An island nation in East Asia known for many aspects of its unique culture and having one of the world's largest cities, Tokyo as its capital.
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Japanese etiquette: Most common (and offensive) mistakes?
I am aware that Japan has many unwritten rules of etiquette. What are some of the most common (and offensive) breaches of etiquette made by visitors?
On the flip side, what behaviors show respect ...
30
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5answers
764 views
Is it safe to travel in Japan considering the nuclear situation?
Are there any areas that should be avoided and are there any steps I should take to protect myself from radiation?
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3answers
2k views
I have a tattoo. Can I visit a public swimming pool in Japan?
A friend of mine is currently traveling in Japan. She has a small tattoo on her neck. Now she wanted to visit a public swimming pool but was denied entry.
It was difficult to understand the reason ...
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4answers
1k views
What is wrong with eating while walking in Japan? It doesn't seem to be an issue in other Asian countries
I have seen on many etiquette questions about Japan that this is a no no, but I can't seem to find what the reason for this is. I know that in countries like Taiwan or China it doesn't seem to be an ...
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3answers
665 views
OK we're all nerds here, so really, how on earth should I use a Japanese toilet?
OK so for anyone that's travelled to Japan you know what I'm talking about.
They're devices that are a textbook example of excessive featuritis.
But I want to use something other than the flush knob ...
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2answers
1k views
Is it possible to get from the Philippines to Taiwan to Japan (or the reverse) without flying?
It's not that I have a fear of flying but it seems the best way to see Island countries is by island hopping and these three countries are all relatively close to one another if you take into account ...
17
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3answers
809 views
How do you know if a Japanese person means no when they say yes?
I have come across a few situations when a Japanese person will extend themselves beyond what they probably should to help people. I am often worried when asking them to do something that they will ...
16
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3answers
937 views
How should I wash clothes in Japan?
I'm going backpacking for a month in Japan and I plan to pack lightly. So I have couple of questions about how I can wash my clothes in Japan.
I expect laundromats to be quite common in big cities ...
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9answers
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Can I side-step discrimination against foreigners in Japan?
I've heard that there can be discrimination against foreigners, and even naturalized citizens born in other countries, in Japan, and that it happens in onsen, bars, and adult entertainment ...
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2answers
2k views
Travelling between Japan and South Korea
We are going to Japan for 3 weeks in the beginning of April and would like to spend a couple of days in Seoul. How do we get there? And how expensive is the ferry from southern japan to Busan in South ...
13
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3answers
206 views
Is tourism beneficial to the economies of places affected by natural disasters?
Is tourism to regions that were hit several months ago by natural disasters (for example, the north-eastern part of Honshu, Japan) good for the local economy, and for the people of that area?
Just to ...
13
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2answers
610 views
Bringing a camping knife to Japan
And before you ask, YES, it is for camping.
I have travelled to Japan a couple times and enjoyed it. I know Japan law allows knifes of a certain size (under 6cm the last time I checked, but I'll look ...
13
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1answer
149 views
Presents for Japanese couchsurfer hosts
I was evaluating doing couchsurfing during my next trip in Japan and this question: What does a couchsurfing host expect from their guests? makes me want to ask if there is a sort of "etiquette" I ...
12
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2answers
475 views
Cell phones in Japan
What are the options for getting a smart phone up and running when travelling for a couple of weeks in Japan?
12
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1answer
139 views
Japan's snow road: Where is it and when to visit?
In the Internet I found interesting pictures about Japan's snow road. It seems that there are at least 10 meters of snow on this road.
Unfortunately I couldn't find out where in Japan this road is ...
11
votes
1answer
550 views
Are there high crime areas in Japan that I should avoid?
According to the this link (in the "Crime" section), I should avoid the areas of "Roppongi, Shinjuku (especially the area of Kabuki-cho), Shibuya, and Ikebukuro" in Tokyo, due to them being high crime ...
11
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3answers
172 views
Accommodation in Tokyo for a party of four
We are going to Japan in the beginning of April and we are looking for good accommodation in Tokyo and Kyoto for two adults and two teenagers. We would like interesting options that take us into the ...
11
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1answer
290 views
Is there any way to get a ride on the new Japanese Maglev train in Yamanashi?
I know it is an experimental test track but was wondering if anyone knew how one might be able to ride the Yamanashi maglev train on one of its test runs?
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3answers
231 views
Internet in Japan
During travel in Japan I would like to have internet in my laptop and Ipad. What is not very expensive solution to do that? Is there any prepaid internet in Japan? I Think I will need 1GB
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3answers
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Layover at Tokyo Narita airport: can I travel outside, and what kind of visa would I need?
I am traveling from Singapore to San Francisco and an airline which I am choosing has a layover of 7.5 hours at Tokyo Airport (NRT). I am wondering if I would be allowed to go out to experience the ...
10
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3answers
215 views
Is it usual for Japanese sentos to offer cheap overnight stays like their Korean counterparts (jjimjilbangs) do?
Japan and Korea both have similar concepts of communal bath houses. In Japan they are called sentos and in Korea they are called jjimjilbangs.
In Korea it is usual that jjimjilbangs offer very cheap ...
10
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2answers
3k views
Solo travelers choosing a mixed gender onsen
I'm planning on going to a mixed gender onsen (konyoku), and one place suggested to me in Nyuto onsen village, Tohoku, has a male only section, a female only section, and a mixed section. If I'm by ...
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1answer
193 views
Do any of the ferries between Korea and Japan charge per car and not per person in a car?
I've travelled on ferries between Korea and Japan probably more than anyone else using our site so far, but there's one thing I never thought about until now:
Do any of the ferries commonly take ...
10
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1answer
114 views
Can I learn ski jumping in Japan?
Since visiting Calgary Olympic Park and seeing their exhibit on ski jumping within the ski jumping tower, I've wanted to have a go at the sport, and Japan is the closest country to me (along with ...
10
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1answer
266 views
Camping near a beach, not far from Tokyo
I am looking for a place to camp (tent, coming by bicycle or train), at walking distance from a beach, and not far from Tokyo.
Any recommendation?
I have found a few lists of camping addresses, but ...
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4answers
1k views
Can I use a power adapter designed for USA in Japan?
I'm about to travel to Japan (from UK) and can't seem to buy a mains adapter that specifically says it can be used in Japan. However, the internet (e.g. Wikipedia) tells me that Japanese power sockets ...
9
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2answers
346 views
Does female sword fighting as entertainment still exist in Japan?
The "Lonely Planet Tokyo" iPhone app describes female sword fighting as a bygone form of male entertainment:
Surprisingly, striptease almost failed to catch on due to the
popularity of a rival ...
9
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1answer
231 views
Exchanging business cards in Japan
In Hong Kong (and I believe other parts of China as well), one offers his business card by holding it with both hands with the text unobscured and oriented so that the other person can read it. After ...
9
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1answer
434 views
Travel to Okinawa from mainland Japan
We are visiting Japan in April and I am thinking about a couple of days of sun, bathing and snorkelling in Okinawa. What are the travel options for this? Flying from Tokyo is probably one. Are there ...
9
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1answer
232 views
Are there any ferry companies operating between Russian East ports and Japan?
I'm interested in visiting the Japan after some Russian Far East trip.
I'm searching for the sea ways to the Japan. Can you help me with that?
Update: I'm searching some extremal variants not from ...
8
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3answers
5k views
Layover at Narita, Japan. Do I need a transit visa?
I am travelling from Delhi to Chicago and have two stopovers in between, one at Narita, Japan, and the other at Dallas, US; so my trip looks like: DEL - NRT - DFW - ORD. I am an Indian citizen. I do ...
8
votes
2answers
825 views
How much should I fear golden week in Japan?
I am planning a vacation to Japan, and currently have two possible plans. In plan A I leave well before Golden week (on 4/24). In plan B I leave during the first weekend of golden week (4/28, on ...
8
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2answers
159 views
How can I travel to Japan from mainland Asia by ship?
I'm planning my trans-mongolian/siberian trip and I'll end up in Beijing. I want to know if it's possible to reach Japan without flying (ideally Tokyo).
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2answers
472 views
Is Tokyo Metro accessible to people with movement disabilities?
A friend of mine will be travelling to Tokyo for a week or two, and since she has a certain movement disability, she was concerned whether the Tokyo Metro has appropriate accessibility facilities ...
8
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2answers
427 views
Getting around on Kyushu (Fukuoka, Nagasaki and Beppu)
We are thinking about taking shinkansen to Fukuoka and then visit Nagasaki and Beppu (possibly some place in the mountains as well) and probably stay a night or two in both places. Then back to ...
8
votes
2answers
219 views
How expensive is a vacation to Japan?
Since I am planning a vacation to Japan this fall, I'd like to have a rough overview about my expenses. I'm flying from Germany (probably Frankfurt) to Tokyo. I know that the flight alone will net me ...
8
votes
1answer
147 views
Safety [petty crimes, mostly] in Japan
I'm fully aware of the fact that Japan is considered a quite safe country in regards of petty crimes. However, I recently stumbled upon alerts about the Roppongi area where [quoting from wikitravel]
...
8
votes
1answer
205 views
Car rental in Japan
Is it possible to rent a car in Japan with a Swedish drivers license? What is the traffic like? I figure that there is not much use in driving in the Tokyo or Osaka areas. What are the options for ...
8
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1answer
2k views
Avoiding human trafficking when getting a massage in Japan
I'm currently unable to distinguish between Japanese, Korean and Chinese ethnicities. How do I avoid exploiting victims of human trafficking while having a massage in Japan?
Is human trafficking more ...
8
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1answer
301 views
How to avoid having my drink spiked in a bar
How do I avoid being the victim of drink spiking in a bar? (As in spiking to steal money or commit credit card fraud, not for sexual assualt)
Presumably I should avoid places promoted by touts from ...
8
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3answers
161 views
Is it possible to go from South Korea to Hong Kong by sea?
More specifically from Busan (but other sites also possible).
My plan is to do Japan - South Korea - Hong Kong by sea.
8
votes
1answer
191 views
Snorkeling in southern Japan?
Are there any good snorkeling sites around Kyushu in southern Japan? Is it warm enough to do this in April? (Context: newbie snorkelers... one or two days. Preferably not an island outside of Kyushu.)
...
8
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1answer
226 views
Can you still buy used panties in vending machines as a souvenir from Japan?
In 1999 I came across a vending machine of used panties while hiking through Japan. Apparently it was made illegal in 1993, but still in 1999 they seem to be wide spread. Is this still the case, or ...
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4answers
161 views
Japan's crumbling temples and shrines — How can I find them?
I will be staying in Japan for a few weeks late this summer, and would like to find a bunch of back-woods, off-the-beaten-path temples and shrines, especially if they are dilapidated and not "new" ...
7
votes
2answers
448 views
What are the typical meals in Japan?
I'm going to Tokyo for tourism and I'm wondering what are the typical meals that one tourist may get during breakfast, lunch and dinner. Also, what are their costs?
Notice that I'm a tourist staying ...
7
votes
4answers
1k views
Is there luggage storage at train stations in Japan?
We will travel around Japan by train and will make a few shorter stops with only a nights stay so it would be handy to be able to drop the bags at the station while doing some sightseeing before ...
7
votes
3answers
194 views
Suitable (and affordable) accommodation in Japan with children
Some years ago I backpacked through Japan. It is still one of the highlights of my traveling career. We are now considering going to Japan with (small) children. Based on my earlier trip I consider ...
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2answers
140 views
Are there other country-based theme parks in Japan besides “Huis ten Bosch”?
During my visit to Japan, I was surprised to find Huis ten Bosch, while on my way to Nagasaki. It is a park where major and historic buildings from the Netherlands are remodelled on a same-size base. ...
7
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2answers
592 views
How, specifically, can I travel between Taiwan and Okinawa by sea?
This is a followup to a previous question of mine where we established that it is possible to travel between the Philippines, Taiwan, and Japan.
So now that we know that it's possible, and because ...
7
votes
2answers
251 views
Sacred mountains in Japan?
I read about a sacred mountain in Japan that was not Fuji. You know - the kind with monasteries all around and nice hiking in the hills. So now I wonder if this is a common concept in Japan? And what ...
