Japan

Insider Tips

Insider Tips for Japan

by Hannah Lockett | January 8, 2020

Here we have gathered together tips and suggestions from our Japan team on ways to help you make the most of your time in this fascinating country, experience the new, the old and the quirky. And for those that aren’t visiting Japan, we have a selection of our favourite books, films and artists that we think will give you a real flavour of the nations life, culture and traditions.

FOOD

Bento Box

A Bento box is a single-portion takeaway or homemade packed lunch common in Japanese cuisine. A traditional bento box contains rice or noodles, fish or meat, with pickled and cooked vegetables, in a compartment box. Containers can range from mass-produced disposables options to ornately decorated, hand-crafted lacquer ware. Ready-made boxes are easy to find and buy in kiosks or on long-distance bullet trains.

KitKats

This may sound strange that we recommend you go to Japan and eat KitKats, but they are famous there for different flavours. A real treat.

Depachika / Department Store Food Hall

Located ‘underground’ in the lower basement floor, these bustling food halls sell all sorts of beautifully wrapped traditional and modern confectionery, bento boxes from reasonable to luxurious (could be £100!), as well as traditional everyday foods for the home. If nothing else, they are well worth exploring simply for the delicious aroma’s, a real ‘feast for the eyes’.

Favourite Dishes and Drinks

Okonomiyaki

A savoury wheat flour pancake topped with shredded cabbage, meat, fish or other toppings. Okonomiyaki literally means 'grilled as you like it'.

Ramen

Noodles served in a meat or fish based broth, flavoured with soy or miso, and topped with meat fish, nori, or tofu.

Unadon

It consists of a donburi type large bowl filled with steamed white rice, and topped with fillets of eel grilled in a style known as kabayaki, similar to teriyaki. The fillets are glazed with a sweetened soy-based sauce, called tare and caramelized, preferably over a charcoal fire.

Takoyaki

A ball-shaped snack or appetizer made of a wheat flour-based batter and cooked in a special molded pan. It is typically filled with minced or diced octopus, tempura scraps, pickled ginger, and green onion

Pork Katsu Curry

Pork cutlets covered in panko breadcrumbs and fried, served with a curry sauce and sticky rice.

Calpis

A refreshing, non-fat milk drink with a sweet and tangy, yogurt taste, available in a variety of fruity flavours.

Kirin Beer

Kirin Brewery sells two of the most popular beers in Japan: Kirin Lager, one of the country's oldest beer brands, which has been brewed since 1888; and Ichiban Shibori.

BOOKS

Hokkaido Highway Blues by Will Ferguson

Hitchhiking may be an ancient mode of travel but in Japan it is considered folly. Which is precisely its attraction to henna gaijin (“weird foreigner”) Will Ferguson, who is determined to thumb the entire length of the country following the sakura as the cherry blossom moves its way across the land.

Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden

A historical fiction novel told in the first-person perspective, tells the story of a fictional geisha working in Kyoto, Japan, before, during and after World War II and ends with her being relocated to New York City.

'Cherry' Ingram: The Englishman Who Saved Japan’s Blossoms by Naoko Abe

Naoko Abe has charted how the botanist Collingwood Ingram collected cuttings from across Japan in the 1920s and grew them in Britain, even returning one extinct variety back to Japan.

Manga

Manga illustrated books are extremely popular in Japan and also have a massive following worldwide. Our favourites are Dragon Ball and Arale Norimaki.

FILMS

Crying Out Love in the Center of the World

After his fiancee runs away, a man reminisces about the true love of his life. It's a very sad film, so we suggest you have a box of tissues on standby for the inevitable tears.

crying out love in the centre of the world japan

50 First Kisses

A Japanese adaptation of Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore’s tale of a woman with short-term memory loss and the man who has to woo her every day

Memoirs of a Geisha

A 2005 American epic drama film based on the novel of the same name by Arthur Golden

Shogun Assasin

Known in Japan as Kozure Ōkami. A medieval samurai known as Lone Wolf wanders the countryside with his young son to seek revenge against those who murdered his wife.

Seven Samurai

A veteran samurai gathers six samurais to protect a village from the cruel bandits. As the samurais teach the natives how to defend themselves, the village is attacked by a pack of 40 bandits.

Battle Royale

A Japanese dystopian thriller directed by Kinji Fukasaku and written by Kenta Fukasaku, based on the 1999 novel by Koushun Takami.

Spirited Away

An animated coming-of-age fantasy film.

POPULAR CULTURE

Nintendo

Nintendo have opened an official shop in Tokyo. The new store is located in the recently opened Parco department store, located just north of Shibuya Station where the popular Scramble Crossing and famous Hachiko Statue can be found.

Pokemon Centre, Pokemon Café

In Japan and especially in Tokyo, Pokémon Centers (stores selling Pokémon goods) are everywhere, as well as various pop-up cafes dedicated to the Nintendo franchise.

TRAVEL TIPS

Suica Card

A rechargeable contactless smart card, electronic money used as a fare card on train lines in Japan, makes travelling around cities really easy.

Good Manners

Certain things are considered ill-mannered in Japan, such as talking loudly in public places, talking on the phone on the train, eating while walking amongst others. The Japanese are very considerate, they do not like to ‘bother’ or cause inconvenience to others. Things like taking a large suitcase onto the train, that can cause a bit of ‘inconvenience’ for your fellow travellers, will be considered ill-mannered and you might get given an unfriendly look. Therefore a luggage service is highly recommended.

Tokyo

If visiting Tokyo, stay somewhere off the beaten track, rather than in (Shinjuku) central Tokyo. This way you can explore the city as the trains are reliable and you get to see a different side to Japan.

Robot Hotels

The Henn na Hotel in Tokyo has no human staff with robots doing all the work. Plus, they’re not just in Tokyo, there are similar robot hotels in other cities too.

Hostels

The hostels in Japan are not like the typical European ones, they are very clean and almost hotel-like with their facilities. Some have private rooms with their own toilet and shower, perfect for families or friends. And of course, the total price will be much cheaper!

reception-Khaosan-Hotel-Origami-tokyo-japan

Skiing

Avid skiers will find the best snow conditions are up in the northern island of Hokkaido. Furano & Rusutsu are fantastic ski resorts with diamond dust quality snow. Both have great après ski too!

snowboard ski lift snow mountain Niseko japan

Some of Our Favourite Places in Japan

Tokyo

Discover Japan's dazzling capital - where ancient meets modern
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Hakone, Japan

Discover the sights and traditions for Hakone with this handy destination guide.
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Kyoto

Explore historic sights and wander the atmospheric streets of Kyoto
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Hiroshima and Miyajima

Hiroshima, rebuilt after World War II, and stunning Miyajima island, are among t...
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Osaka

An exciting and bustling city with a wide range of tasty cuisine on offer
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Shirakawago & Gokayama, Japan

Discover the sights and traditions for Shirakawago & Gokayama with this handy de...
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Yudanaka, Japan

Discover the sights and traditions for Yudanaka with this handy destination guid...
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Takayama

Enjoy a scenic setting and well-preserved Edo-style streets
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Hokkaido, Japan

Discover the sights and traditions for Hokkaido with this handy destination guid...
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Okinawa, Japan

Discover the sights and traditions for Okinawa with this handy destination guide...
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