日本へようこそ！
So you’ve decided to take that leap of faith and book a ticket to Japan have you? Congratulations; You’re in for a treat! Whether you’re drawn to the Island nations plethora of ancient Temples and Sacred spaces or the hustle and bustle of the cityscape, Japan and the Japanese people will leave a lasting impression on you that you will undoubtedly carry with you for all your days.
Japan, as we know it today, has a long history of being known for its distinct culture and traditions, some of which extend back to 300BC, what is referred to as the 'Jomon period'. Many elements of the Japanese culture developed fully undisturbed by outside influences and continue to be practiced with the utmost precision and dedication to the ways of old.
A finely balanced mix of unyielding tradition and ever evolving state of the art technologies, there are numerous other reasons why Japan is considered to be one of the world’s most fascinating countries.
So what exactly can you expect to find in Japan? Here’s a basic breakdown to make planning your trip that bit easier.
Language: The national language of Japan is Japanese. English wayfinding is widely available in major cities such as Tokyo, Osaka and Kyoto however sparingly found in smaller, countryside towns. Other languages commonly found include Chinese and Korean, with a smattering of other Foreign languages also available.
My advice, no matter how short or long a stay you have planned, is to learn even the most basic of Japanese. You’ll be amazed how accommodating the Japanese people can be when even the most basic of attempts at speaking Japanese is made and who knows, you might just end up making some new friends simply just by trying!
As the saying goes, you’ll never know if you don’t go!
Currency, Credit Cards & ATMs: The official currency is the Japanese Yen (JPY).
In Japan, cash is still very much king. While payment by card is becoming more widely accepted in restaurants and stores, my strongest recommendation is to carry a fair amount of cash with you. This applies to travel in major cities (where thankfully ATM’s are more widely accessible; hello 7-11 cash withdrawals!) as well as smaller, less well-appointed country towns.
At the time of posting 100 Japanese Yen (basically the equivalent of our dollar) buys $1.08 AUD and 69 US cents.
Banking: For cash withdrawals majority of Japanese banks will accept foreign cards (though be prepared to be stung by nasty transaction fees if you don’t have a bank card with 0 transaction fees on international withdrawals (hello Citibank!) with some exceptions.
Things to be aware of when your stash of cash starts to dry up is that not any and all ATM’s will accept International bank cards. I mean this literally; I have been stuck in a situation where my Australian bank card would not physically fit into the card slot of an ATM machine. Don’t be like me. Don’t be that person.
Other things to note is that some ATM’s as well as the cards themselves may have a restriction on what time of day money can be withdrawn. Not only that, but often, ATM’s located in banks are only available during banking hours (typically 9AM to 3PM) and not the full 24 hours some of us are used to.
Additionally, depending on your bank and card type, you may incur a daily cap (often￥300,000 which is equivalent to about (at time of posting) just over $3000AUD) on the amount of money that can be withdrawn from your card and account.
Power Plugs: Power plugs in Japan are type A and B. Plug type A is the plug which has two flat parallel pins and plug type B is the plug which has two flat parallel pins and a grounding pin.
The standard voltage is 100 V, and the standard frequency is 50 / 60 Hz for those wanting to know.
To save yourselves suffering from having a dead phone or no charge in your camera battery (the literal worst thing for photography enthusiasts) I can’t stress how lifesaving a universal adapter is. Using a universal adapter takes the hassle out of having to purchase dedicated Japanese plugs for your devices and what not.
Just make sure that whatever plug and or adapter you go for has surge protection and a converter for hairdryers and hot tools. Let’s not be causing the entire hotel to experience an electricity surge now.
Safety: Japan is one of the safest countries in the world and is perfect for solo travellers.
Being a woman and one that enjoys solo travel, I can personally attest for the safety of Japan. While not recommended (let’s use some common sense here people), the chances of getting mugged while meandering around the streets at 3AM are pretty much zero to none.
It goes without saying that it pays to be aware of your surroundings and do what you must to keep yourself safe, day or night-time. If travelling in groups, be sure to keep an eye out for one another and organise a dedicated time and meeting spot in the case that one of you does get lost (it happens to the best of us!).
In the case of an emergency, you can reach emergency services on the following numbers:
Police: 110
Coast Guard: 118
Ambulance and Fire Services: 119
Emergency telephone numbers can be called from home phones, mobile phones and public phones. When making an emergency call from a public phone, neither money nor a pre-paid telephone card are necessary.
Although there are a few operators who speak English, if you do happen to find yourself in a situation where you need to call upon emergency services, you should be prepared to explain your situation in Japanese, so that the operator can assist you in the best way possible. It is advisable to speak slowly and specify if you need an ambulance (救急車です, kyuu-kyuu desu) wish to report a fire (火事です, kaji desu), or need to report a crime to the police (犯罪です, hanzai desu).