3 Big Mistakes Travelers to Japan Make (and How to Avoid Them)

• Grace Cheng, a 22-year-old travel blogger based in New York, has visited Japan 11 times.
• He said that travelers who go to Japan for the first time always make some mistakes.
• Travelers are focusing on Tokyo, Cheng added, but not leaving enough time for other cities.

Of the 34 countries travel blogger Grace Cheng has visited, none has left her with as lasting an impression as Japan. From visiting historic temples during cherry blossom season to the diverse and delicious food scene, Japan stole her heart.

“It’s very different from what you see here in the United States and any other country,” he said.

Cheng, who is 22 and lives in New York, has noticed that the country is becoming a “hot spot” for tourists.

The International Trade Administration shows the number of U.S. travelers flying to Japan has already surpassed 900,000 from January to May, an increase of 17.4 percent over the same time period. 2023. One factor driving the rise in tourists from the US is the stronger exchange rate between the dollar and the yen. In recent history, as of July 8, $1 buys 160.74 yen.

Cheng first visited Japan in 2017 and has since been there 11 times. Here, she shares three of the biggest mistakes to avoid when planning a trip to Japan to improve your chances of immersing yourself in the culture and exploring little-known places.

Mistake 1: Overloading your itineraries

There’s so much to explore in Japan, from the hustle and bustle of Tokyo’s famous Shibuya Crossing (one of the busiest in the world) to the serene tranquility of Kyoto’s gardens and shrines.

But as excited as tourists may be to try everything, Cheng advises them to make sure their itineraries aren’t packed every day.

“The ideal time I would give to Japan is probably seven “10 days,” Cheng says, adding that it’s enough time to explore some of the regions without feeling rushed.

A shorter trip, especially for first-time visitors, could mean that “every day is just back-to-back attractions or moving,” which ultimately results in a lot of stress.

“You can’t experience Japan in all its glory because you’re always on the move,” he added.

If you’re really short on time and only have a few days to spare in Japan, Cheng recommends prioritizing Tokyo, as it’s a “major destination that everyone has to go to” at least once in their lifetime if they can.

Mistake 2: They don’t leave Tokyo

The problem with just visiting Tokyo, Cheng says, is that it doesn’t fully represent how broad and versatile Japan or Japanese culture is.

If visitors really want to experience the country’s history, cuisine and local charms, they should venture south and north of Tokyo.

“Tokyo is not Japan,” Cheng said. “And you need to explore other cities to get a real sense of what Japan is like.”

Aside from Tokyo, one of her favorite cities is Sapporo in Hokkaido prefecture in northern Japan. Cheng said she found cheaper prices and friendlier people there.

“They just go out of their way and you can definitely tell if someone is from Tokyo or the north,” he said.

The food scene is also completely different depending on where you visit: Sapporo, for example, is famous for its curry soup, he said.

Osaka is a city near Kyoto that is so famous for its food that it is sometimes called “the kitchen of Japan.” Cheng said he had an incredible tonkatsu (a kind of fried pork cutlet) there, cooked to “perfection” with a side of shredded cabbage at will.

Error 3: They never turn off Google Maps

Tell me that Deliberately getting lost in a foreign country may sound scary, but Cheng insists it’s one of the best strategies for discovering a new place.

“The best way to get around the streets and see the country itself is to get lost,” Cheng said. “Don’t use your phone or Google Maps.”

He said some of his best interactions with locals and restaurants came during walks through Japanese cities when he avoided using his phone.

“If you Google ‘best restaurants in Tokyo,’ for example, you’ll get all these restaurants that cater to tourists,” he said. “You won’t be able to taste the local dishes or the local atmosphere,” and you’ll come away with a false “impression” of Japan.

“The best restaurants I’ve ever known I’ve found just by walking down the street,” he said.