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| Tips and photos for Japan vacations and tourism, posted by real travelers and Japan locals. Map |
 | Japan General Tips | Tips 1 - 10 of 447 |  |
Currency: Yen
Relative costs:
Cheap meal: US$7-10
Moderate restaurant meal: US$15-40
Expensive restaurant meal: US$40-70 and up...way up :)
Cheap room: US$18-25
Moderate hotel: US$35-70
Expensive hotel: US$100-200
Japan is mainly a cash society.
Some credit cards and Cirrus, Maestro, Link and Delta cash cards are NOT widely accepted, and few banks or cash machines will provide cash drawn on such cards.
Japanese post offices do have cash machines, which will accept Visa, Delta and Cirrus cards during hours of business.
Cash machines do not operate 24 hours a day. They generally close at 21:00 hours or earlier and may not operate at the weekends.
You should check with your bank before travelling and take sufficient alternative sources of money for the duration of your stay.
Western Union Money Transfer has recently become available in Japan.
Many Japanese stores don't accept credit cards and traveler's checks, especially in small cities.
I recommend bringing traveler's checks to Japan and exchanging them to yen in a bank.
Just Be careful of pickpockets if you are taking a crowded train or going to an event where you can expect a large crowd. It's still convenient to bring a major credit card, such as MasterCard or Visa. You can use them when you shop at major department stores, hotels, and restaurants. Leave a Comment
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Visiting Japan?
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The Japanese are generally very helpful to you when you come as a foreign tourist. Unfortunately though, many speak very little English so if you go off on your own, you may want to have done the hotel bookings in advance. If you need help during your stay, the Tourist offices in Kyoto and Tokyo have excellent staff that speak perfect English and go through any amount of trouble to help you. I can really recommend them.
In Tokyo the international tourist office (with Enslig-speaking staff) is located near Yurakucho station.
In Kyoto it's on one of the top floors of the station building. You can go through the station mall.
Japan Tourist Office
10 Fl., Tokyo Kotsu Kaikan Bldg., 2-10-1, Yurakucho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100-0006
Phone: +81 (0) 3 3201 3331 UK +44 (0) 20 7734 9638
Fax :+81 (0) 3 3201 3347
mail: Jnto@jnto.go.jp
Kyoto City Tourist Information Office,
2F Kyoto Station Bldg. 8.30am-7pm daily;
Phone: 075 343 6655 Leave a Comment
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There are a number of rules associated with the use of chopsticks.
Try to avoid
spearing the food with your chopsticks.
using your chopsticks to rummage around in a dish trying to find what you want.
If chopsticks for serving aren't provided, it is polite to use the other end of your chopsticks (the end that hasn't been in your mouth) to take food from communal plates.
passing food to somebody else with your chopsticks.
waving your chopsticks above a dish while trying to decide what to take next.
standing your chopsticks vertically in your rice. This is how rice is served to the dead.
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When in Japan many restaurants these days will have English menus, but be assured, you will come across some that don't.
The good thing about many of the cheaper places travellers choose to eat is their window displays. Many restaurants have fake plastic food displayed in their window. You can remember the characters of the dish you wish to eat and then point to it on the menu, or take the waiter out to the display window and simply point to what you want to eat.
These window displays can come in quite handy. You can pick-up your own plastic food in Kappabashi Tokyo. Leave a Comment
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1. You need to use prepaid magnetic telephone cards (you can buy them at convenience stores or vending machines) or 10yen/100yen coins.
2. Pick up the phone and insert a telephone card into the slot or insert coins.
3. Dial the number you want.
4. When you are using a telephone card, the phone indicates how much value is remaining.
5. When you have almost used up the card value or coins, the phone beeps. Add another telephone card or more coins
6. When you hang up, the telephone card will come out and extra coins are given back.
IF YOU WANT TO USE YOUR CREDIT CARD.
DO THE FOLLOWING:.
1. Use any phone.
2. Pick up the phone and dial 0055. (If you are using green phones, you need to insert coins or a magnetic telephone card to begin.)
3. Enter your card number and the pin number, then dial the number you want to call.
4. If you want to make a collect call or operator call, pick up any phone and dial 0051. (If you are using green phones, you need to insert coins or a magnetic telephone card to begin.)
Tips:
You can make international calls from the tall gray phones and tall green phones with gold faces, using coins or magnetic phone cards.
Some phones accept only magnetic telephone cards, some take only coins, and some accept both. Find out which type it is by looking for coin inserts and card inserts.
Domestic calls are cheaper in the early morning, late night, and weekends. Phone fee are expensive in Japan, so save your money by choosing the right time. Leave a Comment
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Visiting Japan?
Read reviews about Japan Hotels
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Japanese wash themselves BEFORE entering the bath, as they have a customs of sharing the bath water. This is true as well for public baths (sento ) as for thermal spring (onsen ) and bath in individual homes. The reason is that other people will use the same water after you (except if you live by yourself, of course). Therefore, you should not empty the bath after using it.c*
Japanese like bathing in VERY hot water (40 to 50 degrees celsius). If it is too hot for you, you can add a bit of cold water, but not as much as it becomes tepid, or the next person won't appreciate it.
In public baths, do not mistake men and women's changing rooms, as it is extremely impolite, even if you really mistook. The men's room are usually on the left, and normally has a blue curtain with "otoko" (’j) or dono-sama (“a—l) written on it. The women's room is usually on the right, with a red curtain reading "onna" (?—). If you are not sure, ask !
Absolutely avoid bathing suits in public baths, as this could create incidents with Japanese customers and you could end up expelled from the premises.
Tattoos are banned in most public baths. If you have one, you should consult the staff at reception beforehand to avoid causing trouble.
USEFUL SITE FOR BEST ONZEN IN JAPAN
Major 'Onsens' in Japan Leave a Comment
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Try to avoid travelling during the traditional holiday seasons listed below.
Transportation and accommodation are always heavily booked over these periods as Japanese travellers visit friends and family across the country.
Sometimes many shops and businesses are also closed, specially during the New YEAR....If you cannot adjust your schedule, be sure to make your arrangements well in advance
New Year Holiday Season
December 27-January 4 and the adjacent weekends
"Golden Week" Holiday Season
April 29-May 5 and the adjacent weekends
"Bon" Festival Season
A week centering around August 15
Public Holidays
Japan has 13 public holidays. When one of them falls on a Sunday, it is reported to the following Monday.
1 January - (New Year's Day)
Second Monday of January - (Adult's Day)
11 February - (National Foundation Day)
21 March (approx.) - (Vernal Equinox Day)
29 April - (Green Day)
3 May - (Constitution Day)
5 May - (Children's Day)
15 September - (Respect-for-the-Aged Day)
22 September (approx.) - (Autumnal Equinox Day)
10 October - (Sports Day)
3 November - (Culture Day)
23 November - (Labour Thanksgiving Day)
23 December - (Emperor's Birthday)
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Travelling in a country where you don't speak the language can be both challenging and rewarding.
But even if you don't speak any Japanese, finding your way around Japan needn't be difficult. English is widely spoken throughout the country, particularly in major cities and tourist centres.
Announcements on public transportation are frequently made in both Japanese and English, and signs generally include decipherable roman characters or an English explanation.
It is worth noting that many Japanese people lack confidence in their ability to speak English and may seem reserved when first approached. Remember to speak slowly and clearly and offer an encouraging smile.
My advice when talking to a Japanese person in English, is that you give them lots of time to work the sentence out in their head, until they're sure they have it right. Try counting to twenty whilst waiting for a response.:)
Carrying a notebook and pen is a good idea, as the Japanese often feel more comfortable dealing with written English.....A diccionary will also be useful but remember this....when someone tries to translate.....:).....
...........Most of the Japanese/English dictionaries used in Japan define the word "intercourse" as close to the English equivalent of "interaction on a social or cordial level". Thanks to this dictionary definition, a Japanese businessman made a big mistake in the use of this word. At a gathering with his client he told his client's wife , "I hope we can continue to have intercourse in the future"......
Finally, you have to remember that sometimes Japanese people are a llittle bit nervous around foreigners. Gaijin are difficult to deal with, and many people just can't really handle it. ..:))
But you should be prepared for situations in which English is not understood at all ...
eg by taxi drivers, restaurant staff, police, doctors. A pen and notebook and a simple phrase book may prove useful.
Even though it is possible to enjoy a visit to Japan without speaking the language, it is always helpful to know a few words and phrases in Japanese. It's nice to be able to say a simple 'thank you' or 'hello' in the local language and the Japanese will appreciate your efforts.
YES ........hai
No ...........iie/chigaimasu
OK ...........daijobuloke
Well?.....(as in making things less definite) chotto
Please ......(offering something) dozo
Please....... (asking for something) onegai shimasu
Excuse me....... sumimasen/s-h-i-tsurei shimasu
I'm sorry .........gomen nasai/sumimasen
Thanks .........(informal) domo
Thank you .....domo arigato
Thank you very much .......domo arigato gozaimasu
What?.......... nani
When? ..........itsu?
Where?......... doko?
Who?............. dare?
This ................kore
That ...............sore
That (over there)........... are
How many? ...............ikutsu?
How much? ...............ikura?
I want (x) ................Watashi wa (x) ga hoshii desu
I don't want (x) ..........Watashi wa (x) ga irimasen
Is it possible?? ? koto ga dekimasu ka
It is not possible ? koto ga dekimasen
Is it ?? ? desu ka
Can you please help me .......Tetsudatte kuremasen ka
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Hanami is Japanese for flower viewing. The delicate cherry in full blossom are the perfect excuse to drink good sake while viewing the flowers. The strong winds of the season and the everyday announced rain can ruin the flowers viewing. The petals wil be scattered on the floor in no time ( 10 days at must), but it doesn't stop you to go there, to drink and to celebrate happami (leaves viewing). Be careful with the word hanami, If you add the syllabe "zu" at the end of the word, it becomes runnig nose... Leave a Comment
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Head office :
2-10-1, Yurakucho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100-0006
If you have message or questions, please send mail to the Tourist Information Center.
Tourist Information Center (TIC) Tokyo Office
B1 fl., Tokyo International Forum, 3-5-1, Marunouchi
Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100-0005
Tel.(03)3201-3331
Open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (on weekdays)
Open from 9 a.m. to 12 noon (on Saturdays)
Closed on Sundays and national holidays
Also closed from December 29 to January 3.
Tourist Information Centers (TIC) Kyoto Office
1st fl., Kyoto Tower Bldg., Shichijo-Karasuma sagaru, Shimogyo-ku,
Kyoto 600-8216
Tel.(075)371-5649
Open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (on weekdays)
Open from 9 a.m. to 12 noon (on Saturdays)
Closed on Sundays and national holidays.
Also closed from December 29 to January 3.
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