This is my second two week trip to Japan. I took my kids this time and revisited a few places, such as Tokyo and Kyoto, but also new places, such as Hiroshima and Takayama and Nagoya. The first time was during November, which was not very busy in 2017. But currently in 2023 during Sakura season it is insanely busy.
The first trip we were just overwhelmed with newness and culture. But once you get used to it, one starts understanding why Japanese culture can be so hard why birth rates are low and why overall satisfaction with life is low.
There are many amazing things, such as cleanliness, infrastructure, public transportation. Amazing Food is everywhere conveniences everywhere. Nature is abundant outside of large cities.
However, the more you ask Japanese people such as guides or acquaintances, they complain salaries are very low and work hours are very long.
They also seem to employ redundant jobs constantly. As you enter the airport, you will notice there’s about 50 employees basically doing nothing, but showing one where to go, which is already obvious by the tape signs and arrows.
The same goes for Construction. You will notice that many of your beautiful pictures are somewhat ruined by bright orange traffic cones. These traffic cones are not spaced every 10 feet as they are in North America or Europe. They are literally placed every 2 feet around the construction area, any area that is in any sort of disrepair seems to be surrounded by cones, even in temples, shrines, and other attractions. They often be accompanied by one or two employees just standing around, basically doing nothing.
Many of the tourist attractions also have an insane number of staff telling you where and where not to go constantly.
The lineups for the JR rail passes can be unreal. It’s quite obvious that JR can be completely digital but the fact that they need you to wait in line and you can only book a certain amount of train tickets at a time really decreases the efficiency of a trip in busy season.
Similarly, always having to show your passes when you enter and exit rail or buses is also time consuming and makes you always be aware of where your tickets because you will likely lose one at some point, especially with children.
Sometimes you will lineup for something because you were shown a lineup, but the thing you’re lining up for is sold out or has a long waiting list. They will not give you that information ahead of time, but only after you’ve already waited in line.
Also, as a foreigner, there are some shops you simply cannot go into. They literally say no foreigners. There are times in lineups where Japanese people will be served before you. I’ve had to call cafés in particular out about this on several occasions.
Anyways, gets a little frustrating by the end of a trip, especially during the Sakura season, so just make sure you are very aware of exactly what train tickets you need and to get those tickets at smaller stations if possible not Tokyo or Kyoto station. Make sure you ask head of time exactly what you need to do to buy tickets For any attraction so you don’t needlessly waste your time when you can’t actually go or it’s full.
Otherwise, obviously, Japan is one of the best places you could possibly visit. But due Sakura time, consuming nature of getting tickets in particular for attractions and trade and rail, make sure you’re well aware of exactly what you need to do ahead of time. Especially with the JR passes. Be ready to wait up to 2 to 3 hours when you enter the country to go through passport control.
29 comments
I guess cherry blossom, Japanese school holidays and the still rather recent opening of the borders contributes to a) more tourists (foreign and domestic) and b) most touristic places not being back to full efficiency yet.
That being said I didn’t find waiting times (besides the ridiculous 5 hours at immigration in Narita) especially long (currently still in Japan) – we actually didn’t have to wait in most places we went to and I remember it being worse in the past (pre-covid).
With regard to workers standing around with very little to do, I’ve noticed this as well. A perfect example was when I was at Nagasaki station waiting for my train and they were coupling up two local trains, now I work in rail and I know if I was doing the same task I’d want beside myself and the driver, maybe a spotter on the platform, definitely not the 8 employees I counted, and with my 35 years experience including training staff I couldn’t figure out what the remainder where there for.
And it wasn’t a training class as I’ve seen this happen on multiple occasions
Hey OP, what cafés did you experience the issue with Japanese people being called in before foreigners? We are currently still in Japan and have not yet encountered that issue (actually we were once called in first despite just having gotten to the line, but we are only 2 travelers and the others were in larger groups). Would like to avoid such a disappointment if possible 🙂
>They also seem to employ redundant jobs constantly
Simple bribery is frowned upon and you have to use businesses to funnel money into the right pockets.
>not spaced every 10 feet
These places aren’t just tourist attractions. People actually live and work in all those cities, towns and villages, and I don’t think it makes sense to be shocked at how those cones are spaced…
>Similarly, always having to show your passes when you enter and exit rail or buses
Regular transit ICs are tap and go. Tourist travel passes, not so much depending on what you get.
>Sometimes you will lineup for something because you were shown a lineup
You’re expected to look up how the system works beforehand…it doesn’t make sense to line up just because you’re shown a line.
>you always be aware of where your tickets
First graders can get a ticket to move around by themselves. You can, too.
>Also, as a foreigner, there are some shops you simply cannot go into.
Yes this is a bad one. They should charge more to hire more people that speak English. But then those of us who can tend not to take a service industry job.
How was takayama? Visiting this summer so excited
I’ve been to Japan 5 times and never experienced uberly dreadful lines…. which might change as I’m going in sakura season this time 😅 I’ve been stalking the places I’ll go to up north through instagram stories (and similar areas in the middle that are in bloom right now) and it seems like the crowd is more local so it’s not overly packed like Tokyo and Kyoto, especially on weekdays.
For the JR Pass I’m thinking of just exchanging my voucher in Ueno or Shinagawa station instead of Narita airport because I feel like the line may be more manageable.
I thought the point of making the JR pass a regular ticket now is to avoid showing it at the entry/exit?
You mentioned being frustrated by “having to show your JR pass” and standing in line to get train tickets. I don’t understand.
1) isn’t the JR pass now a ticket that the machine accepts so you don’t have to show it at the booth?
2) can’t you reserve trains online now with the JR pass?
You can use metro/shin/jr all digitally. I’ve been here 4 weeks and haven’t had to use a kiosk once.
I’ve also made reservations/acquired tickets all digitally as well.
You no longer need to show the JR pass, you can now put it in the automatic gates. But yeah, don’t loose it. Also if you booked the pass direct with JR, once you have the pass you can pick tickets you reserved online at some specific ticket machines. You can also just make reservations at smaller stations where the ticket office are usually not as busy.
Also if you get turned down, it can be that the place is full, saw Japanese people getting turned down while I was in a restaurant/izakaya, so if it happens to you, it might not be because you are a foreign (but it also could be, who knows?).
Never had problem being led in a restaurant after Japanese people, sometimes it can depend on group size. I also rarely if ever saw places outright say no foreigners, saw a Japanese speaker sign once.
Japan is starting to sound like hell and I can only hope it dies down a bit in May but something tells me it could be even worse since every restriction will be gone.
I kind of like the people leading the way, find it more humanising than just arrows and it’s reassuring there’s always someone available to help.
That said, the amount of rules and perfectionism might drive me mad living here full time. Yesterday I made a coffee using the jug at the breakfast buffet in my hotel and the waiter rushed over to it afterwards and rotated it a little as I didn’t put it back facing exactly the same amount of degrees 😅
Also can see the signs of the tough work/study culture and long hours here as seen several young people asleep or with head down on the table in places like McDonalds and even a noisy game arcade. Makes me a bit sad to see.
Jesus, what a load of nonsense. Stop embarrassing other tourists with your poor behaviour
What kinds of stores are you saying you couldn’t go into? I lived in Japan for several years and was never denied access to any business.
Goes to the most popular tourist places, at the busiest time of the year, and complains about wait times.
Unbelievable
I’ve been to Japan five times and have never been refused service. Maybe I just stuck to the touristy places or something.
As for the lines…I kinda like them. I love that there is usually a person holding up a sign to signify the end of the line. So there is no confusion or milling about. Everything moves so orderly. It is the total opposite of America, where a “line” is just a blob of people. Plus it gives me, a socially anxious person, time to settle my nerves before I enter a situation where I am going to potentially embarrass myself by attempting transactional Japanese. But like I said earlier, I have never run into a problem and everyone is enthusiastic to help at most, and just stoic at worst.
One suggestion- a lot of events/shows/places have an option to preorder tickets online. You’ll still have to wait in line but it will save any disappointment in case it sells out.
> They are literally placed every 2 feet around the construction area, any area that is in any sort of disrepair seems to be surrounded by cones, even in temples, shrines, and other attractions. They often be accompanied by one or two employees just standing around, basically doing nothing.
That is the safety standard set by Japanese law. They must post guards at construction sites and other dangerous places.
I do not think that the satisfaction of tourists should be prioritized over the safety of passersby and workers.
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Some of my son’s Japanese Intl school friends had asked me to assist them in finding employment in the US rather than them working in Japan. I couldn’t do much. Quite a difference in starting salary.
I waited for 2 hours in a line in Tokyo for a bowl of the best-rated ramen in tabelog. Totally worth it.
>You will notice that many of your beautiful pictures are somewhat ruined by bright orange traffic cones.
You are a sad excuse for a human being lol.
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Is it possible that the additional stress of bringing the kids with you influenced your opinion?
Thank you for the info, I will be there on Monday for two weeks, will it hopefully die down!?
Like that’s Japan mate. That’s why it’s loved, it’s unique. They have rules, they have queues, they employ people for mundane jobs. They have traditions and don’t necessarily embrace new tech. Don’t like it just don’t go.
can’t you just hop on and off shinkansen if you have a JR pass? Do you have to make a reservation?
Been here a couple weeks and the lines have been frustrating but other than that it’s been great
This post is bullshit. This guy just wants to complain about Japan. Source: I have lived in Japan for 8 years.
1. There is NO WAY a Japanese employee is going to complain about their job to a stranger. Never, ever, ever going to happen.
2. So, you’re complaining because Japanese do construction?
3. “no foreigner” is very, very rare, especially with the advent of social media naming and shaming. The only business in Japan that regularly denies foreigners are brothels. Is that what you mean by “cafe”?
4. You’re complaining about lines.. as a tourist?
5. You’re complaining that you need to be on time for your train and/or reservations?
I’m sure the no foreigner signs exist somewhere, but I’ve lived in Osaka for 12 years and never seen one
I have now been in Japan for 5 weeks, and I haven’t been turned away from a business because I’m a foreigner. If you understand what they are saying , it would help clear the misunderstanding. The times it has happened to me they were working by reservation only, and the second was because I got there too close ish to the lunch closing hour so fair enough.
If you ever traveled Europe or any mayor American city being turned away by restaurants, especially for dinner, is kinda of the norm since the good ones get fully reserved by locals and tourists.
On jal flight home from Japan as I wrote this. I did not experience any of this in Kyoto Osaka or Tokyo. However, I took Shinkansen trains and downloaded QR codes. I tried to pay for metro tickets w a credit card and quickly learned the machine will eat it and that I need to always have coins for local bus and metro transport. Every thing that’s not in English may now be translated with Google camera. Almost everyone from convenience stores to taxi drivers spoke English. After the metro card eating incident, I looked up everything beforehand.
I live in NYC so I’m used to crowds. That said even though I’ve lived in London the left side driving/walking pattern is chaotic. Also, Sakura time is the most chaotic. Arrive at Himeji castle before opening or other major attractions very early or expect lines, like anywhere else in the world.
Some tips:
Always have change
Have a translation device
Don’t use the JR pass
Know where you are going before arriving
Ask your concierge or look for tips on Reddit
Eat at restaurants that don’t have lines of tourists out the door (this baffled me the most)
Expect crowds and lines unless it’s early am