First Time in Japan: What I Wish Someone Had Told Me

Japan is one of the most well-documented travel destinations in the world — and yet first-time visitors still arrive with gaps in their preparation that lead to preventable friction. Not because the information doesn't exist, but because the important stuff is buried under generic itinerary content. Here's what actually matters for first-time visitors, drawn from the specific things that catch Australians off guard.

Japan Runs on Cash. Seriously.

This is the single most important practical thing to know about Japan in 2026. Credit and debit card acceptance has improved significantly in major tourist areas and large chain restaurants, but a substantial portion of the experience that makes Japan worth visiting — the small ramen shop that's been run by one family for 40 years, the tofu restaurant in a Kyoto machiya, the local izakaya that seats 12, the temple gift shop — operates cash only. Budget roughly JPY 10,000 (AUD $100) per day in cash for spending money. 7-Eleven and Japan Post ATMs accept international cards reliably and with reasonable fees — they are your most important resource on arrival. The airport 7-Eleven ATM should be your first stop after immigration.

Get a Suica Card Immediately

A Suica IC card (rechargeable transit card) transforms navigation in Japan. Load JPY 3,000–5,000 at any station machine, tap on and off every metro, bus and suburban train, pay at convenience stores and vending machines, and use it at many restaurants and shops. It eliminates the need to buy individual tickets for every journey (which requires understanding the fare map and operating ticket machines) and shaves minutes off every transit interaction. Get one at any JR station in Tokyo or major airports. The physical card has JPY 500 deposit; keep it for your whole trip and refund the deposit when you leave if you don't plan to return.

The Convenience Store Is Your Friend

7-Eleven, Lawson and FamilyMart in Japan are not the depressing petrol station convenience stores of Australian experience. They are genuinely good food destinations. Onigiri (rice balls filled with salmon, tuna mayo, pickled plum): AUD $1.50–2.50. Egg salad sandwiches made fresh daily: AUD $2.50. Hot oden (simmered winter foods) at the counter. Excellent coffee from the machine. Fresh fruit. Reasonably good sushi. Heated meals ready to eat. A full breakfast from a Japanese convenience store costs AUD $5–7 and is genuinely satisfying — use this for mornings when you're catching an early train or want to save money for the exceptional lunch you've planned.

Restaurants Often Don't Take Reservations — Or Do and Are Essential

The rule of thumb: mid-range restaurants in popular areas generally don't take reservations and manage walk-in queues. Very good and Michelin-recognised restaurants require bookings weeks or months ahead. The planning challenge: many of Japan's best experiences at the AUD $50–100 per person level — a counter omakase, a kaiseki dinner, a celebrated ramen shop — require advance bookings that most first-time visitors don't know to make. Research your top three or four desired restaurant experiences before departure and book them online (Tablecheck, Ikyu, and direct restaurant websites all work for English-language bookings for most venues that accept them).

The JR Pass: Read the Maths Before Buying

The Japan Rail Pass is sold as an essential purchase for Japan visitors and is, for some itineraries, excellent value. For others it is poor value. The calculation: add up the cost of every Shinkansen and JR train journey on your itinerary at full price. If the total exceeds the pass price by 10–15%, buy the pass. If not, buy individual tickets. A Tokyo-only trip: the pass is terrible value. A Tokyo-Kyoto-Osaka-Hiroshima-Fukuoka circuit: the pass likely pays for itself. The 7-day pass must be purchased before arriving in Japan and costs approximately AUD $400. Do the maths for your specific itinerary before purchasing.

Shoes Matter More Than Anywhere Else

Japan involves a lot of walking — 15,000–25,000 steps per day is common in Tokyo and Kyoto — and a lot of removing shoes. Temples, traditional restaurants, many guesthouses (ryokan), and some izakayas require shoe removal at the entrance. The practical implications: wear shoes you can slip on and off quickly without bending down to untie laces, and wear socks without holes (socked feet are often visible to everyone else in the room). Fashion is more relevant in Japan than almost any other travel destination — Japanese cities notice clothing in a way that makes the tourist uniform of dirty runners and travel pants feel out of place in a way it doesn't in Southeast Asia.

Quiet on Public Transport Is a Real Rule

The social rules on Japanese public transport are the ones most likely to produce accidental cultural friction for Australian visitors. Phone calls are not made on trains or subways — even on long Shinkansen journeys, people step to the vestibule between carriages for calls. Volume of conversation is significantly lower than in Australian trains or trams. Eating on most trains (except long-distance Shinkansen where it's acceptable) is frowned upon. These aren't rigid rules that will result in confrontation — Japanese culture avoids direct confrontation — but observing them is the difference between being perceived as a respectful visitor and an oblivious one. The observation takes one train journey to internalise.

Plan for Cherry Blossom Season Months Ahead

If your trip coincides with cherry blossom season (late March to mid-April, varying by year and location — Japan Meteorological Corporation publishes forecasts), know that this is Japan's peak domestic and international tourism period. Accommodation in Kyoto and Tokyo books out months in advance. Certain parks and viewpoints (Maruyama Park in Kyoto, Shinjuku Gyoen in Tokyo, Philosopher's Path in Kyoto) become genuinely crowded. The blossom is extraordinary — worth experiencing once — but requires earlier planning than any other Japan travel period.

Get a Data SIM or Pocket WiFi at the Airport

Japan requires connectivity in ways that other destinations don't — Google Maps for navigation (the city maps and transit directions are essential and excellent), Google Translate's camera feature for reading menus and signs, Grab-equivalent apps, and booking confirmations. An Airalo eSIM purchased before departure provides immediate connectivity on landing and costs AUD $10–25 for a week of data — significantly cheaper than pocket WiFi rental (AUD $10–15/day plus return mailing fee) and more convenient than a physical SIM.