【Japan Trip】5 tips for traveling alone in Japan recommended by a Japanese

I am traveling alone in Japan and abroad and have noticed some differences between the two, so I will note them.

I am sure there are other sites with more detailed general information, so here is a detailed view from a Japanese point of view.

Blog posts from previous trips can be found below. (Japanese only, sorry…)

Recommended Translation Apps

VoiceTra

First, add a Japanese keyboard in addition to the phone’s native language keyboard.

With this app, you can translate a sentence into the other person’s language and then translate it again into your native language.

I recommend this because you can see if what you are trying to say is being conveyed correctly to the other person.

Japanese people study English but are very shy and get confused when spoken to in English.

Instead of telling them the station you want to go to in words, show them the name of the station on Google Maps or a translation app.

When asking, please use the shortest words possible, such as “Station, 〇〇,” rather than sentences.

The turnover of customers is very important for the famous ramen shops in Japan, so if you are too slow, you may get angry.

We recommend restaurants like Ichiran, which are manualized and cater to foreigners.

If you must go, check out the menu, if it’s difficult, leave it completely up to you, and eat quickly.

In Japan, there are basically no places to throw trash on the street. Carry a plastic bag with you.

Food scraps, etc., should be sealed in a plastic bag and placed in a bag because of stains and odors.

Trash cans at the station allow you to dispose of trash within the limits of common sense. Use them when traveling.

Since Japan is not a cashless society, many stores do not accept credit cards.

Small change and 1,000 yen bills are recommended, as high denomination bills such as 10,000 yen and 5,000 yen bills may not make change.

Be sure to have change regularly at convenience stores.

Remember where you can get food inexpensively, because it costs money to use convenience stores all the time.

Local supermarkets may not speak the language, so I personally recommend Don Quijote.

It is said that you can get everything except cars and houses, and they often carry foreign products as well.