Record Breaking Levels of Tourism
Post-Pandemic, Japan has been experiencing record breaking levels of tourism. In 2024, Japan broke its record for international visitors with 36.9 million people visiting the country. This was a 47.1% increase from the previous year.
The Japanese government seeks to increase this to double that over the next few years.
International visitors spent a record 8.1 trillion yen in Japan in 2024, a 69.2% increase from 2019, this is a huge boost to the economy.
The Japan Tourism Agency (JTA) has forecasted that international visitors to Japan will exceed 40 million in 2025.
However, not only does record breaking levels of tourism boost the economy, it also exposes the Japanese people to issues which could eventually lead to friction between the locals and those visiting.
My Tips For Visiting Japan
I have been living in Japan, with my Japanese wife for over a year now, and during my first year I have experienced a few international visitors demonstrating behaviours and misunderstandings which, in time, could lead to negative impacts to the local people of this wonderful country.
This is not to say that international visitors deliberately seek to annoy the locals, as more often than not it is a simple case of misunderstanding the customs and differences between Japanese and foreign cultures.
I don’t claim to be an expert on all things Japan, far from it, but I can provide some basic tips which could both enrich your visit and hopefully prevent you from those same misunderstandings.
Tourist Visa
This is a simple one.. To speed up your entry and minimise interaction and paperwork upon arrival, I recommend you make use of Visit Japan Web to arrange your tourist visa.
You can upload any required documents, fill out your forms and checklists and then receive a QR code which can be scanned at the airport along with your passport upon entry.
This way you will be processed within in a couple of minutes and straight off to enjoy your visit without any hassle at customs.
Learn Some Basic Japanese Phrases
Japanese is a difficult language, nobody is going to expect you to have anything close to fluency, but knowledge of some basic phrases will help you when ordering food, making purchases and demonstrating an intent to be respectful.
Not many Japanese people speak English with enough confidence to interact with foreigners, so just a few small phrases will go a long way with people and help you to enjoy your visit even more. If you demonstrate a willingness to speak Japanese, they may be more willing to try English to assist you further.
Here are a few examples of useful phrases.
Sumimasen – “Excuse me” – This can be used in basically the same way as the translation suggests, such as when you wish to order food, if you accidentally bump into someone, when asking for assistance and whenever you may be inconveniencing others. It’s also the polite way to get the attention of waiters and waitresses in restaurants.
Eigo o hanasemasuka? – “Do you speak English?” You can combine with sumimasen and say “sumimasen, eigo o hanasemasuka?”
Arigatou Gozaimas – “Thank you” – This is a more polite way of saying thank you than a simple “arigato”. As a tourist, you will likely most often hear this said at the end of a transaction in a shop. Not always do people say it back, but I think it’s nice to be nice and so I always thank people for the service they provide.
Gomen Nasai “I’m sorry” – Hopefully you do not need to use this one, but it may be helpful to know, just incase. Gomen means I’m sorry, but it’s a little casual so adding “nasai” makes it more polite and will be received well.
Itadakimas “I receive gracefully/I will enjoy” is ALWAYS said before eating, often with ones hands together such as one would do in prayer. If you want to demonstrate respect, and a gratefulness for the time and work put into preparing your food. This one is essential. Furthermore…
Gochisosama Deshita “It was a feast/I enjoyed the meal” is said after eating. This can be said to the person who paid for the meal and also to the staff/chefs on your way out. Is is respectful and communicates your gratitude for what was needed and done so that you could eat.
Onegaishimas – “Please” – This is useful when asking for something, for example when purchasing something that the sales assistant needs to get for you such as hot food or tobacco at the convenience store, as an affirmative when asked if you need something, or when taking a taxi. Please note that the end of this word is often lengthened and sounds more like “onegaishimaaas”
Here are two examples:
“Fukuro irimasuka?” (would you like a bag?). To reply you can say “Hai, onegaishimas” (yes, please). If you do not need a bag, a simple way to decline any question such as this is to say “Daijoubu” (it’s ok or I’m ok) which would be received as a “no thank you”.
When purchasing food you may also be asked “Atatamemasuka?” (would you like this heated up?) The above responses also work well here.
“Ueno Eki, onegaishimas” (Ueno station, please) – “Eki” means train station, so when getting a taxi you can simply say “[name of station] Eki” and the driver will take you to that station.
The above phrases are just the absolute basics, there are many more but you would be surprised how far you can get with just a handful of the most common phrases, especially if you are only visiting for a week or so.
Public Transport
Firstly, paying for public transport in Japan is very simple and convenient, especially if you own a iPhone. Almost all public transport can be paid for by using Suica.
You can acquire a “Welcome Suica” from the airport upon arrival. Welcome Suica is a short term transportation card which will remain valid for 28 days and can be taken home as a souvenir.
As of March 2025, regular Suica cards are once again available from ticket machines at JR East stations, so if you require more than 28 days of use, please use these.
If you own an iphone it is even easier! Simply go to your Apple Wallet app, click the plus icon in the top right to add a card, select Transit Card and chose Suica from the list under the Japan section. You can then load your balance within the Apple Wallet app from any of your existing cards.
Suica can also be used to complete purchases in many shops and all convenience stores, and therefore works well as a holiday allowance. Please note that you most likely will need so carry some cash with you, as not all places accept digital payments.
Secondly, public transport etiquette. This is actually where many foreign visitors go wrong, and I see it almost every day during the peak tourism seasons.
Japanese public transport has many unspoken rules, but it can be boiled down to two most basic and important elements:
Keep quiet! Where it is normal in many other countries for people to make phone calls, talk loudly with eachother when in groups and even strike up conversation with strangers, in Japan it is NOT. When taking a bus or train in Japan, please try to be quiet. Japanese trains are often described as like a moving library.
Do not inconvenience others with excessive bags and cases. Of course, carrying a bag and suitcase cannot be avoided especially when visiting as a tourist, but please try your best to minimise the impact on others when doing so. You may notice that it is customary to wear a backpack on the front, this helps to reduce the amount of space one takes up and avoid accidentally hitting people on a crowded train. Similarly, try to keep your case close to you and utilise overheard racks where possible.
It is worth noting that the airport and any hotels you stay at are capable of organising transport of your larger bags and cases to your next destination. They will do this with care and efficiency.
Your hotel in Tokyo could organise for your luggage to safely arrive at your next hotel in Kyoto usually before you arrive, but please check the times. It might be worth taking a small hand-luggage with you and arranging transport for things you may not need immediate access to at your next destination.
General Respect
Unfortunately, whenever a foreign tourist is caught acting disrespectfully at a temple or shrine, or even in the streets, it becomes news. The negative impact of such instances does NOT go unreported in Japan. From people climbing sacred statues and doing pull-ups on tori gates, to people harassing geishas for photographs in Kyoto, these rare cases become national talking points among the native population.
It is far from the norm, most visitors absolutely understand what is right and wrong. Just try to be mindful of your presence being noticed, even when you believe yourself to be doing no wrong. It is a simple fact that your mere presence here is noticed. Foreign tourists do not blend into the background, so try to demonstrate your respect for others and the country at all times. Perfect assimilation is not the goal, you will still be noticed, so be noticed for the good and not the bad.
For example, try not to eat while walking and always carry a plastic bag within which to place any of your garbage, as public bins are somewhat rare here.
I see a lot of content on YouTube for example, with titles such as “10 Things Not To Do In Japan” and many of the things they mention are kind of silly. Such as “Never wear shorts or sunglasses in Japan”… Japanese people wear shorts and sunglasses, nobody is going to think any less of you for doing so.
Do not be tempted by ridiculous things such as go-karting around Shibuya. Nothing screams disrespectful foreigners more than treating this culturally rich, culinarily delicious and naturally beautiful country as your own personal theme park.
Come to Japan to experience and learn about a different culture and respect the differences.
Temples & Shrines
Don’t be afraid to visit some temples and shrines while you are here, but please be mindful when doing so.
Some of these places have become very popular with tourists, however they are sacred sites and it is important to avoid being disrespectful.
Japanese people are generally willing and happy to share these locations with international tourists.
If you wish to visit Shrines and Temples then please understand they are not tourist attractions, first and foremost they are places of worship for the Shinto and Buddhist religions. You are welcome to visit and even pray at these places, so please do so if that is something you want.
It is customary to offer a donation when visiting, and you can even purchase items such as Goshuin (Shrine/Temple stamp) and Omamori (Amulet) from the kiosk. Purchasing items can both help to support the place, and offer the visitor a souvenir of sorts to commemorate the visit.
Food
It is no secret that Japanese cuisine is part of the national identity. Restaurants pride themselves on the freshness of their raw ingredients and the flavour of finished dishes.
I for one love Japanese food, although there are some things I am yet to acquire a taste for, such as natto!
While Japan does have many Western-style restaurants, I urge all visitors to try as many local dishes as possible. Sushi, ramen, udon, gyudon, set meals, yakiniku, yakitori…. the list goes on and on. The price of eating out in Japan can be incredibly reasonable, so go out and try as many different things as you can!
A couple of things to note however… While it is quite normal in some countries to slightly modify the dish from the menu description, is it not so much here. Japanese chefs train for many years and work very hard to create and refine their dishes.
In Japan, the chef is seen to be the one most experienced and qualified to decide how best to balance a dish and it can often be seen as disrespectful to them to request changes be made.
Unfortunately for those with dietary requirements, it can be a little tricky to eat out in Japan. Even though Buddhist monks adhere to a strict vegan diet, it is quite difficult to find vegan establishments, although they do exist. Even many vegetable dishes contain non-vegan elements such as dashi.
Furthermore, allergies are often misunderstood or can difficult to communicate and verify the understanding of.
For example, my Japanese wife has a buckwheat allergy, which means she cannot eat soba noodles. Not only does this mean that she cannot eat soba, but it means that she cannot usually eat in any establishment that serves soba, as even the non-soba dishes may have been cooked in the same water, or handled by the same hands as the soba noodles.
Food allergies are simply not as common in Japan as they are in other areas of the world, and so the food industry isn’t really set up for dealing with them so well.
Food packaging will list any known allergens, but when eating out it may simply be easier to avoid any restaurants where you aren’t confident, especially for the non-native level Japanese speaker.
Lastly, do not forget the basic phrases “itadakimas” and “gochisosama deshita”!
Visit Other Areas
Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka, while all being distinctly different from one another, all share one thing in common… Tourism.
Not without good reason, these three cities attract the bulk of international tourists. They are convenient, easy to traverse, have many attractions and the highest levels of English in Japan.
I mentioned above that learning a few basic Japanese phrases will help you to enrich your time here, so I recommend that you put those phrases to use (supplemented by Google Translate where required) and try to experience other areas of Japan too.
Of course you cannot avoid having to fly in to Tokyo or Osaka, and of course stay in and explore those areas too.
But a quieter, more traditional and quintessential Japanese experience awaits you just a train ride or so out of these mega cities.
The Japanese government seeks to double the current levels of tourism, which is understandable and agreeable to most. However, as someone who lives in Tokyo and already recognises the impact that such concentrated levels of tourism could potentially have over time, I cannot help but think that this boost to the economy should be felt not only in the metropolitan areas, but also in the more rural too.
After all, it is the more rural areas and lesser visited towns and cities of Japan who are struggling the most.
For example, if you fly in to Tokyo then the prefectures of Chiba, Kanagawa, Shizuoka, Tochigi and even Nagano and even more are not too far away.
Some are suitable for day trips, others could be a second hotel or Air B&B stay during your visit.
Even within the Tokyo prefecture, there can be found stunningly beautiful and peaceful natural wonders, such as Okutama.
Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka can be more than a little overwhelming, perhaps ending your stay by visiting somewhere more peaceful and tranquil would also help to ease you back into your own reality.
Time Of Year
Understand that at certain times of the year, it may be prudent to avoid visiting Japan.
For example, Golden Week which occurs between April 29th and May 5th, is one of Japan’s largest holiday periods of the year, and often sees a surge in vacation travel throughout the country. Domestic travel, hotel bookings, public transport and attractions can become extremely busy during this period.
Summer, depending on the area, can be unbearably humid for many people. Nobody enjoys lugging around a suitcase, riding packed buses and queueing for hours for various attractions, while dripping head to toe. Cities such as Tokyo, Osaka and Kyoto are situated in bowls which trap in the heat and humidity, with little airflow.
Winter is literally the polar opposite to Summer; bitterly cold, windy and extremely dry.
My recommended periods for international visitors are Spring and Autumn. Not only do these times of the year offer the most stunning natural beauty, they are also quite temperate and comfortable for day-to-day travel.
Summary
- The well known phrase “when in Rome, do as the Romans do” is a fairly good mantra to keep in mind when visiting Japan. Things are different here, but we are all human and thus imperfect beings. You probably wont be the perfect tourist, we all misunderstand things and make mistakes. However, when in doubt simply look around.
- Have your tourist visa organised before you land using Visit Japan Web. If you have an iPhone then it’s also worth adding Suica to your Apple Wallet and loading a balance too.
- Learn some basic Japanese, it will soften the blow when you inevitably need to communicate with someone. The phrases I mentioned above will cover a surprisingly large amount of ground, and when/if you are in a situation that requires more, a simple “Sumimasen, Nihongo wakarimasen” (sorry, but I don’t understand Japanese) can be enough to demonstrate that you are trying…. Then you can get Google Translate conversation tool out without any need to feel embarrassed.
- Try to be respectful, do not be an obnoxious and entitled tourist. Do not take photos of people without asking and for the love of all things good, do not do that ridiculous go-karting thing, everyone hates it and the people who do it.
- Visit Shrines and Temples if you wish, be mindful of the cultural significance of these sacred sites and be respectful when doing so. Perhaps buy something to help support the continued running costs and maintenance of the Shrines and Temples that you visit, it can also serve as a souvenir to commemorate your visit.
- Eat as many different things as you can. The Japanese people are proud of their cuisine and for good reason… It’s flipping delicious!
- Try to expand your experiences by visiting some quieter locations outside of the main cities.
- Avoid visiting during times such as Golden Week, and peak Summer and Winter months.
- Don’t forget to buy souvenirs and lastly, please enjoy your time in this amazing country!
Thank you for reading!
