Japan Travel Tips For First-Timers: 25 Things To Know Before You Go

Most Japan travel tips for first-timers come in long lists, and many were written before 2026 changed the departure tax, tax-free shopping and the JR Pass price. Here are the 25 things that actually change how a first trip goes, grouped by when you need them, with current numbers.

What Changed For Japan Trips In 2026

Three rules changed this year, and older guides don't mention them.

• Departure tax is now ¥3,000 (about $20). The International Tourist Tax rose from ¥1,000 to ¥3,000 per departure on July 1, 2026. Your airline adds it to the fare, so there's nothing to pay at the airport. Tickets issued on or before June 30, 2026 keep the old rate, and children under 2 are exempt.
• Tax-free shopping becomes a refund. For purchases on or after November 1, 2026, you pay the full price and get the 10% tax back after customs confirms the goods are leaving Japan. Details are in tip 10.
• The JR Pass costs more through agencies. Since October 1, 2026, a 7-day pass from an overseas agency costs ¥53,000 (about $340). JR keeps the price on its own website at ¥50,000 for a limited time, with no end date announced.

Transport And Data Options Compared

Trains and mobile data are the two things most first-timers sort out before they leave. Here's how the options compare for a 7–14 day trip.

Getting Around

Getting Online

Our Pick For A First Trip

For a typical 10-day first trip that starts in Tokyo and ends in Osaka, here's what we'd do: install an eSIM at home, add Suica to your phone, and book each Shinkansen ride on smartEX instead of buying a JR Pass.

Tokyo to Kyoto, Kyoto to Osaka and Osaka back to Tokyo adds up to about ¥30,000 (about $195) in single tickets, against ¥50,000 for the cheapest pass. Ship your big suitcase between cities, and take ¥20,000 out of a 7-Eleven ATM when you land.

Before You Book

1. Pick Two Or Three Bases

Choose two or three bases, not six. Japan is long and narrow, and every hotel change costs you half a day of packing, checking out and finding the next place. For 7 days, we'd do Tokyo and Kyoto. For 10 days, add Osaka. For 14 days, add Hiroshima or Hakone. Our Kyoto travel guide covers which part of Kyoto to stay in.

2. Avoid Peak Weeks Or Book Earlier

Know the crunch periods before you pick dates. Cherry blossoms usually peak in Tokyo and Kyoto from late March to early April. Golden Week runs from late April to early May, Obon fills trains in mid-August, and Kyoto's autumn leaves draw crowds in mid to late November. Many shops and museums also close for a few days between December 29 and January 4. Go then if you like, but book everything earlier.

3. Book Hotels Near A Station

Book your hotel as soon as your dates are fixed, three to six months out for cherry blossom or autumn trips. Pick one within a five-minute walk of a train or subway station. City rooms are small, so check the floor area before you book if you're traveling with two large suitcases.

4. Book Timed Tickets On Release Day

The most popular tickets sell out on release day. Ghibli Museum tickets for the following month go on sale at 10 a.m. Japan time on the 10th, through Lawson Ticket. That's the evening of the 9th in the US, so set an alarm. Book teamLab and sunset slots at observation decks like Shibuya Sky as soon as your dates are set.

5. Check Your Passport And Entry Rules

If you hold a US, UK, Canadian or Australian passport, you don't need a visa for a tourist trip of up to 90 days. Make sure your passport is valid for your whole stay. Visit Japan Web, the government's free site, lets you fill in immigration and customs forms before you fly and show a QR code on arrival. It's optional but faster than paper forms. Use only the official site run by Japan's Digital Agency; look-alike sites charge for it.

Once you're in Japan, carry your passport with you. Foreign tourists are required to have it on them at all times, and you'll need it to check in at hotels and to shop tax-free.

6. Check Your Medications

Japan bans some medicines that are sold over the counter at home. Anything containing amphetamine, such as Adderall, is prohibited, and so are medicines with more than 10% pseudoephedrine, such as some Sudafed products. You can bring up to a one-month supply of most other prescription pills or creams for your own use without paperwork. More than that needs an import certificate from Japan's health ministry (MHLW), which takes weeks to arrange.

Money In Japan

7. Carry Some Cash

Carry ¥10,000–¥20,000 (about $65–$130) in cash, and use a card for everything else. Hotels, department stores, chain restaurants and convenience stores in big cities take cards. Small ramen shops with ticket machines, temple entry gates, shrine offerings, and rural buses and shops often don't. You'll collect a lot of ¥100 and ¥500 coins, so a small coin purse helps.

8. Use 7-Eleven ATMs

Withdraw yen from the ATM in a 7-Eleven. Many Japanese bank ATMs don't accept foreign cards, but Seven Bank ATMs in 7-Eleven stores take Visa, Mastercard, American Express, JCB, UnionPay and other major cards, day or night. Some cards still get rejected, so bring two cards from different networks. Check your home bank's foreign ATM fee before you go.

9. Don't Tip

Don't tip at restaurants, in taxis or at hotels. Good service is part of the price, and leaving money on the table often just means a server runs after you to return it. If you want to say thanks, "gochisōsama deshita" ("thank you for the meal") on your way out does the job.

10. Tax-Free Shopping After November 1

If you shop tax-free from November 1, 2026, you'll pay the full price, including 10% tax, and claim the tax back when you leave. Purchases made through October 31 still follow the old system, where most shops take the tax off at the till. Under the new system:

• You need to spend at least ¥5,000 (about $30), before tax, in one shop on one day. Show your passport when you pay.
• Keep every item and receipt together. If one item from a receipt is missing, nothing on that receipt qualifies, and food or cosmetics you've used in Japan don't count.
• At the airport, before you check your bags, scan your passport at a tax-free kiosk in the departure lobby (or use Visit Japan Web at major airports). A green result means you're done; a red result sends you to a customs inspection.
• You must leave Japan within 90 days of buying the goods. The shop, or a refund company it uses, then pays you back. Ask at the till how it pays.

11. Budget Per Day

Plan your budget per day. japan-guide.com puts a mid-range day for one person at ¥13,000–¥28,000 (about $85–$180) for a room, meals and sightseeing, and Tokyo and Kyoto hotel rates have risen since that estimate. Long-distance trains come on top. Food is where Japan is cheaper than people expect: a convenience-store breakfast or station noodles cost under ¥1,000 (about $6.50).

Getting Around Japan

12. Skip The JR Pass For Tokyo–Kyoto–Osaka

Skip the JR Pass unless your route is long. At ¥50,000 for 7 days, it loses to the roughly ¥30,000 in single tickets for a Tokyo–Kyoto–Osaka–Tokyo loop. It starts to pay off when you go further inside one week, such as Tokyo to Hiroshima and back plus a Kanazawa or Nagano side trip. Add up your actual fares before you decide.

13. Put Suica On Your Phone

Get an IC card before your first train ride. It works on most city trains, subways and buses nationwide, and at convenience stores and vending machines. On an iPhone, add a Suica card in Apple Wallet or use JR East's Welcome Suica Mobile app (iPhone only, valid 180 days, no deposit), then top up with the card you already have in Apple Pay.

Android phones bought outside Japan usually can't add Suica. Buy a physical Welcome Suica at an airport or major JR East station instead. It has no deposit, holds ¥1,000–¥10,000, and is valid for 28 days, but any balance left over isn't refunded, so spend it down at convenience stores on your last days.

14. Book Shinkansen Seats On smartEX

Book Tokaido and Sanyo Shinkansen tickets (Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, Hiroshima) on smartEX, JR Central's English app and website. It takes foreign credit cards and lets you tap through the gates with a linked IC card. Seats open a month ahead, and some a year ahead. Outside peak weeks, booking a few days before is usually fine; for Golden Week, Obon and New Year, book the day seats open. Tokyo to Kyoto takes about 2 hours 15 minutes on the Nozomi.

15. Reserve A Seat For Big Bags, Or Ship Them

On the Tokaido, Sanyo, Kyushu and Nishi-Kyushu Shinkansen, a bag whose length, width and height add up to more than 160 cm (63 in) needs a reserved "seat with oversized baggage area." Bring one without a reservation and you'll pay a ¥1,000 (about $6) fee, and bags over 250 cm (98 in) aren't allowed at all. Measure yours: many large checked suitcases go over 160 cm.

The easier fix is to ship it. Yamato's TA-Q-BIN service picks up bags from most hotel front desks and convenience stores, and a large suitcase from Tokyo to Kyoto costs roughly ¥2,600–¥3,600 (about $17–$23). Check the official site before you go. It usually arrives the next day, so pack a small overnight bag and send the suitcase a day before you move.

16. Give Big Stations Extra Time

Leave 15 extra minutes for any train you've booked from a big station. Tokyo, Shinjuku and Osaka-Umeda stations each have multiple operators, dozens of exits and long walks between lines. Trains leave on the minute, so "nearly on time" means missing it. Check which exit you need in Google Maps before you arrive.

17. Watch The Last Train

Most city trains stop running around midnight, and taxis after that get expensive quickly. If you're out late in Tokyo or Osaka, check the time of your last train home in Google Maps before the second drink, not after.

Phone And Internet In Japan

18. Install An eSIM Before You Fly

Buy and install a data-only eSIM at home, then switch it on when you land. You'll need maps and train times from the first minute. Ten gigabytes covers most people for two weeks; heavy video users should get 20 GB or unlimited. Check that your phone is unlocked before you buy.

19. Download These Apps

Set these up before you leave, not on the airport train:

• Google Maps for train routes, platform changes and exits.
• Google Translate with the Japanese offline pack. The camera mode reads menus and signs.
• smartEX for Shinkansen tickets between Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka and Hiroshima.
• Safety tips, the Japan Tourism Agency's app that sends earthquake and weather alerts in English.

Learn three phrases too: "sumimasen" (excuse me / sorry), "arigatō gozaimasu" (thank you) and "kore o kudasai" (this one, please). They cover most shop and restaurant situations.

Japanese Etiquette For Tourists

20. Keep It Quiet On Trains

Keep your voice low on trains and buses, and don't take phone calls on board. Switch your phone to silent. Priority seats near the doors are for elderly, pregnant and disabled passengers, so leave them free even when the car is empty. On the platform, line up at the marked spots and let people off before you get on.

21. Eat Standing Still, Carry Your Trash

Don't eat while walking down the street. Eat next to the stall or in front of the convenience store where you bought it. Public trash cans are rare, so carry a small bag for wrappers and empty bottles until you find bins at a convenience store or your hotel. Bins next to vending machines are for bottles and cans only.

22. Shoes Off, Tattoos Covered

Take your shoes off when you see a raised entrance step, a shoe rack or a row of slippers: ryokan, many temple halls, tatami restaurants and fitting rooms. Toilet slippers stay in the toilet. If you have tattoos, check before you visit an onsen. Many still turn tattooed guests away, some accept small ones under a patch, and a private bath (kashikiri) avoids the question.

23. Lines, Escalators And Smoking

Queue for everything, from trains to ramen. On escalators, people usually stand on the left in Tokyo and on the right in Osaka, but many stations now ask everyone to stand still on both sides, so follow the signs. Smoking on the street is banned across much of central Tokyo and other cities; use the marked smoking areas instead.

Health And Safety In Japan

24. Water, Plugs And Pharmacies

Tap water is safe to drink everywhere in Japan. Outlets are Type A, the same two flat pins as in the US, at 100 volts. US travelers don't need an adapter; UK, Australian and European travelers do. Most phone and laptop chargers handle 100–240V, but check hair tools before you plug them in.

Drugstores are everywhere in cities for minor problems. Get travel insurance with medical cover, since visitors pay the full cost of hospital treatment.

25. Save These Numbers

Save three numbers before you land: 110 for police and 119 for an ambulance or fire, both free and 24 hours. For non-emergencies, the Japan Visitor Hotline (050-3816-2787) answers in English around the clock. Japan is very safe, but earthquakes happen, so keep the Safety tips alerts on.

Pre-Trip Checklist

Here's the order we'd do everything in, counting back from your departure date:

1. Three to six months before: Book flights and hotels near stations, earlier for cherry blossom season, Golden Week or Kyoto in November.
2. Two months before: Check your passport's validity and your medications.
3. One month before: Buy Ghibli Museum tickets on the 10th of the month before your visit. Book teamLab and observation-deck slots, and peak-date Shinkansen seats on smartEX.
4. Two weeks before: Price your rail route and decide on the JR Pass. Buy your eSIM.
5. One week before: Fill in Visit Japan Web and screenshot the QR codes. Add Suica to your iPhone and download the apps.
6. Arrival day: Switch on the eSIM, top up Suica (or buy a Welcome Suica), and withdraw cash at a 7-Eleven.
7. Each moving day: Send your suitcase with TA-Q-BIN the day before, or reserve an oversized-baggage seat.
8. Departure day: If you shopped tax-free after November 1, 2026, scan your passport at the tax-free kiosk before you check your bags.

FAQ

What are 10 things I should know before traveling to Japan?

1) Most visitors from the US, UK, Canada and Australia don't need a visa for up to 90 days. 2) Carry your passport at all times. 3) Carry some cash. 4) Use 7-Eleven ATMs. 5) Don't tip. 6) Get an IC card like Suica. 7) Price your route before buying a JR Pass. 8) Keep quiet on trains. 9) Carry your trash. 10) From November 1, 2026, tax-free shopping is refunded at the airport, before you check your bags.

What is the 5-minute rule in Japan?

It isn't an official rule. Online, it usually describes the habit of arriving about five minutes early, because turning up exactly on time can come across as late, especially for work. For travelers, the practical version is this: trains leave on the minute, and tours and timed entry slots won't wait. Some restaurants may give away your table if you're late without calling. Aim to be five to ten minutes early for anything you've booked.

Do I need a visa to visit Japan?

Not for a tourist trip of up to 90 days if you hold a US, UK, Canadian or Australian passport. Japan plans an online pre-registration system for visa-exempt visitors by March 2029, but it isn't in place yet. Check the Ministry of Foreign Affairs site for other passports.

How many days do you need for a first trip to Japan?

We'd say 10 days: four nights in Tokyo, three or four in Kyoto and two in Osaka. With seven days, stick to Tokyo and Kyoto. With 14, add Hiroshima and Miyajima or a night in Hakone.

Is $5,000 enough for a trip to Japan?

For one person on a 10-day mid-range trip outside peak season, usually yes. Hotels, food and sightseeing at ¥13,000–¥28,000 a day add up to about $850–$1,800, plus about $200 in Shinkansen tickets and your flight. Cherry blossom dates, high-end hotels or a JR Pass route push that up quickly.

Can you drink tap water in Japan?

Yes. Tap water is safe to drink across the country.

Is the JR Pass worth it in 2026?

Only for long routes. Add up the single fares for your week; if they top ¥50,000, buy the pass on the official site rather than through an agency (¥53,000).

Before You Go

You don't need to memorize Japanese etiquette or plan every meal. Get the checklist bookings done on time and carry cash, an IC card and your passport. If we had to pick the two fixes that matter most, they'd be a lighter bag on the train and fewer hotel changes. Get those right, and the rest is easy to figure out as you go.