01 · START HERE
Before You Arrive
The checklist I'd send a friend. eSIM, cash, cards, meds, packing, the airport train and the new tax-free rules.
JAPANTHE BASICS
JAPAN THE BASICS
DON'T LAND LIKE A ROOKIE.
Everything I'd tell a friend before their first Japan trip, in the order you'll need it. Before you fly, when you land, and out with people.
THE SHORT ANSWER
What do you need to know before your first trip to Japan? Five things, in order:
- Before you fly: set up an eSIM, get a card that doesn't charge you just for using it abroad, and check your meds. Before You Arrive has the whole checklist.
- When you land: skip the airport currency exchange, take the train into the city, and carry some cash.
- Don't tip. Tax-free shopping changed on 1 November 2026: you pay full price and get the tax back when you leave.
- Out with people: hand things over with two hands, use the tray when you pay, let people off the train first, and keep your voice down. The Unwritten Rules of Japan has the Japanese for each moment.
- Then go somewhere tourists don't: start with my Tokyo neighborhoods.
WHEN YOU LAND
What's rude in Japan?
Talking on the phone on the train is way worse than walking around with an iced coffee. There are levels to it, and nobody expects a visitor to get everything right. Effort counts.
Do I need cash in Japan?
Yes, carry some. Japan is still around 40% cash, so keep ¥5,000 to ¥10,000 on you as backup and get more from a 7-Eleven ATM. Which card to use is in Before You Arrive.
WHAT TO PACK
What should I pack for Japan?
Go carry-on only if you can, because Tokyo trains have no room for big luggage, and bring slip-on walking shoes for temples and ryokans. The full packing list is a tick-box checklist in Before You Arrive, and Japanese fashion covers how people actually dress here.
EVERY JAPAN GUIDE
02
Japan etiquette for tourists
The 12 small moves that actually matter, plus trains, eating and shrines. No one expects perfection.
03
The Unwritten Rules of Japan
Eight social customs nobody explains, plus the Japanese that helps.
04
Japanese slang
20 slang words: what they really mean, how people use them and the ones to avoid.
05
Japanese fashion
Shape, fabric, subcultures and the details that make a familiar piece feel different.
06
Japan local spots
40 local cafés, restaurants and bars across 10 cities, each with a map link.
07
My Tokyo, Osaka and Kyoto picks
The experiences I'd pick in Tokyo, Osaka and Kyoto, with a shortlist you can save.
08
Golf in Japan
A golf day out of Tokyo by train. Three courses, how to book without Japanese, and the lunch break.
09
Moving to Japan
For when you want to live here, not just visit.
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