Japan

Understand

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is seen in the West as a land combining tradition and modernity, and juxtapositions definitely exist, part of this idea is obsolete, and is a product of Japan being the first Asian power to modernize as well as Western patronization and heavy promotion by the travel industry.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.

Get in

thumb|450px|Visa policy of Japan

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.

Get around

thumb|[[Tokyo/Tama|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.

Buy

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.

Eat

thumb|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).

Drink

thumb|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.

Sleep

thumb|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 u…

Stay healthy

Japan is a country obsessed with cleanliness and health hazards are few and far between. Food hygiene standards are very high and there are no communicable diseases of significance.

Tap water is safe and of good quality throughout the country. Domestic and foreign brands of bottled water are available for ¥100-200 everywhere (at least in tourist destinations). Most restaurants serve filtered tap water for free. Unless specifically labeled "mineral water" (ミネラルウォーター mineraru wōtā), water in Japan has a low mineral concentration in general. Radioactivity levels in the water supply have been closely monitored in some areas since the 2011 earthquake and nuclear disaster, but found negligible as far as water used by civilians is concerned; also see the Tokyo government's daily reports.

If you do become ill with a cold or other sickness, purchase a mouth-covering, cloth surgical mask. You will find that people frequently wear these out on trains and on the job. This filters your sneezing and coughing so you do not transmit to others.

Second-hand smoke used to be a massive issue in Japan, but public transport, public buildings and most offices are now smoke-free, with increasing numbers of cities banning smoking entirely outside designated smoking areas. Since 2020, even restaurants in Tokyo only allow smoking in dedicated, separately ventilated smoking sections.

Despite the name, Japanese encephalitis has been virtually eradicated from Japan. The main reservoir of the virus…

Stay safe

thumb|Police boxes (交番 kōban)

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 (119番 hyakujukyuban). 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 …

Respect

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.