what should you get for someone taking a trip to japan

What to Expect on Your Offset Trip to Japan- A Outset Time Company's Guide

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It's hard not to love Japan. Beautiful and evocative, Japan awakens your imagination and captures your middle.

Japan is a nation that'due south not afraid of innovation and progress, nonetheless is passionately protective and proud of its culture. Temples, shrines, peaceful gardens and traditional customs, co-exist with towering skyscrapers, futuristic architecture, speeding bullet trains and a quirky pop-culture.

travelyesplease.com | What to Expect on Your First Trip to Japan: A First Time Visitor's Guide — Zojo-ji Temple and Tokyo Belfry- Tokyo

Nihon is contradictory, yet harmonious. Overwhelming, notwithstanding calming. Japan is a country of contrasts.

On our first trip to Japan, we instantly fell in love. Nihon apace climbed the ranks as ane of our favourite countries. I hold close many addicted memories of travelling in Japan and promise that 1 solar day I will return to experience more of Nihon's beautiful places and culture.

What to Await on Your Outset Trip to Japan

When I was planning our trip to Japan, I was stressed. I plant everything to be a fiddling disruptive, peculiarly the railroad train organization. I tried to get as much information equally possible and so that we would have a smooth first trip to Japan.

As disturbing as it was, my hours of inquiry paid off. We arrived in Nihon confident and capable, aware of what cultural differences to expect. Of course, in that location were things nosotros learned along the style, but it really calmed our nerves to have a base of operations agreement of what to wait for our first trip to Japan.

To assistance ease any fears yous might have about travelling to Japan for the commencement fourth dimension, here are some tips and observations from our first trip to Nihon.

Language

It goes without maxim that Japanese is the predominate language in Japan. English is taught in schools, and then some people we met were interested in conversing with united states to practise their skills. Nonetheless, many Japanese people are not comfortable with everyday, spoken English.
We found that English language was not spoken in smaller towns that don't receive a lot of Western tourists. Some locals would use a translation feature on their prison cell telephone to communicate with united states of america. They would type their message and so interpret the text to English.
In large tourist centres, like Tokyo and Kyoto, English was more common. Hotel staff, and some eating house staff, spoke pretty proficient English language. Other times, English words were pronounced equally if they were Japanese, making it difficult for united states to sympathize.
About of import signs (in train stations, subway stations, major road signs etc.) were in both English and Japanese. My biggest worry was not being able to read the destination signs at train stations, but luckily this was never an issue and we e'er knew where to become off!
Even with the language barrier, the Japanese people were always very polite and willing to try and help u.s. out when needed.

Survival Tips

Endeavor and principal a few basic phrases and polite greetings. An effort at even the most basic Japanese will be appreciated.
My Tourist's Language Handbook (from the Japan National Tourism Organization Canadian Office) came in handy a few times. I could discover the English language phrase in my book and point to the Japanese translation underneath. The Google Interpret app is also an invaluable tool.
It really helped to have our hotel names and addresses written in Japanese. All our hotel booking confirmations from Booking.com had the Japanese translations, so I would only hand the newspaper to the cab drivers and they would know where to go.

Transportation in Nihon

Travelling By Railroad train in Japan

Nihon has a very comprehensive, reliable and efficient rail network. Japan Railways Group (JR) is the main operator but there are also many private railroads linking smaller communities.
In that location are many categories of trains, differentiated past how many stations they stop at forth the way.
Tickets tin can be purchased from machines in the station only we found information technology easier to buy from the ticket counter.
A Nihon Track Pass is a skillful option if y'all will be doing a lot of travelling around the state. You tin choose from a 7 solar day, 14 day, or 21 solar day pass. It seems expensive to buy at commencement but can work out to be practiced deal, depending on the specific train trips you make. Yous must buy a JR exchange lodge from an authorized Rail Pass agent before coming to Japan, and must be visiting on a Tourist Visa (Temporary Visitor entry condition). Use this page to help y'all notice a sales role or more conveniently, purchase your JR exchange order online and take information technology shipped to you lot. When yous become to Nihon, you exchange the voucher for the actual JR Rail Laissez passer. Read our Guide to Buying and Using the Japan Rail Pass for more data.

Using the Subway in Tokyo

The just metropolis we used the subway in was Tokyo. It'south a massive network with numerous lines, merely the signage and color-coded maps made it very piece of cake to use.
Tokyo'southward subway is operated by 2 different companies. Nine lines vest to Tokyo Metro, and four are operated by Toei. It'southward important to note which grouping you will exist using, equally they crave split tickets.
The ticket machines in Tokyo had an English option, making information technology easy to purchase tickets. Y'all tin buy single fare tickets or choose from a few twenty-four hours pass options. The machines accept coins and bills and fares are adamant by how far you ride.
Tokyo's subway can be very busy and crowded, then be prepared to have to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with other commuters (especially between 8:00 am-nine:30 am and five:00 pm–8:00 pm).
People are very serenity on subways and trains, even during rush hr when trains are packed to chapters. Refrain from talking loudly and using your jail cell phone.
The Japanese make orderly line-ups when waiting for the subway (it's marked on the platform where the doors will be when the train stops). When the train doors open, people will move bated and stand forth the train, making it easy for passengers to become off.
If you programme on staying out late, notation that the whole subway system in Tokyo shuts down around midnight until 5:00 am.

Taking Taxis in Japan

Overall, we plant the cost of taxis to be on par with other cities we've used them in. Cabs in Tokyo were the most expensive, starting at ¥710 (about $7 Canadian) for the offset 2 km of travel. After that, the metre went up near ¥100 every 350 metres. Rates are higher at night and on the weekends.
Taxi drivers in Japan will generally not try and scam you lot. They always took an efficient route and were honest with the meter.
You can hail a cab from taxi stands in forepart of train stations or flag i down on the road. It's a niggling counter-intuitive, just a cherry light on the roof or dashboard indicates the taxi is vacant, while a green lite means it's occupied.
In our experience, most cab drivers didn't speak much English, so it helped to take the address of where we were going written in Japanese. Both my guidebooks had place names printed in both English and Japanese, so information technology was easy to just prove that to the drivers. I too, would sometimes have to show them our destination on my map.
Don't try and open up the left rear door, as the driver opens them electronically from the inside.

Renting a Car/Driving in Nippon

To rent a car, you will need to prove an International Driving Permit.
Driving in Japan is on the left-manus side, which was really strange for united states at first.
You lot cannot turn left on a red low-cal.
The roads were in good condition, but some you had to pay a cost to use.
Nigh people in Japan adhere to the traffic rules, but some similar to speed and tailgate.
All the road signs we came beyond were in English language and Japanese.
Our rental car came with a GPS, but it wasn't easy to use. You could modify the vocalism to speak in English, only all the menus remained in Japanese. This made it impossible to scan past points of interest.
Gas stations were full-serve (simply like the proficient-former days!). The gas station attendants would likewise go out to the road and stop traffic and so that we could leave!

Using Buses in Japan

I've seen two different methods for using local buses in Japan. Some you lot board from the front and a flat rate fare is deposited into a slot. Others y'all board from the centre, take a numbered ticket, and pay the fare when disembarking at the front end.
How to use buses that board from the middle: As you get on, take a numbered ticket from the machine at the door. Fares are displayed on a screen at the front end of the bus, so wait at the number on your ticket and your listed stop to determine how much you need to pay. Drop your exact change and ticket into the box beside the driver as you disembark from the front of the bus.
Payment by coins is best for local buses. All the buses I used had a machine where you could change ¥1,000 notes but.
For highway buses in Japan (like the coach-style ones to get to Mt. Fuji and the Fuji 5 Lakes), you tin make reservations and pay in advance. Simply testify your ticket to the driver.
Bus depots are unremarkably located outside train station in the cities.

Accommodations in Nippon

There are many different types of accommodations in Japan. If you're looking for something unique to Japan, try a capsule hotel. For a gustation of Japanese culture, temple lodging or a traditional ryokan (our favourite type of accommodation) are the way to get. In that location are also budget-friendly business hotels, mid-range hotels and deluxe hotels, for those who prefer a footling luxury.
Hotel rooms were Western-style, but very small by North American standards. Plenty of amenities were usually provided including slippers, a robe or pajamas, lather, shampoo, combs and toothbrushes. All our hotels (except for one) had free Wi-Fi available in the rooms.
Ryokans are traditional Japanese inns. Guestroom floors are covered in tatami mats (made out of harbinger and rush) and take a low table surrounded by cushions or leg-less chairs. Sleeping is done on a futon mattress, which will exist laid out on the floor for yous in the evening. Our rooms also had a small, screened-off veranda with armchairs and a table. Some ryokans have communal bathing facilities, while others take private bathrooms in the guestrooms. (Note: Do not wear shoes or slippers on the tatami mats).
Nosotros found accommodations to toll about the same as in Canada. We were paying between $100-$160 Canadian/night (ryokans and temples toll a fleck more). Kyoto had the most expensive hotel rates, by far. We paid at $410 Canadian/dark (and this was on the low end of what we were seeing online!) I'g sure being at that place for peak ruby-red blossom flavour had something do with the loftier prices.
Quality and affordable accommodations tin can hands be found almost train stations in the cities.

Baggage Storage in Japan

Hotels will allow you lot store luggage if y'all arrive before check-in time.
Train stations have luggage lockers in various sizes. There are fewer large sized lockers, and they cost more, and then packing light is recommended. Lockers in stations take coins (usually ¥100 coins only), merely some can exist paid with IC cards similar Suica and Pasmo (rechargeable transportation cards).
Most urban and long distance trains don't take significant storage areas for large luggage, just an overhead rack for smaller bags. Larger suitcases tin can exist stored behind the last row of seats in each auto. For cars that have a designated baggage storage area, it'southward ordinarily only a nook big enough for one or two suitcases. The exception is airport trains like the Narita Limited and Tokyo Monorail to Haneda. Unless you're travelling during high-season or during a vacation, I wouldn't worry about finding infinite to keep your luggage on the train. Worst example scenario, you proceed information technology in forepart of you at your feet (there'south enough leg room on shinkansen to practice this, but it wouldn't exist comfy). It's worth noting that on my iii trips to Japan, I've never had trouble finding storage on the railroad train for my suitcase.

Using Public Baths and Onsen (Hot Springs)

Japan is very geothermally-active and at that place are over ii,000 hot spring areas across the country. Communal bathing in these healing waters has been a custom for centuries and is however a pop activity today.
In most Japanese public baths, bathing is segregated with separate pools for men and women. In smaller establishments, there volition be unlike bathing times for men and women. The segregation is because bathing is done in the nude. It's considered unclean to have any fabric (such as a swimsuit) touch the water.
The bathing room consists of three different areas: a room for undressing, a tap/shower surface area for cleaning yourself, and the puddle area.
Before entering the pool, thoroughly clean yourself at one of the shower stations. In that location will be low stools to sit on and soap to use. Brand sure to completely rinse off any soap before inbound the puddle.
You tin can strategically drape the hand towels across your body as y'all walk to the pool, but do not allow the towel touch the water. Some people would fold up their fabric and put on top of their head while bathing, or only leave it on the border.
If yous have tattoos you will not exist immune to utilise onsens, as tattoos are not yet socially accepted in Nihon.
At get-go I was unsure if I would be comfortable using the public baths, but there was naught sleazy about it at all.

Public Washrooms & Toilets

There were plenty of public washrooms available to use and most were kept make clean.
Toilets ranged from Japanese squat toilets, to high-tech Western-fashion toilets.
The Western-manner toilets had a panel of buttons that you could use to select diverse features. Yous could play "flushing" noises for privacy, choose from various bidet options and even adjust the temperature of the toilet seat. The heated seats were my favourite feature!
Some public washrooms had squat toilets. The best style I tin describe them, is to say that they look like a urinal built into the floor. To employ them, squat over the trough, facing the "hood".
Public washrooms may not accept lather or paper towels/accident dryer to dry your easily.

Currency and Cyberbanking

The local currency is the yen. Banknotes come up in denominations of 10,000, 5,000, two,000, and ane,000 notes. Coins come up in denominations of 500, 100, 50, 10, 5, and 1. For some reason, the ¥5 didn't have the numeric value printed on it like the other coins.
Japan is largely a greenbacks society. We felt weird making small purchases with such big bills, merely shops never paw whatever trouble making modify. What nosotros didn't like though, was having to carry around so many coins!
Credit cards are accepted at most hotels and restaurants in cities. Some taxis and major train stations accepted them every bit well.
Almost 7-Eleven convenience stores and post offices had ATMs that accept foreign debit and credit cards. We but had to use an ATM one time, but had no issues with it being able to read our menu. Cheque with your bank earlier you get out to brand sure your cards will work overseas.

Admission Prices

Visiting tourist attractions in Japan was quite cheap. Most temples and shrines in Nihon were free, except for the more famous ones in popular tourist spots.
Entrance fees to most attractions were under ¥1,000 ($10 Canadian).

Electricity

Outlets in Japan take two flat pins, same as North America.
Electricity in Japan is 100 volts, similar to N America'due south 110 volts, so at that place was no need to utilize a converter.

Restaurants and Nutrient

Popular dishes in Nihon include rice-bowls, noodle soups, hot pots and sushi. Vegetables, tofu and soy products are commonly used as ingredients in Japanese cuisine.
I'm a picky eater and don't like seafood or anything that's remotely "exotic", so I was worried I was going to starve in Nihon. Lucky for me, there were plenty western food options available to go along me alive (I ate a lot of Italian food!)
Many restaurants take realistic-looking plastic "nutrient" displays in their window, so you lot can hands see what's on the menu. There are usually besides pictures on the carte du jour, eliminating the language barrier when ordering. Some places had English menus available.
Yous will exist given a warm, clammy textile to wipe your hands with at the commencement of a meal.
A lot of the meals nosotros ordered were big portions, in large dishes. Looking around, nosotros noticed that many people were sharing their entrees, dishing out onto the provided small, side-plates.
Some restaurants simply had chopsticks but others also had forks and spoons.
It is perfectly good manners to lift modest plates and bowls upwards to breast level, rather than bend your head down to the food. It's also okay to sip soup from the bowl and slurp noodles.
Some restaurants will put a handbasket beside your tabular array for yous to put y'all holding in (purse, bags etc.)
You will likely have to ask your server for the bill when you are done your meal, as they usually don't bring information technology automatically.
The soft ice cream in Nihon was some of the best I've ever had. Information technology'due south and so creamy and delicious! It's readily available and fifty-fifty comes in local flavours like dark-green tea and sakura (cherry blossom).
There are vending machines everywhere in Japan (the country has the world'due south highest number of vending machines per capita!) We saw a lot more that sold drinks than snacks. You lot could choose from a wide range of drinks including juice, pop, hot coffee, hot and cold tea, and beer.

Tipping

Tipping in Japan is not expected and some people may fifty-fifty have offense.

Etiquette at Shrines and Temples

To enter a temple building, yous volition take to remove shoes. Sometimes y'all volition be provided with a plastic bag to carry your shoes in, other times you can get out them at the entrance.
There are no dress codes and the atmosphere is pretty relaxed. Still, show respect when visiting Japanese temples by non being noisy.

Safety in Nihon

Our impression was that Japanese social club is very honorable and the people are very trustworthy. We never worried about walking around with a lot of cash and camera gear, even at nighttime. Still, nosotros took some precautions. In crowded areas, Mike moved his wallet into his front pocket and at night I would put my photographic camera into the bag when walking in less touristy areas.
Japan may take i of the lowest crime rates in the globe, but thefts practice occasionally occur, so don't completely let your guard downwards.
There were warnings in Tokyo's Roppongi commune well-nigh drinks being spiked with drugs.
Women getting groped on crowded trains is a trouble. The subway in Tokyo had designated cars for women only to assist combat this issue.
Japan experiences a lot of earthquakes, and then brainwash yourself on how to stay safety if 1 occurs. The Tokyo Government has a bilingual Convulsion Survival Manual and there are emergency response plans for subway stations.

Helpful Apps for Travelling in Japan

Hyperdia- For train schedules and routes. Information technology'south free to utilize for the first 30 days, then wait until information technology's close to your divergence date to download it.
Tokyo Subway Navigation- Has a subway map and suggests routes. You lot can search by station proper name or popular landmark. It as well tells travel time, transfer information, fare costs, and what exit to have to access popular sightseeing spots.
Nippon Official Travel App- Provides travel tips and short manufactures nigh places and things to do in Nihon. The spot search characteristic helps locate tourist attractions, info centres, hospitals etc. The transit search feature is a little clunky, but can be helpful for planning transportation betwixt and within cities.

Other Tips & Observations on Our Start Trip to Japan

When paying for items at a shop, put your coin onto the trivial tray on the counter. Some cashiers would not take money from our easily.
Japan is meticulously clean, notwithstanding garbage cans on the street are practically non-existent. Do non litter- carry your garbage in your day handbag until you become to your hotel.
I noticed that most Japanese don't eat on the go. I was having a snack while walking downwards the street and got some surprised looks. This custom probably helps proceed the streets clean!
Some other interesting matter Mike noticed was that we were the only ones wearing sunglasses. I call up nosotros saw peradventure one Japanese person wearing sunglasses during our entire two week trip!
When in public, a lot of Japanese wear surgical masks covering their nose and rima oris. This is very mutual during hay fever season. People will also habiliment them if they are sick to prevent the spread of illness.
Japanese people never stepped in front end of me when I was taking a pic. In fact, they would fifty-fifty end other people from walking in front of me and ruining my photo.
Even though there are a lot of people in Japan, things were never chaotic. There is e'er a sense of society, even in large crowds.

Final Thoughts Almost Our First Trip to Japan

We felt very much at ease travelling in Japan. I'm not sure if that's because we were prepared, or considering the Japanese people are very kind, helpful and welcoming. Information technology was probably a combination of things, just either way nosotros were impressed with how easy it was to travel around Japan.

I hope this guide helped relieve whatever dubiousness y'all might have about visiting Nihon for the first time. You may also find our 2 calendar week itinerary helpful for planning your first trip to Japan.

For more Japan travel information and destination inspiration, visit our Nihon Travel Guide.

Resource to Help Programme Your First Trip to Japan

Here are some guidebooks to help you plan your first trip to Japan.

Click here if shopping from Canada.

Accommodations in Japan

For your convenience, here is a listing of hotels in Nippon. Delight consider booking your Japan accommodations through the included link. It costs you goose egg extra and helps support this website. Thank you!

Tours in Nihon

Here is a trusted site where you can conveniently book tours and tickets for activities in Nihon. There's a large choice to cull from!

More Japan Travel Guides

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Itsukushima Shrine- Miyajima Island's "Floating" Shrine

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