City-specific info
Transportation
- If you have an iPhone, add a Suica card in Apple Wallet. If not,
pick one up from any JR station. At last check, physical Suica cards were no
longer available due to a semiconductor shortage, tourists can pick up a
Welcome Suica card, but these are ONLY available at Narita
and Haneda airports.
Luggage
- If at all possible, limit your luggage to carry-on sized suitcases and use
laundry machines at hotels. Lugging large suitcases through crowded stations
and on trains – particularly on weekdays during rush hour – can be pretty
inconvenient. If you need a large suitcase, consider also bringing a carry-on
sized suitcase containing two days worth of clothing, then see the next point.
- Luggage can be shipped by courier (Kuroneko Yamato), typically
overnight, to anywhere in the country for very reasonable prices (~¥3000). You
can do this from most hotels and convenience stores. Shipping to airports
typically takes TWO days.
- Hotels are happy to hold luggage after checkout at the desk for free,
typically up until end-of-day, so there’s no need to lug bags around. If you
prefer, most train stations offer coin lockers of various sizes where you can
place bags. If they’re full, ask station staff and they’ll point you to open
lockers, or sometimes hold them at the information desk.
Banking and payments
- Most Japanese ATMs won’t work with foreign cards. You can find ATMs that work
with foreign cards in every 7-11. (ATM Locator)
- When paying at stores and restaurants via credit card, the machine may
occasionally offer a choice between paying in yen or your own currency. If
your card doesn’t impose foreign transaction fees, it’s almost always cheaper
to choose to pay in yen. The rate offered by these machines aren’t great.
- I’d recommend always carrying cash. Most businesses accept credit cards, but
you’ll still find places that either don’t take cards or where your card
mysteriously doesn’t work.
- Convenience stores and some vending machines allow payment via Suica card.
Food and dining
- In large department stores and some office buildings, you’ll almost always
find restaurants on the top couple floors. In Tokyo, this can mean spectacular
views.
- In the first basement (B1) level of most department stores, you’ll find the
most amazing collection of to-go food counters with everything from simple
yakisoba through incredibly fancy Japanese and western cakes and desserts. If
you’re looking for nicely-packaged food gifts for friends back home, this is a
great place to get them. It’s also a great place to grab food for a picnic in
the park.
- When entering, you’ll almost always be asked how many people you are. You can
just hold up the right number of fingers, but if you want to get fancy also
say 1: hitori, 2: futari, 3: san-nin, 4: yo-nin, 5: go-nin, 6: roku-nin.
- The bill will almost always be left on the table after you’ve ordered. If not,
you can request it by saying “o-kaikei onegai shimasu” or catching your waiter
or waitress’s eye from across the room and making an ‘x’ gesture with your
index fingers. Bills are almost always paid at the cashier on the way out, not
at the table.
- Before you eat, it’s traditional to say “itadakimasu” (I humbly receive);
you’ll hear this from a ton of tables around you. If you’re eating with a
Japanese person, or at their home, you should definitely say it.
- Similarly, after you eat, it’s polite to say “gochiso-sama deshita” (thank you
for the meal). If one person in particular is paying, you should say it to
them, but also as you walk out of restaurants, you’ll often be assailed with
shouts of “arigatou gozaimasu” (thank you) from all the staff. They’ll love it
if you toss a “gochiso-sama deshita” their way on your way out and/or at the
cashier.
- There is no tipping in Japan. Service is expected to be good, and restaurant
staff are generally paid reasonable wages.
Shoes
- In many restaurants, particularly more traditional ones, there are places
where you’ll need to take your shoes off. Typically these will be obvious
since they’ll have a step up from stone floor onto wood/tatami. If you’re
obviously non-Japanese, the staff will definitely let you know to take your
shoes off. Typically you’ll leave them there. The staff may place them in shoe
cabinets and return them to you when you leave.
- Many temples/castles may also have places where you’re asked to remove your
shoes and either place them on shelves, or in a plastic bag and carry them
with you.
Key phrases and vocabulary
- Ohayo gozaimasu: good morning.
- Konnichiwa: good afternoon.
- Konbanwa: good evening.
- X onégai shimasu: I’d like X please. (e.g. o-kaikei: the bill, koré: this)
- Kore wa ikura desu ka: How much is this?
- Arigato gozaimasu: Thank you.
- X wa doko desu ka: Where is X? (e.g. toiré: the toilet, éki: station)
Stumble your way through Japanese mannners like a pro