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Whether you are here in Japan on holiday or you are working, there are some things you should definitely experience. I`ve tried to make these 10 points irrelevent of location so these can all be enjoyed whether you are amongst the bright lights of Tokyo or in the middle of nowhere.
1: Visit an onsen or sento. Face it. Your bath at home is four feet long and has a tap poking in your back preventing you from truly enjoying your bathing experience. GO TO AN ONSEN! A public bath house with baths of every shape, size and style – hot baths, cold baths, herbal baths and scented baths. There are also saunas, steam saunas and herbal saunas. Yes these are public baths and someone might see your little pecker but get over that hurdle and prepare for the best bathing experience of your life.
2: Dabble in pachinko AKA the pinball/fruit machine gambling experience. But dabble only. It`s an expensive pastime.
3: Ride the Shinkansen. A no brainer really.
4: Watch a Kabuki play. This is traditional Japanese theatre. These can go on for three or more hours but there are less bladder-straining plays to see which only last half an hour.
5: Eat sushi/sashimi or any and as much Japanese food as you can. Not all of it will be delicious to your Western palate but it`s incredibly healthy and it`s one of the reasons you came to Japan – because it`s so different to your own country. TRY OUT NEW THINGS!
6: Have a go at Karaoke. Don`t fancy singing in front of a crowd of strangers? There are special karaoke halls with private rooms fitting any size from 1 to 50 of your closest friends and family. The price can be as little as 140 yen (70p/ $1.40) for half an hour. They have almost every famous Western song ever recorded and hi-tech equipment to make you sound even better than you really are. Don`t feel like singing? May I recommend The Beatles Her Majesty at a measly 23 seconds long.
7. Visit a temple or shrine. Another self evident suggestion but important. I sometimes think that just as New Zealand has more sheep than people, Japan has more shrines than people. Maybe not. Try out your fortune in the corner and get a native to translate the slip of paper you get back. If it`s a bad one, tie it to a part of the shrine to ward the bad luck away.
8: Try out the Japanese beverages. Similar to No. 5 yet whilst green tea may not have sugar and milk in like your beloved brown tea back home, it`s exceptionally healthy. Japanese babies live on it, it posesses cancer warding properties and is can be caffeine-free. If you`re not worried about all that health malarkey, try out sake which is rice wine or sample perhaps the best beer in the world, Kirin Ichiban.
9: Learn (a bit of) Japanese. It`s easy to learn to say hello, please and thank you and will help change the Japanese`s perception of you from an ignorant foreign intruder to a curious and open minded guest. Maybe.
10. Try to take in as much of the culture as you can. Unless you live in Korea, China or Russia, Japan is far from and very different to your own country. Enter it with an open mind and see how they deal with different settings and challenges not in stupid or wrong way but in a contrasting and fascinating way.
If you have any suggestions for things you should do in Japan, things you shouldn`t do in Japan or things you`d like to do in Japan if you came here, please leave something in the comments. Cheers.
As Haloscan will eventually hide these comments, I want to keep them in the post:
Well. You shouldn’t go on a train during rush hour with suitcases and a backpack. It’s suicidal.
You should eat yakitori at Iseya in Kichijoji, go to a matsuri and eat yakisoba, takoyaki, kakigori and all other scrumptious things, eat oden when it’s so cold outside your fingers are numb, chat with random homeless middle-aged men/ojisan at shinjuku park, try riding a bike with an umbrella from the 99yen store in one hand and the other on the handle. before a typhoon hits, of course.
pretend you’re japanese.
there you go. phew.
Leah
Finland is right next to Russia, yet Japan is still halfway around the world 
Btw, any idea why Firefox prevented a popup window here..?
Jacke
Hi,
Found your site via Tony Pierce’s blogroll.
Just wanted to say that green tea does have caffeine in it.
Shannon
Technorati Tags: Japan, Osaka, Asia, Quaisi, Kansai, Expat, Onsen, Pachinko, Kabuki, Green Tea, Karaoke, Food, Japanese, Shinkansen How To List, Top Ten
I’d love to visit Japan… but it’s too expensive for the portuguese.
Book flight tickets early, then they are cheaper!
Try booking through internet travel agents. http://www.travelocity.com, http://www.expedia.com, etc.
Go to Japan-guide.com or such like websites and get a feel of Japan.
Go to a tea ceremony!! Amazing!
When using the underground, find your destination, look at the price in the list, then add coins/notes (of equal or more value) into the ticket-machine, then click the button with the amount on, then collect change and ticket. Or go for the economy all day ticket (I forget it’s cost.. I think it’s either 500 yen or 1000?!?), I think that’s usually a blue button! Correct me if I’m wrong.
Noodle bars are cheapest for food.. even though unhealty!
Go to the 100 Yen shops for food, sovenuirs etc.
Try tempora, even though expensive!
Go to Shinto and Buddist Shrines.
Book hostel rooms e.g. http://www.hostelbookers.com. But make sure you get prepared with maps to locate them and contact numbers if things go wrong.
Plan your trip.
Get a Japanese Rail Pass (early, before you go!) http://www.japanrailpass.net/
Maybe try and live with a family for a few days (who can talk your native language) and then they can introduce you steadily to Japan, the language and it’s culture.
Hi! I am from Vancouver and I am heading over to Tokyo Japan in just a couple of days! I am staying with my best friend and her university room mate, who happens to live in Tokyo! I was what i should bring as a gift! Also, is it easy to organize going to a tea cerimony? Expensive?
With the exception of 6 (I can’t sing) I have done all the others and thoroughly enjoyed them all!
I discovered also that it is very enjoyable to burp in public after a bowl of noodles. (Please don’t try this in London)
i lived near isaya in kichijoji it is the best but you should really try the mind bending chemicals the guy sells round the corner from the big starbucks on shinjuku crossing 2 c t 7 was an amazing lost couple of days and 5 meo dmt was even more amazing couple of minuets intense!
try yakiniku.
But don’t make your first Shinkansen ride the bottom of a two storey train like I did, e.g. half the trains from Tokyo to Niigata. Could see nothing but concrete barriers and the occasional mountain top. Managed not to cry though
TEFLtastic with Alex Case from Japan- http://www.tefl.net/alexcase
One thing that I really want to do next time I go to Japan is to meet a friend at the statue of Hachiko: http://www.nylana.org/RRACI/hachiko.htm
That and I want to visit Harajuku on Sunday Morning: http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3006.html
Glad you’ve got pachinko on the list – and you’re quite right, don’t get carried away. Those balls disappear way too quickly!
There’s some cool videos of pachinko parlours here: http://www.the-pachinko-guide.com/pachinko/articles/pachinko-parlours/
Japan — The best!!
EYE LOVE LUKE
if in osaka, don’t forget to try “takoyaki” or “okonomiyaki”
the onsen is also a great experience, but people with tatoo can’t enter
[...] 10 things you must do in Japan [...]
i am a japanese american female from Hawaii. I went to Hokkaido in 2003…loved the onsens! visited about 5 of them. I have tattoos and no one said anything to me. I didn’t even receive funny looks from the other females. (bad thing about onsens, they are not co-ed)
i am a japanese american female from Hawaii. I went to Hokkaido in 2003…loved the onsens! visited about 5 of them. I have tattoos and no one said anything to me. I didn’t even receive funny looks from the other females. bad thing about onsens, they are not co-ed.
Ana- From the number of Spanish tourists I see in Shibuya nowadays, I think the level of the Euro might have made Japan reasonable. For my friends coming from the UK it is now cheap here!
Thanks for this post.
It’s interesting that you believe that Japanese culture is kind of similar to Russian.
))
I live in Russia, Japan is indeed halfway around the world, but I don’t really find any cultural similarities,
)) except for the preference for group interests over individuals, changing street shoes for slippers at home, Asian-style toilets that still exist even in Moscow, and strict hierarchy in some institutions.
What similarities between Russia and Japan do you see as an outside observer of both cultures? Thanks
Eat sushi breakfast in Tsukiji market. There are several great places (judging by the lines) in a public area of the market in the rows of barrack-style buildings. I tried a small place called Sushi Dai – only about 12 seats. Get there early (at 5:30 AM I had no wait, at 7:30 it was over one hour) and shop after the meal.
Yes! The most exhilarating thing in the world, riding against the wind, rain, and other people with umbrellas blocking their view all whilst trying to get to your train on time.
Horrifically Entertaining!
…or not
I am currently living in Matsuyama, Japan.
As a young New Zealander (16), its a great place to live!
Be aware however when you are off the beaten tourist track, foreigners are somewhat of a novelty, so be prepared to be stared at!
Loved the read from all. My friend and I go to Tokyo next year for only one week ,we already have the Rail ticket just need to sort out places to go, looking forward to trying new foods
Watch the sunrise (goraiko) from the top of Mt. Fuji. Breathtaking! I had to climb it twice due to bad weather the first time, but it was worth it. Equally rewarding was getting a driver’s license, but that took three tries….
Ok one thing that is a must do in Japan would have to be take Purikura (sticker photos), you go into a photobooth with your friends, take photos with cute backgrounds and then decorate them!! It is so much fun and they are so cute!
Also if you are still in highschool you should come on japan for exchange. I’m from Australia and I’m 15 and have come over here to school for a year. Actually though school is all in Japanese and kanji so I don’t know what we are stduying!! Haha but I have cute Japanese school uniform and have joined club activities at school, which train everyday after school and on weekends too btw, I’m in kendo><!! ^^!
Also if you are here in summer you must go to a summer festival, they are great and many people wear yukata and theres dancing and food and a lot of fun ^^
Ok one thing that is a must do in Japan would have to be take Purikura (sticker photos), you go into a photobooth with your friends, take photos with cute backgrounds and then decorate them!! It is so much fun and they are so cute!
Also if you are still in highschool you should come on japan for exchange. I’m from Australia and I’m 15 and have come over here to school for a year. Actually though school is all in Japanese and kanji so I don’t know what we are stduying!! Haha but I have cute Japanese school uniform and have joined club activities at school, which train everyday after school and on weekends too btw, I’m in kendo><!! ^^!
Also if you are here in summer you must go to a summer festival, they are great and many people wear yukata and theres dancing and food and a lot of fun ^^
Also living in somewhat the country (morioka, iwate) … foreigners get looooked at wayyy to much!!!
i am in yokosuka right now, i am a journalist/tv broadcaster in the navy. Sucks i kno im a dumb foreign idiot in the navy right? wrong i like to learn the language, i have been all over japan and i love it. i kind of like it more than the U.S. only not as much culture diversity. Pretty much the only good thing about the U.S. The train system they have here is awesome. The food is soooooooo much healthier than U.S. I am a fitness buff and eating japanese food helps me everyday with my workout routine and diet. Very easy to get those six pack abs with japanese food. It should be a recommended diet. Alson another thing is how nice all the japanese are to you if you are not a dickhead to them. I have not made one enemy with a japanese person. They are really big into the texting and cell phone thing. So definitely get a prepaid phone when you get there if you are staying for more than a week. I have a phone book on my cell that had maybe 20 of my american friends in it. I have been here for about 6 months and have 336 japanese friends now in my phone book on my cell phone. Also the streets even in the bigger cities are a lot safer than americen streets, or anywhere else i have been really. i had a girlfriend that walked from the train in tokyo to her house its a 20 min. walk at 130 am and she has not had trouble with anyone ever. and she has been doing that for 13 years. One thing to take away from japan is how nice the people are i think and how they will always help you out with the train and if you are alone in a bar, somebody will always come up to you and say how is it going or try and talk with you. I love japan and definitely recommend it to others.
Nice stuff! Enjoyed reading it.
Off to Japan in two weeks and will try implement these tips for sure. Esp. eating as much as sushi as I can =D
Cheers.. take care and thanks for the Finland remark =D
Emiliiii -the reindeer in India