50 Things to Know Before Visiting Japan: Tips I Wish I Knew
LAST UPDATED: JANUARY 14, 2025 | EST. READING TIME: 15 MIN
Prior to visiting Tokyo for 3 days, Kyoto for 3 days, and Osaka for 1 day , I had never traveled to Asia. My perceived cultural differences between the East and the West made me anxious, spending hours researching local customs to ensure I’d be a respectful visitor. I’m relieved looking back with the knowledge that my worries were for naught, and my first trip to Japan completely went off without a hitch—now it’s one of my favorite destinations I’ve ever visited!
Nevertheless, if you’re traveling to Japan for the first time and aren’t sure what to expect—I’ve compiled all my learnings and Japan travel tips into the following list, summing up the 50 things I wish I knew before my virgin voyage.
This comprehensive guide covers quite literally everything that’s helpful to know as a first-time visitor, and after reading this list you’ll be more than prepared to explore the marvelously beautiful country that is Japan!
Things to Know Before Visiting Japan: Culture
1. You’ll be hard pressed to find a public trash can, even though the streets are spotless without graffiti tags or stray litter. Carry around a Ziploc bag in your purse—like a doggy bag for yourself—to store trash accumulated during the day.
If you end up with a large and messy piece of waste like a Starbucks cup, find trash cans inside public restrooms as a last resort. Don’t sneakily indulge in any bad habits from home either—littering is strictly prohibited in Japan and may be considered a crime if you’re caught!
2. The rules of the road are reversed, vehicles drive on the left. This is important to know if you book a street cart excursion through Shibuya—and you need to get an IDP from AAA before your trip. For pedestrian purposes, walk on the left side of sidewalks, escalators and staircases.
3. Pedestrians are rule-abiding and follow all posted signage; you won’t see people jaywalking. When boarding trains, quietly line up in an orderly row according to floor graphics dictating where specific passenger groups should stand.
4. Nearly everyone in the major cities will speak English, altogether locals can be shy and act like they lack this ability. If you encounter someone who only speaks Japanese—which is also a good sign that you’re in an authentic, local spot!—use the DeepL app for translations. ChatGPT can work in a pinch too.
Regardless, everyone we encountered was extremely kind and friendly—I can’t recall even one negative interaction with a Japanese resident.
5. When entering an onsen, cleanse yourself before entering the warm tub, not the other way around. The first time I performed these steps in reverse, but luckily I was using a private onsen!
6. The outlets are the same type used in America. Bring standard chargers and electronic products without needing a socket adapter.
7. There’s significant discourse online about eSIMs and let me be the first to say you don’t need one. It may be cheaper in the long run, but I didn’t want to deal with the hassle and my AT&T international day pass worked fine, even when deep in the mountains of Kurama.
8. In Tokyo, say thank you as “arigatou gozaimasu.” Our MagicalTrips guide told us about the local dialect in Kyoto and Osaka which lends “ookini” as an option in these cities. When I used this alternative, I experienced an extremely joyful reception from locals in response.
9. In the restroom you’ll be greeted by a fancy, robot-looking contraption on the toilet that can play bird noises while you do your business. This is a bidet, which sprays water onto your lower half as a more sanitary alternative than wiping.
If the thought of spraying water down there isn’t appealing, ignore the buttons and go about your business as usual. If you play around with the settings, be prepared for incoming spray!
10. Summer is notoriously hot and humid—carry around a small folding fan. Public transportation and buildings are sufficiently cooled by air conditioning, but when walking outside or visiting ancient temples full of tourists you’ll be thankful to have a cooling device on hand!
Things to Know When Visiting Japan: Transportation
11. The Japanese are acutely aware of personal space and take active measures to make the environment comfortable for all. Train passengers are silent with their eyes focused on their device or the floor, taking up no more space than is necessary and avoiding eating or drinking.
Announcements are even broadcasted reminding you to avoid playing music at a volume where the sound would “leak out” into the surrounding space—the Japanese take respectful community considerations to a whole new level!
12. Certain train cars are designated specifically for women and priority seat sections are especially set aside for mothers and the elderly. If you don’t fall into these demographics, be aware of your surroundings and avoid taking up the space marked with signage for them.
13. You don’t need to purchase train tickets in advance, just tap your digital prepaid Suica card on your phone when entering the station.
The one notable exception is the Shinkansen bullet train, which I recommend buying online a few days before your trip since the non-reserved cars fill up with commuters during peak morning hours. Purchase these tickets from Klook instead of RailNinja, otherwise you’ll lose money to useless fees!
Even when purchasing a ticket in advance, you still need to print out physical tickets at Shinkansen machines with the QR code you’ll receive via email. Build in extra time for this task when planning your train station arrival. While this sounds complicated, Klook sends step-by-step instructions with written and photographic guidance! Once onboard, these trains have essentially the same amenities as flights, offering free Wi-Fi and outlets galore.
14. Apple Maps allows you to compare your current Suica balance with the exact fare of the route entered, so you’ll know in advance if you have enough on your card to make the whole journey. If the route requires more yen, top off your Suica digitally within your virtual wallet before scanning your phone and boarding the train.
While the initial Suica set-up requires a minimum of ¥1,000 to activate the card, after this you can enter exact amounts. Since you can figure out fares in advance, you don’t have to worry about leaving extra change on your card at the end of your trip. P.S. – this digital currency can be used to buy drinks at vending machines, like the ones you’ll find around train stations!
15. Luggage delivery services like Yamato Transport require you turn your luggage over two days in advance when shipping between cities. We needed things from our bags during the would-be two-day waiting period, so we felt like this service wasn’t worth the hassle.
Luckily, it’s quite simple to travel by train with luggage. There’s elevators in the main train stations and luggage racks within the large trains used to travel between cities.
16. Most taxi doors are automatic; avoid slamming the door. Simply depart and the door will close by itself. Discern which taxis accept cards as a payment method by looking for a machine attachment on the right passenger seat, or by reading stickers on the vehicle detailing accepted providers.
If you don’t see this screen—which also serves as a translation mechanism—ask the driver before departing if your intended payment method is accepted. For a surefire way to pay with card without a potential language barrier, call taxis using the Uber app.
17. If you’re worried about using public transportation, don’t be. Japan’s train and bus stations boast the best signage I’ve ever seen. The direction, intermittent stops, and end destination of each line is extremely clear, and I never hopped on transportation going in the wrong direction like I always do in New York City.
Each stop is numbered and each line is colored with signage describing which stops the line is heading towards—in both English and Japanese, thank goodness!—plus the screens on and within each train display and play audio describing where it’s headed. You have to be pretty distracted to get on the wrong train, since English directions are written everywhere and played aloud.
18. Traffic congestion becomes an issue during peak hours, delaying you to scheduled events if you don’t build buffer time into your departure plan. Taking public transportation is generally quicker than riding in a cab. Since the buses and trains run on extremely efficient schedules, you’re nearly guaranteed to arrive at the posted route time.
Things to Know Before Traveling to Japan: Money
19. Unlike Europe where American Express holders can find themselves in a pickle when many establishments only accept Visa and Mastercards, I was able to use my Amex for nearly every purchase—the only exception being cash-only vendors.
20. Speaking of cash-only, credit and debit cards will cover 90% of your purchases. The venues where might find yourself hungry or barred entry without cash are: street food markets like Tsukiji Market, street vendors selling wares outside of landmarks, entrance fees to temples and shrines, Golden Gai minibars, gachapon shops, some vending machines, and some local bus and train lines. In these instances you’re never paying more than a few thousand yen, so carry cash around and always save the change—you never know when it could come in handy!
21. When paying, avoid handing the currency directly to the seller. Instead, place it in the small tray presented—which typically holds your purchase receipt as well.
22. Passports on-hand are required to make tax-free purchases—which can reap significant savings on designer goods and luxury skincare. Some shops accept an identification page photo in lieu of the physical passport, but it’s better to be safe than sorry—especially if you’re making a large purchase!
23. When making hotel and restaurant reservations, confirm your intent to stay or dine via email by providingcredit card information in advance. This payment method isn’t charged until the respective service occurs.
I was initially a bit skeptical—both in terms of sending my card details via email and wondering if the supposed “reservations” were real—but upon my arrival all of these bookings were accounted for.
24. If a reservation is cancelled, you may incur a charge via the provider’s policy. Typically they’ll contact you with the phone number originally provided, with the potential to show up to your hotel with a payment device or send a payment link to the hotel.
This insistence to track you down and collect payment is due to a persistent problem in Kyoto where visitors make a reservation but then don’t show up to restaurants that are quite small and only serve a few patrons a night.
Things to Know Before Going to Japan: Clothing
25. You can get away with not packing pajamas if you’re staying in at least mid-range hotels.
Every establishment I stayed in within Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka provided clean slippers and robes—and sometimes even nightgowns and matching sets—inside the closet. I can’t speak for hostel amenities, but hotel-wise you should be fine to use that extra carry-on space to pack additional sightseeing outfits!
26. Don’t wear the complimentary hotel slippers (or robes for that matter) outside your room. As I was kindly told, they are to be worn in the room and not down to the lobby when foraging for snacks in the middle of the night.
27. Some restaurants require shoes to be taken off before entering the establishment, particularly if the floor consists of tatami mats or if dining in a sacred temple like Shigetsu, Tenryu-ji’s Zen vegetarian restaurant.
28. Although I was originally very concerned about creating offense with my outfits—yes, you can wear a crop top in Japan. I wouldn’t recommend this while visiting sacred sites, but when walking around a cityscape like Tokyo no one bats an eye.
Things to Do Before Traveling to Japan: Dining
29. Photorealistic fake food displays in restaurant windows demonstrate what each dish served looks like. This is prevalent in foodie destinations like Dotonbori.
On Kappabashi-dōri in Tokyo, find the vendors who sell this plastic food to restaurants and take home replica food for yourself while learning how these fake plates get made! The lower budget version of this manifests as food photographs in hole-in-the-wall haunts.
30. If you eat during peak hours from 5:00 - 8:00 PM without a reservation, be prepared to wait in line—especially if the establishment is notable like Ichiran in Tokyo. Unless you sign up for a set course menu, many restaurants don’t accept reservations anyways. Account for this waiting period in your overall itinerary.
31. Do not do set menu omakase courses if you’re not an adventurous eater. Consider this your first and final warning, you will be served something you’re not used to eating during an omakase meal, even if it’s not strictly sushi on the menu.
I try everything at least once—with seafood being my most beloved cuisine—and even I was pushed to my limits. After eating raw octopus and uni off the street without batting an eye, the fried Ayu lake fish served during a tempura dinner at the Yoshikawa-Inn was what got me. After biting off the fish’s whole head, that was the end of my delicacy experimentation for this trip.
32. Don’t schedule a set menu omakase for every dinner. If you still want to experience Japanese cuisine with full faith in the chef, I would not recommend reserving this meal style for every dinner during your trip.
I attempted pretty much that to avoid waiting in line without a reservation. Aside from the gradual annoyance of continually being served dishes my Western palate didn’t care for, the volume of food is so outstanding that I found it incredibly difficult to keep eating that much every night.
Towards the end of our trip we asked to switch to the à la carte menu, having no appetite for another 15-course meal with seemingly small plates that amount to a LOT of foot. However, these tastings are prepared in advance, so you can’t opt out once you arrive. Rotate between à la carte and omakase styles and you’ll be much happier with the outcome—both your stomach and wallet will thank you!
33. When omakase meals are offered in a range of price points—a higher price does not correspond with more food, and vice versa. The same number of small plates are generally served across all price points—that is, unless the menu enumerates the number of dishes within each option.
The scale instead determines the quality of ingredients. This is most pertinent for sushi restaurants where tuna nigiri could be served at each price point, but the more expensive menu has higher quality, premium cuts of the same fish.
34. Modern omakase will typically be held in an intimate dining room where you partake in a jovial interaction with the chef throughout dinner. The Bellwood in Tokyo is a perfect embodiment of this creative style, fusing global cuisine with the art of sushi-making and landing the top spot as our favorite Japan dinner by far.
On the other hand, traditional omakase is quite quickly paced. The chef generally won’t speak much you, instead rapidly preparing nigiri for your plate as soon as you finish the current bite. Sukiyabashi Jiro Roppongi Hills quintessentially embodies this traditional style, as the classically-trained son of sushi master Jiro Ono heads this coveted establishment.
The 15-course lunch only lasted 45 minutes before we quickly shuffled out, making this meal feel a bit stale compared to the two-hour long journey around the world we embarked on with Aya at The Bellwood—especially since that dinner lasted twice as long and was half the price! If you’re in a hurry, the traditional style will be your best option to quickly experience omakase before continuing on with your day.
35. Outside of Tokyo’s famed international dining scene, the food reflects the largely homogenous population. You may feel as though your only options are fish, beef (notably wagyu), and noodles like ramen and udon.
By the middle of our trip our Western palates were desperately craving some bread, I scoured every café around Kinkaku-ji until we found a location serving buttered toast with honey—which at the time tasted extra delectable!
These cafés serving tourists around famous landmarks generally have more Western options like sandwiches, but if you’re in the city and need a break from Japanese cuisine Dominos is your best bet for pizza and Baskin Robbins for ice cream—the popping shower flavor is a fan-favorite in Japan!
36. Coffee culture is not revered as a daily morning ritual unlike American and Italian cultures. There’s a sparse smattering of local coffee shops, and they probably won’t open as early as you’d like or offer takeaway options.
Although it pains me, if you want to replicate your basic 8:00 AM iced coffee experience, heading to a Starbucks is likely your best option, even if it’s not the most authentic. 7/11 corner stores also serve cold brew to-go from their refrigerators, and while commuting you can usually find Doutor Coffee inside train stations selling pastries and roasted cups of the sacred bean.
For a truly Japanese experience, substitute your typical coffee intake with green tea.
37. Authentic matcha is quite bitter. Luckily, this beverage of choice is often served with sugar candy shaped like seasonal flora to balance out the grassy taste.
38. Conveyor belt sushi doesn’t always mean the sushi is literally on a plate coming down a conveyor belt. Instead, signs with photos depicting the type of nigiri and associated price ride the conveyor belt, and once you grab a plate the chef will prepare the specified piece for you.
We had sanitary concerns with our initial assumption of how this set-up worked, so rest assured your fish won’t be taking a joyride before you eat it.
Things to Know Before Visiting Japan: Landmarks
39. The Imperial Palace in Tokyo is closed on Mondays and Sundays. If you visit when this fortress is open, you must participate in the free guided tour to actually gain entry to the emperor’s home—which comes with its own process and caveats that require some advanced planning.
40. Unless you head to Fushimi Inari in Kyoto outside of normal waking hours, you’re bound to see hordes of people slowly shuffling through the entryway into the red torii gate tunnel.
As we learned from following two school children, you can cut through and around the crowds by slipping out between the gates and following a dirt path running parallel to the tunnel. The path looks like it veers away from the gates but fear not—it conveniently leads up to a staircase on the left which will bring you right back into the action, you just won’t be stuffed between hundreds of people anymore!
From here, continue through the much less dense sections and snap your obligatory torii gate photo without tons of people photobombing the background!
41. In Kyoto, restaurants and shops are generally closed on Wednesdays.
It’s also incredibly difficult to hail a taxi when it rains. Scheduling a ride through your hotel is the best option, even though the wait is upwards of 30 minutes before a car arrives. If you order an Uber it will likely never come, you won’t find an unreserved cab on the street. If you have scheduled activities , account for this delay.
42. There’s a substantial vintage shopping scene in Kyoto within covered walkways like Teramachi-dori. If you love interesting old and reworked pieces, you’ll be blown away by the volume of Japanese vintage stores filling this mall.
43. Commercial retail opens later than what Americans are used to, usually between 9:00 - 10:00 AM. If you’re an early bird—or jet lagged—the best use of the wee morning hours is to visit perpetually open shrines and temples, since these hotspots become swarmed once the city wakes up!
For sites with set hours, arrive before opening or otherwise join the end of a long queue. Since these beautiful landmarks start to look quite similar with shared common elements, balance shrines and other excursions each day for best results.
44. Speaking of school kids, Japan may be notable for its aging population, but I saw more children at landmarks than anywhere else I’ve visited in the world. Granted these are likely visitors rather than local children, but be prepared to see seas of school uniforms rather than the adult tour groups prevalent in other destinations.
45. This is probably not a fair assessment considering we only spent one full day here the end of our trip, but my hot take is to skip Osaka if you only have time to visit two cities.
In my initial experience it came across as a less cool Tokyo, and I imagine the octopus okonomiyaki and takoyaki dishes Osaka is known for could be acquired in Tokyo anyways. I’d also say it’s not worth going inside Osaka Castle; strolling around the gardens watching street performers and taking a spin in the golden moat boats was my preferred way to spend the afternoon at this landmark.
46. Participate in at least one tour with a local guide to learn firsthand about important rituals performed at shrines, along with the meaning behind each practice.
We embarked on an educational walking tour of Kiyomizu-dera with a native guide from MagicalTours and had the best time!
47. Purifying stations are located around the entry point of spiritual landmarks. To engage in the purification ritual—bow and clap twice before rinsing both hands and the inside of your mouth (but not swallowing the water!) as you step through the torii gate to enter the site.
48. Torii gates are the entry points for temples and shrines, embodying the physical manifestation between the physical and spiritual worlds. Once inside popular sites, amulets and offerings are sold for a few hundred yen, like prayer candles you can light or wooden ema plaques you can write wishes upon and hang on a tree of good fortune.
49. Generally, a brown temple belongs to the Buddhist religion while a vermillion red shrine is Shinto, although both schools of thought are intermixed and present throughout Japanese sites together.
The red pigment of Shinto structures made from mediocre and red earth is an amulet against evil forces; this mixture has been used to preserve wood since ancient times.
50. Shrines and temples offer collectible goshuin, or honorable stamps which can be combined to create a seal book serving as proof of pilgrimage to each location. The stamp includes the site’s name and date of visit. Oftentimes, these are handed to you already printed on a slip of paper once you’ve paid the entry fee.
A completed goshuincho, especially one that checks off visits to certain sites, is said to attribute spiritual fulfillment to the owner. If you’re not automatically handed a slip, kindly ask an attendant on site for help getting your collectible book stamped.
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