Japan is a special country, with exceptional walks and a unique culture all of its own. If you are a first-time visitor to Japan, take a moment to read our Japan travel tips to ease you into the local culture and help you know what to expect.
Hotels and Ryokans in Japan
- Double v King Beds - In Japan hotels it is most common for couples to stay in rooms featuring two double beds, rather than one King bed. This may stem from the fact that in Japan homes a couple sleeps on two futons next to each other. Given there are limited King Rooms in Japan’s hotels and ryokans, we always specifically request a King bed but cannot guarantee it in all cases. Even in high-end Japanese properties, King rooms are not a norm. The only way to avoid this issue is by limiting your trip to city hotels - the large Western chains - which would be a great shame.
- Will I sleep on a futon – There are many ryokans and hotels in Japan that offer futon beds. These can range from comfortable mattresses on a platform base, to very thin futon mattresses with lumpy grain filled pillows. To ensure comfort, we only feature properties that offer Western beds, or the thick mattresses on platforms, akin to a normal Western bed. A very comfortable sleep is a promise, having personally tested each property featured in our journeys.
- Set dining times in Japan - Set dining times are very important in Japan, and something you can expect at most properties you visit. This applies to both dinner and breakfast, which often are spaced out in 30-minute intervals to ensure a great experience for guests with attentive staff serving your meal. When you see a traditional Kaiseki meal – with many intricate courses – you will understand the need for such as structured approach. On Walk into Luxury journeys, we pre-reserve the best dinner seating times, and your breakfast dining time will be confirmed by the hotel staff at check-in or over dinner.
- Set menus and dietary requirements - Read our comprehensive dining guide for Japan to learn more about what dining options you are likely to encounter at the hotels in Japan. One key takeaway to note is you may not be dining alacarte at some properties. Often there is a set menu, such as a kaiseki or teppanyaki dinner, which makes it difficult to cater to dietary requirements at short notice. Please advise us of any dietaries at the time of booking. Read more about dietaries in our Japan dining guide.
- Coffee, milk, wine and other expectations - To understand what to expect (and not expect) in your hotel mini-bar or at the hotel restaurant, please read our comprehensive Japan food and beverage guide so you know what to expect.
- Hotel Bars in Japan – A hotel bar is not common in traditional Japanese Ryokans or hotels. In Japan’s boutique luxury hotels, there are often small bar/guest lounge areas, but they commonly have limited hours of operation (just before dinner and/or just after dinner) and are a bit quieter than the normal Western hotel bar experience you might be used to. If you like the hustle and bustle of city hotel bars, we’d recommend the full-service hotels in Tokyo, Osaka and Kyoto, and also highly recommend the fabulous bar at the Ritz-Carlton Nikko. Once you are travelling through the more authentic Japanese villages, you will enjoy a unique food and wine experience suiting the property. We can’t guarantee a bustling bar, but there will always be beer and wine available with meals, in a lounge at set times, and/or in your guest suite.
Picture below, the atmospheric bar at Ritz-Carlton Nikko.
Visiting Shrines and Temples in Japan
On any pilgrim journey in Japan you are likely to visit several shrines and temples at various points along your journey. You will notice that the locals follow a specific process when visiting. This is the what you need to know –
- First, bow once before entering through the Torii Gate into the Shrine grounds
- Next, find the wash basin which will be outside with cups hanging up – this is here so you can purify yourself before entering. Take the ladle in your right hand to scoop up a cup of water. Wash your left hand, then swap hands and pour water over your right hand. You can then pour water into your left hand and use it to cleanse your mouth – though many skip this step understandably. Finally return the ladle back so the water drips down the ladle handle cleaning it and the cup. Pictured below: The purification station outside Nachi Taisha grand shrine on the Kii Peninsula.
- Now that’s you’re purified, you can step up to the main shrine hall. At the entry throw a 5 yen coin into the offering box, and ring the bell before giving your prayers. Note the 5 yen coin signals relationships and is the lucky coin to use at a shrine.
- To offer your prayers, you bow twice, clap your hands twice, join your hands to offer your prayer, and bow once to finish.
- Finally upon leaving the shrine grounds, turn and bow one final time to the main hall.
The Onsen Experience in Japan
First let's start with - what is an onsen? An onsen is a natural hot spring bath that is geothermically heated under the ground. So onsen bath is simply a bath where the water has been heated by the earth. Onsen baths take many forms, from natural onsen - naturally formed bathing areas surrounded by nature - to indoor and outdoor onsen baths, often found at hotels or in onsen town village centres. Here are our top tips for how to take an onsen bath, and other things you should know.
- Private v public onsen – At hotels and ryokans across Japan there will often be public onsen baths, segregated for men and women. These may be comprised of just one large bathing area, or a collection of smaller indoor and outdoor bathing areas. At some high-end properties, there may also be a private onsen bath on your terrace or balcony, or even in your ensuite - Fufu Nara and Byaku Narai are great examples of this. If you don’t have a private onsen in your suite, but you are nervous about the public onsen experience, you may have the option to book a private use session of one of the hotel’s onsen bathing areas. This is available, for example, at properties like Villa Amanosato and Kumano Bettei Nakanoshima (pictured above) on Walk into Luxury’s Kii Peninsula journeys.
- Tattoos – It is important to note that tattoos are unfortunately not permitted within public onsen baths. For this reason, we recommend a private use session of the hotel onsen if you have tattoos and do not have your own onsen in your suite.
- How to take an onsen bath – Your first public onsen experience can be a bit daunting, so let us explain the steps and cultural expectations. When you enter the onsen, you will first come to the changing area, where you undress – bathing suits are not permitted in public onsen, and locals do tend to enforce this rule. Leave your clothes and take the small towel with you into the main onsen area. Here you will find the washing area, featuring taps, a small stool and soap/shampoo. Before entering the onsen bath, it is expected that you first wash yourself here. Next you can enter the bath and enjoy the healing warm water. Upon exiting the bath, you may rinse off again at the washing station or shower, and then return the changing room to find the larger towels which are for drying off. You are not meant to take the large towels into the bathing area, only take the small towel with you into the onsen.
- No cameras – To avoid disapproving looks, it is important not to take your camera into a public onsen. Although it might be tempting to capture the unique onsen setting, you will be asked to leave if spotted trying to take a picture.
Cultural Tips for first-time visitors to Japan
The Japanese culture is unique and one that you may like to learn a little about before travelling. Here are a couple of our top cultural tips for Japan to get you started.
- Politeness - The Japanese are extremely polite. Remembering your manners, and learning a few key phrases like sumimasen (excuse me) and arigato gozaimasu (thank you very much) will go a long way.
- Be on time – An extension of the politeness point, the Japanese are always on time. It is considered very rude to be late, and you will find locals apologizing profusely if they are even 2 or 3 minutes late to a meeting. Please keep this in mind when travelling and endeavour to attend your reserved dining time and collection points as scheduled.
- Rules are followed – The Japanese are a very rule-abiding people. This is good to be aware of when considering things like standing in an orderly queue, waiting your turn, crossing streets at the green light, and so on. It is also one of the reasons you can expect locals or even the hotel staff to speak to you if you’re spotted not following the public onsen rules.
- Japanese sweets and gifts culture – One of the things we came to love in Japan was the culture of giving and receiving small edible gifts, and you will find sweet Japanese treats wrapped in beautiful gift boxes across Japan. You will find these same Japanese sweets in your room on arrival at most hotels, a sign of a special welcome. While the sweets are not your typical Western sweet, they are a lovely touch.
General Japan Travel Tips
- Tipping – Tipping is not necessary in Japan, and can even cause confusion or embarrassment.
- Cash while travelling – It is important to carry some Japanese yen in cash with you when travelling in Japan. You may need to pay cash to enter temples and shrines, or at roadside food stalls in rural villages. Local tolls and parking fees may also be collected in cash. In more traditional and remote areas, limited Wifi means payment via Eftpos or Visa is not a possibility. For the most part payment by card will be fine, but having $100 converted to yen in small denominations at the start of your trip is a good idea.
- ATMs in Japan – It is good to understand that many ATMs in Japan do not accept foreign cards. The best ATMs for Western tourists to use are 7-Bank ATMs (found at 20,000 7-11s across Japan) and the ‘postal ATMs’ found at post offices, and International ATMs found at Airports, Family Mart, Lawsons and some train stations. To avoid any issues using your card while travelling, be sure to notify your bank of your plans before you leave.
- Wifi and mobile data – To ensure you can inexpensively receive and make calls while travelling, you may like to purchase a mobile data sim or online plan before you leave or on arrival in Japan. Although What’s App and other Wifi-enabled services are widely used, your driver and some local hotels will call or message via mobile to get in touch with you while travelling so mobile data is needed.
- Power outlets and and plugs – The voltage used throughout Japan is uniformly 100 volts, A.C. There are two kinds of frequencies in use—50 Hertz in eastern Japan and 60 Hertz in western Japan (including Nagoya, Kyoto and Osaka). Power plugs in Japan feature two flat parallel prongs. There will often be USB points to charge devices on at airport, on bullet trains, and in hotel rooms, but if you need a plug adaptor you can purchase one at the airport upon arrival or at a Bic Camera or Yodobashi Camera store in any of the city centres.
The Japan First Time Visitor Guide compiled by Japan’s National Tourism Office is a good resource if you'd like to learn more about Japan ahead of your visit: https://www.japan.travel/en/plan/. We are also here to help with any questions you may have.
Walk into Luxury's Japan journeys combine hand-selected luxury properties and authentic ryokan experiences across Japan's most exceptional nature areas with premium dining experiences and guided walks. Discover our Luxury Tours of Japan below.
