if you’re planning to go to japan and have never been before ( or wanna be prepared for the next trip ) , hun i’ve got some tips for u !!
1. before you go to any country, you gotta learn their language. japanese is difficult, yes, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t at least brush up on basics. here’s some important phrases and the context you’d use em in:
こんにちは konnichiwa - hello [ used when you greet people ! be nice n say hello ! ]
はじめまして hajimemashite - hello | please take care of me | it’s nice to meet you [ this is used for when you meet someone for the first time. it’s a very polite term that show’s respect when you meet another person. ]
よろしくおねがいします yoroshikuonegaishimasu - please be kind to me | nice to meet you [ this is said after you finish your introduction. it has different meanings but it’s generally used as a polite form that shows humbleness. also this is used when you’re working with people. ]
ありがとう・ありがとうございます arigatou/arigatougozaimasu - thank you | thank you very much [ pretty much sayin thanks. in japan, i can’t express how important it is to show gratitude!! the last term is more formal - use this with people that you don’t know / are older than you / are of higher status ]
すみません sumimasen - excuse me | sorry [ honestly my most said word in japan. bump in to someone? sumimasen. want to get someones attention? sumimasen. interrupt people talking? sumimasen. block the way that someones looking? sumimasen. sumimasen the shit out of everything ok ]
どういたしまして douitashimashite - you’re welcome [ self explanatory? no there isn’t a shortened version ]
i guess i’ll go over a more extensive list in a later post! lemme know
2. be punctual. whether it’s to meeting with friends or an event. but especially TRAINS. that train is going to leave without you and it’s going to leave at 2:14pm on the dot. the trains don’t have like interval times like every five minutes or ten minutes, so if that train is leaving one minute past the hour you better be there.
3. train etiquette. applies to public areas too. be quiet, avoid using loud conversation or giggling because the japanese are very aware of other people and the train is full of businessmen catching up on sleep, mothers taking care of their children, and students who are using the spare time to study. so it’s super important to be quiet !! also, when standing put your bag between your legs. the trains get cramped very fast, and you want to be able to fit as many people as possible. + when it’s super busy and you’re standing near the exit, get out so that people behind you can leave and once theyre gone quickly jump back in !
ごめんなさい gomenasai - sorry | excuse me
すみません sumimasen - sorry | excuse
ここですわってもいいですか？koko de suwattemoii desuka? - can i sit here?
すわってください suwatte kudasai - please sit
4. remember ya yen. this stuff gets confusing. the rule of thumb is to take two zeros off the amount of yen, that’s ( not exactly but it’ll do for easy conversion ) how much it is in dollars.
100'000 yen = 1000 dollars
5. prepare yourself for the weather. i can only speak on behalf of the weather when i went. october - september is technically autumn, but it is humid as hell. it depends where you go , but tokyo at this time doesn’t seem to cool down in the evening so be prepared. here’s some weather related things you can ask
今日の天気はどうですか？ kyou no tenki ha doudesuka? - how is today’s weather?
6. buy your deodorant in your own country. you just can’t find it in japan ?
7. some clothes won’t fit. unless you’re super skinny, clothes are quite smaller compared to sizes in other countries. however, there are still some good finds !! my recommendation if you’re looking for clothes that will fit foreigners is to go to takeshi street in harajuku. there’s lots of vintage, thrifted and cool stores there that have more available sizes !!
8. keep coins on you at all times. there is a vending machine in japan for every 23rd person, which means at the end of most streets there will be one. try to play a game where you punch your friend every time you see one… just try it you’ll no longer have an arm
9. pack lightly. THERE’S SO MUCH AMAZING THINGS YOU’LL WANNA BUY AND HALF OF IT WILL BE JUNK BUT THATS OKAY.
10. tax. okay where i live they already put tax on the price but in japan they don’t. this means that “oh look its 300 yen” and you only brought 300 yen? lmao sike it’s probably going to be a bit over 300 yen. this happened to me so many times & i couldn’t be bothered and would whip out their 100 dollar note #rip100yenstoreclerk
11. you will get a lot of attention , some of which is unwanted. learn to master your “scary foreigner look” and don’t be afraid to whoop someone’s ass if they’re creepy. but also if nice people attempt to converse with you in english to improve their skills, be patient and nice. but if you don’t want any of the attention, say one of the following
だめ dame - stop | don’t do that | that’s not allowed
やめろう yamerou - lit. let’s stop | stop
たすけてください tasuketekudasai - please help me
12. know the location of your country’s embassy in japan. always.
13. transport is very easy if you get a PASMO or SUICA card. put money on these cards so that you can tag on and off buses and trains instead of having to pay a fare every time.
that’s all for my top tips !! if i have any more i will probably add them in the future but these are the most importants ones.
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