1. Get off the Golden Route:

• The best-known spots in Japan are also the most crowded, and don’t always live up to expectations (see our blog on Tokyo and Kyoto – should you believe the hype?). Instead, visit the utterly beautiful Kyushu; the paddy fields and steeply rising conifer-clad slopes of the Japanese Alps; the gushing gorges, folkloric traditions and samurai towns of Akita; the lesser visited tropical islands of Okinawa; the patchwork of farmland and the volcanic heights of Hokkaido; and the unknown coastal coves and fishing villages of Izu Peninsula’s West Coast. See more on ‘Off the ‘Golden Route’ – How to avoid the crowds in Japan’.

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2. The early bird:

• Outside the main cities, attractions and restaurants close early in Japan. Arrive at an izakaya at 6:45pm and it is likely to be full already. Last orders are often at 8.30, even sometimes in cities. In popular gastronomic destinations such as Takayama, many restaurants require a reservation, or have queues outside. Aim to hit your dinner spot by 6.30pm to avoid having to hunt around. Check closing times at other places – museums and some temples shut 4.30-5pm and onsens can close at 3.30pm.

3. Prep the lingo:

• Learning a few basics will help you get around and interact with the locals you meet. See here our blog on ‘Be understood in any language – 100 word hack’. In Japan, the level of English is better in cities but it is not widely spoken outside. Google translate will help you a great deal. For understanding instructions, downloading a visual translation app is helpful. Comprising three distinct ‘alphabets’, Japanese is a hard one to learn to read.

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4. Take a bow:

A lot is made of Japanese etiquette; enough at times to be off-putting. The reality is that cultural unwritten rules are less stringent (newsflash: people DO blow their noses in public in Japan!). However, a level of compliance will make you feel more in tune with the local culture.

• Bowing is commonplace as a greeting and in thanks.
• Passing and receiving is always done with two hands (money, change, receipts, leaflets).
• Avoid tipping – it can be deemed disrespectful. Good service is part of the culture and staff are adequately remunerated.
• Queuing in an orderly line is an absolute must – be this for a bus or at a breakfast buffet.
• Eating while walking or on transport (apart from Shinkansen bullet trains) is frowned upon.
• Litter must be taken home / back to your hotel – there are very few bins in public places (carrying a plastic bag helps).
• Japanese society is founded on respect for others, and signs and even recorded messages on loudspeakers (often unaccountably preceded by a blast of hymnal organ music) reinforce the rules.

5. Get connected:

Being constantly connected will be imperative for travelling and translating.

• E-sims work well (although they disconnect if you restart your phone – clear the cache of the e-sim app if this happens). Buy one before you travel and activate it when you arrive.
• The best option for working on the go is to invest in a dongle / ‘internet box’. These are available at international airports in Japan. While you’ll need to recharge it nightly and carry it with you, it gives great, stable connection and you can assign various devices to it. It is also cheaper than roaming.

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6. Google that: 

• Google maps works excellently in Japan for viewing public transport options and planning the quickest route. It even lets you know which exit to take from labyrinthine metro stations in large cities. It also works much better for getting to your precise destination than GPS systems when hiring a car.

7. Embrace the Mystery:

• With the language and cultural differences, one of the delights of travelling in Japan will be the intrigue of the unknown. Embrace this, but get a guide in some places to ask those burning questions to: “How do Japanese car number plates work?”, “What is proper chopstick etiquette?”, “Why are ‘go’ traffic lights blue?”, “How do they make those replica dishes in the front of restaurants?”

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8. Seasons:

• Japan blooms in Spring. Briefly. Counting on seeing the blossoms may leave you disappointed. A huge industry exists around showcasing Japanese hotspots framed in pink. In addition to the resultant overcrowding at this time of year, the ‘sakura’ is fleeting and may not blossom to coincide with your visit.
• Similarly, regarding the quintessential images of Japan, bear in mind that picture perfect views of Mount Fuji are particularly elusive year-round. In our 5 weeks in Japan there was only one day when Fuji was visible.
• Summer works for travelling to Japan. While most people react with surprise and portents of unbearable suffering when hearing you’re going to Japan in Summer, it’s really not that bad. It can be 35 degrees and humid, but European cities often reach similar temperatures in August. And Japan is better equipped for hot weather, with air conditioning on all public transport.
• Autumn provides a grand array of colour, which is more reliable than the pinks of spring, while Winter sees the Northern parts covered in snow. Skiing options are plentiful in Hokkaido.