Japan is a fascinating country to visit and more foreigners than ever before are planning a visit. One of the big attractions with Japan is that it's so different from many places you've been before; the language, food and culture are uniquely Japan and that experience alone is a great reason to visit. With this in mind, we have put together our top need to know Japan travel tips to get you off to a good start.
Understanding a few of these differences early in the planning stage for your trip and some of the opportunities they present is well worth doing. It can ensure you get the best possible experience and maximise the value you get from your travel dollar.
There's a widely held belief that Japan is a very expensive country to visit but that doesn't have to be the case. Although it can't be done on the same sort of budget that many countries in South East Asia can we find it no more expensive than travelling in Australia and in many aspects can offer some great value.
We've been fortunate enough to travel to the country many times in the past 15 years and are regularly asked for our top tips. In this article, I've put together the ones that are most useful as you get underway in the planning process and as you go about your first few days in Japan. I've linked up related resources to delve more deeply and if you have any questions please ask in the comments section below.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
- Check twice before you buy the Japan Rail Pass
- Do some planning before you land
- Consider making use of multi-city flights
- Cash is still king, sort of
- Staying connected - WIFI or mobile data in Japan
- Deciding where to go
- What to pack
- Choosing and booking accommodation
- Pick up an IC Card or add it to your Apple Wallet
- You don't tip in Japan
- Forget everything you know about convenience stores
- Finding and using Public Toilets
Check twice before you buy the Japan Rail Pass
Like many people who travelled in Japan before 2020 we have been big advocates for the JR pass in the past and used it many times over the years but the pricing increase means there are now few itineraries, particularly for the 7-day pass, where it will be a good choice.
Once you have an outline of your itinerary and can see the long distance trips and whether they will happen within 7, 14 or 21 days it will take less than 30 minutes to look up the cost of those trips on Google Maps and confirm for yourself.
Our guide on everything you need to know about the Japan Rail Pass - including when NOT to buy it was published originally back when it was still a good option for many people but it has been updated and the tools and the information in there will still be useful for this part of your planning.
Do some planning before you land
In many places we've travelled, I'm happy to work out what I want to see and do once we land in the country. I don't recommend that for Japan. Most likely you don't speak Japanese fluently, it's very crowded and many of the things that you will want to see and do are widely spread out, even within the major cities. It is worth having a fair idea of your plans and priorities ahead of arriving in Japan or at least setting out from your hotel room in the morning.
Planning will help you make a decision on the need for rail passes as we touched on above, work out whether you are better suited to basing in one or two cities and taking day trips from there or doing a touring style holiday and moving on every couple of days. It will help you balance seeing as much as possible with still feeling relaxed and enjoying everything you do.
I don't want to have an hour by hour plan by any means, we are definitely slow travellers who like to detour and stop often when something catches our eye. For each town or city I know the key things I want to see and do and the overall layout of the area so I can group them efficiently.
If I'm going on a longer day trip I'll also want to have a plan for what train I'm catching, often there are only a couple of super express in the morning and afternoon and that can mean significantly more time at the destination or enjoying an hour or two of relative solitude before the tourist buses arrive.
Consider making use of multi-city flights
Multi-city flights are where you fly into one city (say Tokyo) and home from another (perhaps Osaka), in the industry they use to be called open-jaw tickets. We have used this option several times now when flying to Japan and it's well worth thinking about.
It can give you more time in each destination if you don't need to backtrack to the city you started in and it can also save you money. It's not always an option but is worth considering.
One of the most popular itineraries for first-time travellers in Japan is what is known as the Golden Route, from Kyoto (0r Osaka) in the west through to Tokyo, Flying into Kansai Airport in Osaka and out from Tokyo can be a great option.
Cash is still king, sort of
Despite the advanced technology in most things, Japan has remained largely a cash-based society. We carry a lot more cash when travelling in Japan than we would at home where almost everything is paid by card or by tapping the phone. We've never had an issue with it, Japan is very safe in regards to personal safety and property but I'd still take reasonable precautions.
In the last couple of years we've noticed that credit or debit card use has become exponentially more commonly accepted by retailers and the hospitality industry than on our earlier trips. In the past, we really only used them in the hotel and major department stores but I've noticed on the last couple of trips there were credit card signs welcoming them in places like taxis, train stations, smaller izakaya, family-owned restaurants and stores.
While it is now accepted that tourists use cards more than locals sometime you might want to consider using cash anyway. Small shops, artisan stores and mom and pop run restaurants will still appreciate you paying in cash, if I have the cash and particularly outside the major cities I try to as much as possible.
You can easily get cash out from money machines with English prompts using your EFTPOS card from home in convenience stores like Lawsons and 7-Eleven and at Post Offices.
There's no need to get a pre-loaded foreign cash card but we do now choose to use a WISE card to store foreign currency. I'll buy Yen when the rate is good leading up to a trip then I can pay accommodation, link my Suica card on my phone, buy shinkansen tickets and pay large stores in local currency, it's a better rate for me, often less fees for them and I avoid the international transaction fees my bank card incurs.
We noticed in Australia in 2024 that many bank cards and credit cards that were previously free from international transaction fees aren't any longer so this was quite a saving across those trips. It's worth checking your statement for those sneaky charges and considering a different card or payment mechanism.
Staying connected - WIFI or mobile data in Japan
One of our biggest tips for travelling in Japan is to have a data connection on your phone. There is very limited public wifi and having a few apps will make travelling in Japan significantly easier. We usually do this now by booking an eSIM before we leave home and connecting up from the airport but we used to use a WIFI router and that may be better value for families travelling together.
We navigate and trip plan with Google Maps / My Maps. I prefer planning on the computer but it is very effective using it on the phone when travelling including the various public transport options. Often you need to change lines or even railway company during the journey so anything to make that smoother is great. Google Translate is also helpful in the camera mode to read signs, packaging and menus.
A local in Osaka also put us onto the VOICETRA app which was amazing. You download and set the language it is going from and to, speak into the microphone or have the other person and it translates it by voice and text. I personally prefer Google Translate probably because I am more familiar with it but both are pretty accurate. It enabled us to have a reasonable conversation that would have been impossible otherwise.
We discuss in detail the connectivity options in Japan in this article.
Deciding where to go
The more familiar choices are Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka which are Japan's 3 best-known cities. We love spending time in all three but they have become some busy it's well worth considering an excursion or two off the main tourist trail. This might be something further afield such as Aomori, Kanazawa, Sapporo and Hiroshima, or some of the easily accessed day trips from the major cities, we have some great suggestions from both Kyoto/Osaka and Tokyo.
By heading to some of these destinations you'll experience a Japan that is very different from the cities. Although a small country only around 25% of Japan is usable space, that is either populated or used for agriculture, the remainder is forests and mountains so there is 75% of the country where you can pretty much get away from it all.
Some great Japanese experiences to add variety to your itinerary are hiking, soaking in an onsen and staying in a ryokan. For a bit of inspiration here are a couple of articles that might provide some inspiration:
- Staying in a ryokan in Kinugawa Onsen (Nikko),
- relaxing away your worries in a natural hot spring (Hakone), and
- some light hiking options in Enryukuji, Mt Takao, Mt Misen and Mt Nokogiri
What to pack
While there is a lot to be said in favour of travelling light, it's not my top priority when travelling in Japan. The average Japanese and the average Westerner are generally quite different in build. That makes buying clothes or shoes challenging and while it might be fun to keep an eye out for a special piece to take home, feeling pressure to shop for something you need because you are now cold / hot / forgot to pack it, isn't ideal for most.
In Japan shoes are a big consideration when I'm packing. I know I will walk a lot, far more than I do on an average day at home so I want shoes that I have worn enough to know they are comfortable, fairly easy to get on and off, and will stand up to the weather, fabric and suede that you don't want to get wet aren't good options.
Read more: ALL of our essential Japan packing tips.
Choosing and booking accommodation
I like to have my accommodation booked well in advance for most trips. There are a variety of advantages to this, it means I have already done some preplanning on what I want to be based close to and made sure there are good transport connections nearby.
I always find I get the best deals several months, and up to 6 months, in advance plus if you are travelling at a popular time you may not be able to get into your first choices if you leave it too close to your travel date.
To offset the risk of plans changing I use an
Pick up an IC Card or add it to your Apple Wallet
An IC Card is a stored value card for local transport, the main ones you'll come across are PASMO, SUICA and ICOCA but there are many others around the country. They're each offered by different train companies but it doesn't matter which one you buy, they can all be used on trains, subways and buses around the country.
The only real difference in deciding which to get is that for a physical card there's a small deposit, usually Y500. You can get it refunded at the end of your trip by returning the card but you can only do that in the region where it was issued, so for example PASMO in Tokyo or ICOCA in Osaka.
Our experience is that these cards are well worth it for the convenience of tapping on and off trains, buses and subways without fussing with individual tickets we just manage the reloading towards the end of our trip to ensure we don't leave with a large balance outstanding.
In 2025 we were both on iPhones and converted to having a SUICA in our Apple Wallet. It was so simple to use and to top up instantly from whatever account we wanted to fund it from rather than needing cash and having to find a machine or 7-Eleven. I do believe that this isn't quite as simple with an Android phone as the Google Wallet option will only work on a phone with the Japanese compatable hardware which is rare on any phone purchased outside Japan.
In addition to transport, you can also use your IC Cards on some vending machines to buy drinks or at convenience stores known as Konbini in Japan. This can be quite useful if you are picking up things regularly as Japan's 8% tax means you end up with a lot of Y1 and Y5 coins in your purse that aren't easy to get rid of.
You don't tip in Japan
Tipping isn't part of Japanese culture. Rather than being seen as generous, a tip can cause confusion or even be insulting. Respect the local culture and follow local customs rather than inserting your own even if it feels a bit uncomfortable, in someone elses country it's better that I feel a bit awkward than they do.
The exception is the custom of a 'seating fee' that you will find at some restaurants and izakaya. This is usually in the form of a small dish you didn't order but have to pay for. It's not much and they are usually quite tasty.
If you use the services of a free guide or someone goes out of their way to help you a small gift such as a food or consumable item from your home country is appreciated, I took notebooks with our city on the cover one year that worked well and were easy to carry around. Do keep it small though or people will feel the need to reciprocate.
Forget everything you know about convenience stores
Unless you're on a super limited budget you don't want to limit yourself to eating at the 7-Eleven, Lawsons and Family Mart but you do want to take a look and try some of the dishes and snacks. Forget any experiences you have from home about convenience store food. In Japan, there's no issue with food hygiene or sitting too long under heat lamps, due to its popularity it sells quickly and what is on the shelves is freshly delivered daily.
This does offer an opportunity for anyone looking for a bit of a bargain, in the early evening in supermarkets and at night in the convenience stores, there is often food sold at a discount.
Some of the things worth trying from the convenience stores are:
- Onigiri. Our top picks are the spicy cod roe, prawn and mayo, salmon pieces and salmon eggs (ikura).
- Bakery selection. The Japanese preference for bread being sweet does take some getting used to but it is super soft and delicious. Well worth giving a few of these a try.
- Sunscreen. I now bring home 6-8 packets of the Biore Watery Essence 50+ face sunscreen every time I'm in Japan, it's available at pretty much every convenience store and for me, this is better than all the high-end makeup brand sunscreens I have tried over the years (except Shiseido) but at a fraction of the price.
- Mochi ice cream. This one is Lawsons specific but in the freezer section there are packets of 2 ice cream balls wrapped in a thin soft mochi skin, it's delicious and as you can no longer buy mochi-cremes at every Shinkansen station this is my new best option. (Yes it has been 10 years now, I promise I will get over them disappearing soon although in 2024 I found the real artisan version again in a covered shopping street just down from Nijo Castle in Kyoto and a little Mom and Pop window store in Inuyama so I'm back on the search everywhere)
- Bottles of drink are generally slightly cheaper in the 7-eleven than the vending machines but you will also find an excellent selection of alcoholic options. The flavoured waters in Japan are great too if you need a bit of encouragement to keep your hydration up, the peach or lychee ones are especially good.
- Snacks. If like us you take longer day trips by train then a few snacks along the way can be good, there is a huge range of unique options to try so we usually just pick out a few that look interesting even if we can't make out what they are. Most of the time it turns out well.
Finding and using Public Toilets
Japan is the land of contrast and that goes for the bathrooms too. You'll typically find either a squat toilet (much less common now) or a high-end, ultra-clean automated toilet bowl with a variety of additional functions from a bidet to a heated seat and tunes that mask the sound of you peeing.
Public toilets are common in Japan and not difficult to find, even in smaller regional areas they are usually marked if not in English with clear icons on the signs. All the usual places have them, stations, shopping centres, parks, restaurants, tourist attractions etc.
Long distance trains have toilets, for commuter trains and subways they are at the stations. While long distance buses have toilets, general etiquette is to wait for the convenience stop if you can, they are usually every 2-3 hours.
The one thing that we have frequently found missing from a Japanese public bathroom was a way to dry your hands. It's especially useful in the colder seasons when wet hands will get chapped and sore very easily. We noticed recently hand dryers are appearing more frequently although they generally aren't the supersonic Dyson dryers you might expect to match with the fancy loo.
Bathrooms have been among my most surprising (both positive and negative) experiences in Japan. The ultra-modern washrooms in a stationery store called Itoya in Ginza definitely stand out. As a stationery nerd, I love this store for many reasons but you really do need to head to the bathrooms. As you enter birds start chirping as if you are in the midst of the forest. The toilet bowl is thoroughly cleansed in blue light before and after you use it, the basins and benches are drip-free and the hand dryer gives your hands a thorough blue light cleansing. Just a word of warning though, if you love stationery you will spend a good amount in this store, it's multi-story and continues on the other side of the road.
The memorable for a less positive reason was using a squat toilet on a long-distance limited express train while it was moving. When your balance isn't great this is a challenge although it was almost 10 years ago now and I'd be surprised if all long-distance trains even on the more remote routes don't offer a Western toilet option now.
While some public restrooms still offer the choice of the two styles there are way more Western style than traditional. In the women's queue anyway, most women under 50 will prefer to wait for them to be available rather than use the traditional option.
For those travelling with babies there is usually a changing table and within at least some of the cubicles a built in highchair to safely sit your baby or toddler. While I've not needed to use these myself I have noted they always look very clean and travelling Mums using them have commented on how good the facilities are generally.
Don't overpack - use the laundry
I know that I mentioned above that I am not a 'hand luggage only' traveller in Japan, who am I kidding, I rarely manage that for a weekend away but I also try to take the minimum reasonable amount to get me through. In Japan I find myself manouvering my luggage a lot, up and down to reception, sometimes on and off trains and into storage lockers, the smaller and lighter it is the better.
You don't need 3 weeks, or even really one week's worth of clothes. Hotel laundry and dry cleaning service are very convenient and I do use them but they can get quite expensive so we often book properties with a guest laundry. Personally I'm not going to use my time looking for a laundramat but businessman level and even good international hotels often now have a laundry room that is either free to use or at a reasonable cost.
A hotel guest laundry or an aparthotel with a washing machine is now one of my criteria when selecting hotels for travelling in Japan. I don't need it at every hotel but I try to make sure every 3-4 nights we'll have somewhere I can put a load through. If you are conscious of your travel budget or just have other things you'd prefer to spend your money on this can be a significant saving over either excess baggage or hotel laundry service with minimal impact on your trip.
There is a lot more you are going to learn as you go through the planning process and your own experiences in Japan, we have a tonne of information for you on this site but sometimes just having some context can be helpful., I hope these tips have been able to answer some of your questions.
If there is something you want to know feel free to ask down below, I am progressively updating ALL the articles and information on this site and your questions help that process.
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