How to Plan a Trip
Things to know 
How to get there 
Places to visit in Japan 
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Planning a trip to Japan? Let’s dive into my best tips on the 11 things to know before visiting Japan!
Planning a trip to Japan can be overwhelming, I get it. I’ve visited three times and I can still be overwhelmed by all of the cultural nuances in Japan. But I promise you, Japan is actually a super easy and tourist-friendly destinations, especially if you have a few tips for Japan under your belt.
This article will cover my top tips for what you need to know before visiting Japan – including tips on getting around, paying, and respecting local customs.
Before we dive into the article, here are some popular tours in Japan to book if you are in a rush:
Top-5 popular tours in Japan
- Join a 1-day bus tour through Kyoto
- Join a day trip to Mt Fuji and Hakone from Tokyo
- Go street go-karting in Shibuya
- Join a private walking tour with a local
- Learn how to cook your own ramen in this workshop
Things to know before visiting Japan
Japanese culture is super unique and differs quite a bit from US culture. I’ve put together a list of my 11 best tips for things you need to know before visiting
1. Take off your shoes indoors
Taking off your shoes is common practice in Japan. You should not only expect to take off your shoes when entering any households or hotel rooms, but also when dining in many restaurants. There are also some shops that require it, so look out for signs.
You’ll typically be provided with a pair of slippers to wear instead, with a separate pair designated for any restrooms.
If you’re wearing sandals or heels, I recommend packing a pair of socks along in your bag for using the communal slippers.
2. Expect people not to speak English
While travelers should never assume that locals will speak English in any country that they visit, I found that far fewer locals speak English than other Asian countries that I’ve visited. Many restaurants also only have menus in Japanese characters.
An offline Japanese-to-English translator will be your best friend. I personally use Google Translate and it’s usually sufficient. The app has features that include translating text from photos (good for menus) or translating from speech (good for conversing with locals).
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3. Load a virtual Suica card
Getting a Suica card is a must! These handy cards can be used for so many different things including metro rides in Tokyo, at konbinis (7/11, Family Mart, and Lawsons), and even at many vending machines.
There is a physical card but I highly recommend downloading a virtual card instead. You can download the card before arriving in Japan and can reload it virtually in your wallet. Reload takes just seconds, making it way easier than a physical card.
4. Dining doesn’t need to be expensive
Food is cheaper than you think! Before visiting Japan I was consuming content about $300 fine dining meals and $20 strawberries. Yes, you can splurge on super fancy and expensive meals and treats. However, there are so many places to eat amazing local food such as ramen and sushi on a budget.
Our average meal across Japan was $10-15 per person, usually for some of the most delicious I’ve ever tasted.
Here are a few budget-friendly dining options, that aren’t just konbini store dining:
- Dame Na Rinjin in Tokyo (Ramen)
- Uogashi Nohon-Ichi Shibuya Dogenzaka in Tokyo (Sushi)
- Mori Mori Sushi in Kanazawa (Sushi)
- Katsukura Tonkatsu Sanjo in Kyoto (Tonkatsu)
- Ajinoya Honten in Osaka (Okonomiyaka)
- Komugi Umare Men Sodachi in Osaka (Ramen)
Comfort Inn Roppongi
Basic but affordable lodging in Tokyo’s popular district: Roppongi. Rates start at $89/night which is a steal for central Tokyo.
Check rates and availability5. Carry cash
Cash is king in Japan, so I recommend planning accordingly. We spent over a month in Japan over two trips this past year, and I was surprised by how many places were cash only. We typically found that most ramen restaurants in particular use a vending machine ordering system that is almost always cash only.
Additionally, many ATMs have a high minimum withdrawal amount so you don’t want to be stuck having to withdraw more than you need on the last day of your trip.
6. Tipping is not standard practice in Japan
Unlike the US and many countries in Europe, tipping is not standard practice in Japan. Some bars or nicer restaurants may have a cover charge included, but tips are never expected. Some locals may find tips to be offensive, so you can keep the extra cash in your wallet for this trip!
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7. Carry your passport for a tax refund
As a foreigner shopping in Japan, you are not required to pay local taxes (equal to 10%) on purchases over 5500 yen (around $40 USD). To get a tax refund when shopping, you need to have a valid passport on you. A copy of your passport won’t work. In this case you typically don’t pay the tax at all, so you don’t need to worry about a refund later.
Alternatively, you can bring your receipts back either to the store at a later date or to an airport kiosk to receive your tax refund.
8. Pack a book to collect Eki Stamps
All of the train stations in Japan have their own Eki Stamps, which are beautiful and uniquely designed stamps. They were originally designed to promote local tourism but today they are just a great way to document your travels! Just look for the desk with the stamp book, or ask a station attendant to point you in the right direction.
9. Don’t walk and eat
In Japan, it is typically considered rude to walk and eat. If you’re buying something from the konbini or a vending machine, you can eat in front of the shop or stand, rather than eating on the go while you walk.
This is definitely not a hard rule to live by, just something to consider when grabbing snacks for the road.
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10. Vending machines aren’t just for hot drinks
One of the things to know about Japan is that their vending machines are superior to all other vending machines. This is because the vending machines serve both cold and hot canned drinks. I don’t just mean hot drinks, but canned coffees and teas that are hot. It’s incredible and I miss it every day.
11. Download a local eSIM with Airalo
The last thing you want is to return home with hundreds of dollars of roaming fees which you didn’t use a local sim. Airalo is a great option for a digital eSIM that costs just a few dollars a day for high-speed local data.
If you’re traveling to multiple countries on your trip, you also have the option of downloading a regional SIM card for all of Asia.
How to get to Japan
Before we dive into my 3 week Japan itinerary, it’s important to discuss how to get to Japan in the first place. You can find direct flights from US destinations to Japan from major airports like JFK, LAX, SFO and SEA. From NYC to Tokyo it is a direct 15 hour flight, while a flight from LAX is only 10 hours.
Most flights from the US arrive into Tokyo, unless you have a layover somewhere else in Asia enroute. In Tokyo there are two major airports – Narita (NRT) and Haneda (HND). If you have the option to fly into Haneda airport, I recommend it. Unlike Narita, which is about 1.5 hours from the city center, Haneda is only about 40 minutes. It is a quicker and cheaper journey into the city center by both taxi and public transportation.
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Places to visit in Japan
Here are all of the places that we visited on our 3 week Japan trip, including a few day trips.
- Osaka
- Nagano
- Matsumoto
- Kamikochi (day trip)
- Takayama
- Kanazawa
- Tokyo
- Kyoto
- Uji (day trip)
- Nara (day trip)
Visiting Japan? Here are some other articles to check out:
- 21 Best Things to do in Kyoto, Japan
- Best Things to do in Takayama, Japan
- Uji, Japan: Everything you need to know
- 12 Beautiful Places to Visit in Japan
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