Japan is a lovely place to visit, especially because of its friendly and welcoming locals. However, we understand that you might be a tad worried about unwittingly breaking some rules during your visit. After all, you cannot be fully aware of their customs and traditions. And, in many cases, that might lead to some incredibly or awkward or embarrassing situations.
In this blog post, we’re sharing some excellent tips so that you could easily blend with the crowd when visiting Tokyo or Kyoto.
Hush! Stay Quiet on Public Transport
Here’s an important word of advice. Don’t do anything loud when you take public transport in Japan. Being noisy while traveling on public transportation is something that the Japanese find quite rude. Thus, take care to see you don’t talk to your friends loudly, chat on the phone, or let music blast through your headphones. If you need to, be very discreet when you use your mobile to make a quick call. The Japanese consider public transport a place to unwind after sweating it out all day; they find noisy travelers a nuisance.
Additionally, there are other rules for using public transportation that you should consider. Do not hog more space than necessary when sitting. Moreover, pay attention to the color of the train cars you board: Japan has cars designated exclusively for women.
No Eating on the Go in Japan
As many as 5 million vending machines are spread throughout Japan. It sounds tempting, right? Satiating your hunger while traveling is easier as you can grab a bite whenever you desire. However, you need to toss the empty containers right into rubbish bins strategically placed next to the vending machines. You must note that eating or drinking on public transport is considered outright rude in Japan. You may, however, take food while traveling long distances.
Stick to the Escalator Rules
You may be aware of some of the rules if you are from a densely populated city like New York or London. There are specific rules to taking the escalator in Japan, and the Japanese being much disciplined, you’ll see them abide by these rules everywhere. If you want to stand, keep to the left of the escalator. To keep walking, stay on the right-hand side of it. In case it’s the quicker right-hand side, see to it that there’s no one behind trying to get past you. You might end up with a long queue of people hoping that you’ll let them pass as they are too polite to push past you.
Be Aware of How Taxis Operate in Japan
The public transport infrastructure in Japan is top-notch, and we advise you to use it as long as you are in Japan. However, you might still end up having to grab a taxi. Japan is famed for its technological prowess. Its taxis as well show the fantastic technological progress made by the country. Unless you are in a group, sit on the rear seat of the taxi. That’s what you usually do, don’t you? Hold on, here’s the catch. The taxi doors here open automatically for the passengers. Don’t try to open the door yourself. Once you hop in, the driver will close the door.
Security is Your Top Priority
When traveling, you are very likely to check your phone to help you navigate. Back at the hotel, you might use your laptop to do some work or stream a new episode of your favorite show. Both these actions require an internet connection. Roaming charges can get very expensive. Thus, how do you avoid such high costs during your trip? Well, you might purchase a local SIM card that should be enough for some of your basic needs. Of course, you could also stick to public Wi-Fi hotspots that Japan offers for free. In western-style hotels, Wi-Fi might be provided free of charge. However, higher-end hotels could require payments for internet access. If you choose a hotel or a resort in a more remote area, Wi-Fi might only be available in the lobby.
While Wi-Fi can seem like a saving grace in certain situations, it is more dangerous than you think. Some Wi-Fi hotspots might not be adequately protected, meaning that anyone could snoop on your activities. If you intend to save yourself from these hassles, it’s advisable to use a VPN app on your laptop, phone, or tablet. Your valuable personal and financial data remains secure when you enable a VPN connection before connecting to Wi-Fi. Traveling to Japan or any other country must be a blissful experience and that’s possible when you take ample protection against hacking and data theft.
Conclusion
A whopping 39.1 million tourists from every corner of the globe visited Japan in 2018, and it’s still at the top of the list for many travelers. It’s important to learn about the culture, history, local customs, and people of a country before visiting it, and Japan’s no different. The Japanese are very appreciative of people who respect their culture and tradition. Japanese people don’t expect you to know everything about their way of life. However, if you show the effort to be respectful to the country and its people, you will surely be showered with a lot of love and appreciation. Our tips should help you get along in Japan pretty well. Pack your bags – The ‘Land of the Rising Sun’ welcomes you!
