Tips To Travel To Japan And Not Suffer A Cultural “shock “

Japan is a very distant country whose culture is totally different from ours. This is one of the reasons why it appears on the travel list of many tourists. And, without a doubt, it does not disappoint! Next, we will offer you several tips related to both what it is to travel to Japan and Japanese culture, so that you can enjoy your vacation to the fullest and reduce the initial cultural shock.

The flight to Japan

Iberia has taken a direct flight from Madrid airport to Narita airport in Tokyo. However, there is one factor that you should take into account before deciding. It’s the extremely long duration of the flight. If you are a person who has no problem sitting for a long time, maybe that is your flight. You have to think that it is 13 or 14 hours in a plane.

But, if you are a more nervous person, it may be better to take a flight with a small scale to be able to stretch your legs. The Japanese company Japan Airlines usually offers good routes. We recommend stopping at an intermediate point (in a country like Finland, for example) to take a break in the “middle” of the journey. The downside is that it will take longer to arrive.

The prices of the flights are going to be high almost always, since it is a very distant destination. However, if you book them in advance, you can save a lot of money. If you buy the ticket a few months before and do your research, the round trip price can be around 600 or 700 euros.

Avoid rush hour

In Japan, most people travel by train and subway. Therefore, there will always be people. However, there are some hours when we do not recommend taking the train. The peak hour par excellence is between 7 and 8 in the morning. If you try to take the subway in Tokyo at that time, you will truly feel like in a sardine can.

In the afternoon, around 6 or 7, there are also many people who return home (especially students), but there are not as many as in the morning.

Try not to make noise

If you are going to travel to Japan you should know that there they value silence much more than in the West. On trains and means of transport you will see signs that read “Please be quiet.” And it is that not making noise on the trains is part of a good education. Good manners are considered.

Not to mention taxis

Taxis are by far the most expensive means of transport. Taking into account that Japan has a dense public transport network, unless it is an emergency, you will surely arrive earlier if you take the subway. In addition, it will be much cheaper! It should be added that taxi drivers rarely speak English and communication can be difficult.

If you are going to travel to Japan, practice with chopsticks

In most restaurants they will only offer you chopsticks to eat. So, practice to be able to taste the wonderful Japanese gastronomy!

Goodbye to the desktop

In Spain we are used to chatting and relaxing after eating. It is not unusual to spend two hours in a restaurant, but in Japan it is. The Japanese get up from the table as soon as they finish eating. Therefore, if you do not want the waiters to look at you and wonder why you are still there if you have finished eating, we recommend that you leave the restaurant when you finish.

What to do with the trash

Japanese streets are among the cleanest in the world. Something strange, given that there are no bins on the streets. The Japanese put away their garbage and throw it away at home. Never throw a piece of paper or garbage on the ground. Keep it until you get home or, if it is urgent, you can throw it in the garbage cans in front of the shops 24 hours a day. Of course, make sure to separate the plastic from the rest of the garbage.

Get used to queuing

Chaos is something that is rarely seen in Japan. The Japanese queue for everything : to get on the escalators, to wait for the elevator, to enter a restaurant, etc. Keep this in mind when traveling to Japan, because you will surely have to queue many times.

These have been a few tips that will help you lessen the cultural “shock” once you are in Japan. But, don’t let these things influence the experience. Relax and enjoy a totally new culture and different !