Nara becomes the capital
Japan built its first long-lasting capital, Heijō-kyō, at Nara, laid out on a grid like the Chinese capital. Buddhism flourished and the great temple of Tōdai-ji was built here.
Eastern Asia
Japan
Ancient temples, snow-capped Mount Fuji and bullet trains, on a long chain of islands known as the Land of the Rising Sun.
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Overview
Japan at a glance
Japan is an island nation in the Pacific Ocean, off the east coast of Asia. Four large islands make up most of the country: Hokkaido in the north, Honshu in the middle, and Shikoku and Kyushu in the south, together with thousands of smaller islands. Mountains cover most of the land, so people live crowded along the coasts and plains.
For more than 200 years Japan kept most of the world out, ruled by shoguns and samurai. When it opened up in the 1850s it changed at astonishing speed, and after the destruction of the Second World War it rebuilt itself into one of the richest countries on earth.
Today Japan is a country of about 123 million people, with an emperor as its symbol and an elected parliament that governs. Visitors love its mix of old and new: quiet shrines and tea houses next to neon-lit streets, some of the best food in the world, and trains that run almost to the second.
CapitalTokyo
PopulationAbout 123 million
Official languageNone by law; Japanese in practice
CurrencyJapanese yen (¥)
AreaAbout 378,000 km²
GovernmentConstitutional monarchy with a parliament (Emperor Naruhito since 2019)
Highest mountainMount Fuji, 3,776 m
Longest riverThe Shinano, about 367 km
NeighboursNone by land. Across the sea: Russia, North Korea, South Korea, China and Taiwan
Drives on theLeft
Calling code+81
The story
A short history of Japan
Japan's written history begins later than China's, but its imperial family is one of the oldest in the world. For most of the last thousand years real power lay with warrior families, until the emperor was restored to the centre of the state in 1868.
AD 710 AD 794 Heian-kyō becomes the capital
Emperor Kanmu moved the court to Heian-kyō, the city we now call Kyoto. It remained the home of the emperors for more than 1,000 years, and court life produced classics such as The Tale of Genji.
1192 Minamoto no Yoritomo becomes shogun
After winning a long war between two great clans, Yoritomo was named shogun, the top military ruler, and governed from Kamakura. Shoguns would hold real power, in the emperor's name, for almost 700 years.
1281 Typhoons wreck the Mongol fleet
The Mongol empire of Kublai Khan attacked Japan in 1274 and again in 1281. Both attempts failed, the second when a typhoon destroyed much of the fleet. The Japanese called these storms kamikaze, divine winds.
1543 Portuguese traders reach Japan
A ship carrying Portuguese traders landed on the island of Tanegashima, the first Europeans known to reach Japan. They brought guns, which soon changed the way Japanese lords fought.
1600 Battle of Sekigahara
Tokugawa Ieyasu defeated his rivals in one of the biggest battles in Japanese history, ending more than a century of civil war.
1603 Tokugawa Ieyasu becomes shogun
Ieyasu was named shogun and ruled from Edo, today's Tokyo. His family kept Japan at peace for about 250 years, a time called the Edo period.
1639 Japan closes its doors
After a series of edicts, the last of them in 1639, Portuguese ships were banned and Japanese people could not travel abroad. Only Chinese and Dutch ships could still trade, at Nagasaki, where the Dutch were confined to Dejima, a small artificial island in the harbour.
1853 Commodore Perry's black ships arrive
The American naval officer Matthew Perry sailed into Edo Bay with steam warships and demanded that Japan open its ports. A treaty the next year ended more than two centuries of isolation.
1868 The Meiji Restoration
The last shogun gave up power and the young Emperor Meiji was restored as head of the state. Edo was renamed Tokyo, meaning eastern capital, and Japan began to modernise at great speed.
1872 Japan's first railway opens
The first railway line in Japan opened between Tokyo and Yokohama, built with British help. Railways became the backbone of the country.
1945 Atomic bombs and surrender
In August 1945 the United States dropped atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and Japan surrendered, ending the Second World War.
1947 Japan's current constitution takes effect
A new constitution took effect on 3 May 1947. The emperor became a symbol of the nation, power passed to an elected parliament, and Japan gave up war as a way of settling disputes.
1964 Tokyo hosts the Summer Olympics
The Tokyo Olympics were the first Olympic Games held in Asia. The first bullet train line opened just days before, and the Games showed the world a rebuilt, modern Japan.
2011 The Great East Japan Earthquake
On 11 March 2011 a magnitude 9 earthquake off the northeast coast caused a huge tsunami that left about 18,000 people dead or missing and damaged the Fukushima nuclear power plant.
2019 The Reiwa era begins
Emperor Akihito stepped down, the first emperor to do so in about 200 years, and his son Naruhito took the throne on 1 May 2019. Japan names its years by era, and the new one is called Reiwa.
At the table
What to eat in Japan
Japanese food is built on rice, fish, soy and fresh seasonal vegetables, and UNESCO lists traditional Japanese food culture, washoku, as intangible heritage. A classic home meal is 'one soup, three dishes': a bowl of rice, miso soup, a main dish of fish or meat and two small side dishes, often with pickles and green tea.
Main course
Sushi
寿司
Nigiri from Edo (today's Tokyo); older fermented sushi came from mainland Asia
Rice seasoned with vinegar, topped or rolled with fish, seafood, egg or vegetables. The best-known kind, nigiri, is a small hand-pressed block of rice with a slice of fish on top.
Nigiri sushi began in the early 1800s as quick food sold from street stalls in Edo. When you dip it in soy sauce, dip the fish side, not the rice.
Main course
Ramen
ラーメン
Chinese-style noodles made Japanese; regional styles all over the country
Wheat noodles in a rich broth flavoured with soy sauce, salt, miso or pork bones, topped with sliced pork, a soft-boiled egg, spring onions and seaweed.
Sapporo, on the northern island of Hokkaido, is the birthplace of miso ramen.
Main course
Tempura
天ぷら
Introduced by the Portuguese in the 1500s, perfected in Edo
Prawns, fish and vegetables dipped in a very light, cold batter and fried until crisp, served with a dipping sauce and grated radish.
The idea of frying in batter is thought to have come with Portuguese traders and missionaries who arrived in the 1500s.
Side dishRecipe
Miso soup
味噌汁
All of Japan
A simple soup of dashi stock and miso, a paste of fermented soybeans, usually with tofu, seaweed and spring onions. It is served with almost every traditional meal, even breakfast.
See the recipe
Ingredients
- 800 ml dashi stock (made with instant dashi granules, or with kombu seaweed and bonito flakes)
- 3 to 4 tablespoons miso paste
- 150 g silken or firm tofu, cut into small cubes
- 1 tablespoon dried wakame seaweed
- 2 spring onions, thinly sliced
Method
- Soak the wakame in a bowl of water for 5 minutes, then drain.
- Heat the dashi in a pan until it is just below boiling.
- Put the miso in a ladle, dip it into the stock and stir with chopsticks until it dissolves into the soup.
- Add the tofu and wakame and heat gently for 1 to 2 minutes. Do not let the soup boil after adding the miso, or it loses its flavour.
- Serve in small bowls, sprinkled with spring onions.
SnackRecipe
Onigiri (rice balls)
おにぎり
All of Japan
Triangles or balls of rice with a filling such as salted salmon, pickled plum or tuna, wrapped in a strip of nori seaweed. They are the classic picnic and lunchbox food, sold in every convenience store.
See the recipe
Ingredients
- 300 g Japanese short-grain rice (about 650 g once cooked)
- 1 salted or lightly salted salmon fillet (about 120 g)
- Fine salt
- 2 sheets of nori seaweed, each cut into 4 strips
- A bowl of cold water for your hands
Method
- Rinse the rice until the water runs almost clear, then cook it in a rice cooker or a covered pan with 360 ml water. Let it rest for 10 minutes.
- Grill or pan-fry the salmon until cooked through, then remove the skin and bones and flake the fish.
- Wet your hands, rub a pinch of salt on your palms and take a handful of warm rice.
- Press a hollow in the rice, add a spoonful of salmon, cover with a little more rice and press gently into a triangle, turning it a few times.
- Wrap a strip of nori around the base just before eating so it stays crisp.
Main courseRecipe
Okonomiyaki
お好み焼き
Osaka and Hiroshima
A thick savoury pancake of batter and shredded cabbage with pork or seafood, cooked on a hot plate and topped with a sweet brown sauce, mayonnaise, seaweed flakes and dried bonito. The name means 'grilled as you like it'.
In Osaka the ingredients are mixed together before cooking. In Hiroshima they are layered, with noodles and much more cabbage.
See the recipe
Ingredients
- 100 g plain flour
- 120 ml dashi stock or water
- 2 eggs
- 300 g white cabbage, finely shredded
- 2 spring onions, sliced
- 6 thin slices of pork belly (about 120 g)
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- To serve: okonomiyaki sauce (or brown sauce), mayonnaise, aonori seaweed flakes and bonito flakes
Method
- Whisk the flour and dashi into a smooth batter, then beat in the eggs.
- Fold in the cabbage and spring onions so that everything is lightly coated.
- Heat the oil in a frying pan over medium heat and spoon in half of the mixture, pressing it into a round about 2 cm thick.
- Lay 3 slices of pork on top, cover and cook for about 5 minutes until the bottom is golden.
- Flip it with two spatulas, cover and cook for another 5 to 6 minutes, until the pork is crisp and cooked through. Repeat with the rest.
- Brush with sauce, zigzag with mayonnaise and sprinkle with aonori and bonito flakes.
Snack
Takoyaki
たこ焼き
Osaka
Round balls of batter with a piece of octopus inside, cooked in a special pan with half-round moulds and topped with sauce, mayonnaise, seaweed and bonito flakes.
A street vendor in Osaka, Tomekichi Endo, is credited with creating takoyaki in 1935. Let them cool a little: the inside stays very hot.
Main courseRecipe
Chicken teriyaki
照り焼きチキン
All of Japan
Chicken pan-fried and glazed with soy sauce, mirin and sugar. 'Teri' means shine and 'yaki' means grilled, for the glossy sauce.
See the recipe
Ingredients
- 2 boneless chicken thighs with skin (about 500 g)
- 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 3 tablespoons mirin
- 1 tablespoon sake (or water)
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- Steamed rice and a green salad or vegetables to serve
Method
- Mix the soy sauce, mirin, sake and sugar in a small bowl.
- Heat the oil in a frying pan and put the chicken in skin side down. Cook over medium heat for 7 to 8 minutes, pressing it flat, until the skin is crisp and golden.
- Turn the chicken and cook for another 5 minutes, until it is cooked through with no pink in the middle.
- Wipe out most of the fat with kitchen paper, pour in the sauce and let it bubble, turning the chicken, until the sauce is thick and glossy.
- Slice and serve with rice, spooning the rest of the sauce over the top.
RiceRecipe
Oyakodon
親子丼
Tokyo
A bowl of rice topped with chicken and onion simmered in a sweet soy broth and bound with softly set egg. The name means 'parent and child bowl', because it contains both chicken and egg.
The Tokyo restaurant Tamahide is credited with creating the modern dish in 1891.
See the recipe
Ingredients
- 250 g boneless chicken thigh, cut into bite-size pieces
- 1 onion, thinly sliced
- 200 ml dashi stock
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons mirin
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 3 eggs (the egg is traditionally left soft; cook it until fully set if serving pregnant women, young children, older people or anyone with a weak immune system)
- 2 bowls of hot cooked Japanese rice
- 1 spring onion, sliced
Method
- Put the dashi, soy sauce, mirin and sugar in a small frying pan and bring to a simmer.
- Add the onion and cook for 3 minutes, then add the chicken and simmer for 6 to 8 minutes, until it is cooked through.
- Lightly beat the eggs and pour them over the chicken in a circle.
- Cover and cook over low heat for 1 to 2 minutes, or longer until the egg is fully set if you prefer.
- Slide half of the mixture over each bowl of rice and sprinkle with spring onion.
Main course
Sukiyaki
すき焼き
All of Japan, especially Tokyo and Kansai
A hot pot cooked at the table: thin slices of beef, tofu, leeks, mushrooms and noodles simmered in a sweet soy sauce broth. It is a favourite dish for winter and celebrations.
Each bite is traditionally dipped in raw beaten egg. If you are pregnant, older or have a weak immune system, ask for it without the raw egg or use pasteurised eggs at home.
Main course
Sanuki udon
讃岐うどん
Kagawa Prefecture, Shikoku
Thick, square-edged wheat noodles with a firm, chewy bite, served in a light broth or with a dipping sauce.
Kagawa, once called Sanuki province, promotes itself as the 'Udon Prefecture'.
Main course
Soba
蕎麦
All of Japan, especially the mountain regions
Thin buckwheat noodles, eaten hot in broth in winter or cold with a dipping sauce in summer.
Many families eat 'year-crossing soba' on New Year's Eve, for a long life.
Snack
Gyōza
餃子
From Chinese dumplings; popular all over Japan
Thin dumplings filled with minced pork, cabbage, garlic and ginger, fried on one side until crisp and then steamed. They are dipped in soy sauce with vinegar and chilli oil.
Dessert
Mochi
餅
All of Japan
A soft, stretchy cake made by pounding steamed glutinous (sticky) rice. It is eaten grilled, in soup, or as sweets filled with red bean paste, and it is a must at New Year.
Mochi is very sticky and can cause choking, especially in older people. Japanese authorities advise cutting it into small pieces and chewing well.
Drink
Matcha
抹茶
Uji, near Kyoto, is the most famous growing area
Powdered green tea, whisked with hot water into a bright green, frothy drink. It is the tea of the traditional tea ceremony and a popular flavour for sweets and ice cream.
Table manners
- Say 'itadakimasu' before you eat and 'gochisōsama deshita' when you finish, to thank everyone who made the meal.
- Never stand your chopsticks upright in a bowl of rice, and never pass food from your chopsticks to someone else's. Both are linked with funerals.
- Slurping noodles such as ramen and soba is normal, and shows you are enjoying them.
- It is fine to lift a small bowl of rice or soup close to your mouth.
- With nigiri sushi, dip the fish side lightly in soy sauce, not the rice.
- Tipping is not customary in restaurants. Good service is simply part of the price.
Cities
13 cities to know
Most Japanese people live in a band of cities along the Pacific coast of Honshu, from Tokyo through Nagoya to Osaka. The old capitals of Kyoto and Nara hold much of the country's history.
Tokyo Capital
Tokyo Metropolis, Kantō
The capital and largest city, known as Edo until 1868. Greater Tokyo is one of the biggest urban areas on earth, yet it is full of quiet shrines, gardens and small neighbourhood streets.
- The Imperial Palace
- Sensō-ji temple in Asakusa
- Tokyo Skytree
- The Shibuya crossing
Yokohama
Kanagawa, Kantō
Japan's second-largest city and a great port, just south of Tokyo. It was one of the first harbours opened to foreign trade, in 1859.
- Japan's largest Chinatown
- The Minato Mirai waterfront
- The first railway, to Tokyo, in 1872
Nagoya
Aichi, Chūbu
A big industrial city between Tokyo and Osaka, at the heart of Japan's car industry.
- Nagoya Castle and its golden roof fish
- The car industry
- Miso katsu, pork cutlet with miso sauce
Kanazawa
Ishikawa, Chūbu
A graceful castle town on the Sea of Japan coast, one of the few major cities spared from bombing in the Second World War, so its old samurai and geisha districts survive.
- Kenroku-en garden
- Gold leaf
- The Higashi Chaya geisha district
Kyoto
Kyoto, Kansai
The imperial capital from 794 until 1868 and the cultural heart of Japan, with roughly 2,000 temples and shrines and old wooden townhouses.
- The Golden Pavilion
- Fushimi Inari's red gates
- Geisha in the Gion district
- Matcha tea from nearby Uji
Osaka
Osaka, Kansai
A lively merchant city on Osaka Bay, famous for its friendly, down-to-earth people and its love of food. Locals say Osaka is the place to eat until you drop.
- Takoyaki and okonomiyaki
- Osaka Castle
- The neon lights of Dōtonbori
Nara
Nara, Kansai
Japan's first long-lasting capital, from 710. Its temples are among the oldest in the country, and tame deer wander freely in the city's great park.
- The Great Buddha of Tōdai-ji
- The deer of Nara Park
- Kasuga Taisha shrine
Himeji
Hyōgo, Kansai
A city west of Kobe, dominated by the most famous castle in Japan, an easy day trip by bullet train from Osaka or Kyoto.
- Himeji Castle
- Kōko-en gardens
Hiroshima
Hiroshima, Chūgoku
Destroyed by the first atomic bomb used in war, on 6 August 1945, Hiroshima was rebuilt as a green, lively city dedicated to peace.
- The Peace Memorial Park
- Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki
- The nearby island of Miyajima
Fukuoka
Fukuoka, Kyushu
The largest city on the southern island of Kyushu, closer to Seoul than to Tokyo, with a relaxed seaside feel.
- Hakata tonkotsu (pork bone) ramen
- Yatai food stalls by the river
Nagasaki
Nagasaki, Kyushu
A hilly port city that was Japan's window on the world during the centuries of isolation. It was hit by the second atomic bomb on 9 August 1945.
- Dejima, the old Dutch trading post
- The Peace Park
- Castella sponge cake
Sapporo
Hokkaido
The largest city of the northern island of Hokkaido, with snowy winters. It hosted the 1972 Winter Olympics, the first Winter Games held in Asia.
- The Sapporo Snow Festival in February
- Miso ramen
- Sapporo beer
Fujiyoshida
Yamanashi, Chūbu
A small city at the northern foot of Mount Fuji, and a classic starting point for climbers and for views of the mountain.
- Views of Mount Fuji
- The Yoshida climbing trail
- Chūreitō Pagoda
Landmarks
Places everyone should see once
Fujiyoshida
Mount Fuji
Japan's highest mountain, a nearly perfect volcanic cone 3,776 m high, about 100 km southwest of Tokyo. It last erupted in 1707. Climbers go up in the official season, from early July to early September, often through the night to see the sunrise from the top.
UNESCO World Heritage
Tokyo
Sensō-ji
Tokyo's oldest temple, in the Asakusa district. Visitors enter through the Kaminarimon, the Thunder Gate with its giant red lantern, and walk up a street of about 70 small shops.
Tokyo
Tokyo Skytree
A broadcasting tower 634 m tall, opened in 2012. It is the tallest structure in Japan, and its viewing decks look out over the whole city and, on clear days, Mount Fuji.
Kyoto
Kinkaku-ji, the Golden Pavilion
A Zen temple whose top two floors are covered in gold leaf, reflected in a pond. The original building was burned down by a young monk in 1950, and the pavilion you see today was rebuilt in 1955.
UNESCO World Heritage
Kyoto
Fushimi Inari Taisha
The head shrine of Inari, the god of rice and business, guarded by stone foxes. Paths lined with thousands of red torii gates, each given by a business or person, climb Mount Inari behind it.
Nara
Tōdai-ji and the Great Buddha
A huge wooden hall holding a bronze Buddha about 15 m tall, dedicated in 752. The present hall dates from 1709 and was long the largest wooden building in the world.
UNESCO World Heritage
Himeji
Himeji Castle
The largest castle in Japan, nicknamed the White Heron Castle for its bright white walls. It survived the bombing of the city in 1945 almost untouched.
UNESCO World Heritage
Hiroshima
Hiroshima Peace Memorial (Genbaku Dome)
The ruined shell of an exhibition hall, one of the few buildings left standing near the centre of the atomic blast of 6 August 1945. It is kept as it was, as a reminder and a prayer for peace.
UNESCO World Heritage
Hiroshima
Itsukushima Shrine
A shrine on the island of Miyajima, a short ferry ride from Hiroshima, built over the water. Its great red torii gate seems to float at high tide, and at low tide you can walk out to it.
UNESCO World Heritage
Kanazawa
Kenroku-en
One of the Three Great Gardens of Japan, created by the lords of Kanazawa, with ponds, stone lanterns, teahouses and trees that are held up by ropes against heavy winter snow.
Fun facts
Things you might not know
- 01
Nihon, the Japanese name for Japan, is written with the characters for 'sun' and 'origin'. It means 'origin of the sun', which is why Japan is called the Land of the Rising Sun.
- 02
Japan is not just four islands: a government survey in 2023 counted 14,125 islands.
- 03
The first bullet train line, between Tokyo and Osaka, opened on 1 October 1964, just nine days before the Tokyo Olympics.
- 04
In the 2018 financial year, the average delay on the Tokaido bullet train line was 0.7 minutes.
- 05
As of 2026, Tokyo Skytree, at 634 m, is the tallest tower in the world.
- 06
Momofuku Ando invented instant noodles in Japan in 1958, and Cup Noodles followed in 1971.
- 07
Nintendo was founded in Kyoto in 1889. It started out making hanafuda, traditional Japanese playing cards.
- 08
As of 2026, Emperor Naruhito is the only monarch in the world with the title of emperor.
- 09
Written Japanese mixes three scripts: kanji, characters that came from China, and two syllable alphabets, hiragana and katakana. Katakana is used mainly for foreign words.
- 10
Kanazawa produces about 99 percent of Japan's high-quality gold leaf, and you can buy ice cream covered in it.
- 11
The 1972 Winter Olympics in Sapporo were the first Winter Games held in Asia.
- 12
Mount Fuji is a volcano that last erupted in 1707, covering Edo, about 100 km away, in ash.
Japanese words
20 words to start with
Pronunciation is written the way it sounds; the capital letters show where the stress goes. Audio is coming soon.
Greetings
- konnichiwa (こんにちは)kohn-NEE-chee-wahhello, good afternoon
- arigatō (ありがとう)ah-ree-GAH-tohthank you
- sumimasen (すみません)soo-mee-MAH-senexcuse me, sorry
Basics
- hai (はい)HIGHyes
- iie (いいえ)EE-ehno
Numbers
- ichi (一)EE-cheeone
- ni (二)NEEtwo
- san (三)SAHNthree
Food and drink
- mizu (水)MEE-zoowater
- gohan (ご飯)GOH-hahncooked rice, a meal
- ocha (お茶)OH-chahtea, usually green tea
- sakana (魚)sah-KAH-nahfish
- oishii (おいしい)oy-SHEEdelicious
Travel
- eki (駅)EH-keestation
- densha (電車)DEN-shahtrain
- kippu (切符)KEEP-pooticket
Around town
- toire (トイレ)TOY-rehtoilet
- tera (寺)TEH-rahBuddhist temple
- jinja (神社)JEEN-jahShinto shrine
Nature
- yama (山)YAH-mahmountain
Say it like a local
Useful phrases
Ohayō gozaimasu (おはようございます)
oh-HIGH-yoh goh-ZAI-mahs
Good morning
Greeting someone in the morning
Konnichiwa (こんにちは)
kohn-NEE-chee-wah
Hello, good afternoon
Greeting someone during the day
Konbanwa (こんばんは)
kohn-BAHN-wah
Good evening
Greeting someone in the evening
Hajimemashite (はじめまして)
hah-jee-meh-MAHSH-teh
Nice to meet you
Meeting someone for the first time, often with a bow
Arigatō gozaimasu (ありがとうございます)
ah-ree-GAH-toh goh-ZAI-mahs
Thank you very much
The polite thank you, for shop staff, hosts and strangers
Sumimasen (すみません)
soo-mee-MAH-sen
Excuse me
Calling a waiter, getting past someone or saying sorry
Onegaishimasu (お願いします)
oh-neh-GUY-shee-mahs
Please
Asking for something, for example after naming what you want
Kore o kudasai (これをください)
KOH-reh oh koo-DAH-sai
This one, please
Pointing at something in a shop or on a menu
Ikura desu ka? (いくらですか)
ee-KOO-rah DEHS-kah
How much is it?
Asking a price
Toire wa doko desu ka? (トイレはどこですか)
TOY-reh wah DOH-koh DEHS-kah
Where is the toilet?
Looking for the toilet
Eigo o hanasemasu ka? (英語を話せますか)
AY-goh oh hah-nah-seh-MAHS-kah
Do you speak English?
Before asking for help
Wakarimasen (わかりません)
wah-kah-ree-MAH-sen
I don't understand
When you do not understand
Itadakimasu (いただきます)
ee-tah-dah-kee-MAHS
I humbly receive
Just before you start eating
Gochisōsama deshita (ごちそうさまでした)
goh-chee-SOH-sah-mah DESH-tah
Thank you for the meal
When you finish eating, or leaving a restaurant
Kanpai! (乾杯)
kahn-PIE
Cheers!
Raising a glass
Okaikei onegaishimasu (お会計お願いします)
oh-KAI-kay oh-neh-GUY-shee-mahs
The bill, please
Asking for the bill in a restaurant
Daijōbu desu (大丈夫です)
dai-JOH-boo dehs
I'm fine, no thank you
Saying you are all right, or politely turning something down
Sayōnara (さようなら)
sah-YOH-nah-rah
Goodbye
Saying goodbye, especially when you will not meet again soon
Local tips
Before you go
Carry some cash
Cards are accepted more and more, but many small shops, restaurants and even hotels, especially in the countryside, take only cash. ATMs at post offices and 7-Eleven stores accept foreign cards.
Do not tip
Tipping is not customary in restaurants, taxis or hotels, and it can cause confusion. Good service is part of the price.
Take your shoes off
Remove your shoes in homes, traditional inns, many temples and restaurants with tatami mats. Wear socks without holes and shoes that slip on and off easily.
Get an IC card
Rechargeable cards such as Suica, PASMO and ICOCA work on trains and buses across the country, and in many shops and vending machines. Tap in and out at the gates.
Keep quiet on trains
Do not talk on your phone on trains or buses; a quiet conversation is fine. Priority seats are for older, pregnant and disabled passengers.
Queue at the train doors
People line up at the marked spots on the platform and wait at the sides of the doors until everyone has got off.
Onsen etiquette
At hot spring baths, wash and rinse your whole body at the showers before getting in. Bathing is done naked, in separate baths for men and women, and some baths turn away people with tattoos.
Bow rather than hug
A small bow is the usual greeting. Hugs and kisses are rare in public, and a handshake is fine with people used to foreigners.
Sources (41)
- Japan (Wikipedia)
- Japan (Encyclopaedia Britannica)
- Statistics Bureau of Japan
- History of Japan (Wikipedia)
- Sakoku (Wikipedia)
- Rail transport in Japan (Wikipedia)
- Shinkansen (Wikipedia)
- Emperor of Japan (Wikipedia)
- Shinano River (Wikipedia)
- Japanese cuisine (Wikipedia)
- UNESCO: Washoku, traditional dietary cultures of the Japanese
- Okonomiyaki (Wikipedia)
- Takoyaki (Wikipedia)
- Sanuki udon (Wikipedia)
- Oyakodon (Wikipedia)
- Mochi (Wikipedia)
- FDA: What you need to know about egg safety
- Instant noodle (Wikipedia)
- List of cities in Japan (Wikipedia)
- Sapporo (Wikipedia)
- Kyoto (Wikipedia)
- Kanazawa (Wikipedia)
- UNESCO World Heritage Centre: Japan
- Mount Fuji (Wikipedia)
- Itsukushima Shrine (Wikipedia)
- Kinkaku-ji (Wikipedia)
- Fushimi Inari-taisha (Wikipedia)
- Tōdai-ji (Wikipedia)
- Himeji Castle (Wikipedia)
- Sensō-ji (Wikipedia)
- Tokyo Skytree (Wikipedia)
- Nintendo (Wikipedia)
- Names of Japan (Wikipedia)
- Japanese writing system (Wikipedia)
- Japanese language (Wikipedia)
- Etiquette in Japan (Wikipedia)
- JNTO: Japanese manners, dos and don'ts
- JNTO: Tipping in Japan
- JNTO: How to best enjoy Japan's onsen
- JNTO: IC travel cards (Suica, PASMO and others)
- JNTO: Currency exchange, cash and ATMs
