that remain.
Regardless of your travel interests, it's difficult to visit Japan without at least seeing a few shrines and temples. Buddhist and Shinto sites are the most common, although there are some noteworthy spiritual sites of other religions, as well.
Horyuji Temple,
Horyuji
Buddhism
has had a profound impact on Japan ever since it was introduced in the 6th century. Like shrines, temples can be found in every city, and many different sects exist. Some temples also offer
meditation classes
in English.
Some of the holiest sites are made up of large complexes on mountaintops and include
Mount Koya
(Japan's most prestigious place to be buried and head temple of Shingon Buddhism),
Mount Hiei
(set here when Kyoto became the capital to remove Buddhism from politics, the head of the Tendai sect of Buddhism), and
Mount Osore
(considered to be the "Gateway to Hell", it features many monuments and graves in a volcanic wasteland).
Many of the nation's head temples are located in
Kyoto
, like the Honganji Temples and Chion-in Temple. Kyoto also has five of the top Zen temples named in the "Five Mountain System" (Tenryuji, Shokokuji, Kenninji, Tofukuji, and Manjuji), along with
Nanzenji Temple
, which sits above all the temples outside of the mountain system. Kamakura also has its own five: Kenchoji, Engakuji, Jufukuji, Jochiji, and Jomyoji Temples.
Eiheiji Temple
is also a prominent Zen temple, although it was never part of the mountain system.
Nara
's
Todaiji Temple
and
Kamakura
's
Kotokuin Temple
are famous for their large Buddhist statues. Todaiji's is the largest in the nation, while the Kamakura Daibutsu is the second largest, meditating outside in the open air.
Horyuji Temple
in
Horyuji
, just south of Nara, is the world's oldest wooden structure. The beautiful
Phoenix Hall
in
Uji
is seen on the back of the ¥10 coin.
Shinto is the "native" religion of Japan, so those looking to experience things that are "wholly Japanese" should particularly enjoy Shinto shrines as they truly embody the Japanese aesthetic. The holiest Shinto shrine is the
Grand Ise Shrine
, while the second holiest is
Izumo Shrine
, where the gods gather annually for a meeting. Other famous holy shrines include
Itsukushima Shrine
in
Miyajima
Toshogu Shrine
in
Nikko
, the
Kumano Sanzan
, and the
Dewa Sanzan
Meiji Shrine
in
Tokyo
, and
Shimogamo Shrine
Kamigamo Shrine
, and
Fushimi Inari Shrine
in
Kyoto
Saint Francis Xavier Memorial Church in
Hirado
Japan's introduction to Christianity came in 1549 by way of the Portuguese and Saint Francis Xavier. He established the first Christian church in
Yamaguchi
at Daidoji Temple, whose ruins are now part of
Xavier Memorial Park
, and the Xavier Memorial Church was built in his honor. When Toyotomi Hideyoshi came into power, Christianity was banned and Christians were persecuted. In
Nagasaki
, 26 Japanese Christians were crucified. There is a memorial for these martyrs in the city, and the
Oura Church
, the oldest church left in the nation, built in 1864.
The
Shimabara Rebellion
, a Christian uprising, led to the ousting of the Portuguese and Catholic practices from Japan, along with approximately 37,000 beheadings of Christians and peasants. In
Shimabara
, you can visit the ruins of Hara Castle, where the Christians gathered and were attacked.
Oyano
's
Amakusa Shiro Memorial Hall
explains the Shimabara Rebellion and the persecution of Christians. When the nation reopened, Christianity was still not legal and Christians were tortured. You can see one of these sites at
Maria Cathedral
in
Tsuwano
You can often find Christian objects in temples and shrines because many of these objects were hidden there when Christianity was forbidden.
Japan has a handful of well-known Confucian temples. As Japan's gateway to the world for many centuries,
Nagasaki
's Confucian Temple is the only one in the world to be built by Chinese outside of China.
Yushima Seido
in
Tokyo
was a Confucian school and one of the nation's first institutes of higher education. The first integrated school in the nation, the
Shizutani School
in
Bizen
also taught based on Confucian teachings and principles. The schoolhouse was modeled after Chinese architectural styles. The first public school in
Okinawa
was a Confucian school given to the Ryukyuan Kingdom along with the
Shiseibyo Confucian Temple
Ground Zero,
Nagasaki
The three must-visit places for World War II buffs are
Hiroshima
Nagasaki
, and the main island of
Okinawa
. Okinawa is where some of the most brutal battles occurred between Japan and the United States, and the area is crawling with remnants from its dark past. The Peace Park, Prefectural Peace Museum, Himeyuri Peace Museum, and the Peace Memorial Hall in
Itoman
are some of the best places to learn more, see artifacts, and hear accounts of the battles that took place here.
Hiroshima and Nagasaki are important sites in many ways. Hiroshima is the first city ever to be attacked by an atomic bomb, as well as the deadliest. After Hiroshima was devastated, the bombing of Nagasaki days later led the Japanese to surrender, ending the war. Even those who are not particularly interested in World War II may find the atomic bomb sites interesting, as issues surrounding nuclear weapons and the threat of nuclear war remain a concern. Fifty-eight other places (including Tokyo, of course) were bombed, as well, so there are lesser-known memorials in those cities.
U.S. citizens (only) can take a tour to visit
Iwo Jima
Japan, during
feudal times
, was dominated by a system of clans, including the
samurai
, a hereditary warrior caste. Sites of nobility dating to the pre-industrial era can be found across the island country.
Snowboarding in deep powder
With its snowy mountainous terrain, Japan is an excellent destination for
skiing and snowboarding
. Japan's climate means that many ski resorts get
excellent
powder, and a lot of it: on average, resorts in the
Japanese Alps
get
10
m (33
ft)
and
Hokkaido
slopes get a whopping
14
m (46
ft)
or more! Skiing in Japan can be inexpensive compared to other countries, with cheaper lift tickets, budget accommodation, and cheap meals. Rental gear is reasonably priced, but as Japanese on average have smaller feet, you should consider bringing your own boots. The easiest way to get to many slopes is to take public transit (rail and buses), and ship your ski/snowboard gear to the slopes (see
Courier services
).
Hiking trails in
Iya Valley
Shikoku
It shouldn't be surprising that in a country where more than 70% of the terrain is forests and mountains,
outdoor activities
abound.
Hiking
is very traditional and popular in Japan. You can find many small trails across the country, and plenty of rugged terrain in Japan's many national parks. Hikes can also be part of a spiritual experience, such as climbing the 2446 stone steps of the holy
Haguro
mountain through an amazing primeval forest.
Ascending one of Japan's many
mountains
is within the capabilities of any traveller. You can reach the summit of some mountains almost entirely by car, or with only a short easy walk.
Mount Aso
is one of the world's largest volcanic calderas, and a paved road brings cars and pedestrians right up to the summit. Or, you can take the ropeway, which was promoted as the world's first ropeway over an active volcano.
Around 300,000 people every year climb
Mount Fuji
, a mountain famous as an icon of Japan. On the most popular route, you will need to use your hands for support, but no actual climbing is required; you can easily climb Fuji with just adequate clothing, some basic gear (sunscreen, headlamp, etc.), and 1–2 days in your itinerary. It's easily doable if you're not too out of shape.
Golf
is popular with the Japanese. Golf courses are typically 1–2 hours' drive outside the city. (Shuttles from the nearest train station are often available with a reservation.) Midweek prices can be found starting at ¥6,000. Expect it to take the whole day, with travel time, a round of golf, and relaxing in a hot bath afterwards. Since most players are local businessmen, singles are not allowed on most courses (so make sure you have at least two players), and rental equipment will have a limited selection (you can ship your clubs and shoes to the range cheaply; see
Courier services
).
Aharen Beach,
Tokashiki
Japan is not really known for its
beaches
, with the notable exception of subtropical
Okinawa
. Japanese cities (many of which are coastal) often expand right up to the coast line. Where there are beaches, they tend to only be visited in summer; as soon as September comes, lifeguards stop patrolling the beaches, and Japanese beachgoers disappear as a result.
Surfing
is somewhat popular, as the surf can be very good on both coasts during typhoon season (Aug-Oct) on the Pacific coast, and during winter on the Sea of Japan coast. There are also some excellent spots for
snorkeling
and
diving
, with the manta rays and hammerheads of Okinawa at the top of the list. Aside from marine life, corals, and World War II wrecks, you can also visit
Susami
, outside
Kushimoto
, and send your friends a postcard from one of the world's deepest underwater mailbox, 10 meters underwater.
While boating and river sports are not very common, a few fun activities can be found, such as going river rafting in some of the last wild rivers in Japan in the
Iya Valley
Baseball
(野球
yakyū
) is hugely popular, and is played in many high schools and by professionals. See
Baseball#Japan
for details.
Soccer
(サッカー
sakkā
) plays second fiddle to baseball. The top men's league is the Japan Professional Football League, and there is a professional women's league, the Japan Women's Professional Football League.
Basketball
(バスケットボール,
basuketto bōru
or バスケ
basuke
). The professional league, "B-league", has 24 teams in B1 division and 14 teams in B2 division as of 2024.
Sumo wrestling in Japan is steeped in tradition.
Sumo wrestling
(相撲
sumō
) is a popular Japanese sport. The biggest events are the six
honbasho
(本場所, "main tournaments") throughout the year.
Professional wrestling
(プロレス
puroresu
) is also very popular.
Horse racing
(競馬
keiba
) is a big business in Japan, and one of the few forms of legal gambling. The
Japan Cup
, held annually at
Fuchu
's Tokyo Racecourse, is one of the premier events on the international horse racing calendar.
The
Formula One Japanese Grand Prix
is a big draw in Japan. The circuit is in Suzuka. Japanese Grand Prix is the only circuit to have an overhead racing bridge that is a part of the circuit.
The
Japan Golf Tour
tournaments are played on numerous courses throughout Japan.
Games and entertainment
edit
The ubiquitous Big Echo, Japan's largest karaoke chain
Karaoke
(カラオケ) was invented in Japan and can be found in virtually every Japanese city. Pronounced
kah-rah-oh-keh
, it is abbreviated from the words "empty orchestra" in Japanese; most locals won't have any idea what you're talking about if you use the English
carry-oh-kee
. Most karaoke places occupy several floors of a building. You and your friends have a room to yourself — no strangers involved — and the standard hourly rate often includes all-you-can-drink alcohol, with refills ordered through a phone on the wall or through the karaoke machine. The major chains all have excellent English-language song selections. Old folks prefer singing
enka
ballads at small neighborhood bars.
You operate the karaoke machine yourself. It lets you queue up songs to be played in order. (At 4 minutes per song, 15 songs would keep you singing for an hour.) These days, many machines use a tablet or touchscreen which you can use to search for songs by a variety of criteria; if you can get one of these set to English, great. You can also look up songs in the phonebook-sized catalogs, which is what you'll have to do if you can't get a tablet in English, or at older places that just have a large remote control. Once you find the song's 4- to 6-digit number, aim the remote at the karaoke machine like a TV remote, type in the number (it will appear on the screen, so you can check that it was entered correctly; if not press 戻る to go back), and press 転送 or "send" to confirm and add it to the queue.
Pachinko
parlors are easily recognized by their garish decor and deafening racket
Also ubiquitous are
pachinko
parlors
. Pachinko (パチンコ) is a form of gambling that involves dropping little steel balls into a machine; more balls are awarded depending on where they land. The air inside most pachinko parlors is hot and sweaty, with ear-splitting noise. (Legally you can only trade the balls for prizes, but gamblers always opt for "special prize" (特殊景品
tokushu keihin
) tokens which they sell back for cash at a separate booth elsewhere in the building or in a nearby alley. Because the booth is off-site, it's a separate business and therefore not illegal.) Even in a declining market, nearly 10% of all Japanese — mostly middle-age businessmen — play at least once a week, and pachinko generates more gambling revenue than Las Vegas, Macau, and Singapore combined.
Video arcades
, known in Japan as
game centers
(ゲームセンター
gēmu sentā
, often shortened to ゲーセン
gēsen
), though sometimes difficult to distinguish from pachinko parlors from the outside, have arcade games rather than gambling, and are often several floors high. Video games are the norm here, although you may be surprised at the variety of games. Aside from the usual action and fighting games, there are also rhythm games such as
Dance Dance Revolution
or the much easier for beginners
Taiko Drum Master
(太鼓の達人
Taiko no Tatsujin
), difficult-to-define oddities such as
Derby Owners Club
(which can only be described as a "multiplayer online card-collecting role-playing horse-racing simulator"), and bizarre inventions like
Chō Chabudai-Gaeshi!
(超・ちゃぶ台返し! "
Super Table-Flip!
") where you literally bang on a table and flip it over angrily to relieve stress while racking up points. Game centers usually also have non-video games, which almost always include
claw crane games
(クレーンゲーム
kurēn gēmu
) where you can win anything from stuffed animals and trinkets to expensive smartphones and jewelry, and sophisticated
photo sticker booths
(プリクラ
puri-kura
, shortened from the brand name Print Club).
Playing Go in
Osaka
Japan's national game is
Go
(囲碁
igo
, or just 碁
go
), a strategy board game. While the rules are simple, the strategy and tactics are very complex. On a sunny day, the Tennoji ward of
Osaka
is a good place to join a crowd watching two Go masters go at it.
Another popular board game in Japan is
shogi
(将棋
shōgi
) or Japanese chess. The general mechanics are similar to Western
chess
, but shogi is a much more complex and dynamic game.
Mahjong
(麻雀 or マージャン,
mājan
) is also relatively popular in Japan, and frequently features in Japanese video and arcade games, although it's associated with illegal gambling, and mahjong parlors can be quite seedy. Mahjong uses tiles with a variety of Chinese symbols and characters. Players draw and discard tiles trying to complete a hand with particular sets of tiles (typically, four sets of either three identical tiles or three in a straight flush, plus one identical pair). While gameplay is similar, scoring is drastically different from the various Chinese versions.
The Japanese love
music
(音楽
ongaku
) in all styles.
Taiko performance
Traditional Japanese music
(邦楽
hōgaku
) uses a variety of instruments, many of which originated in China, but developed into unique forms after being introduced to Japan. The most common instruments are the
shamisen
(三味線, a 3-string picked or plucked instrument), the
shakuhachi
(尺八, a bamboo flute), and the
koto
(箏, a 13-string picked zither).
Taiko
(太鼓) are drums that are unique to Japan, and range in size from small handheld drums to enormous
1.8-metre (5.9
ft)
stationary drums.
Taiko
also refers to the performances, which are very common at festivals. Outside of traditional Japanese music, these instruments are not frequently used.
Western classical music
(クラシック[音楽]
kurashikku [ongaku]
) is moderately popular in Japan with people of all ages. There are 1,600 professional and amateur orchestras (オーケストラ
ōkesutora
) in Japan; Tokyo is home to nearly half of them, including
eight
full-time professional orchestras. There are also well over 10,000 choirs (合唱
gasshō
, コーラス
kōrasu
or クワイア
kuwaia
); the
Japan Choral Association
has more information.
With the arrival of Western pop music in the 20th century, Japan created its own forms of pop music. These have largely died out except for
enka
(演歌), sentimental ballads in Western pop styles composed to resemble traditional Japanese music, typically sung in an exaggerated emotional style.
Jazz
(ジャズ
jazu
) has been very popular in Japan since the 1930s.
Jazz coffee shops
are a common way to listen to jazz.
J-pop
and
J-rock
flood the airwaves. Punk, heavy metal, hip hop, electronic, and many other genres also find niches in Japan where they get their own Japanese interpretation. J-pop is often associated with
idols
(アイドル
aidoru
), young music stars manufactured by talent agencies. Although many are one-hit wonders, quite a few idol groups turn into long-lasting acts: SMAP and Morning Musume have been popular for decades, while AKB48 has rocketed to the top to become the best-selling female group in Japan, with offshoots in other Asian countries as well. However, these are also controversial as aspiring singers are made to sign contracts that give them little control over their personal lives, including a ban on dating to maintain the illusion of "availability" to their fans.
Concerts
(ライブ
raibu
, "live") are easy to find. Depending on the event, you may be able to buy tickets at convenience stores (using a numeric code to identify the right concert), online, at record stores, or in various pre-sale lotteries. (Some sellers may require you to have a Japanese credit card with a Japanese billing address, so you may need to try multiple methods to find one you can use.) You can buy day-of tickets at the venue, assuming the concert isn't sold out, but large venues may not even sell tickets at the door. Rather than doing general admission, tickets may be numbered to divide the audience into smaller groups which are admitted in order.
Music festivals
(ロック・フェスティバル
rokku fesutibaru
, shortened to ロックフェス
rokku fesu
or just フェス
fesu
) are also popular, drawing tens of thousands of people.
Fuji Rock Festival
is Japan's largest festival, and covers many genres.
Rock In Japan Festival
is the biggest festival where only Japanese artists are allowed to perform.
Bunraku doll in the National theatre,
Osaka
The most well-known types of traditional Japanese performing arts originated in medieval or pre-modern Japan, and feature melodramatic period stories of historical events, romance, or moral conflicts. While the old Japanese language they use can be off-putting, an important part of these art forms is the
intricate visual aspects
of their traditional costumes and emotional expressiveness.
Bunraku
(文楽) is a type of puppet theater. An actor and two stagehands precisely control each puppet, while a narrator performs the exposition and all dialogue with improvised
shamisen
accompaniment.
Kabuki
(歌舞伎) is a popular type of dance-drama. It's known for the elaborate costumes and makeup that performers wear.
Kabuki
tells its stories through the expressions and dances. Actors fly above the audience on wires and make dramatic entrances and exits via aisles down the middle of the audience, complex revolving stages, and trap doors.
Noh
(能
nō
or 能楽
nōgaku
) is an older type of musical drama. Minimalist and probably boring for the average visitor, noh uses wooden masks and stark movements on identical bare sets, and tells its emotional stories through the lyrics, which are in an old form of Japanese (difficult for even native speakers to understand). It's sometimes described as "Japanese opera", although it's closer to chanted poetry rather than actual singing.
Traditionally used as comic intermission between acts in a noh play,
kyōgen
(狂言) consists of short (10 minute) plays, often using stock characters such as servants and their master, or a farmer and his son.
Much less well-known is
taishū engeki
(大衆演劇), a vague term meaning "theater for the masses" or "popular theater". Superficially, it's similar to kabuki, with elaborate Edo-period costumes, but the melodrama is turned all the way up. Every performance is a new tale, as these plays are
not
scripted, but invented during the morning's rehearsal; the simple stories are easy to understand even without a translation, with the good guys obviously triumphing over the bad guys. The second half showcases actors mostly solo performing traditional dances with modern flashing stage lights and fog machines. You may find these accessible shows to have cultural similarities to variety shows, revues, or even drag shows.
Comedy
in Japan is markedly different from the Western style. Japanese are very sensitive about making jokes at the expense of others, so Western-style stand-up comedy isn't very common. Most Japanese comedy relies on absurdity, non sequiturs, and breaking the strict social expectations. Most Japanese also love puns and wordplay (駄洒落
dajare
), although these can cross the line into groan-inducing
oyaji gyagu
(親父ギャグ "old man jokes"). Don't bother attempting irony or sarcasm; Japanese rarely use these, and they're likely to take your statement at face value instead.
Japan is also home to various types of minimalist solo storytelling such as
rakugo
(落語),
kōdan
(講談) and
rōkyoku
(浪曲). All these, as well as numerous other genres, are often performed at traditional vaudeville-like theatres called
yose
(寄席).
Japanese cultural arts
edit
Preparing tea
Japan is famous for
geisha
, although they're often misunderstood by the West. Literally translated, the word 芸者 (
geisha
) means "artist" or "artisan". Geisha are
entertainers
, whether you're looking for song and dance, party games, or just some nice company and conversation. Geisha train from a young age to be exquisite, high-class entertainers. They're often employed today by businesses for parties and banquets. Although traditionally expensive and exclusive, you may be able to see geisha perform for as little as ¥3,000, or for free at a festival. In the largest Japanese cities, it's easy to spot a geisha if you look in the right part of town.
Tea ceremony
(茶道
sadō
or
chadō
) is not unique to Japan, or even to Asia, but the Japanese version stands out for its deep connection to Japanese aesthetics. The focus of a Japanese tea ceremony is not so much the tea as making guests feel welcome and appreciating the season. Due to the influence of Zen Buddhism, Japanese tea ceremony emphasizes a uniquely Japanese aesthetic called
wabi-sabi
(侘寂). A very rough translation might be that
wabi
is "rustic simplicity" and
sabi
is "beauty that comes with age and wear". There are
tea houses
across Japan where you can be a guest at a tea ceremony. The most common type of "informal" ceremony usually takes 30 minutes to an hour; a "formal" ceremony can take up to 4 hours.
Japan is also well-known for its
martial arts
, with judo (柔道
jūdō
) and karate (空手) being the best known ones internationally. There are opportunities to spar with Japanese opponents while you are visiting, but you may need to make arrangements through your home dojo, and you may also watch competitions and performances. There are also other internationally lesser-known martial arts you might want to explore while in Japan such as aikido (合気道) and kendo (剣道).
Japanese pop culture is famous the world over, with anime, manga and video games in particular having been exported to the West with great success. However, while you are visiting, it is worth checking out some genres that are not as well-known outside Japan. One such genre is called
tokusatsu
(特撮), which are live action films or television series that make heavy use of special effects. Famous examples of
tokusatsu
include Godzilla, Ultraman, Super Sentai (which served as the inspiration for Power Rangers in the U.S.) and the less internationally known Kamen Rider.
Kanto Festival in
Akita
Japan has an estimated 200,000
festivals
(祭
matsuri
) throughout the year. Festivals are held for a variety of reasons, the most common being to give thanks (e.g. for a successful rice harvest) and bring good fortune. Although most festivals are small events sponsored by local shrines or temples, there are hundreds that are large city-wide affairs, any of which would be a nice addition to your itinerary if they overlap your schedule.
The main event at many large festivals is a
parade of floats
, which are usually lifted and carried by hand by several dozen men. Often a shrine's
kami
(spirit/deity) will be ritually put in a portable shrine (
mikoshi
) and carried around the neighborhood as part of the parade. At some festivals, anyone can take a turn helping to carry a float for a few minutes.
Fireworks
(花火
hanabi
) are also a common event at festivals, particularly in the summer; in Japan, this is the most common use of fireworks. The rest of the time is spent enjoying the booths and entertainment. Food stalls have
traditional festival foods
like
takoyaki
, shaved ice (かき氷
kakigōri
), and skewered hot dogs. A traditional game at festivals is
goldfish scooping
(金魚すくい
kingyo sukui
): if you can catch a goldfish using the flimsy paper scoop, you get to keep it. Other common games include ring toss and cork guns.
Festivals are a time for the neighborhood and community to come out and celebrate together, whether it's a family, young couples making a date of it, or just a group of friends. Nearly everyone will put on a colorful
yukata
(浴衣) robe, while many of the people working at the festival wear
happi
(法被) coats. (Street clothes are perfectly fine, too.)
The JNTO website has a
list of several dozen festivals throughout the year
in English. Some of the most well-known festivals are:
Sapporo Snow Festival
(さっぽろ雪まつり
Sapporo Yuki-matsuri
) in
Sapporo
(February, 7 days starting the second week) — elaborate snow and ice sculptures
Hakata Dontaku
(博多どんたく) in
Fukuoka
(May 3–4) — Japan's largest festival, drawing over 2 million people during the Golden Week holidays
Kanda
(神田) in
Tokyo
(May, Sa-Su closest to May 15 in odd-numbered years)
Hakata Gion Yamakasa
(博多祇園山笠) in
Fukuoka
(July 1–15) — famous for racing one-ton floats
Gion
(祇園) in
Kyoto
(July, the whole month but particularly 14-17 and 21-24)
Nebuta
(ねぶた) in
Aomori
(August 2–7)
Awa-Odori
(阿波踊り) in
Tokushima
(August 12–15) — folk dance festival
There are also several nationwide festivals:
New Year's
(正月
Shōgatsu
) (December 31 - January 3)
Hina matsuri
(雛祭り) (March 3) — during the "Doll festival", families pray for their girls, and arrange displays of dolls of the emperor and his court
Tanabata
(七夕) (around July 7; in Sendai, August 5–8; some places based on lunar calendar) — sometimes called the "Star Festival", celebrates the deities Orihime and Hikoboshi (the stars Vega and Altair) who could only meet on this day each year
Obon
(お盆) or
Bon
(盆) (three days usually around August 15, but date varies by region) — when spirits of the deceased return to this world; families have reunions, and visit and clean ancestors' graves
Shichi-Go-San
(七五三, "Seven-Five-Three") (November 15) — for girls age 3 and 7 and boys age 3 and 5
Some local festivals are more eccentric.
Hari Kuyō
("needle memorial") festivals are held throughout Japan to express thanks to old or broken needles and pins.
Hadaka
("naked") festivals are actually common throughout Japan, but the most well-known one is the
Eyō Hadaka
matsuri (会陽裸祭り) at Saidai-ji in
Okayama
. Thousands of men wearing just loincloths scramble to catch lucky sacred items thrown into the crowd, which will bring them a year of happiness.
Naki Zumō
(泣き相撲, "crying sumo") festivals throughout Japan have competitions where two sumo wrestlers holding babies see which baby will cry first as priests provoke them by making faces and putting on masks. And the
Kanamara
matsuri (かなまら祭り) in
Kawasaki
is famous for celebrating the male genitalia.
Hot springs and public baths
edit
As a nation made of volcanic islands, it's not surprising that in Japan
hot springs
(温泉
onsen
) are commonplace. Japanese have pondered for centuries what the best hot springs in the country are, and they've come up with
quite a few
. Bathing is a big deal in Japan, and be it a scenic
onsen
hot spring, a neighborhood
sentō
bath or just an ordinary household tub, bathing Japanese style is a pleasure. Whereas a Western "bath" is used for washing in, "baths" in Japan are for soaking and relaxing, more like a hot tub. Washing is done first outside the tub.
When it gets too hot at these springs in
Kawazu
, you can jump into the waterfall to cool off!
Onsen
are the pinnacle of the Japanese bathing experience. Clusters of hot spring
inns
pop up wherever there's a suitable source of hot water. The most memorable onsen experience is often the
rotenburo
(露天風呂):
outdoor baths
with views of the surrounding natural scenery.
While most onsen are run commercially and charge fees for entry, especially in remote areas there are free publicly maintained baths that offer minimal facilities, but, more often than not, stunning views to make up for it. To find those off the beaten track inns, check out the
Japan Association of Secluded Hot Spring Inns
(日本秘湯を守る会
Nihon hitō o mamoru kai
), which has 185 independent lodges throughout the country.
Sentō
(銭湯) are public bath houses found in any large city. Intended for people without their own home tub, they are typically quite utilitarian and are slowly dying out. Some, however, have gone upmarket and turned into "spas" (スパ
supa
), which are public baths for stressed-out salarymen, often with a capsule hotel (see
Sleep
) bolted on the side. As you might expect, these come in varying degrees of legitimacy — beware any place advertising "esthe", "health", or "soap"
but most are surprisingly decent.
Foreign visitors typically visit hot springs by stopping at a
ryokan
, a traditional Japanese inn, some of which feature hot springs as one of their main attractions (the other main attraction usually being the elaborate
kaiseki
meals). This requires some research and planning to decide where you want to go (most ryokan are in small towns in the country) and to fit it into your schedule. But don't focus exclusively on inns; many onsen have no lodging, making them cheap and quick to stop at, although many are hard to get to without a car or bicycle.
Many onsen and sento prohibit the entry of visitors with
tattoos
. Intended to keep out
yakuza
gangsters (who often sport full-back tattoos), the rule is usually applied with a modicum of common sense, but heavily tattooed visitors will, at the very least, receive curious looks and may be asked to leave.
Japanese are understanding of the funny ways of foreigners, but there's one rule where no exceptions are made: you have to
wash yourself
and rinse off all foam
before
entering the bath. Baths in Japan are generally used
naked
, although you can instead use private baths (by reservation or attached to your room, usually at an extra cost) or stay clothed in a foot bath. It is a major faux pas to let your towel touch the bath water, so you cannot use one to cover your privates for modesty; either leave it to the side or do as the locals do and wrap it around your hair. If you have long hair, make sure you tie it up neatly before entering the bath.
Super sentōs
are sentos that offer additional services beyond regular sentōs, often similar to spa treatments. They often have multiple baths, saunas, relaxation rooms and sometimes even a restaurant. Most establishments open until 23:00–01:00, while some stay open until 02:30, and there are even a few that open for 24 hours.
Exchange rates for Japanese yen
As of January 2026:
US$1 ≈ ¥155
€1 ≈ ¥185
UK£1 ≈ ¥210
Chinese ¥1 ≈ ¥20
HK$1 ≈ ¥20
SG$1 ≈ ¥120
South Korean ₩1,000 ≈ ¥110
NT$10 ≈ ¥5
Exchange rates fluctuate. Current rates for these and other currencies are available from
XE.com
The Japanese currency is the
Japanese yen
, abbreviated ¥ (or
JPY
in foreign exchange contexts). The symbol 円 (pronounced
en
) is used in the Japanese language.
Cash is available in the following forms:
Coins
: ¥1 (silver), ¥5 (gold with a center hole), ¥10 (copper), ¥50 (silver with a center hole), ¥100 (silver), and ¥500. There are three ¥500 coins in circulation, distinguishable by their color. The new ones have a gold ring and a silver center.
Bills
: ¥1,000 (blue), ¥2,000 (green), ¥5,000 (purple), and ¥10,000 (brown). ¥2,000 bills are rare except in
Okinawa
. Two series of Japanese yen banknotes are in circulation, the 2004 series and the new 2024 series. All older notes remain legal tender, and remain more widely accepted in vending machines.
Prices in Japan are almost always listed using Western numerals, with
Japanese numerals
only occasionally spotted in places like high-end restaurants. The main exception is that large sums are sometimes abbreviated with 万 (
man
, 10,000), so 5万円 is 50,000 yen.
For easy cash withdrawal,
ATMs
ē tī emu
), also known as "cash corners" (キャッシュコーナー
kyasshu kōnā
), are ubiquitous in Japan and can be found at most convenience stores and train stations. Oddly, some close at night or on weekends, although this restriction is slowly going away. Also, at night the additionally charged fee might be higher. While not all banks accept foreign cards, most of the large banks including Japan Post, Mizuho, SMBC and Aeon do. See
Shopping in Japan
for the full list. A particularly convenient option for travelers is
7-Eleven Bank
ATMs, which can be found in every branch of 7-Eleven and are usually open 24/7.
Most ATMs charge ¥110 or ¥220 for withdrawals, which is added on top of the amount you withdraw when invoicing the final amount to your bank. Aeon Bank is the only one that doesn't charge a fee for any Visa/MasterCard withdrawals. E-net (found in most FamilyMarts) has started charging ¥660, so try to avoid them. If you can, withdraw ¥50,000 or ¥100,000 at a time to minimize the fee impact.
Dealing with physical bank branches is notoriously cumbersome and best avoided. If you need to exchange cash, dedicated money changers are faster and offer better rates, but can be hard to find outside major airports and the like. If you need a locally-issued credit card (for an online service that performs region checks, for instance), there are a multitude of online-only virtual Visa cards available, and prepaid Visa gift cards can be purchased from major convenience store chains. If you're actually living in Japan and need to set up a bank account or get a Japanese credit card, see
Working in Japan#Money
Quite a few restaurants, small shops, and even some lodgings only accept cash, particularly in smaller towns and more isolated areas. You should carry enough cash or check that your preferred payment method is accepted in advance.
Some coin lockers, laundries and beach showers only accept ¥100 coins and some change machines may only accept ¥1,000 bills. Additionally, some machines have not been calibrated to support the new bills introduced in 2024. If you see a sign with phrasing like "新1000円未対応" ("new ¥1,000 bill not yet supported"), "新紙幣は使えません" ("new bills can not be used") or an image of the new bills crossed out, you will need to change your bills for old ones.
Always keep a sizable stack of reserve money. If you run out for any reason (wallet stolen, credit card blocked, etc.) it can be difficult to have any wired to you. Western Union has a very limited presence even in the larger metropolitan areas. American Express cardholders have more emergency options: the AmEx office in Tokyo can print replacement cards for same-day pickup, and have the ability to send emergency funds to certain locations around the country if needed.
Credit and debit cards are widely accepted, but some cafes, bars, and restaurants may still only accept cash and/or IC card. Visa, MasterCard and JCB are widely accepted. Discover and American Express are usable where JCB credit cards are accepted.
There are two types of payment machine in Japan:
EMV/FeliCa machines are compatible with Visa, MasterCard, JCB, Apple Pay and Google Pay, as well as Japan-specific IC cards such as Suica.
FeliCa machines are compatible with Japan-specific IC cards such as Suica only.
Look for the EMV/FeliCa machines displaying the international contactless logo
and say "touch" (タッチ
tacchi
) to pay with your foreign credit card.
Smart cards are a popular means of payment and are locally known as "IC" cards (meaning "integrated circuit"). IC cards can be used to pay for public transport, and for goods and services at convenience stores, vending machines and numerous restaurants in all the major cities. There are many different brands of IC card to choose from.
The most common cards are JR East's
Suica
and the Tokyo area
PASMO
, both of which can be purchased for ¥500 at train stations in Tokyo. The cards are completely interchangeable, but Suica charges a small fee for a refund (¥220), while PASMO does not. The cards can be recharged at train stations and convenience stores. The cards can store up to ¥20,000 worth of value.
Welcome Suica
is a Suica card targeted at tourists. The card is available at Narita and Haneda airports and major train stations in Tokyo, no deposit required. The card can be recharged at the same places as the regular Suica but expires after 28 days and cannot be refunded. Avoid using these for storage lockers close to expiration; because your card is also your key, when the card expires you will not be able to re-open the locker.
IC cards of other regions, such as Kansai's
ICOCA
or Chubu's
TOICA
, can be used interchangeably with Suica and PASMO. However, IC cards can only be refunded in the same region from which they were purchased. An exception is TOICA, which can be refunded at JR Central's shinkansen ticket offices in Tokyo (Tokyo station or Shinagawa station), Yokohama (Shin-Yokohama station), Odawara, Kyoto, and Shin-Osaka.
Digital Suica, PASMO and ICOCA cards are available on Apple devices with NFC functionality. This means you can travel and pay throughout the country using only your iPhone or Watch. The cards are available via the
Apple Wallet
app, no deposit required. Tap your device at the train station ticket gate or store payment machine for validation. The cards are not available on Android devices sold outside Japan. Digital IC cards
cannot
be refunded to a non-Japanese bank account.
Should you still have
leftover balance
on your card by the time you are leaving Japan or the card is about to expire, you can spend the money at restaurants, convenience stores, or at the duty-free shops at the airport.
Many banks no longer handle foreign cash exchange or outsource it to Travelex. Specialized currency exchange shops provide better rates than banks (for example, the Access Ticket chain of shops in Tokyo, Nagoya, Kyoto, and Osaka often has rates within 1% of mid-market for US dollars, euros, and British pounds) and generally work more quickly. They also often sell discounted train and bus tickets and restaurant vouchers. These shops can usually be recognized by displays of foreign banknotes at their windows or with the words "money exchange" or similar. US dollars, euros, Swiss francs, British pounds, and Canadian, Australian, and New Zealand dollars can be easily exchanged at these shops. Singapore dollars are the most widely accepted Asian currency, followed by the South Korean won, Chinese yuan, Hong Kong dollars, and New Taiwan dollars. Less-used Asian currencies like Philippine pesos, Vietnamese dong, Malaysian ringgit, and Thai baht are now accepted at currency exchanges in Tokyo, Nagoya, Osaka, and Fukuoka. There are also foreign currency exchange machines in many shopping centers in large and medium-sized cities; they offer a rate 5-10% below the mid-market rate even for US dollars so avoid them if you can, but outside the largest cities, they may be the only option.
If you are exchanging amounts over ¥200,000 (whether cash or traveller's checks), you will be required to provide identification that includes your name, address, and date of birth. Since passports usually do not show your address, bring along another form of ID such as a driver's license that shows your address.
Retail hours are surprisingly limited, typically 10:00-20:00, though most shops are open on weekends and public holidays except New Year, and close on one day a week. However, you will always find something you could need to buy at any time of day.
Convenience stores
like 7-Eleven, Family Mart and Lawson are ubiquitous and often operate 24/7.
Thanks to a tradition of
omiyage
(souvenirs given to friends, family, and colleagues), a history of regions specializing in particular crafts, as well as development programs like One Village One Product, Japan has nearly perfected the art of
local products
(名物
meibutsu
). Pretty much every dot on the map, no matter how small the town, has some product it's known for. The most common ones are food; some are fresh foods such as fish or cooked dishes you would have to eat while there, but many others are packaged foods, beverages, or ingredients that can be brought home. Local products also include arts and crafts; while some are mere trinkets, others would serve well as decorative keepsakes or practical items to use at home. Local products are a large part of Japan's domestic tourism market, so they're generally easy to find; you can almost always find shops near major train stations and roadside stations selling them, although prices may be slightly better if you shop around town.
Japan is known for its upscale
department stores
(デパート
depāto
), the nicest of which feature beautiful interior architectural ornamentation and still employ uniformed women to operate the elevators while informing customers where to find items.
Depāto
typically have a food court and groceries in the basement, while the roof often has a garden (which doubles as a beer garden during the summer) and some affordable eateries.
Night in
Shinjuku
¥100 shops
(百円ショップ
hyaku-en shoppu
) are a Japanese institution: they sell household goods, packaged food, gag gifts and much more, and everything costs ¥108 (food and soft drinks) or ¥110 (all others) after tax. These are a good option for finding cheap gifts or even travel adapters. Major chains include
Daiso
, Can Do (キャンドゥ), Seria (セリア), and Silk (シルク). There are also convenience-store-like ¥100 shops such as Lawson Store 100 which carry a limited range of fresh food like sandwiches, drinks and vegetables. Another popular discount store chain called
Don Quijote
(ドン・キホーテ), often abbreviated to Donki (ドンキ), carries a wider range of price points.
Second hand
is very popular in Japan, and the quality of 2nd-hand products in Japan is really worth considering this an option, e.g. for electronics, music equipment, clothes, or outdoor and camping equipment. See
Shopping in Japan#Second hand shops
for famous shops.
Many Westerners come to Japan in search of
anime
(animation),
manga
(comics),
hentai
(erotic manga), and
video games
. One of the best places to shop is
Akihabara
in Tokyo.
Battery-powered
small electronics and still cameras
made for sale in Japan will work anywhere in the world. There are no great bargains to be found, but the selection is unparalleled. However, if you are buying other electronics to take home, it's best to shop at stores that specialize in "overseas" configurations, many of which can be found in Tokyo's
Akihabara
. Japanese AC runs at 100 volts, so check devices' ratings; if it's not rated for 100–120
V, using it without a step-down transformer can be dangerous.
When it comes to casual
fashion
, Japan is hard to beat.
Tokyo
and
Osaka
in particular are home to many shopping districts, and there is an abundance of stores selling the latest fashion, particularly those catering to youths.
Japan's main contribution to jewelry is the
cultured pearl
, developed by Mikimoto Kōkichi. The
pearls
are widely available, although there is little if any price difference to buying them outside Japan. For those who insist on getting their hands on the "authentic" stuff, Mikimoto's flagship store is in the
Ginza
district of Tokyo, while the small town of
Toba
still hosts Mikimoto's Pearl Island.
Then of course there is
kimono
, the classic Japanese garment. While very expensive new, second-hand kimono can be had at a fraction of the price, or you can opt for a much cheaper and easier to wear casual
yukata
robe. See
purchasing a kimono
for buying your own. When wearing a kimono, it should always be wrapped left over right; doing the reverse is a major faux pas as that is only done when dressing the dead.
There is a
10% consumption tax
on most sales in Japan. The only exceptions are take-away food and non-alcoholic beverages, which are subject to a lower 8% tax. Foreign visitors can claim a refund on the consumption tax if they spend at least ¥5,000 (before tax) per day per participating shop, and they bring the items out of Japan with them.
There is no clear rule if tax is included or not in a displayed price. Supermarkets will mostly always show both prices. Budget restaurants will most likely display tax-included prices. Fancy eateries on the other hand may often leave the tax out of their quoted prices, so not to appear too expensive.
The word
zeinuki
(税抜) means tax-excluded,
zeikomi
(税込) means tax-included. If you cannot find out any words in the price card, most of them are tax-included.
Tax-free shopping is available for tourists spending over ¥5,000. You must present your actual passport (not a copy) at the counter.
Tipping is not a part of Japanese culture. Japanese people are uncomfortable with being tipped and are likely to be confused, amused or possibly even offended if tipped. The Japanese pride themselves on the service given to customers, and a further financial incentive is unnecessary. If you leave a tip in a restaurant, the staff will probably come running after you to return the money you 'forgot'. Many Westernised hotels and restaurants may add a 10% service charge, and family restaurants may add a 10% late-night charge after midnight.
Occasionally the hotel or inn will leave a small gratuity envelope for you to tip the maids, though it is completely optional.
Never
leave a cash tip on a table or hotel bed, because the Japanese consider it impolite if it is not concealed in an envelope. Exceptions to the no-tipping culture are high-end ryokan (see
Sleep
) and interpreters or tour guides.
The dilemma of choice: a typical row of drink vending machines
Known for their pervasiveness and the (notorious) variety of products they sell. Most will take ¥1,000 bills, and some types, such as train ticket machines, will take up to ¥10,000; none accept ¥1 or ¥5 coins, and only some accept ¥2,000 notes. Some vending machines refuse the "new" (2024) notes, while some still refuse the new ¥500 coin (in occasional cases). Have a double-check before using.
With exceptions such as some train ticket vending machines, those in airports or tourist sites, credit cards are
not
accepted. However, IC cards like Suica and PASMO are often accepted for payment, particularly in train stations.
Vending machine drinks are a fun only-in-Japan indulgence, but at ¥120-190 per drink, they can add up, and will generally cost less at a supermarket or drugstore (but not so from a convenience store). Machines that stock drinks from smaller companies, like Cheerio or Two-Down, charge less, starting at ¥100.
Fancy Japanese
kaiseki
(会席) multi-course dinner
Japanese cuisine, renowned for its emphasis on fresh, seasonal ingredients, has taken the world by storm. The key ingredient of most meals is
white rice
, usually served steamed.
Soybeans
are a key source of protein and take many forms, notably the
miso
soup (味噌汁
miso shiru
) served with many meals, but also tofu (豆腐
tōfu
) bean curd and the ubiquitous
soy sauce
(醤油
shōyu
).
Seafood
features heavily in Japanese cuisine, including creatures of the sea and many varieties of
seaweed
. A complete meal is always rounded out by some
pickles
(漬物
tsukemono
).
One of the joys of getting out of Tokyo and travelling within Japan is to discover the local specialties. Every region within the country has a number of delightful dishes, based on locally available crops and fish. In
Hokkaido
try the fresh sashimi and crab. In
Osaka
don't miss the
okonomiyaki
(お好み焼き) stuffed with green onions and the octopus balls (たこ焼き
takoyaki
).
Most Japanese food is eaten with
chopsticks
(箸
hashi
). Eating with chopsticks is a surprisingly easy skill to pick up, although mastering them takes a while.
Never
place or leave chopsticks upright in a bowl of rice; You can rest chopsticks across the edge of your bowl, plate or chopstick rest.
Never pass something from your chopsticks to another person's chopsticks.
Licking the ends of your chopsticks is considered low-class.
Using chopsticks to move plates or bowls is rude.
Pointing at things with your chopsticks is rude. (Pointing at people in general is rude; with chopsticks, doubly so.)
Spearing food with your chopsticks is generally rude and should be used as only a last resort.
You shouldn't "whittle" your disposable chopsticks after breaking them apart (which would imply you think they're cheap), but for cleanliness it
is
good manners to put them back in their paper wrapper when you're finished eating.
Most soups and broths, especially
miso
, are drunk directly out of the bowl after you've chopsticked out the larger bits, and it's also normal to pick up a bowl of rice for easier eating. For main-dish soups like
rāmen
you will be given a spoon. Curry rice and fried rice are also eaten with spoons.
Many restaurants give you a hot towel (
o-shibori
) to wipe your hands with (not your face) as soon as you sit down.
Japanese never put
soy sauce
on a bowl of rice. Japanese don't like to waste food (including soy sauce, so don't pour more than you need), but it's fine in most restaurants if you leave some food on your plates.
In all types of Japanese restaurants, staff generally ignore you until you ask for something. Say "
sumimasen
" ("excuse me") and maybe raise your hand at a large restaurant. Restaurants will present you with the bill after the meal. Pay at the counter when leaving
do not leave payment on the table and walk out.
Tipping
is not customary in Japan, although many sit-down restaurants apply 10% service charges and 24-hour "family restaurants" usually have a 10% late-night surcharge.
Sushi breakfast in
Tsukiji
Tokyo
The number of restaurants (レストラン
resutoran
) in Japan is stupendous, and you will never run out of places to go. Japanese almost never invite guests to their homes, so socializing nearly always involves eating out. Eating out is generally cheaper than in Western countries, though still expensive by Asian standards, if you stick to a basic rice or noodles meal at a local joint. At the other end of the spectrum, fine dining can be very expensive indeed.
Some restaurants have implemented a dual pricing system to account for the extra effort it takes to serve foreigners. If you can speak and read Japanese, you might be able to get the local price by asking for the Japanese menu.
Menus will, for most establishments, be in Japanese only; however, many restaurants have models (many in exquisite detail) of their meals in their front window, and if you can't read the menu it may be better to take the waiter or waitress outside and point at what you would like. There may be photographs of the food labeled with names and prices.
Many cheap chain eateries have
vending machines
where you buy a ticket and give it to the server. At many of these restaurants, you'll have to be able to read Japanese or match the price from models or picture menus, along with some of the kana (characters) to the choices at the machine. Some other places have all-you-can-eat meals called
tabehōdai
(食べ放題),
byuffe
(ビュッフェ, "buffet"), or
baikingu
(バイキング "Viking", because "smorgasbord" would be too hard to pronounce in Japanese).
The
Michelin Guide
is considered by many Western visitors to be the benchmark of good restaurants in Japan, but there are plenty of equally good eats to be had without the Michelin price tag, and many top restaurants are left out by choice.
Tabelog
(食べログ) is the go-to directory for Japanese people looking at restaurant reviews, with famously tough ratings: a 3.5 out of 5 is considered extraordinarily high. While the interface is available in English, most reviews are only in Japanese.
Japan is considered by many to be one of the world's centers of fine dining. Japan is tied with France for first place as the country with the most Michelin-star restaurants. Unfortunately, Japanese fine dining can be somewhat inaccessible to foreign visitors; online bookings are typically not an option, staff typically speak little to no English, and some fine dining establishments do not accept reservations from new customers without an introduction from one of their regular diners (although Michelin-listed places will). If you are staying in a top-end luxury hotel, the concierge may be able to score you a reservation at one of these places provided you make the request well in advance, and there is also a cottage industry of online reservation brokers that can arranges tables
for a fee, of course. Unlike in other countries, most Japanese fine dining restaurants do not accept credit cards, and you will be expected to pay for your meal
in cash
Traditional Japanese inns
(see
Ryokan
are a common way for travellers to enjoy a fine
kaiseki
meal. The elaborate meals featuring local seasonal ingredients are considered an essential part of a visit to a ryokan, and factor heavily into many people's choice of inn.
Bukkake udon
with
tempura
Kurashiki
Practically every town and hamlet in Japan boasts its own "famous" noodle (麺
men
) dish.
There are two major noodle types native to Japan: thin buckwheat
soba
(そば) and thick wheat
udon
(うどん). Chinese egg noodles or
rāmen
(ラーメン) are also very popular but more expensive (¥500 and up) and typically include a slice of grilled pork and a variety of vegetables. Slurping your noodles is acceptable and even expected. According to the Japanese, it cools them down and makes them taste better. Any remaining broth can be drunk directly from the bowl.
Perhaps Japan's most famous culinary exports are
sushi
(寿司 or 鮨), usually raw fish over vinegared rice, and
sashimi
(刺身), plain raw fish. Most sushi restaurants keep a handy multilingual decoding key on hand or on the wall. However, sushi in Japan often bears little similarity to what Western visitors may be used to back home; do not expect to find California rolls or volcano rolls in Japan. Sushi in Japan tends to be simple, just fish and rice, with an emphasis on freshness.
At the finest sushi restaurants, the chef puts a dab of fiery
wasabi
radish into the sushi, and glazes the fish with soy sauce for you. Thus, such sushi restaurants don't have individual bowls of soy sauce or wasabi. Most restaurants, though, provide them at the table. (Turn nigiri sushi upside down before dipping, as the soy sauce is to flavor the fish, not to drown the rice.) Slices of pickled ginger (
gari
) refresh the palate.
When eating sushi, it's perfectly acceptable to use your fingers. Good sushi is always made such that you can put the entire piece into your mouth at once.
Grilled and fried dishes
edit
Okonomiyaki (お好み焼き) in
Hiroshima
The
teppanyaki
(鉄板焼き, confusingly known in the U.S. as "hibachi") and self-grill
yakiniku
(焼肉, Japanese-style "Korean barbecue") cooking methods, as well as the deep fried
tempura
(天ぷら) battered shrimp and vegetables originate here. Meat (especially beef) can be fiercely expensive, like the famous marbled
Kobe beef
, which can cost thousands per serving. Tempura has entered the Japanese fine dining repertoire, and there are numerous fine tempura omakase restaurants in which the chef deep-fries the dish in front of you and puts it directly on your plate to be eaten immediately.
Other uniquely Japanese foods include
okonomiyaki
(お好み焼き, "cook it how you like it", a batter with cabbage, meat, seafood, and vegetable fillings of your choice, often self-cooked at your table) and
yakitori
(焼き鳥, grilled skewers of every chicken part imaginable).
Japanese curry (カレー
karē
) is very distinct from
Indian
curry. Curry powder was introduced to Japan in the late 19th century by the
British
. The Indian curry brought by the British was too spicy for Japanese tastes, but they altered the recipe to make it sweeter and thicker. Curry restaurants can be found throughout the country, but there are also localized versions, such as
Kanazawa
Curry,
Bizen
Curry, and
Kuwana
Curry. Soup curry is a famous dish in
Hokkaido
. Curry udon and other curry combinations are also quite popular.
However, homesick Indians need not fret. Indian curry (インドカレー
indo karē
), which in Japan is primarily based on North Indian styles, has exploded in popularity in Japan in the 21st century, and in the major cities, there are many restaurants operated by Indian and Nepali immigrants that serve it.
All-around eateries
edit
A typical
o-bentō
. Clockwise from top:
kara-age
fried chicken with a
korokke
potato croquet and cocktail wieners, salad, rice with an
umeboshi
plum,
harusame
noodles and
tsukemono
pickles.
Shokudō
(食堂 "cafeteria" or "dining hall") serve up simple, popular dishes and
teishoku
sets at affordable prices (¥500-1,000). When in doubt, go for the daily special or
kyō no teishoku
(今日の定食), which nearly always consists of a main course, rice, soup and pickles. A staple of the
shokudō
is the
donburi
(丼), meaning a bowl of rice with a topping.
A closely related variant is the
bentō-ya
(弁当屋), which serves takeout boxes known as
o-bentō
(お弁当). While travelling on long-distance trains, don't forget to sample the vast array of
ekiben
(駅弁) or "station bento".
Department store basements are often huge spaces filled with expansive amounts of fresh food from throughout the country and local dishes. You can get bento boxes, take out food on a stick, bowls of soup, and often find samples of treats to try. You can also find restaurants in department stores, often on the top floors.
Various types of
hot pot
(鍋
nabe
), as well as a number of stewed food items known as
oden
(おでん) are popular in Japan during the winter. You can often find
pseudo-Western dishes
, which were adapted from European and American cuisines, but often heavily Japanized. See the
Japanese cuisine
and
Western food in Asia
articles for more details.
During the summer months when it's not raining, many buildings and hotels have restaurants on their rooftops and serve dishes like fried chicken and french fries, as well as light snacks. The specialty is, of course,
draft beer
(生ビール
nama-biiru
). You can order large mugs of beer or pay a fixed price for an all-you-can-drink (飲み放題
nomihōdai
) course lasting for a set period of time (usually up to 2 hours). Cocktails and other drinks are also often available as part of all-you-can-drink sets.
Japanese fast food restaurants offer decent quality at reasonable prices. Many chains offer interesting seasonal choices that are quite tasty. Fast food chains offer the range from classic Japanese food through to modern American junk food.
There are also a number of Japanese
family restaurants
(ファミレス
famiresu
or ファミリーレストラン
famirii resutoran
), serving a wide variety of dishes, including steak, pasta, Chinese style dishes, sandwiches, and other foods. Though their food is relatively uninteresting, these restaurants usually have illustrated menus, so travellers who cannot read Japanese can use the photos to choose and communicate their orders.
If you're travelling on the cheap, Japan's numerous convenience stores (コンビニ
konbini
) can be a great place to grab a bite to eat; they are everywhere and almost always open 24/7. Major chains include
7-Eleven
Lawson
, and
Family Mart
. You can find instant noodles, sandwiches, meat buns, and some small prepared meals, which can be heated up in a microwave in the store. An excellent option for food on the go is
onigiri
(or
omusubi
), which is a large ball of rice stuffed with (say) fish or pickled plum and wrapped in seaweed, and usually cost ¥100-150 each (as of Mar 2019).
For those really on a budget, most supermarkets (
sūpā
) have a wide variety of ready-to-eat meals, bentos, sandwiches, snacks and the like, generally cheaper than convenience stores. Some supermarkets are open 24 hours a day. Supermarkets and greengrocers (八百屋
yaoya
) are also the best place to buy fruit, which tends to be expensive in Japan.
One Japanese institution worth checking out is the
depachika
(デパ地下) or department store basement food court, featuring dozens of tiny specialist stalls dishing up local specialties ranging from exquisitely packed tea ceremony candies and $100 melons to fresh sushi and Chinese takeaway. They're often a little upmarket pricewise, but discount heavily towards the end of the day: look for little red half price (半額
hangaku
) and X% off signs (eg. 2割, read
ni-wari
, means 20% off).
Dietary restrictions
edit
Appetizer course of a vegan
shōjin ryōri
dinner,
Mount Koya
Although the situation is improving in major cities, strict vegetarians (much less vegans) may have serious difficulty finding a meal that does not include animal products, particularly as the near-ubiquitous Japanese soup stock
dashi
is usually prepared with fish and often pops up in unexpected places like
miso
, rice crackers, curry, omelettes (including
tamago
sushi), instant noodles and pretty much anywhere salt would be used in Western cuisine.
Soba
and
udon
noodle soups virtually always use bonito-based
katsuodashi
, and typically the only vegetarian-safe item on the menu in a noodle shop is
zarusoba
, or plain cold noodles
but even for this the dipping sauce typically contains
dashi
Your best bet for finding vegetarian food is Indian and Italian restaurants, which are quite common even in smaller towns. Other options include temples serving Buddhist cuisine (
Mount Koya
is particularly famous for this),
kaiten
(conveyor belt) sushi shops and, in larger towns, dedicated vegetarian or macrobiotic (自然食
shizenshoku
) restaurants.
Travelling in Japan with food allergies (アレルギー
arerugī
) is
very difficult
. Awareness of severe allergies is low and restaurant staff are rarely aware of trace ingredients in their menu items.
A serious
soy
(大豆
daizu
) allergy is basically incompatible with Japanese food. The bean is used everywhere, including soybean oil for cooking. Keeping a
strict
gluten-free diet
while eating out is also close to impossible. Most common brands of soy sauce and mirin contain wheat, while miso is often made with barley or wheat. Commercially prepared sushi vinegar and wasabi may both contain gluten.
On the upside, avoiding
dairy
products is straightforward, as they are uncommon in traditional Japanese cuisine.
Peanuts
and other tree nuts are basically not used in Japanese cooking, with the exception of a few snacks and desserts. Peanut oil is rarely used.
Due to the very small size of the
Muslim
and
Jewish
communities, finding halal or
kosher
food is
very difficult
in Japan, and you will need to do some advanced planning before your trip. Muslim visitors can contact the
Japan Islamic Trust
, while Jewish visitors can contact the
Jewish Community of Japan
for more information.
Izakaya with red lanterns
The Japanese drink a lot: not only green tea in the office, at meetings and with meals, but also all types of alcoholic beverages in the evening with friends and colleagues. The drinking age is 20. However, ID verification is almost never requested at restaurants, bars, or convenience stores, so long as the purchaser does not appear obviously underage. The main exception is in the large clubs in Shibuya, Tokyo, which during busy times will ID everyone entering the club.
Drinking in public is legal
in Japan, as is public intoxication. It's especially common to drink at festivals and
hanami
. It's also not unusual to have a small drinking party on the bullet trains.
If you're looking for an evening of food and drink in a relaxed traditional atmosphere, go to an
izakaya
(居酒屋, Japanese-style pub), easily identified by red lanterns with the character 酒 ("alcohol") hanging out front. Many of them have an all-you-can-drink (飲み放題
nomihōdai
) deals at about ¥1,000 for 90 minutes (on average), although you will be limited to certain types of drinks. Food is invariably good and reasonably priced. Most izakaya have a compulsory cover charge, with a complimentary snack to go with it.
A common Japanese institution is the
snack
(スナック
sunakku
). These small neighborhood bars are usually run by an aging woman addressed as
mama-san
("Ms. Mom"); besides serving food and a limited selection of drinks (often just beer and whiskey), she's a surrogate mother for patrons to converse with and get advice and even an occasional scolding from. Many are dive bars filled with cigarette-smoking regulars; an occasional visit from foreigners may be welcomed, but if you don't speak some Japanese you're undoubtedly missing some of the appeal. Somewhat related are
hostess clubs
(キャバクラ
kyaba-kura
, short for "cabaret club"), where attractive female hostesses will provide conversation, pour drinks, entertain, and to some degree flirt with male clients, and charge upwards of ¥3,000/hour for the service, Tourists will probably feel out of place and may even be denied entry altogether. The hostesses are professional flirts, not prostitutes, and most hostess clubs prohibit physical intimacy or sexual conversation topics. There are also
host clubs
(ホストクラブ
hosuto kurabu
or ホスクラ
hosu kura
) where the roles are reversed, and female customers pay for attractive male company instead. In both of these, you will generally be expected to buy drinks for your host/hostess, and not doing so will greatly upset them as these make up a significant part of their income. A
girls bar
(ガールズバー
gāruzu bā
or ガルバ
garuba
) is similar to a hostess club, except that the attractive women are bartenders and stay behind the bar when chatting with customers. These are typically cheaper than hostess clubs, but just like in hostess clubs, you will be expected to buy drinks for your bartender. A
seku kyaba
(セクキャバ) is the erotic version of the hostess club, in which limited physical intimacy is allowed.
Unlike in the Anglosphere, a
club
(クラブ
kurabu
) is not a nightclub, but instead is the posh equivalent of the hostess club, with a much more private experience. These are typically patronized by the who's who of Japanese society such as politicians, celebrities, company presidents or elite professional athletes, and the hostesses are expected to be more polished and well-educated in a wide range of "high class" conversational topics like current affairs and business news. These are typically very expensive, and require you to be introduced by one of their regular customers, meaning that you will not be admitted if you just show up at the door.
Dedicated
gay bars
are comparatively rare in Japan, but the districts of
Shinjuku ni-chome
in Tokyo and
Doyama-cho
in Osaka have busy gay scenes. Most gay/lesbian bars serve a small niche (muscular men, etc.) and will not permit those who do not fit the mold, including the opposite sex, to enter. While a few are Japanese only, foreigners are welcome at most bars.
Izakaya, bars and snacks typically have cover charges (カバーチャージ
kabā chāji
), usually around ¥500 but on rare occasions more, so ask if the place looks really swish. In izakayas this often takes the form of being served some little nibble (お通し
otōshi
) as you sit down, and no, you can't refuse it and not pay. Some bars also charge a cover charge
and
an additional fee for any peanuts you're served with your beer.
Karaoke parlors serve drinks and snacks. Orders are placed via a phone on the wall, by pressing a button to summon staff, or in high-tech ones using the karaoke machine's tablet or remote control.
Beer vending machines at an onsen in Hokkaidoi
If you're just looking for a jolt of caffeine, go to Starbucks or one of its Japanese competitors such as Doutor or Excelsior. But for a more calm and unique experience, the Japanese coffee shop,
kissaten
(喫茶店), has a long history. Most are one-of-a-kind affairs and reflect the tastes of their clientele. A peculiar kind of kissaten is the
jazz coffee shop
; these moody joints for jazz buffs are strictly for quiet listening, and
not
for conversation.
Maid cafés
(メイド喫茶
meido kissa
or メイドカフェ
meido kafe
) and other cosplay restaurants have employees dressed as French maids pamper their clients while serving them non-alcoholic beverages and food.
Vending machines
(自動販売機
jidōhanbaiki
, or
jihanki
in slang) are omnipresent in Japan and serve up drinks 24 hours a day at the price of ¥120-150 a can/bottle. In addition to cans of soft drinks, tea and coffee, you can find vending machines that sell beer, sake and hard liquor. In winter, some machines will also dispense hot drinks
look for a red label with the writing あたたかい (
atatakai
) instead of the usual blue つめたい (
tsumetai
). Vending machines that sell alcoholic beverages are usually switched off at 23:00.
Flat
sakazuki
tray, a small
choko
cup and a wooden
masu
box
Sake
is a fermented alcoholic beverage brewed from rice. The Japanese word
sake
(酒) can mean any kind of alcoholic drink, and in Japan the word
nihonshu
(日本酒) is used to refer to what Westerners call "sake". Sake is around 15% alcohol, and contrary to popular belief, is usually not served hot, but often chilled; defaulting to room temperature is in most cases safe. Bottles and menus often show the
nihonshu-do
(日本酒度), a "sake level" that measures the sweetness or dryness of the brew, the average today being around +3 (slightly dry). When making a purchase, price is often a fair indicator of quality.
Shōchū
(焼酎) is the big brother of sake, a stronger-tasting distilled type of alcohol. Traditional
shōchū
are most commonly made of rice, yam, or grain, but can be made of other materials like potatoes, too. Typically around 25% alcohol and often cheap at less than ¥1000 for a big 1L bottle, these can be served straight, on the rocks, or mixed with hot or cold water.
Shōchū
industrially made out of sugar is often used and served as a kind of cooler mixed with juice or soda known as a
chū-hai
, short for "
shōchū
highball".
Umeshu
(梅酒), inaccurately called "plum wine", is prepared by soaking Japanese
ume
plums (actually a type of apricot) in white liquor so it absorbs the flavor, and the distinctive, penetrating nose of sour dark plum and sweet brown sugar is a hit with many visitors. Typically about 10-15% alcohol, it can be taken straight, on the rocks (ロック
rokku
) or mixed with soda (ソダ割り
soda-wari
).
Japanese
whisky
([ジャパニーズ] ウイスキー
[japanīzu] uisukī
), popular domestically for over 150 years, has also come to international attention and won numerous awards. It can be had neat/straight (ストレート
sutorēto
) or on the rocks (オン・ザ・ロック
on za rokku
or simply ロック
rokku
), but it's much more common to dilute it, the same as with
shōchū
. The most common preparation is a highball (ハイボール
haibōru
), 1 part whisky and 2 parts soda water over ice. Another common drink uses cold mineral water (水割り
mizu-wari
) in the same proportions, or in the winter, hot water (お湯割り
o-yu-wari
).
There are several large brands of Japanese
beer
(ビール
biiru
), including Kirin, Asahi, Sapporo, and Suntory. Yebisu is also a popular beer brewed by Sapporo. In Japanese restaurants, beer is typically served in various sizes of bottles (瓶
bin
), or draft (生
nama
meaning "fresh"). Most Japanese beers are dry pilsners, with strengths averaging 5%, which pair well with Japanese food but are definitely light in flavor. Even the few dark beers like Asahi Super Dry Black are actually dark
lagers
, so despite their color they're still not very full-bodied.
Microbreweries
are quickly picking up steam, and their
kurafuto biiru
(クラフトビール "craft beer") or
ji-biiru
(地ビール "local beer") bring some welcome diversity to the market. They haven't caught on in most restaurants yet, but they're not too difficult to find; besides brewpubs and good liquor stores like the widespread Yamaya (店舗 or やまや), other good places to look are department store basements and shops near train stations selling local specialties.
Japanese
wine
(ワイン
wain
) is actually quite nice but costs about twice as much as comparable wine from other countries. Several varieties exist, and imported wine at various prices is available nationwide. Specialized stores and large department stores offer the most extensive offerings. Most wine, red and white, is served chilled and you may find it hard obtaining room-temperature (常温
jō-on
) wine when dining out. Japan's best known wine region is the
Katsunuma
region in
Yamanashi prefecture
Matcha
and traditional sweets,
Kyoto
The most popular beverage by far is
tea
(お茶
o-cha
), provided free of charge with almost every meal, hot in winter and cold in summer. There is a huge variety of tea in bottles and cans in convenience-store fridges and vending machines. Unless specified, tea is usually Japanese green tea; Western-style black tea is called
kōcha
(紅茶), and Chinese oolong tea (ウーロン茶
ūron cha
) is also popular. Traditional Japanese teas are always drunk neat, without the use of milk or sugar. Japan also has its own adaptation of Western milk tea, often labelled "royal milk tea", which is widely available at most convenience stores, supermarkets, vending machines, cafes and Western restaurants. Compared to traditional English tea, Japanese royal milk tea uses more milk and less water, making giving it a creamier texture.
Coffee
(コーヒー
kōhī
) is quite popular in Japan. It's usually brewed to the same strength as European coffee; weaker, watered down coffee is called
American
. Canned coffee (hot and cold) is a bit of a curiosity, and widely available in vending machines for about ¥120 per can. Most canned coffee is sweet, so look for brands with the English word "Black" or the kanji 無糖 ("no sugar") if you want it unsweetened.
There are many uniquely Japanese
soft drinks
and trying random drinks from vending machines is one of the little traveller's joys of Japan. Calpis (カルピス
Karupisu
) is a kind of yogurt-based soft drink that tastes better than it sounds. The famous Pocari Sweat (ポカリスエット
Pokari Suetto
) is a Gatorade-style isotonic drink. A more traditional Japanese soft drink is Ramune (ラムネ), nearly the same as Sprite or 7-Up but noteworthy for its unusual bottle, where one pushes down a marble into an open space below the spout instead of using a bottle opener.
American soft drink brands are widely available. The only choices for diet soda will be Diet Coke, Coke Zero, or Diet Pepsi. In Japan, the term "
juice
" (ジュース
jūsu
) is a catch-all term for any kind of soft drink — including even Coca-Cola and the like — so if it's fruit squeezings you want, ask for
kajū
(果汁). Extremely few are 100% juice.
Water
is commonly encountered in the form of plastic bottles of water. The tap water is safe to drink, and you can find filling stations for water bottles through
Refill Japan
, or by asking for water at a friendly restaurant.
Room with a view,
Oboke and Koboke
In addition to the usual youth hostels and business hotels, you can find several kinds of uniquely Japanese accommodation, ranging from rarefied
ryokan
inns to strictly functional
capsule hotels
and utterly over-the-top
love hotels
When reserving any Japanese accommodation, bear in mind that many smaller operations may hesitate to accept foreigners, fearing language difficulties or other cultural misunderstandings. Many Western hotel booking sites also have only a small selection of Japanese hotels available; to explore the full gamut, use local companies
Rakuten Travel
or
Jalan
, which have good English sites.
Pricing for Japanese inns is often
per person
, not per room. Bizarrely, some Japanese hotel chains also charge per person. Read the fine print, and check what meals are included at inns since this can make a big difference in the price (and the experience).
All accommodations are required by law to make a copy of your passport unless you are a resident of Japan. You can speed up check-in by giving the clerk a
photo copy of your passport
, especially if you are travelling in groups. While larger hotels and major chains are fine with credit cards, many smaller places and
ryokan
remain
cash only
Traditional Japanese houses are designed to be cool in summer, which all too often means that they are
freezing cold inside
in winter. Bulk up on clothing and make good use of the bathing facilities to stay warm.
Futon
bedding is usually quite warm and getting a good night's sleep is rarely a problem.
Japanese beds
are small: cheaper hotels offer 120cm wide "semi-doubles" only slightly larger than single beds. Doubles are only 140cm, queen beds (150cm) are rare and king beds unheard of outside Western-branded luxury hotels. Consider booking a twin room if there are two of you and you need space, and expect to pay extra for the privilege. Tatami bedding (see
#Ryokan
) is also very spacious.
Sizes of Japanese rooms are often measured in
jō
(畳), the number of
tatami
(straw floor) mats that would cover the floor, regardless of the room's actual flooring material. Sizes vary by region, with 1
jō
ranging from
1.445 to 1.824
, but a commonly used value is
1.652
(17.8
sq
ft)
. A typical room in a Japanese apartment is 6
jō
(about
9.3
; 100
sq
ft
), big enough to sleep two people with their luggage spread out.
While accommodation is expensive, you may find that you can comfortably use a lower standard of hotel than you would in other countries. Shared baths will usually be spotless, and theft is very unusual in Japan. Just don't expect to sleep in late:
check-out time
is invariably 10:00, and any extensions to this will have to be paid for.
You may have difficulty finding rooms at the busiest
holiday times
, such as Golden Week at the beginning of May. However, many Japanese hotels and third-party booking sites do not accept online bookings more than
3 to 6 months in advance
, so if it's more than 3 months before your trip and you're not finding anything available, either contact the hotel directly or try again later.
While Western-branded hotels (ホテル
hoteru
) can be found in Japan's larger cities, it is Japanese brands that rule the roost. Some of the Japanese hotel chains include:
Full-service five-star hotels can turn pampering into an artform, but tend to be rather bland and generic in appearance, despite steep prices starting from ¥20,000
per person
(not per room). On the other hand, three- and four-star
business hotels
are relatively reasonably priced when compared to prices in major European or North American cities, and even two-star hotels provide impeccable cleanliness and features rarely found in the West in that price range.
However, there are several types of uniquely Japanese and far more affordable hotels:
Space-efficient sleeping in
Sapporo
Capsule hotels (カプセルホテル
kapuseru hoteru
) are the ultimate in space-efficient sleeping: for a small fee (normally ¥3,000–4,000), the guest rents a
capsule
, sized about 2 x 1 x 1 m and stacked in two rows inside a hall containing tens if not hundreds of capsules. Capsule hotels are segregated by sex, and only a few cater to women.
On entry to a capsule hotel, take off your shoes, place them in a locker and put on a pair of slippers. You will often have to surrender your locker key at check-in to ensure that you do not slip out without paying! On checking in you will be given a second locker for placing your belongings, as there is no space for them in the capsule and little security as most capsules have simply a curtain, not a door. Beware though if there is a curtain, since probing hands may enter it.
Many capsule hotels are attached to a spa of varying degrees of luxury and/or legitimacy, often so that entry to the spa costs perhaps ¥2,000 but the capsule is only an additional ¥1,000. The cheapest capsule hotels will require feeding in ¥100 coins to use the shower. This being Japan, there are always vending machines on hand to dispense toothpaste, underwear and sundries.
Once you retire into your capsule, you will usually find a simple control panel for operating the lights, the alarm clock and the inevitable built-in TV. If you oversleep, you may be hit with another day's charge.
In Tokyo's Shinjuku and Shibuya districts the capsule hotels run at least ¥3,500, but have excellent free massage chairs, saunas, public baths, disposable razors and shampoo, magazines, and coffee in the morning. Your capsule "door" is just a curtain that keeps light out. You will likely hear a steady stream of drunk and sleepy business men crawling into their capsules above and across from you before falling into a mild snore.
Why are there so many love hotels?
Consider the housing shortage that plagued post-war Japan for years, and the way people still live in extended families. If you are 28 years old and still live at home, do you really want to bring your date back to your folks' house? If you are a married couple in a 40-square-metre (430
sq
ft) apartment with two grade school children, do you really want to get down to it at home? Thus, there is a love hotel. They can be seedy, but mainly they are just practical and fulfil a social need.
Many love hotels, such as this property in
Himeji
, have unique exterior decorations
Love hotel (ラブホテル
rabu hoteru
) is a euphemism; a more accurate term would be "sex hotel". They can be found in and near red light districts, but most are not in those areas. Many of them are often clustered around highway interchanges or main train stations. The entrance is usually quite discreet, and the exit is separated from the entrance (to avoid running into someone one might know). You rent a room by the night (listed as "Stay" or 宿泊
shukuhaku
on the rate card, usually ¥6,000-10,000), a couple of hours ("Rest" or 休憩
kyūkei
, around ¥3,000), or off hours ("No Time Service"), which are usually weekday afternoons. Service charges, peak hour surcharges, and taxes can push your bill up by 25%. Some will accept single guests, but most will not allow same-sex couples or obviously underaged guests.
They are generally clean, safe, and very private. Some have exotic themes: aquatics, sports, or Hello Kitty. As a traveller, rather than a typical client, you (usually) cannot check in, drop your bags, and go out exploring. Once you leave, that is it, so they are not as convenient as proper hotels. "Stay" rates also tend to start only after 22:00, and overstaying may incur hefty additional "Rest" charges. Many rooms have simple food and drinks in a refrigerator, and often have high prices. Take some food and drinks with you instead. The rooms often feature amenities such as jacuzzis, wild theme decoration, costumes, karaoke machines, vibrating beds, sex toy vending machines, and in some cases, video games. Most often, all toiletries (including condoms) are included. Sometimes the rooms have a book that acts as a log, where people record their tales and adventures for posterity. Popular love hotels may be entirely booked up in the cities on weekends.
Hidden cameras have been found in love hotels, planted by other guests or even occasionally the hotel management. Videos of these supposed
tousatsu
(hidden camera) are popular in adult video stores, although many such videos are staged.
Check out of APA's politics
With nearly 1,000 hotels around Japan, APA is Japan's largest business hotel chain. Unfortunately, founder Toshio Motoya is notorious for his far-right links, and his propaganda tomes on topics like the Nanking Massacre and comfort women are prominently placed in their hotel rooms. Many travelers choose to steer clear.
Business hotels (ビジネスホテル
bijinesu hoteru
) are usually around ¥10,000 per night and have a convenient location (often near major train stations) as their major selling point, but rooms are usually unbelievably cramped. On the upside, you will get a (tiny) en suite bathroom. Some major chains of cheaper business hotels include
Tokyu REI Hotels
, known for its generously sized rooms,
Sunroute Hotels
and
Toyoko Inn
Local business hotels, farther from major stations, can be significantly cheaper (double room from ¥5,000/night). English is rarely spoken, so pre-book online. For two or more, the price can often compete with youth hostels if you share a twin or double room. Full payment is often expected on check-in, and check-out times are early (usually 10:00) and non-negotiable unless you are willing to pay extra. At the very bottom end are dirt-cheap hotels in the labourers' districts of the major cities, such as Kamagasaki in Osaka, or San'ya in Tokyo, where prices start from as little as ¥1,500 for a tiny three-mat room that literally has only enough room to sleep. Designed for homeless day laborers who earn just barely enough to pay the accommodation fee, walls and futons can be thin, and their hygiene standards are often not up to scratch.
A typical guest room in a ryokan
Japanese breakfast at a ryokan. Clockwise from top left: miso soup, rice, cold grilled fish, vegetables, pickles,
nattō
fermented soybeans,
nori
seaweed, a raw egg (stir it into your rice), and more vegetables.
Ryokan
(旅館) are
traditional Japanese inns
, and a visit to one is the highlight of a trip to Japan for many. A night at a ryokan
for one
with two meals starts at about ¥8,000 and goes up into the stratosphere. ¥50,000 a night
per person
is not uncommon for some of the posher ones.
Ryokan usually operate on a
fairly strict schedule
and you will be expected to arrive by 17:00. Before dinner you will be encouraged to take a
bath
see
Public baths in Japan
for the full scoop. But first, you should change into your
yukata
robe, which you wear during your whole stay. For
dinner
, ryokan typically serve
kaiseki
cuisine, traditional meals that consist of a dozen or more small dishes, elaborately prepared and presented from carefully chosen seasonal ingredients. The food in a good ryokan is a substantial part of the experience (and the bill), and is an excellent way to try some high-class Japanese cuisine. While some ryokan have a few rooms with Western beds, usually you sleep on
futon
bedding
, which is not a convertible couch but a comfortable mattress rolled out for you on the tatami.
Breakfast
in the morning is more likely to be served communally in a dining hall at a fixed time. A Japanese breakfast is the norm, meaning rice, miso soup and cold fish.
A last word of warning: some establishments with the word "ryokan" in their name are not the luxurious variety at all but guesthouse-like inns (some minshuku are included). The price will tell you the type of lodging it is.
Minshuku
(民宿) are the
budget version of ryokan
, and similar in concept to a
B&B
. At these family-run houses, the overall experience is similar to ryokan but the food is simpler, dining is communal, bathrooms are shared, and guests are expected to lay out their own futon (although an exception is often made for foreigners). Consequently minshuku rates are lower, hovering around ¥5,000 to ¥10,000 with two meals (一泊二食
ippaku-nishoku
). Cheaper yet is a stay with no meals (素泊まり
sudomari
), which can go as low as ¥3,000.
Minshuku are more often found in the countryside, where virtually every hamlet or island, no matter how small or obscure, will have one. The hardest part is often finding them, as they rarely advertise or show up in online booking engines, so asking the local tourist office is often the best way.
Pensions
(ペンション
penshon
) are similar to minshuku but have Western-style rooms, just like their European namesake.
Kokuminshukusha
(国民宿舎), a mouthful that translates quite literally into "people's lodges", are
government-run guest houses
. They primarily provide subsidized holidays for government employees in remote scenic spots, but they are usually happy to accept paying guests. Both facilities and prices are usually more comparable to ryokan than minshuku standards; however, they are almost invariably large in size and can be rather impersonal. Popular ones need to be booked well in advance for peak seasons: sometimes almost a year in advance for New Year's and the like.
Hostels and camping
edit
Youth hostels
(ユースホステル
yūsu hosuteru
, often just called
yūsu
or abbreviated "YH") are another cheap option in Japan. Hostels can be found throughout the country, so they are popular among budget travellers, especially students. Regular hostels (independent if HI or not) are typically ¥2,000–4,000. It can become more expensive with the official HI youth hostels if you opt for dinner and breakfast and are not a Hostelling International (HI) member, in which case the price for a single night may be over ¥5,000. For HI members, a simple stay can cost as little as ¥1,500 depending on location and season. As elsewhere, some are concrete cell blocks run like reform schools, while others are wonderful cottages in scenic spots. There are even a number of temples that run hostels as a sideline.
Do some groundwork before choosing where to go, the
Japan Youth Hostel
page is a good place to start. Many have curfews (and sometimes a lock-out period during the day when all guests must leave), and dorm rooms are often gender segregated.
Regular hostels can easily be found on the common hotel reservation websites.
A riders' house in
Ishikari
Hokkaido
Riders' houses
(ライダーハウス
raidā hausu
) are super-budget dorms intended primarily for bikers, both motorized and pedal-powered. While anybody is generally welcome, these are generally located deep in the countryside and access by public transport is impractical or impossible. Generally run as a hobby, riders' houses are very cheap (¥300/night is typical, free is not unheard of), but facilities are minimal; you're expected to bring your own sleeping bag and there may not even be a kitchen or a bath. Long stays are also discouraged and some ban stays of more than one night. These are particularly common in Hokkaido, but can be found here and there around the country. The definitive directory is
Hatinosu
(Japanese only).
Camping in scenic
Iya Valley
Camping is (after
nojuku
, see below)
the
cheapest way to get a night's sleep in Japan. There is an extensive network of camping grounds throughout the country; naturally, most are away from the big cities. Transportation to them can also be problematic, as few buses may go there. Prices may vary from nominal fees (¥500) to large bungalows that cost more than many hotel rooms (¥13,000 or more).
Camping wild is illegal in most of Japan, although you can always try asking for permission, or simply pitch your tent late and leave early. Many larger city parks may in fact have large numbers of blue, plastic tarpaulin "tents" with homeless in them.
Campsites in Japan are known as
kyanpu-jo
(キャンプ場), while sites designed for cars are known as
ōto-kyanpu-jo
. The latter tend to be far more expensive than the former (¥5,000 or so) and should be avoided by those setting out on foot unless they also have lower-key accommodation available. Campsites are often located near
onsen
, which can be quite convenient.
The
National Camping Association of Japan
helps maintain
Campjo
, a Japanese-only database of nearly all campsites in Japan. The
JNTO
website has an English-language list with a smattering of camp grounds, and local tourist offices are often well informed.
For the real budget traveller wanting to get by on the cheap in Japan is the option of
nojuku
(野宿). This is Japanese for "
sleeping outside
". Some young Japanese do this when they travel. Thanks to a low crime rate and relatively stable climate,
nojuku
is a genuinely viable option if you're travelling in a group or feel confident doing it on your own. Common
nojuku
places are basically anywhere that has some kind of shelter and public toilets nearby.
Japan is blessed with cheap public bathing facilities pretty much everywhere: notably
onsen
or hot springs. Even if you cannot find an onsen,
sentō
(public bath), or sauna is also an option. See
Public baths in Japan
Nojuku is really viable only in the summer months, although in the northern island of Hokkaido, even in summer the temperature may dip during the night. On the other hand, there's much more scope for nojuku on
Okinawa
(although public facilities on the smaller islands are lacking).
Nojuku is not really recommended for first-time travellers to Japan, but for those with some experience, it can be a great way to get into the
onsen
culture, meet other fellow
nojuku
travellers, and most of all travel very cheaply when coupled with
hitchhiking
Temples and shrines
edit
One of many friendly
shukubō
in
Mount Koya
See also:
Meditation in Japan
Shukubō
(宿坊) are
lodgings for pilgrims
, usually located within a Buddhist temple or Shinto shrine. The experience is broadly similar to a ryokan, but the food will be vegetarian, toilets and showers will usually be shared, and you may be required to participate in the temple's activities, which includes waking up
really
early to join the monks for morning prayers (which can begin as early as 05:00). Some Zen temples offer
meditation
lessons and courses. Shukubo can be reluctant to accept foreign guests, but one place where that will not be a problem is the major Buddhist center of
Mt. Koya
near
Osaka
. Check the web-site of the
Koyasan Shukubo Association
for more details. Prices generally range from ¥9,000 to ¥15,000 per night.
Private accommodation
edit
There are a number of
guest houses
(ゲストハウス) in Japan. Sometimes this is just a synonym for "hostel", but other guest houses are run from someone's private home. Whereas a minshuku is a destination unto itself, guest houses are simply places to stay, and often have convenient locations in cities or nearby suburbs. They may have shared dormitory-style accommodation, and unlike a minshuku or
B&B
usually don't offer meals. Most will have a curfew as well. Some cater to foreign visitors, although some Japanese language ability will be helpful for finding, booking, and staying at one.
Particularly in Japan's dense cities,
hospitality exchange
(民泊
minpaku
) through sites like AirBnB has become very popular. This can be a good way to find a great deal on premium lodging and experience what a typical home is like for many Japanese.
Many of the listings will be for "
mansions
" (マンション
manshon
), which in Japanese is a common marketing term that really means "condominium". Mansions are typically in high-rise buildings with many amenities, unlike apartments (アパート
apaato
) which are usually inexpensive flats.
Minpaku
is a great boon for rural areas with few hotels, but in cities they are strictly regulated. Hosts must register with the government, display a license number on their listing, and comply with limits on when they can be rented out. To get around this, some hosts may attempt tricks like asking you to make a one-night reservation and pay under the table for the additional nights; this is illegal, and would leave you with no recourse if you have problems with your rental.
If you're staying for a longer period, you might be able to drastically reduce your living costs by staying in a
gaijin house
Weekly mansions
(short-term apartments) have become popular for residents (typically businessmen on long-term assignment or young singles) and are accessible even to visitors. Renting an apartment is a ridiculously complex and expensive process. See
Working in Japan#Accommodations
for more information.
Even in Tokyo, the trains completely stop running around 01:00, so if you are out after then and want to avoid paying for a cab or even a capsule hotel, there are a few options for killing the hours until the first morning train. If you need to find one of these options fast, station attendants will typically be able to point you in the right direction. Conveniently, many of these facilities are usually clustered around train stations, and they are used to accepting people who have missed the last train home.
Internet and manga cafés
edit
A typical
manga kissa
in Tokyo's
Chiyoda Ward
In bigger cities, especially around the major stations you can find Internet or Manga cafés. Membership costs around ¥300 one time. Here you can also watch TV, play video games, read comics and enjoy the free drink bar. Prices vary but usually are around ¥400/hour. They often have a special night rate for the period when no trains are running (from around midnight until 05:00 for ¥1,500). Customers are typically given the choice between a computer-equipped or TV-equipped but separated cubicle, while others offer amenities such as a massage chair, a mat to sleep on or even a shower. Some even have private rooms. The cubicles are open towards the top and light can shine in or you might hear the other guests. Expect to pay around ¥2,500–3,000 for 9 h in a cubicle or private room, in case you are looking for a proper sleep.
It is not an especially comfortable option, but it is perfect for checking the next day's train schedule, downloading pictures from your digital camera, writing home, and resting a bit. Often, you may be surrounded by snoring locals who have missed the last train home.
This is only an emergency option if you cannot find anything else and you are freezing outside. Karaoke bars offer entertainment rooms until 05:00 ("free time") for ¥1,500-2,500. Works only with at least 3 people.
Some onsen or sentos stay open all night, especially the ones inside some hotels. You don't necessarily have to have a room at such a hotel, but may still spend the night in the bath and resting areas. These onsen or sentos are known as "super" sentos, and have a 'relaxing area' with amenities such as tatami mats, TV, vending machines and books. Often, for a reasonable fee (on top of the bathing cost), you will be allowed to crash the night on the tatami or in a room with large reclining chairs.
Prices for such overnight onsen or sentos start are ¥1,000–1,500. However, they sometimes have a cutoff time, after which you have to pay for the "next day", often in the middle of the night when you least will want to have it.
In the warmer months, people sleeping or napping on streetsides outside the bigger train stations is a common sight. Many of them just missed their last trains and prefer spending three or four hours waiting for the first train on the asphalt rather than three or four thousand yen for a short-term stay in a hotel or public bath.
While this is definitely the least comfortable way to sleep through the night, it is especially popular with college students (who have no money), and absolutely tolerated by police and station staff; even drunkards sleeping next to their own puke will not be disturbed in their booze-induced sleep.
People from all over the world live and work in Japan.
To work in Japan, a foreigner who is not already a permanent resident must receive a job offer from a guarantor in Japan, and then apply for a working visa at an immigration office (if already in Japan) or an embassy or consulate (if abroad).
The work culture is extremely
hierarchical and formal
, much more so than in Western countries. See the
Working and studying in Japan
article for details. Workers are also expected to go out with their colleagues for food and drinks multiple times a week, which means only getting home when its
really
late. Women might also face some additional challenges.
The
Working Holiday
program is open to young citizens (between 18 and 30) from Australia, New Zealand, Canada, South Korea, France, Germany, Ireland and the UK. Those eligible may apply for working holiday visas without having a prior job offer.
A popular form of employment among foreigners from English speaking countries is
teaching English
, especially in after-hours English conversation schools known as
eikaiwa
(英会話). Pay is fairly good for young adults, but rather poor compared to a qualified educator in most Western countries. An undergraduate degree or ESL accreditation is essential for most desirable positions. North American accents are preferred, and there is unspoken preference for white people.
The
JET Programme
(Japan Exchange and Teaching) offers young university graduates a chance to teach in Japan. The program is run by the Japanese government but your employer would typically be a local Board of Education who assigns you to one or more public schools, often deep in the countryside. No Japanese skills or formal teaching qualifications are required and your airfare is provided. Pay is somewhat better than the language schools, as are the working conditions.
Quite a few young women choose to work in the
hostess
industry, where they entertain Japanese men over drinks and are paid for their time. While pay can be good, visas for this line of work are difficult if not impossible to obtain and most work illegally. The nature of the work also carries risks, notably groping, harassment or worse.
Police boxes (交番 kōban)
Map symbols for a police box (X) and police station (circled X)
Japan is one of the safest countries in the world, with crime rates significantly lower than that of most countries.
Kōban
(交番), usually translated as
police boxes
, can be found in nearly every neighborhood, identified by a flashing red light. The police are generally helpful (although they rarely speak English), so ask if you get lost or have any trouble. They usually have a detailed map of the area around showing the difficult-to-understand numbering system and the names of major buildings to help to find your way. You can report accidents and petty crimes at a
kōban
, but for serious crimes or other police services, go to a police station (警察署
keisatsusho
).
Report any thefts or lost items at the
kōban
. They have forms in English and Japanese, often referred to as the "Blue Form". For lost items, even cash, filling out this form is not wasted effort, as Japanese people will very often take lost items, even a wallet full of cash, to the
kōban
. If you happen to find such an item, take it to the
kōban
. If the item is not claimed within six months, it is yours. If it is claimed, you may be due a reward of 5-15%.
To call the
police
in an emergency, dial
110
(110番
hyakutoban
). To call for an
ambulance
or the
fire services
, dial
119
. Some Japanese public phones have a red emergency button on the lower panel; press this and then dial. In Tokyo, operators proficient in English and other languages are available; elsewhere, they should usually be able to reach an English translator who will have a three-way conversation with you and the dispatcher. In Tokyo, you can report non-emergencies and get translation in English, Korean, and Chinese from the General Advisory Center at
+81 3 3501-0110
; it is available M-F 08:30-17:15 except on holidays. Similar services are available from any prefecture's police headquarters by calling
#9110
(although in some locations you may need to use a local phone number instead), although fewer foreign languages may be available.
Police and the law
Police in Japan may and do detain people up to 23 days before a prosecutor formally files charges, and you may be subjected to nonstop interrogation during this period. This detention period may be extended for another 23 days each time by simply amending the charge. You can hire a lawyer only if somebody outside pays the fees in advance, and your lawyer is not allowed to be present during interrogations. Insist on an interpreter and consular access, and
do not fingerprint
anything
(Japanese equivalent of signing), especially if you do not fully understand what you sign. A signed confession
will
result in a guilty verdict at your trial.
By far the most common pattern of how foreign tourists end up staring at the cold, yellow walls of a Japanese detention cell is getting drunk and then involved in a fight. Standard police procedure is to detain everybody first and to sort out things later. If anybody accuses you of anything even on the flimsiest grounds, you may be looking at an unpleasant extension to your vacation. Over 99% of criminal trials in Japan end in a conviction, so if your case goes to trial, your conviction is largely a formality, and the main job of the judge is to decide your sentence. If you are convicted of a crime, you will be looking at a first-hand experience of Japan's notoriously harsh prison system.
Control your temper and alcohol level: police patrol party areas heavily at night and they will be willing to "rescue" a fellow Japanese from a violent foreigner.
Street crime is extremely rare, even for female travellers roaming the streets alone late at night, but it is still no excuse to ditch your common sense. Women travelling alone should take care as they would in their home countries and never hitchhike alone, though taxis are usually safe.
Pickpocketing
does sometimes happen: be sure to take the usual precautions in crowded places such as trains and at Narita Airport.
Women on crowded rush-hour trains may be targeted by molesters (痴漢
chikan
). Some trains have female-only carriages during rush hour in an effort to combat sexual harassment and upskirting.
A lot of heavy drinking goes on in the evenings and occasionally drunks may be a nuisance, although alcohol-related violence is extremely rare.
The infamous
yakuza
(ヤクザ), the Japanese gangsters, do not target people not already involved in organized crime. Don't bother them and they will not bother you.
Red-light districts in large cities can be seedy, but are rarely dangerous for visitors. However, some smaller backstreet bars and shops that tout themselves on the street have been known to lay down exorbitant cover charges or drink prices. In some extreme cases, foreigners have reported being drugged at such establishments and then charged as much as ¥700,000 for drinks that they do not remember ordering (notably in the Roppongi and Kabukichō districts of Tokyo). Never go into a place that is suggested by someone that you just met. This goes especially for the street touts in places like Kabukichō. Touting is illegal in Japan.
Fake Buddhist monks
edit
Bogus monks often wait outside touristy shrines and temples and approach you to ask for donations or sell you religious trinkets; you should
not
give any money to them. Japanese Buddhism is part of the Mahayana school: monks and nuns do not go on alms rounds, and instead prepare their own food in the monastery. If you wish to make a donation, you should do it at the offering box or the office in the temple; genuine temples will never use high-pressure tactics to solicit donations. Genuine monks and nuns will also never sell you religious items in the street; if you want to buy some Buddhist trinkets, do so at the temple shop.
"Information" may be free, but rest assured the services offered are not
Prostitution is illegal in Japan, but creative interpretation of the letter of the law combined with lenient policing means that Japan still has a large and vibrant sex industry, mostly geared towards the domestic market. Foreign customers are by and large not welcome, and even establishments that accept them often tack on a hefty "foreigner tax".
HIV remains a concern, and infection rates for syphilis have been surging in the 2020s, particularly in Tokyo.
In large cities, especially in red-light districts, there are some kiosks labeled "free information centers" (無料案内所); these provide information for
sex-related businesses
. If you need general visitors' information, look for a Tourist Information Center (観光案内所) instead. Also be aware that in Japan, the term "health" is often used as a euphemism for prostitution that stops short of actual coitus, but you can tell what type of service is being offered from the Japanese name: the pseudo-English term ヘルス (
herusu
) is only used to refer to sexual services, while legitimate health establishments will use the Sino-Japanese term 健康 (
kenkō
).
Contrary to its reputation for very efficient and comprehensive public transport, outside of Tokyo, Japan is a very car-centric culture. Street patterns in much of the country have remained unchanged for centuries, so many roads are small and full of blind corners.
Japanese drivers treat traffic lights differently than other drivers. When the light is green at a pedestrian crossing near an intersection, Japanese drivers will often turn onto you. Usually, they will turn halfway and then stop, allowing you to cross, though it is not unheard of for them to charge forwards at full speed, ignoring people who are crossing. Crossing the street when the light is red is illegal, and this is sometimes enforced.
Gay and lesbian travellers
edit
Japan is considered to be very safe for gay and lesbian travellers, and violence against homosexuals is quite rare. There are no laws against homosexuality in Japan, and major cities such as Tokyo and Osaka have a large gay scene, but same-sex relationships are not recognized by the government, and open displays of your orientation are still likely to draw stares and whispers.
Japanese only
Japan is one of the world's most ethnically homogeneous countries, and many Japanese continue to have insular attitudes towards foreigners. Although Article 14 of the Japanese constitution promotes equality and discourages discrimination, the reality is that there are no specific laws against racial or ethnic discrimination. Immigrants and half-Japanese people are sometimes subjected to abuse and discrimination. The tourism boom since the end of COVID has led to a spike in anti-foreigner, in particular anti-Chinese sentiment, and many Japanese politicians and activists are riding this wave into high office.
The average tourist is
unlikely
to experience racist abuse in any way, shape, or form, and violent attacks against foreigners are virtually unheard of. A few establishments, particularly in the nightlife/sex industry, will refuse entry to all foreigners. Many Japanese claim that the prohibitions are due to language barriers or perceived social incompatibility (for example, foreigners may not understand proper etiquette) and not racism, and indeed some (but not all) places that usually refuse service to foreigners may make an exception if you are able to speak Japanese or bring a Japanese friend. Some establishments may ban foreigners of specific nationalities, with Chinese citizens being the most common targets.
Banks are often reluctant or unwilling to give cash advances to foreigners, stemming mainly from stereotypes of untrustworthiness. If you need to get a cash advance from your bank then Japanese language proficiency, or a Japanese friend to vouch for you, will strongly help your case.
Japanese people in general are quite self-conscious about their English skills and fear that their English ability might be evaluated by others. For that reason, some may be hesitant to talk to you. Communicating with them in Japanese or complimenting their English might help put them at ease.
Earthquakes and tsunamis
edit
Mount Aso
, one of the world's largest volcanic calderas
In towns neighbouring frequently erupting volcanoes, there are shelters to protect yourself from volcanic bombs
Japan is
prone to earthquakes
(地震,
jishin
). The entire country is situated on four converging tectonic plates that constantly rub against together. Earthquakes in Japan can be very destructive and violent.
Every few days, somewhere in Japan is rattled by a quake large enough to be felt, but most of them are completely harmless. Japan is well-prepared for such disasters, though, and has very strict building codes that require buildings to be engineered to withstand major earthquakes. Japan has an early warning system that detects earthquakes and notifies areas that will be affected, giving from a few seconds up to a minute's notice. Use this invaluable time to cover up before the actual jolt.
If you are by the sea and experience even a moderate quake, look for
tsunami
warnings (also in English) on NHK TV (channel 1) and Radio 2 (693
kHz). Most tremors and small quakes will merit only a scrolling announcement in Japanese at the top of the screen. If you are near the sea and experience a major earthquake,
evacuate to high ground immediately
; do not wait for a warning.
Every neighborhood has an evacuation area, most often the local playground. Many schools are set up as temporary shelters. They will be labeled in English. If you are travelling with others, plan to meet there and be aware that portable telephones will likely not work.
There are lots of resources to learn about and prepare for disasters. It almost goes without saying, but this should be done
in advance
. Once a disaster strikes, you may have neither the time nor the ability to go online and read a lengthy document.
Drug laws
in Japan are stricter than those in many Western countries, particularly for smuggling, and there is a strong stigma against drug consumption in Japanese society. Laws
do not distinguish between hard and soft drugs
, so possession of even personal-use quantities of cannabis can land you a prison sentence of several years. Drug trafficking is punishable by up to
life imprisonment
If you have
prescription drugs
, check with the Japanese Embassy prior to your departure to find out whether your medicine is allowed in Japan. If it is illegal, they should also be able to give you information regarding what medicines you can buy in Japan to use in place of your prescription while you are there.
Medicines containing stimulants (like Adderall or Vicks inhalers with pseudoephedrine) are strictly banned under the Stimulants Control Law. Do not bring them.
Asian Giant Hornet
There are
venomous snakes
called
habu
(ハブ) in
Okinawa
, although not in unusual numbers. You are unlikely to be bitten by one, but if you are, seek medical help immediately, as anti-venoms are available.
Bears
have become an issue in Japan. Besides general information about
bears
, check if your destination has any bear incidents. Attacks are rare, but if you are hiking in Hokkaido or Honshu, especially in mountainous areas or the
Shiretoko Peninsula
in autumn, consider buying a
bear bell
(熊鈴 kuma-suzu) and attaching it to your backpack to scare them away.
Especially in the countryside, be aware of the
Japanese giant hornet
(大雀蜂 or 大スズメバチ
ōsuzumebachi
), a subspecies of the Asian giant hornet; it is about
4 centimetres (1.6 inches)
long and can sting repeatedly and painfully. Every year, 20
40 people die in Japan after being stung by giant hornets. A hornet defending its nest or feeding spot will make a clicking sound to warn away intruders; if you encounter one, retreat. If you are stung, receive prompt medical attention, as prolonged exposure to the venom could cause
permanent injury
or even
death
Volcanoes
, storms and
typhoons
are primarily a potential issue if you are mountain-climbing or sailing, so check the latest information before heading out. Stick to designated footpaths in volcanic areas as volcanic gas may be an issue. Typhoons are rarely physically dangerous, but they still wreak havoc with the schedules of planes, ferries and, if there are landslides, trains and buses.
Japanese sockets
Japan uses the same Type A two-pin and Type B three-pin electrical sockets as North America. The two-pin socket is much more common even in new construction, and older ones are unpolarized meaning they won't accept plugs where one blade is wider than the other. To deal with these, if you don't already own travel adapters, you can instead get a "grounding adapter" at your local hardware store. Electricity is delivered at 100V (somewhat lower than the 120V used in North America), and at 50 Hz (eastern half of Japan) or 60 Hz (western half). These only make a difference for large items like household appliances; the vast majority of overseas electronic devices like phone chargers and laptops will work fine in Japan.
The Japanese-language national newspapers
Yomiuri Shimbun
(読売新聞) and
Asahi Shimbun
(朝日新聞) are the two most widely circulated newspapers in the world. Other major national newspapers include the
Mainichi Shimbun
(毎日新聞) and
Sankei Shimbun
(産経新聞).
The Nikkei
(日本経済新聞) is Japan's main financial newspaper, and the most widely-circulated financial newspaper in the world.
The Japan Times
(¥200 daily, ¥250 Sunday) from Tokyo is Japan's largest and oldest English-language daily newspaper, and is sold bundled with
The New York Times International Weekly
Yomirui Shimbun
also prints English-language
The Japan News
daily, and
The Nikkei Weekly
(日経ウィークリー) covers business news from Japan every Monday. Many other English publications have gone online-only.
Urban areas in Japan can be incredibly noisy, with a cacophony of clattering pachinko parlors, jingles playing on repeat at discount stores, and machines looping recorded messages warning you that the traffic light is green or the truck is reversing. If you're sensitive to noise, bring headphones to block out some of the noise.
The
Sound Princess
In women's public toilets, there's often a box that makes an electronic flushing sound when you press the button. What's it for?
Well, many Japanese women don't like the idea of being overheard while in the bathroom. To cover their own noises, women used to flush the toilet repeatedly, wasting a lot of water. To prevent that, the electronic noise maker was created.
The most common brand is called
Otohime
. Otohime is a goddess from Japanese mythology, but here the name is a pun, written with kanji to mean "Sound Princess".
Public toilets can be found in railway and metro stations, larger supermarkets, shopping complexes, department stores, and parks. Public toilets in Japan are free. Convenience stores and fast food outlets may not welcome use of their toilets by non-customers. Public toilets in Japan are generally quite clean and often include disinfectant for cleaning the seat. A lack of toilet paper seems to be a problem of the past.
You will find both Western-style porcelain thrones for sitting and floor-level units for squatting. (If you're unfamiliar with these, it's simple: pull your pants down to your knees, and squat facing the curved hood of the toilet. Get closer to the hood than it looks like you need to, or else you might miss.)
In private homes and home-style accommodations, you will often find
toilet slippers
, which are to be worn inside the toilet and
only
inside the toilet.
Most visitors come away impressed by the undeniable fact that Japan is the world's leader in
toilet technology
. High-tech devices known as
washlets
(ウォシュレット) incorporate features like seat warmers, hot air dryers and tiny robotic arms that squirt water. The device is operated via a control panel and may incorporate over 30 buttons (all labeled in Japanese) at first glance bearing more resemblance to a Space Shuttle navigation panel than your average WC.
A typical washlet control panel. The five large controls are "stop", "buttocks" (normal and soft), "bidet", and "dry". The buttons below control the "move" and "massage" features, while to the right are "water force" (strong or weak) and "nozzle position" (forwards or back).
The first key to solving the puzzle is that the actual flush mechanism is usually
not
operated by the control panel: instead, there is a lever, switch, button, or knob somewhere and it is thus entirely possible to take care of your business without using the washlet features. (In rare cases, mostly with very high-end gear, flushing is integrated; if lifting your bottom off the seat doesn't do the trick, look for buttons labeled 大 or 小, meaning a big or small flush respectively, on a wireless control panel on the wall.) Otherwise, the button for flushing will always be at the far end of the panel and have a large "whirlpool" picture on it.
The second key to exploration is that there is always a big red button labeled 止 with the standard "stop button" symbol ⏹ on the panel
pressing this will instantly
stop everything
. Older models have a lever nearby that controls the flow of a sprayer.
Typical additional controls include the following:
Oshiri
(おしり) - "buttocks", for spraying your rear - typically shown in blue with a stylized butt icon; this action can be unnerving, but travelers should not be afraid - by the second or third attempt it will seem normal
Bidet
(ビデ) - for spraying your front - typically shown in pink with a female icon
Kansō
(乾燥) - "dry", for drying off when finished - typically yellow with a wavy air icon
Other, smaller buttons can be used to adjust the exact pressure, angle, location and pulsation of the jet of water. Sometimes the seat of the toilet is heated, and this can also be regulated. To be polite and save energy, you should leave the cover down on heated toilet seats.
Some washlets have built-in
scent removers/cover-uppers
, which may or may not have a button that allows for manual control. If there is no button that allows you to control it, it will (hopefully) turn off when the toilet senses that the lid is down.
No, it isn't just your imagination! There are almost no rubbish bins in Japan, anywhere. You are supposed to take your trash home with you.
About 30% of the vending machines have bins for the bottles they sell. You are supposed to take off the lid and throw it in a separate place. Also supermarkets mostly have recycle bins for bottles, milk cartons, food packaging, but not for general waste.
Though, some 7-Elevens have a bin for general waste and in public toilets you might be lucky and find a general waste bin.
Coin laundries are common in Japan.
Using people's names
Names are a complicated matter in Japan. Most Japanese follow the Western naming order when writing or saying their names in English. However, when names are written or spoken in Japanese, they always follow the East Asian naming order of
family name followed by given name
. Therefore someone called Taro
Yamada
in English would be called
Yamada
Tarō
in Japanese. The names of historical figures from before the Meiji restoration follow East Asian naming conventions even when written in English.
Using someone's given name when speaking to or about them is considered very personal, and is only done when addressing children of elementary school age or younger, and very close friends. At all other times, the default is to
use family names plus
-san
(さん)
, a suffix approximately like "Mr." or "Ms." Most Japanese know that Westerners usually go by their given names, so they may call you "John" or "Mary" with no suffix, but unless they tell you otherwise, you should still call them "
Family name
-san
" to be polite. (However, don't introduce
yourself
as "John-san". The point is to honor others, not yourself.)
San
is the default suffix, but you may encounter a few others:
-sama
(様) — People above you, from bosses up to deities, as well as customers
-kun
(君) — Young boys, good male friends and male subordinates
-chan
(ちゃん) — Young children and close (usually female) friends
To avoid being overly familiar or formal, stick with "
Family name
-san
" until someone asks you to call them differently.
In business settings, the title is often used in place of the family name when addressing a person; for instance, an employee may address his company's president as
shachō-sama
(社長様, "Honored Mr./Ms. President"), while a customer may address a shop owner (but not the other employees) as
tenchō-san
("Mr./Ms. Storekeeper").
Lastly, the reigning
Emperor
is always called
Tennō Heika
("His (Imperial) Majesty the Emperor"),
Kinjō Heika
("His Current Majesty") or simply
Tennō
("the Emperor") or
Heika
("His Majesty") in Japanese. Calling him "Emperor Reiwa", even in English, is a faux pas since this is strictly his future posthumous name. Calling him by his given name, Naruhito, is considered vulgar.
Most Japanese are very understanding of a foreigner not conforming instantly to their culture; indeed, many believe that their language and culture are among the most difficult to understand in the world, so they are generally quite happy to assist you if you appear to be struggling. However, Japanese will appreciate it if you follow at least the rules below, many of which boil down to social norms of strict cleanliness and avoiding intruding on others (
meiwaku
).
The post-COVID tourism boom has led to a spike in anti-foreigner sentiment in heavily-touristed areas like Tokyo, Osaka and Kyoto, due to the misbehavior of many foreign tourists. Follow the law, be polite, be considerate and try your best to adhere to Japanese cultural norms.
Japanese people tend to be tolerant of blunders in this regard by foreigners. There are a few serious etiquette breaches that will meet with universal disapproval (even when demonstrated by foreigners) and should be avoided if at all possible:
Never walk on a
tatami mat
wearing shoes or even slippers, as it would damage the tatami.
Never leave your
chopsticks
standing upright in a bowl of rice (this is how rice is offered to the dead).
Never enter a
bathtub
without washing yourself thoroughly first. (See
Public baths in Japan
for details.)
Learn a little of the
language
, and try to use it. They will be complimentary if you try, and there is no reason to be embarrassed. They realize that Japanese is very difficult for foreigners and are tolerant about your mistakes; on the contrary, they will like you more for trying.
The average Japanese person
bows
over 100 times a day; this ubiquitous gesture of respect is used for greeting, saying farewell, thanking, accepting thanks, apologizing, accepting apologies, etc. Men bow with their hands to their sides. Women bow with their hands together in front. Women's hands look like they are settled in their lap when bowing (not in a prayer position). The exact degree of the bow depends on your position in society relative to the receiver of the bow and on the occasion: the largely unwritten rules are complex, but for foreigners, a "token bow" is fine, and better than accidentally performing a deep formal bow. Many Japanese will gladly offer a handshake instead or in addition; just be careful that you don't bump heads when trying to do both at the same time.
When you are
handing something to someone
, especially a business card, it is considered polite to present it holding it with both hands.
Business cards
in particular are treated very respectfully and formally. How you treat someone's card is seen as representing how you will treat the person. When accepting a card, use both hands to pick it up by the corners, and take the time to read the card and confirm how to pronounce the person's name. It's disrespectful to write on a card, fold it, or place it in your back pocket (where you'll sit on it!).
Registers often have a small dish used to give your payment and receive change.
When giving money as a gift (such as a tip at a ryokan), you should get pristine unused bills from the bank, and present them in a formal envelope.
When you are
drinking sake or beer in a group
, it is polite not to fill your own glass but to allow someone else to do it. Typically, glasses are refilled well before they are empty. To be especially polite, hold up your own glass with both hands while one of your companions fills it. (It's fine to refuse, but you have to do so frequently; otherwise, a senior person at your table might fill your glass when you're not looking.)
Gift-giving
is big in Japan. If you'll be meeting friends, relatives, colleagues or business partners, it'll be appreciated if you give them a souvenir (
omiyage
), ideally something small, consumable and representative of your home country: candy, cookies, alcohol, soap and stationery are popular options. The wrapping of the gift is at least as important as the contents, and if you're giving the gift to a group like a family or office, it should be shareable and individually portioned. Don't be surprised to get return gifts to balance out the obligation they incurred by receiving gifts from you!
In the unlikely event you are invited to a Japanese home, a gift is basically mandatory. An easy option is to visit a department store basement, which has beautifully packed gift boxes of food for this purpose. Flowers work too, but consult a florist to avoid accidentally giving a funeral or romantic bouquet.
Gifts of money are expected for major events like weddings and funerals. Numerous rules of etiquette too complex to cover here apply, so consult a local for guidance regarding amounts, proper presentation, etc.
Expressing gratitude
is slightly different from obligatory gift-giving. Even if you brought a gift for your Japanese host, once you return, it is a sign of good etiquette to send a handwritten thank-you card: it will be much appreciated. Japanese guests always exchange photos that they have taken with their hosts so you should expect to receive some snapshots and should prepare to send yours (of you and your hosts together) back to them. Depending on their age and the nature of your relationship (business or personal), an online exchange may suffice.
Humility
is highly valued in Japan, and bragging about your achievements will not be well-received. It is also customary to politely turn down any compliments you receive from others. Don't say "thank you" to a compliment, as that will come across as arrogant.
It's obligatory to show respect for
the elderly and authority figures
in Japan. If you're on public transportation, give up your seat for them. If someone in a position of authority requests you to do something, you are expected do it. Japanese authority figures take a very dim view of people who challenge or undermine them. Some priority seats (優先席
yūsenseki
, or シルバーシート
shirubā shīto
, "silver seats") on many trains are set aside for the disabled, elderly, pregnant women, and people with infants.
There are not many
trash cans
in public; you may have to carry around your trash for a while before finding one. Japan is very conscious of
recycling
. Most disposable containers are labelled with a recycling symbol in Japanese indicating what type of material it is. Some types of recycling bins you'll often see are:
Paper (紙
kami
PET/Plastic (ペット
petto
or プラ
pura
Glass bottles (ビン
bin
Metal cans (カン
kan
Burnable trash (もえるゴミ
moeru gomi
Non-burnable trash (もえないゴミ
moenai gomi
Punctuality
is highly valued, and generally expected thanks to Japan's reliable public transit. If you're meeting someone and it looks like you'll arrive even a few minutes late, Japanese prefer the reassurance of a phone call or message if you can send one. Being on time (which really means being early) is even more important in business; Japanese employees might get scolded for arriving even one minute late to work in the morning.
When riding on Shinkansen and limited express trains, it is considered good manners to ask for permission from the person behind you before reclining your seat (
"Isu o taoshite mo ii desu ka?"
), to which they will almost always oblige. Likewise, the passenger sitting in front of you would often do the same to you, and you should respond with a nod of your head.
Please take off your shoes
Hospitality in Japan means giving visitors and guests the very best, no matter how much it inconveniences the host. For example, asking for directions on the street can sometimes prompt the stranger to go out of their way to walk you all the way to your destination. You'll particularly notice this during a homestay, where you'll be offered use of the bath before the rest of the family, and may be given the host's bed while they sleep on the couch. In Western culture it would be polite to refuse such accommodation, but in Japanese culture you should apologize for inconveniencing them, which serves as acceptance of their generosity. Similarly, while entertaining guests it's common for the host to putter around busily in the kitchen and elsewhere, which is meant to create an air of "all your needs are being met"; rather than offering to help them, you should just sit and enjoy the peaceful moment they're offering for you.
Shoes
(and feet in general) are considered very dirty by the Japanese. Avoid pointing your soles at anybody (such as resting your foot on the opposite knee when seated) and try to restrain children from standing up on seats. Brushing your feet against somebody's clothing, even by accident, is very rude.
In many buildings, you're expected to
take your shoes off
when you enter, leaving them in a lowered entryway or a shoe locker. You can borrow slippers if any are available (although they are usually only in sizes for typically smaller Japanese feet), wear socks or go bare foot.
Wearing shoes inside such a building is seen as disrespectful, as it brings dirt and/or evil spirits inside the building. For related reasons, it's preferred if you can both remove and put on your shoes using your hands as little as possible.
In some traditional settings, you may be expected to sit in
seiza
posture,
kneeling
on the floor. This is the traditional way to sit on tatami mats, with or without a cushion. However, today even most younger Japanese can't sit this way for more than a few minutes without their legs going numb, so most foreigners have no hope. Give it a try to be respectful, but when your legs start aching, say
"Sumimasen"
("Excuse me") and change your posture to something less formal but still polite: men may sit cross-legged, and women usually sit with both legs to one side.
The Japanese consider
back slaps
rude, especially if they're coming from someone they just met.
Hugging
is typically reserved only for romantic couples.
Point with an
open hand
, not a finger, and tell people to come by waving your hand facing
down
, not up.
Avoid shouting or talking
loudly
in public. Talking on a mobile phone on a train is considered rude, and many trains have signs advising you not to use them. (Sending text messages, however, is considered
de rigueur
.)
Blowing your nose
in public is considered rude, much like flatulence. (Quietly dabbing at a runny nose with a tissue is fine.)
Smoking
is increasingly banned in public. Most smokers will be found huddled around designated smoking areas.
Saving face
is a very important concept in Japanese culture. Particularly in business settings, Japanese people will rarely say "no" if they are not interested in a deal, and would instead say something more indirect such as "I'll think about it" or "maybe" instead. Body language is also used for this in place of words; if your question is met by someone
loudly breathing in through their teeth
, sometimes accompanied by scratching the back of the head (a gesture that conveys embarrassment), the answer is actually "no". Unless it is by a boss or someone from a position of seniority, mistakes are typically not pointed out, and doing so will likely cause major embarrassment.
is highly valued in Japan. Always ask for permission before photographing people, even in public.
The word
four
(四
shi
) sounds like "death" (死
shi
), so many Japanese buildings skip floor 4 entirely.
Japanese people generally do not discuss their country's
politics
openly and freely. Initiating political discussions might come across as awkward or even rude.
Japan's territorial disputes and complicated relationships with Russia, China, and the two Koreas are sensitive issues that are best not discussed.
World War II
— a touchy and complicated topic, especially with older people. While it is generally best avoided, the vast majority of Japanese people bear no animosity against the United States, and American visitors will get a particularly warm welcome, as most Japanese admire American culture.
Try not to discuss the inappropriate behavior of some American soldiers stationed in Japan.
Avoid talking about Japan's historical marginalization of the Ainu and Ryukyuan people, as well as the Burakumin, as these can engender strong reactions from some locals.
For most tourists, dressing for daily sightseeing in Japan puts you at a disadvantage: you will most likely stand out, no matter how you dress, next to the throngs of
salarymen
(male office workers) in suits and children in school uniforms. Japan is known for being very fashionable, whether dressing in kimono, tailored suits, or the latest trends from Harajuku.
First and foremost:
wear shoes that can easily slip off and on, and keep a pair of socks handy as needed
. Athletic shoes are acceptable, but keep them tied loosely so you can slip them off and on. Dress shoes are acceptable as well, as are quality walking sandals (not flip-flops), although sandals are not common outdoor wear for locals. Japanese culture sees shoes as being dirty, and before entering someone's house, certain restaurants, dressing rooms, and temples (to name a few), you
must
remove your shoes. The older generation of Japanese tend to group steps into two types: wooden ("clean") and concrete or stone ("dirty"). If you are going to be stepping on to wood, take your shoes off and place them to the side; there might even be a cubby hole for you to put your shoes in.
And
don't forget socks,
as it's generally more common to wear socks when in temples and houses, if you don't have slippers available. Japanese people are known for their love of socks, and sock stores selling high quality and colorful socks are found in most cities. Many of the socks sold in Japan are made there. So, bring a pair of socks in your bag while you're sightseeing, if you aren't wearing them. Tights are acceptable for women. Footsies and under the ankle socks are handy, especially if you're going for the "no socks" look.
Shorts are uncommon, and generally only worn by children and teens. Though a common item in tourist summer apparel, instead try stylish jeans or slacks, or capri pants for keeping cool in warm weather. In the summer, women wear sun dresses from trendy stores and breathable slacks made of fabrics like linen. Keep it stylish and comfortable.
In business situations, suits are standard; companies will let you know if you can or should wear casual dress. Suits are worn out for after work drinks and entertainment.
For clubbing and nights out, dress casual cool. Japanese women generally do not wear skin tight, super short dresses and cleavage is rarely shown, unless at the beach. Women dressed in tight short dresses and very sexy looks are often stereotyped as sex workers or escorts. When visiting Tokyo, for example, you will see young women and men dressed in subculture styles, such as Harajuku, Lolita, and punk.
If you plan on visiting a
hot spring or public bath
, they're almost always used nude (except for rare mixed-gender baths). For men, speedos or trunks are fine at a bath that allows bathing suits; for the beach, boardshorts are also okay. For women, a modest swimsuit is better than a skimpy bikini if you're visiting a bath that allows bathing suits; for the beach, bikinis are okay. At public or private pools, you may have to wear a swimming cap; they may be provided for you, or you can bring your own.
Japan in the summer can be extremely warm and humid. The Japanese frequently wipe sweat from their face with a colorful
handkerchief
(ハンカチ
hankachi
), use a
fan
(扇子
sensu
for a folding fan, 団扇
uchiwa
for a flat fan) to keep themselves cool, or (for women) use
umbrellas
(傘
kasa
) to shade themselves. Purchasing one or all of these items is not only a smart way to stay cool, but can provide a lasting memento from your visit. In historic and tourism areas you will find shops selling beautiful fans and umbrellas. Both are affordable investments, though they can be pricey if you wish to have a real work of art. However, most Japanese use cheap but beautiful fans
many made in China
in their every day life, only to replace them when they become hard to close or worn. Cheap flat paper fans are often distributed for free at festivals and events.
Traditional umbrellas can be bought at gift shops, and stylish umbrellas for rain and shine can be purchased at women's accessory and clothing stores throughout the country. Handkerchiefs are popular for both men or women. Some look like traditional cotton handkerchiefs you'd use to blow your nose, others are small towels. Japan's fabulous
depāto
(department stores) carry all colors, makes and models of these necessities. It's an affordable luxury
you can find men's and women's handkerchiefs from high end designers like Yves Saint Laurent and Burberry for ¥1,500 or less. You'll also find locally made versions in gift shops and stores throughout the country. Keep them in your purse or pocket, and wipe your brow when necessary.
Rain umbrellas
are often cheap plastic, and available at every convenience store for about ¥500. Since they all look alike, they're sometimes treated as a communal resource. When you go in a store, you leave yours at the door, and when you leave, you simply grab an identical one, whether or not it was the one you brought. Some stores instead have bags to keep your umbrella from dripping on the floor. Hostels usually have umbrellas to lend, as do some other lodgings and businesses. Rather than toting your own umbrella around, you may find it more convenient to buy a cheap one (if you even need to), "donate" it to your hostel, and buy a new one in your next city.
Religious freedom is respected by most Japanese, and people of all faiths are generally able to practise their religion without any major problems. You are expected to dress and behave in a respectful manner whenever you visit religious sites.
As in many other Asian countries, swastikas are Buddhist symbols representing peace and do not represent Nazism or antisemitism in any way, and you will notice the symbol is actually pointing in the opposite direction. Swastikas are often used on maps to mark the locations of Buddhist temples and monasteries.
When visiting a Shinto shrine or a Buddhist temple, follow the appropriate
cleansing procedure
at the
chōzuya
or
temizuya
before you enter. Using your right hand, fill the dipper with water. Rinse your left hand, then your right hand. Then, cup your left hand and fill it with water, using it to rinse your mouth.
Do not
touch the dipper directly with your mouth. Spit the water onto the rocks. After that, rinse your left hand one more time. Finally, turn the dipper upright so the remaining water spills down to rinse the handle before returning the dipper.