When it comes to Japan travel pep talk, I’m of two minds. On one hand, I’ve spent over a decade exploring Japan. Explaining the ins-and-outs of the country brings me an incalculable joy and fulfillment.
It also brings visitors to my website, and money: If I underplay how intimidating Japan can be, or how cumbersome it can be plan a trip there, I risk rendering the products and services I provide obsolete.
To the extent I can, my goal over the next few paragraphs is to the perfect balance of Japan travel advice. Clear and concise, but also reflecting of how rich and nuanced the country is. Aimed both at total newbies without a lick of knowledge, as well as repeat visitors who might need to have a slice of humble pie.
The Biggest Myth About Traveling to Japan
Is it difficult to travel to Japan? As much as it might not seem like it to you, as you begin to plan your trip, take it from someone who knows: Japan is not a “hard” place to travel. Can it be cumbersome, tedious and/or frustrating? Absolutely, if only because of Japan’s millennia-old culture, and the sometimes unwritten rules that hold its society together. But once you understand the the method to Japan’s madness (or perhaps more accurately, the madness inherent in its method), things quickly get easier.
Now, this doesn’t mean you should arrive in Japan cocky, or overly sure of yourself. But I do encourage you not to be to worrier, or to get intimidated in advance. Japan, above all else, is a “Type A” country, and if you’re able to follow instructions (which are both denoted and connoted throughout Japan), you will quickly learn the rules of the proverbial road here. Moreover, Japanese people are kind—and they’re eager to help, even if you don’t speak their language or they don’t speak yours.
My Top Japan Travel Tips
Don’t stress about the language barrier
If you have visited Japan 20 or even 10 years ago, I could see a validity in being concerned about a lack of English signage or speakers. These days, however, English is everywhere in Japan, from train stations (whose employees can virtually all speak at least some English), to roads (even in the countryside), to virtually everyone you’ll interact with who works in the tourism industry. With this being same, learning some basic Japanese phrases will definitely earn you goodwill.
(Or the trains)
Speaking of trains in Japan, it probably won’t come as a surprise that some of my most sought-after advice for visiting Japan concerns them. However, I think most people overestimate the difficulty of Japan’s train system. When it comes to Shinkansen bullet trains, for example, services are so frequent that you can generally purchase day-of tickets. For urban rail systems such as the Tokyo Metro, on the other hand, Google Maps integration is so good that you don’t need to learn too much about it in advance.
Be mindful of packing—but not obsessed with it
I can’t tell you how many of my custom Japan itinerary clients stress out about packing. Now, you should definitely think intently about what you want (and don’t want) to bring in Japan, particularly if you (like me) enjoy having the perfect outfit for every destination. On the other hand, I advise packing lighter than than heavier: You can buy many things on arrival in Japan (especially warm inner and outer layers—just go to Uniqlo!), and often at a cheaper price than in your own country, thanks to the persistently weak yen.
Ignore the hype about “overtourism”
If you Google “tips for my Japan trip” (or really, anything about Japan), you’ll be inundated with whining about “overtourism,” and maybe even a plea to stay away. However, I encourage you to take this entire issue with a grain of salt. Whether you lean into Japan’s popularity in crowded spots like the Gion Geisha district in Kyoto, or go far off its beaten path in destinations like the Izu Islands or Kesennuma city, do your part to be a good human, and remember that no one is any more or less entitled to be anywhere than you are.
Plan on coming back, if you can
You can’t see everywhere in Japan on one trip—or even on 100 trips, as I have personally learned. Moreover, Japan is a destination that gets better the more you visit, and one you can appreciate more deeply the older you get. While I love assisting travelers with their first trips to Japan, there’s nothing like someone coming back for a fifth (or 50th!) time and seeing them custom-fit destinations and experiences to match their personalities and interests.
Get Personalized Guidance for Your Trip to Japan
I can tell you that Japan isn’t a hard place to travel until I’m blue in the face, but the reality is that you might still be nervous about your trip. And that’s OK—I don’t judge you for feeling that way, even if I’m sure your impression will change by the time your trip is over. Instead, I offer my personalized assistance, in the form of my popular custom Japan itinerary service.
From practical tips such as a Japan packing list to more esoteric discussions about where (and when) Japan is at its most beautiful (and, well, its most “Japanese”), I’ll combine your preferences and my experience to create a one-of-a-kind Japan trip plan for you. Stored conveniently as a Google Doc (and, thus, accessible from anywhere), it includes individualized tips about where to go, what to eat and where to stay for each day of your trip, plus specific instructions for how to get around.
Other FAQ About Planning Your Trip to Japan
What should I be aware of when traveling to Japan?
If I could give one piece of advice to travelers planning their first trips to Japan, it’s this: Blend in. Japan is a country defined by harmony, which means that worst thing visitors can be is disruptive. Obviously, people will know you aren’t Japanese; very few of them will fault you for it. But to the extent you can, do as local Japanese people do. Everything else flows from your ability to do this.
Is it still safe to travel to Japan right now?
Japan is one of the safest countries in the world, no matter which way you look at it. It experiences frequent earthquakes; its cities and towns are also built to an extremely strict seismic code. There’s virtually no crime in Japan (neither violent nor petty), and its Shinkansen bullet train network has never recorded a single fatality. The only danger of going to Japan is that you’ll want to go back again and again!
Is it difficult to travel in Japan?
It can be cumbersome, tedious or frustrating to travel in Japan, but it isn’t really difficult. Japan is one of the most organized countries in the world, and once you begin to understand this organization, a successful trip is simply a matter of following rules and instructions therein. People only tend to have difficulty traveling in Japan if they arrive with the wrong attitude, or simply refuse to do as the Japanese do.
The Bottom Line
I obviously hope you’ve found my Japan travel advice informative, but I also hope it inspires you. For one, Japan is not nearly as difficult a travel nut to crack as people claim it is, and certainly not as it was back when I started visiting. Once you calibrate your expectations to reflect this—and, to be sure, have a clear idea of where in Japan you want to visit, and how long you’ll be able to stay there—planning a trip to Japan is a much more manageable task. Assuming, of course, that you want to plan your trip yourself. If you don’t, I encourage you to consider hiring me to plan a custom Japan itinerary. In it, I’ll give you personalized daily recommendations for activities, meals and accommodation, plus detailed transportation advice throughout.
