What if I'm headed to Japan for the First Time? 

Many friends of mine have asked me to help them plan their first trip to Japan, and in the process I've written a few tips here and there that I thought I would compile into one place. This guide isn't meant to be a comprehensive guide, but more of a place for a few tips and ideas that I always make sure to give people.  

 

FIRST:

Buy or download a good, comprehensive guide that you like and are comfortable with. Google and Apple Maps have both become fantastic ways to navigate, both in the big cities and even in remote towns and locales. They will very effectively tell you how to get places – but they won’t tell you where to go, or what is worth visiting. A nice physical guide, even one downloaded to your handheld device of choice, is invaluable.  

 

SECOND:

Spend some time researching the major sites in Japan online - browse YouTube and other places to get a sense of places like Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto, Hiroshima, Okinawa - because you are going to have to make some hard choices about where you are going to go. This isn't going to be European Vacation - if you rush around Japan checking off boxes and moving from site to site without slowing down, stopping, enjoying the life, you might as well have just stayed home and watched YouTube clips and eaten sushi from 7-11.  

 

You really should not plan to spend less than 3 days in a particular city, and the trip will be more meaningful every day that you can spend there, so budget your time as generously as possible and try to stay put in one place if you can.  

 

 

THIRD:

PLAN your trip. Figure out where you want to go and plan ahead. Japan is a place where you can go anywhere from anywhere, IF you know the right train/bus/subway. But you need to know ahead of time where you are going to figure out how to make it work. If you are going to use lots of trains, and if you want a RailPass, you have to order it in the US; you cannot get it once you are there. If you go to a city and decide to spend the night, and you don't speak Japanese, making a reservation can be difficult if you haven't done it ahead of time. It's also going to be hard to just rely on people to give you directions; Japanese people tend to be very reluctant to speak English.  

 

 

FINALLY:

Be ready to throw your plans away while you are walking around enjoying the country. You will see so many things that you’ve never seen before, so many interesting and intriguing opportunities, that you should always be ready to abandon your plans and just head down the strange, quiet alleyway, or up into the third floor shop, or off to see the local festival that you just discovered.

 

So, What Should I Do While I'm in Japan?

Well, welcome to my Japan guide. 

I’ll try to make it as useful as possible for your trip. 

 

I’ll try to make a list of things that you might like to do and limit it to things that I have either done myself or know from others are worth doing. There are plenty of touristy things that aren’t worth it, and plenty of things that Japanese people think foreigners should do that we really don’t care about.

 

Getting there

 

You'll probably fly, unless you are a really good swimmer or it's 1910 and you have 6 weeks to travel by boat. (By the way, there are freighters that sell transit to Japan over the Pacific!) When you buy your tickets, you'l notice that the asian airlines - ANA, JAL, Asiana and Korean Air, are all more expensive than the U.S. airlines. Before you just buy the cheapest ticket available on Google Flights, remember that Hardees is cheaper than the new fancy burger joint downtown. You don't go to Hardees when you are on vacation (probably). The last time I flew American Airlines to Japan, I wondered if swimming wasn't a better option after all.  

 

You’ll be most likely arriving at one of two Tokyo airports, Narita or Haneda. Haneda used to be generally for domestic travelers (like National Airport) but now it is welcoming foreign visitors more and more each year. It used to be that you would arrive at Narita, which is now being used more for connections to other Asian destinations. Like Dulles, Narita is an international airport set very far from the metropolis it serves. You’ll need to find a way to get from Narita to Tokyo. There are MANY ways to do this, but my favorite is the Narita Express.

 

Upon arrival, you’ll be expected to pass through immigration. If you’ve ever entered the United States through immigration and customs, imagine that for a moment. Then imagine that it was run by human beings who respected others. That’s what it’s like to arrive in Japan if you are accustomed to the arriving in the U.S.

 

Once you sail through customs, you'll almost certainly be headed to Tokyo, unless you have a connecting flight to somewhere else in Japan, like Kansai International. I won't go into those other airports except to say that they are also wonderful; Kansai International has NEVER LOST A BAG. Ever. Not in 30 years, as of 2024. Because Japan, that's why.  

 

The best way into Tokyo from Narita is the Narita Express (N'Ex). To use the N’Ex (Narita Express) go to either of the JR (Japan Railways) counters at Narita Airport. The N’Ex will take you to any of the major stops in Toyko, including Shibuya and Shinjuku. Before you leave, however, try to pick up a Suica card for yourself. However you obtain them, I cannot overemphasize how useful a couple of Suica cards for you and your companion(s) will be. I’ll cover that more in “getting around.” Suffice to say you’ll love your Suica cards because they are easy to use metro cards for using the busses and subways and buying things at the convenience store and from vending machines.

 

Depending on where you are going, another good option from Narita is the Keisei Skyliner. To take the Skyliner, after arriving at Narita airport, go downstairs to where the train platforms are and look for this counter where you can pick up tickets for the Skyliner. You can also pick up tickets for the local train that stops at every station too. I think the ticket is about 1,000 yen cheaper but takes longer.

 

You can also get into Tokyo from either Narita or Haneda by using the Limousine Bus. I’ve taken that a few times and it’s also a convenient option. It can cos up to 3,000 yen to get into Shibuya, for example. It typically takes between 75 and 125 mins to get to Shibuya. I only recommend this route if you really can’t be bothered to carry luggage around the trains. The bus is costly and often gets stuck in traffic. The bus follows a particular route so it won’t take shortcuts to avoid traffic.

 

Speaking of Taxis, if you pickup a standard taxi outside the airport, be prepared to pay 20,000 yen (At least $200) to get into central Tokyo from Narita, and nearly as much from Haneda. It will normally take 60 - 90 mins.

 

 

Hotels and Accommodations - Reservations

 

Nowadays, Expedia and other travel sites have excellent resources for making reservations. However, western travel sites classify rooms according to western conventions. In Japan, however, it is very common to make reservations according to very different conventions; for example, do you want dinner, or just breakfast, or no meals? For dinner, would you like your dinner to be simple, normal sized, or deluxe? At breakfast, would you like a western-style meal or a Japanese-style meal? Would you like a Japanese-style room or a western-style room? Would you like your room to have a toilet or are you willing to use a communal restroom? Would you like your room to have a shower? Or a full bathtub?

 

If you choose to use a western booking site to book a traditional Japanese hotel or Ryokan, you might find the listings to be confusing. Sometimes you will see multiple listings for the same room with little explanation as to the difference; that is probably some algorithm attempting to translate the options.

 

A terrific alternative for western visitors is to use the website “Japanican.” (Not an ad – I just really like the website). It is an English-language site that lets you navigate the options, and because it is so well designed, it can give you access to many Ryokan and Minshoku that are not available on standard western websites.

 

Hotel Options

 

Japan has several hotel options. First, you could just reserve a room at any of the Western Hotel chains in Tokyo. You could also just eat at McDonalds the whole time, watch your "Friends" DVDs on your laptop in bed, and never leave the hotel bar. You are in Japan, for goodness sake. Try something different.  

 

Japan has several major hotel chains of its own, including ANA and JAL (yes, the airlines). These tend to be Western-style hotels, and can offer professional concierge services that are quite convenient. In addition, the next level of hotel are for business travelers, or "Biz Hotels."  These hotels, like Dormy Inn or MyStays, are a little smaller and geared towards business travelers. Still, some hotel chains, like Citadines, still have terrific concierges and comfortable surroundings. Plus, Dormy Inn and MyStays often have their own onsen (hot bath) and free breakfast or late-night snacks, like udon and ramen.  

 

Moving towards the more authentic are Japan's Ryokan. These are traditional lodgings, the kind that Japanese people will often select when they vacation. Eschewing modern conveniences (but not completely), they typically offer a traditional breakfast and dinner as part of their cost. The meals are normally taken in a large room, where you have your own appointed table, dine at an appointed time, and eat a pre-selected meal that features local cuisine and specialities of the house. Ryokan also traditionally feature a communal (but not gender-mixed) hot bath, or onsen. The onsen is usually a major feature of a Ryokan and a big attraction for a Japanese tourist. If you can, I STRONGLY recommend that you stay at a traditional Ryokan, at least for part of your visit. You will never forget the experience, which is uniquely Japanese.

 

On the more budget-end are Minshoku, which are basically just bed-and-breakfasts that lack an onsen or an elaborate dinner. Often a small breakfast or meal is available, but the experience is more of a lodging-focused one. A Westerner-friendly such place is the Sakura House, which is geared to foreigners, but plenty are available for Japanese tourists as well.

 

Lastly, I would be remiss if I didn't mention Airbnb, VRBO, and similar services. While some Japanese cities have cracked down on these services, others have embraced it. This option is for the most adventurous - while some hosts love to play tour-guide, others are entirely absent, leaving you to fend for yourself. In Japan, something as simple as taking out the garbage, or using hot water, can be a real challenge. Still, if you want to live like a true Japanese person, accept no substitute.  

 

 

Money

 

Japan is a cash-based economy that is at the brink of a cash-less society. They skipped the credit card and now most people carry money in electronic form in their cellphones (I’m not making that up). COVID changed all that, and now you can use credit cards in probably half the places you visit. However, many ATMs do not take credit cards and may not take your foreign ATM card. You should carry some cash.  

 

If you are worried about carrying too much cash, you should remember that this is a society that is generally very safe. Obviously you should be smart and not be careless or flash your money around. But if you’ve lived in New York, LA, or D.C. and you are still alive, you know how to handle yourself in a City. From there, should you lose your wallet, just visit the nearest Koban (Police box) and the friendly policeman will probably have it in the lost-and-found. The money will still be there. No shit. Look it up on the internet. It happens all the time. During the tsunami clean-up workers turned in millions of dollars in cash to various lost-and-found agencies. Much of it is still unclaimed. 

 

I suggest carrying dollars into the country and exchanging them at the airport. I exchanged money in the United States, and it was not as good of a deal. Narita and Haneda have banks that have terrific exchange rates. ATMs are also a fantastic way to exchange money; 7-11 ATMs work with many foreign ATM cards and have a good exchange rate. Japan Post Office branches usually have ATMs and accept even more cards and have an even better exchange rate. Also, if you are flying into Haneda, there is an Aeon ATM in customs after immigration that has a very good exchange rate as well.

 

 

Getting Around

 

Tokyo and the major Japanese cities are truly made for people without cars. There are literally millions of city residents who live without cars, and I’ve met many people who don’t even have a driver’s license. In fact, it can cost thousands of dollars to obtain a driver’s license in Japan and the entire nation is built to serve its pedestrian population with safe, convenient, and inexpensive public transit options. 

 

There are three main forms of public transit: Busses, subways, and trains. The trains generally connect urban centers to the suburbs, but Tokyo also has a train system that circles the entire city like an enormous beltway and stops at major wards. The subways and busses operate like those in the United States, except that they are clean, comfortable, run on time, and are utterly convenient. 

 

There are two ways to use the subways and busses and trains. You can go and check out the elaborate chart in each station that calculates what your fare will be to get from one place to another and waste countless minutes/hours figuring it all out with your portable abacus and then going back and putting more money on the ticket because you miscalculated….OR you can buy a farecard and put a bunch of money on it and use it until the card is low, and then fill it up again. That is the ONLY way you should do it. 

 

The fare card is awesome. You don’t even have to stick it in the machine. Keep it in your wallet, and then swipe your wallet across the turnstile – it reads through your wallet, or your jacket, or your backpack, or whatever. You can even use it at some vending machines and convenience stores. It’s awesome. It’s convenient. It’s Japan. Rock on. 

 

**Spring 2024 Update: These cards are apparently sold-out nationwide due to a chip shortage. Japan is slowly adopting Apple Pay and Google Pay as an alternative, but that rollout is not complete. If you can track down a fare card, it’s still the best way to pay for transit. There are still places to find them.

**Fall 2024 Update: According to a recent visitor, “Welcome Suica” physical cards are now available for tourists.

ALSO: For iPhone users you can select Suica, ICOCA, and PASMO cards through the Apple Wallet and simply have a digital card with no need for a physical one. Adding to your balance is extremely quick and easy. I have used this option for years and it is VERY convenient. Note that virtual SUICA cards in the Apple wallet do not work on many vending machines and non-transit terminals, but work great on trains, busses, etc.

  • Per my recent visitor contact, though, Android phones don't appear enable this (unless they are Japanese).

 

General Advice

 

Tips for walking around: 

 

a. Carry a handkerchief.  Bathrooms are squeaky clean (you’ll be totally shocked) but often do not have hand towels.  That’s because most people carry their own.

 

b. Everyone lines up on the opposite side on stairs/escalators, etc., except people from Osaka. 

 

c. People will claim not to speak English, but most people under 25 remember English quite well. They will be very embarrassed to use it, unless you force them to.

 

d. BE CAREFUL TO TAKE YOUR SHOES OFF WHEN NECESSARY. There are many places you will need to take your shoes off, and some of them will surprise you. The best thing to do is to keep your eyes out. Many restaurants require you to take off your shoes when you step into the eating area. Many offices require you to take off your shoes when you enter certain areas. Many museums/temples require you to take off your shoes in certain areas as well.

 

e. Along the same lines, wear shoes that are easy to take on and off. Then make sure to bring a few good socks that are in good condition. You will be taking off your shoes often, which also means that complicated shoes aren’t a good idea either (hard to take on and off). You might even want to carry an extra pair of socks to change into during the day. However, Japan is FULL of cute-sock shops so if you forget, they’ve got you covered.

 

 

f. ALSO – sometimes there will be slippers in the area where you take your shoes on and off. These slippers are often not for you to walk around in inside the facility/restaurant/museum/temple. Instead, they may be slippers for you to wear to the bathroom if you need to step out and go to the bathroom. DO NOT wear the bathroom slippers except when walking to the bathroom and be careful to TAKE THEM OFF when you return. 

 

g. If you are taken out to dinner, DON’T TRY TO PAY unless it is clear that you have to. You will offend your host. When he pulls out his credit card, don’t say “I’ll pay” or “let’s split it”  If he is older/superior/the host, you are his guest and he is expected to pay. You are insulting him/her if you offer to pay. 

 

h. Don’t pack an umbrella – they sell them everywhere and they are super cheap. If you want raingear, bring a good raincoat that will pack up small. You won’t want to lug a heavy one around, but if you have an ultralight one, that can be nice. Umbrellas are a little inconvenient to deploy in a packed crowd in Tokyo.

 

i. Bring your favorite deodorant/personal hygiene product. They are difficult to buy in Japan. Bring a 30-day supply of any medications you need. If you have anything that is prescription, make sure that it is legal in Japan - Japan has very strict rules about amphetamine-style drugs (including Ritalin) and anything remotely psychotropic (including many psychiatric medications). If you aren’t sure, check actual Japanese immigration sites on Internet. I have had to look it up before and it can be complicated.

 

j. If you happen to take a taxi cab, DO NOT try to open the door, either from outside or inside. It is operated by a lever in the car and you will upset the driver if you open it by hand. 

 

k. Whatever the season, it’s good to bring layers to wear in Japan, because you can go from a cold train platform to a really warm store/subway car/restaurant quickly, and then find yourself in a temple with no heat at all. In the summer, it can be brutally hot outside but the department stores will blast the AC at you as soon as you enter. In the winter, it can be the opposite. Be ready to switch quickly to adapt. However, avoid bulky/puffy clothes or big bags. You will (maybe for the first time) feel “big” in Japan, especially in shops, restaurants, and spaces that are made for someone 75% of your size. Puffy clothes or big bags just make it worse.

 

L. Make sure to bring a change purse. In Japan, the $1 and $5 currency is in change, so most of your money will be in coinage. Also, remember you will need to carry your passport with you everywhere. Make sure to make a copy of your passport and bring it with you, storing it somewhere other than your regular passport, so that if you lose the real thing, you can have a backup.

 

 

Most of all, experiment, wander, roam, explore, and HAVE FUN!  Japan is an amazing land and you never know what you will find at the end of a little alleyway or down a quiet street.  Zoning doesn’t really apply when your city is over 1000 years old. 

 

You will, of course, get lost. You will want to ask for directions at one point. Don’t be afraid to do so – Japanese people are incredibly generous and feel strongly about the need to be welcoming and friendly towards foreigners. Unlike some cultures (*cough* U.S. *cough*) they are thankful for foreign tourists and value them. However, they are also generally terrified of having to speak English, even though all of them studied English as children through High School. Generally, English proficiency/willingness to speak English falls in a descending order as follows:  Young women (18-30), women (30-60), young men (18-30), older men (60-dead), and then everyone else.

 

 

 

Eating

 

Japan is my favorite place to eat. If you are wondering how long you can endure eating Japanese food every day, then Japan is still a great place to go. You can certainly eat rice at every meal and eat sushi and noodles until you turn into a kimono-wearing starch-faced ghost, but there are as many types of Japanese food as there are neighborhoods in Tokyo. 

 

General Food Advice

 

As a general matter, you can eat like a king at convenience stores, and the food is really good and not expensive. You can get pretty much anything that you would buy at the Japanese restaurant you’d find in a U.S. shopping mall, including gyoza, hand-rolls, various teas and sake, etc.  In fact, it might even be better! The only sticker shock you might have is for the price of fruit, which is a bit more expensive. 

 

Also, you should go to the authentic Japanese places. In Tokyo and Kyoto, many will have English menus. AVOID THE FOREIGN TOURIST FRIENDLY PLACES – they are way too expensive and are built for tourists to take their money. The food in Japan is freakin’ awesome and way cheaper than you think it would be. Most Tokyo residents eat out a lot because it’s the same cost to eat out as it is to cook in. 

 

 

 

Types of Restaurants

 

“Kaiten-Zushi.” This is a restaurant where they serve sushi on a conveyer belt. You seat yourself at a bar where there is a conveyer belt traveling around the restaurant. If you want an item, take it. Stack the plates next to you. Tea is available from the dispenser at your seat. Wasabi, ginger, and soy sauce too.  At the end the waitress looks at your stack and gives you your bill based on plate colors and the number of plates. It is the restaurant Mr. Rogers would have made if he had been born in Osaka. 

 

 

 

“Ramen-Ya.” A must-visit, a ramen shop serves big steaming bowls of ramen and generally nothing else. Only trick is that you can’t order there, at least not from a person. Instead, you buy your order from a vending machine that, in turn, sells you a little ticket for the food you want to eat. Then you take your ticket to your table, where your waitress takes it from you and comes back with your food. If you don’t know where to go, one option is Ichiran. Ichiran is an institution. Experiencing Ichiran is a necessary rite of passage, especially if you are going the become a Ramen connoisseur. Plus, it’s a near-religious experience, entering your own special ramen-carol and focusing on your bowl. Lastly, you will learn the most important word in Ramen-ese: おかわり, which at Ichiran is called “Kaedama" (替え玉). It means “seconds”, basically, and if you order O-Kawari, the chef will serve you another helping of noodles for your broth.

 

 

 

“Udon-Ya.” Same as a Ramen-ya, except with Udon noodles rather than Ramen. 

 

 

 

“Fam-Ra.” Family Restaurants took off in Japan a few years ago and now restaurants like Bikkuri Donki and Denny’s run operations that look very western on the outside but in fact sell a variety of Korean and Japanese dishes. The quality is OK but the experience is hilarious if you like irony. 

 

 

 

"Curry-Ya" You probably wouldn't have guessed that these restaurants serve Curry. Who knew? Not the kind of curry you might expect, though, if you are accustomed to Thai or Indian Curry. This style of curry came to Japan in the early 20th century and grew to popularity in Korea and Japan as an inexpensive meal. Many Curry restaurants offer a choice of toppings, including fried pork, chicken, vegetables, potato cakes, and other delicious choices

 

 

 

“Yakatabune.” Literally floating restaurants, both Tokyo and Kyoto have a series of these available and they are both a great way to see the cities and also a chance to eat great food. 

 

 

 

“Yatai.” These street vendors will often carry an entire kitchen in their cart and sell ramen or Tako-yaki(friend octopus) or any of a number of delicious foods to however many seats can fit around their cart. (You’ll find them in Korea too.)  Don’t be intimidated; they are often delicious. However, don’t expect their English to be very good. Nowadays many yatai come in the form of kitchen-cars, little minivans that are retro-fitted with tiny kitchens. 

 

 

Finding Places

 

Tripadvisor has started to collect great information on restaurants in Japan, so you can use that and find fantastic places. Still, I'd encourage you to start using Tabelog, and try the English version of that site. It's the Japanese version of Yelp. Once you figure out how to navigate it, it's  a great way to find cool places. Japanese people love to take pictures of their food, so any entry will have many photos of the food at a restaurant, which can help you figure out where you want to go.

 

One warning, though: the Japanese do not believe in giving "4"s and "5"s to places unless they approach eternal perfection. Consequently, a rating of "3.5" means the places is one of the best places in town. A "3" means the food is good and everyone likes it. Sort of like the US, honestly – you should never go to a Chinese restaurant in the US that has a 5-star rating. The 3.5-star places are usually the most authentic….

 

 

 

Exercise

 

If you aren't taking long, exhausting walks every day, you'll probably want to get some exercise while you are in Tokyo. Here are a few tips. 

 

If you are a runner, you should know that many parks do not welcome runners, and in fact forbid running on their main paths. Instead, runners have designated areas where they can and cannot run. However, Tokyo has many terrific sports facilities left over from the 1964 Olympics that they still operate as public gymnasiums and running tracks. The main facilities cost as little as $6/day and allow guests. They have swimming, indoor gyms, fitness classes, and up-to-date facilities.  

 

 

 

 

Tech Issues

 

Phones

 

If you have AT&T, first, my apologies, and second, you should ask them to set you up with international service.  It is a very convenient option and the last time I had any trouble with it was 2008; it has worked flawlessly since then. I am told that Verizon is equally reliable.

 

As far as getting a signal – I’ve gotten a signal while walking on mountain trails in Shikoku, an island off the mainland. Service is generally quite good, especially since many people rely on mobile service as their primary Internet provider.

 

 

Internet

 

When I started visiting in the early 21st century, it was still difficult to find wifi Internet access in Japan. Don’t expect wifi everywhere. There are many places that have wifi, though, from stores to nightclubs to entire cities and towns. Don’t be surprised, however, when you open Google and it’s all in Japanese – Google sets your language by your IP address, not your computer. You can still type in English just fine.

 

As far as public wifi, if you are comfortable using it, it is now in many places all over Japan. As soon as you arrive at Narita or Haneda, you’ll see that both airports have wifi. Tokyo and Kyoto made a big push to upgrade their wifi infrastructure in advance of the 2020 Olympics. The pandemic put an end to the Olympics, but not the wifi upgrade.  Every day there are more free wifi services available to tourists throughout Tokyo and Kyoto. The services are changing all the time. In fact, even the tiny island of Shikoku is attempting to build a free-wifi infrastructure for tourists that will surround the island!  

 

 

Electrical

Our plugs work there fine – as long as they are two-prong.  No three-prong, so bring an adaptor for that.

 

 

Do I need to learn Japanese to visit Japan?

 

You do not need to learn Japanese to visit the major cities such as Tokyo and Kyoto.  Tokyo is VERY English friendly. There are plenty of signs in English all over, especially in the subway system.  You can get around by subway without any Japanese, more easily than by Taxi in my opinion.  The museums also have lots of English – I’ve been to some tiny, remote museums in little villages and found an English guide to the place.  

 

It is not a bad idea to pick up a few “survival” phrases, not only for convenience, but also for the pleasure of speaking Japanese. The Japanese people have a true appreciation for anyone who takes the time to learn their language, even if only a few words. You will probably even get a few compliments (Note:  the number of compliments you receive is generally inversely proportional to your true ability). 

 

There are plenty of good podcasts that are free, and Youtube has some good introductory words. Words like please, thank you, yes, no, hello, goodbye, “where is”, are all useful. 

Fortunately, most Japanese people know many English nouns. As long as you know “Where is” you can follow it up with an English noun and you are good to go. Also, if you learn “do you have” – same rule applies.

 

Of course, the Google Translate App is terrific in this regard. You can now take a picture of a sign or a word and get an instant translation. In an emergency, you can even get it to translate an English word (like "Sucking Chest Wound" or "Fugu Poisoning") into Japanese. Plus, you have the live-translation AI options, like Chat GPT. In my experience, GPT is quite good at speaking Japanese.