Top 5 things your tour guide won’t tell you about Japan

Traveling Japan is perhaps the most challenging idea to many travelers from other parts of the world. The biggest barrier they are facing is language. Japanese language is hard to understand for many of us, and since most of the local people don’t speak or write other languages, this hinder many travelers from visiting Japan independently. Unless you know Japanese language or Kanji (which has similar characters to Chinese language), people who love to visit Japan will probably opt for all-inclusive travel packages led by a tour guide who speaks your language.

No doubt, following guided tour to Japan is off course the easiest way to realise your Japan travel dream. And tour guides or holiday planners will always warn or discourage you from going to Japan yourself with many reasons. That said, you will also miss to see and do many other things off the beaten tracks that your guided tour won’t let you to. Don’t let them put you off! Visiting Japan by yourself without understanding Japanese is not impossible.

Here are the top 5 things your tour guide won’t tell you about Japan which will clear your doubt and lessen your worry to visit Japan self-guided.

1) Convenient transportation

Japan rail network is so convenient that you can reach any city in Japan by trains. Taking a Shinkansen high speed train will reach Kyoto from Tokyo which is 456.5 km apart in 3 hours. Between islands, local flights are plentiful and catching a flight is as easy as catching a train. Within city, underground trains and local buses are as convenient as taking a cab. Route maps and trains schedule are available in all stations with departure and arrival time as prompt as using a countdown timer. Even better, there are English display on all information boards in stations. It is possible to travel from North to South on one single travel to Japan as what I did last year when I was catching Cherry Blossom full bloom from Osaka to Hakodate! Can you find a guided tour package that cover the whole Japan in 10 days?

2) Helpful personalities

Japanese are so nice that they will help you in any way eventhough you can’t communicate with them and they do not know what you are talking about! I personally experience this many times when I was lost in my way to hotels or tourist spots and tried to ask for help to passers-by, they were more than willing to show the way if you have the address. When they themselves aren’t sure the directions, they will ask other people to help also. Isn’t this a great experience on travel?

3) Sufficient English signboard

Don’t worry if you don’t know Japanese. Most road and destination information signboards have English and Kanji translation.

Local guide maps are also found in major travel destination which has English and Kanji information.

4) Abundant availability of eateries

Restaurants and convenient shops are everywhere for you to find great foods. There is always one convenient shop every next block, be it Lawson, Family Mart or 7 Eleven, they are equally good. You can probably find one of the best local foods in convenient shops! Eateries are also mushrooming every town and city. Just pop in any of them and you will not disappoint.

Don’t worry if their menu don’t show English translation. Simply point your finger towards one of the plastic food replica on display!

If you are wandering about towns and cities in Japan for a whole day, vending machines are available simply everywhere to ease your thirst! You can even get a hot morning coffee once stepping out of your hotel.

5) Free volunteer guides

This is something tour guide won’t let you know. There are countless organizations in Japan offering free volunteer guides to introduce local culture and history in foreign languages to tourists from other countries. By getting this amazing service from many major touristic cities in Japan, the language barrier will be removed and you will get closer to Japanese people and many insider information known only to local people. SGG or Systematized Goodwill Guide clubs are nation-wide volunteer guide organizations that could be your ideal partners if your goal is a rewarding and enjoyable journey in Japan.

After knowing these 5 advantages of Japan in terms of travel friendly, now you can start your own self-guided tour to Japan without any doubt and worry. Go ahead to grab this best opportunity to visit Japan when Japanese currency is at its record low level! 🙂 – Travel Feeder

About The Author

Cecil Lee

The author is an avid traveler and photography hobbyist who loves to share with others his travel and photo-taking experience in many popular tourist destinations around Europe, Asia and Australasia. Read the exciting stories with many photos captured on his journeys.