Brandy's Top 11 Things to Know for Traveling in Japan

I have had many requests over the past couple of years to continue my blog. I also often receive words of thanks from friends and family members on social media for sharing the adventures of our travels. Many people will never touch down on the foreign lands that our family has had the good fortune to travel to, and by sharing my experience, I hope you can feel a glimpse of the experience from my perspective.  I’ve now lived in Japan for a year and a half. One has to be willing to be open to an Asian culture to not only live here, but to thrive here.  Life has gotten away from me lately, but it’s important to me to share our Asian travel experiences with you. May these experiences inspire you to travel to Japan, and if that won't be possible for you, may they give you a glimpse of the glory of the experience......Of course, I couldn't have a nice round number of a top 10 things to know in Japan! Here are 11! 

11. Tipping is not a thing. If you leave a tip on a table at a restaurant, don’t be surprised if the employee at this establishment chases you down in the street after you leave. They will think you accidentally left your money behind.

10. The bottom of your shoes are considered filthy. When you walk into a restaurant, shrine, house, school or any establishment, and there is an area for shoes, you are to take them off, and walk in socks, slippers, or barefoot in the establishment. At the pre-school that I work at, there are inside shoes and outside shoes and you are to never wear your inside shoes outside and vice versa. Putting your shoes up on an ottoman, table, or chair, is also considered rude. 
*Bring socks if you’re not okay going barefoot

9. Some degree of flexibility and balance is required. When you walk into a restaurant and everyone is sitting down on the floor, you will need to get down to eat, and get back up. This includes sitting on the floor for over an hour of dinner. Believe it or not, this isn’t easy for western folks.  Also, when you enter an establishment and need to take your shoes off, there is not always a chair to sit in, so you will have to stand to take your shoes on and off. I can’t tell you how many more grunts are heard from our family versus a local Japanese family!  Many times, restaurants have some Japanese tables and some Western tables, but often times, the western tables are full. There have been many instances where sitting this way was not a choice if we wanted to eat.

8. There are very few garbage receptacles and there are different categories for disposal. Japan is working on being a society with very little trash. People bring their garbage home with them and clean after themselves everywhere, from a baseball field to their seat on a train. Bring a small bag with you for this instance. At my house, there are 6+ different categories of garbage/recycling and they’re all picked up on different days! It’s insane! However, there are 4 main categories you need to know about for travel in Japan: 
1. Combustibles (papers, kitchen garbage, doggy doodoo)
2. Plastic bottles
3. Glass bottles
4. Plastics
When you stay at an airbnb in Japan, it is expected that you sort your garbage and also clean it before disposing of it. This is also expected while camping. It’s expected everywhere!

7. Bowing is a thing. Japanese people bow for everything, everywhere, even in the car while driving. The proper way to bow in public is with your arms at your sides, bending at the waist with back and neck straight, feet together, and with your eyes cast downward. Normally, this is accompanied with “Arigatōgozaimasu,” which is ‘thank you’ in Japanese. Even shopping in 7-11, you will experience a bow or two just at the counter for your purchase. When watching two Japanese business people interact, it is completely normal to see 10 different bows from each party. 

6. Waiting in line is not a hardship and patience is a virtue. One thing I know about Americans is that waiting in line is something we can’t stand.  I know, I’m one of them! Japanese people will wait in line for whatever, for however long it’s required. They won’t roll their eyes, sigh, or lose patience. This has taught me to relax a bit and be more patient. 

5. English is not spoken everywhere, even in the city. However, you can get by at restaurants with knowing very little Japanese, but you might be turned away. Many restaurants have ipads for ordering with different language options and there are countless apps for translation, however, some restaurant owners feel uncomfortable with the language barrier. This is not something to be offended about. We are in their country. However, sometimes they will ask if it’s okay if everything is in Japanese (like the menu), because they want to provide a good level of service and want to make sure we are comfortable translating on our own. Google translate does not always do the best job of translating, so I also recommend the ‘Photo Translator’ app in this instance. Below is an example of a poorly translated menu. FYI, Tacos in the Living Room and Horse Cock were not actually items offered on the menu. 

4. Toilets usually have a full bidet washlet nearly everywhere. From a rest stop to a hotel to a 7-11 bathroom. The toilets are typically very clean and have buttons for cleaning your bum after going number 2. Some even have waterfall noises and bum dryers. You can feel comfortable in the bathroom anywhere. There are some local toilets with a hole in the ground, but I have never been in a situation, even in the country or camping. In my experience, there is always another stall with what the locals call a western toilet. ​

These are the buttons for the functions of a typical Japanese Washlet toilet

These are those same buttons translated.

3. You are expected to be quiet on the train, on the bus, in many restaurants, in coffee shops, in your hotel room or airbnb, and many other places. There are even signs on the train and bus asking you to refrain from talking, because talking can increase the chances of spreading COVID. I have been on a bus that was packed to the brim with 50 people and you couldn’t hear a pin drop, my friends. I mean it.  It’s considered very rude to be loud at places where people are quiet and peaceful.  As a general rule of thumb, we gauge the level of noise where we are and determine how loud we will be from that.  We work hard not to be obnoxious Americans!  If you want to go to a place where you can be comfortable to be as loud as you want, I recommend an Izakaya (a bar with Japanese tapas), or a Yakitori restaurant (kebab). In these establishments, people are more laid back about the noise level!  We once stayed at an airbnb in Fukuoka, Japan that had a noise decibel meter. When reading the information for an airbnb, there are constant warnings of quiet hours with consequences if the police are called. Always read the reviews!

2. You MUST experience the onsen and go naked!!  Japan is full of mountains and volcanic hot springs!  An onsen is a spa-like experience where you can soak in various hot spring baths. These are in many hotels, airbnbs, and even out in nature in the middle of the woods.  Typically, the men have their own onsen and the women have their own separate onsen.

How to enjoy the onsen: 

1. In the entryway, you remove your shoes. 
2. When you walk in, you are expected to undress and put your clothing in a basket or locker. 
3. From there, you shower. Most people shower sitting down. There are always cleaning products like shampoo, conditioner, and body soap. Some are more elaborate with face wash, moisturizers, etc.  
4. After you shower, you enter the onsen. There are usually a few different hot pools of various temperatures and some are outside. There is sometimes a cold pool, as well. It’s very relaxing. No one stares at you, but everyone is naked. 

***Big tip: Tattoos are considered offensive and not allowed at all in the onsens. This is because tattoos are associated with a Yakuza (gang). You can bring flesh colored stickers to cover them up, but you still may be turned away. Be sure to do your research and ensure tattoos are accepted before entering. It can be embarrassing to be turned away. If you have tattoo sleeves or too many tats to cover up, maybe rent an airbnb that has its own private onsen. You must not leave Japan without experiencing an onsen!!

1. Rules are rules, even if they don’t make sense to you. Japanese people are rule abiders and do not like bending the rules. If you’re in the middle of the city at night and no one is around at a crosswalk, people will still wait for the crosswalk light to turn green. If a restaurant is closing at 10:00 pm, they expect you to have your bill paid and be out the door at 10:00 pm. During covid times, there is a curfew in some towns for the last call for drinks. They will not serve a single drink after that time. During covid times, masks are to be worn inside of every building and outside while walking on the street.  In some towns, this is more relaxed, but overall these rules are followed. 

Let me know if you have any questions about any of these things to know!  

Next Blog Post: Kyoto, Japan: Arashiyama Monkey Park and Bamboo Forest, Samarai and Ninja Museum Experience, Shrines, Temples, and Pagodas! Oh my!