Even now the culture and heritage is very prominent in the country. During your visit in Japan you can learn a lot about the history by visiting castles, temples, shrines and more. Especially Kyoto is a perfect destination if you want to experience the ancient Japanese culture.

11 Top-Rated Tourist Attractions in Japan

• Mount Fuji. Mount Fuji.
• Imperial Tokyo. Imperial Palace and Nijubashi Bridge.
• Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park. Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park.
• Historic Kyoto.
• The Island Shrine of Itsukushima.
• Temple City: Historic Nara.
• Osaka Castle.
• Chūbu-Sangaku National Park and the Japanese Alps.

The Japanese are exceptionally cultured and they’re always proud to portray such positive traits in everyday lives. There’s so much we can learn from them and that’s also one reason why I love Japan. Indeed, Japan is the most traveller-friendly countries in the world.

Japan is known worldwide for its traditional arts, including tea ceremonies, calligraphy and flower arranging. The country has a legacy of distinctive gardens, sculpture and poetry. Japan is home to more than a dozen UNESCO World Heritage sites and is the birthplace of sushi, one of its most famous culinary exports.

What to Buy in Japan: 18 Unique And Fun Souvenirs

• Sake.
• KitKat bars (the flavors!)
• Hanko: Japanese name stamps.
• Kimonos.
• Vending machine toys.
• Wagashi candies.
• Japanese cosmetics.
• Sensu folding fans.

The truth is, Japan is probably not as expensive as you think! While it may be pricier than countries like China, Thailand, and Vietnam, to the surprise of many travelers, it’s generally less expensive than places such as Singapore, the U.K., Australia, and Scandinavia.

Japan has its fair share of natural disasters, including earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanic eruptions, typhoons and landslides. Certain parts of the country are more prone to natural disasters. The northeast is more likely to encounter earthquakes, and Okinawa, Hokkaido and Kyushuu are more prone to typhoons.

It’s a well-established fact that Japan has one of the lowest overall crime rates in the world. Tokyo is no exception to that rule. When it comes to violent crimes, Tokyo is perhaps the safest of all the large metropolitan cities.

The cost of living in Japan varies in price compared to the United States. For example, consumer prices are 14.36% higher in Japan compared to the United States, and the prices of groceries in Japan are 17.77% higher than the price of groceries in the United States.

While America’s economy is technically better, Japan has lower unemployment, less inequality and better social support systems. The Japanese people tend to be very highly educated, though there’s a lot of evidence that this has more to do with a very strong culture of education, moreso than the quality of the schools.

A lot of factors contribute to making Japan more developed than other Asian countries and therefore more expensive to live in or visit. First of all, Japan is a fairly remote island, and this has made it difficult for other countries to engage with its economy, allowing Japan to develop on its own terms.

In Japan, you can buy a decent meal with literal pocket change. That’s because the purchasing power and standard living of the average Japanese person is very high. So food, a basic necessity, is relatively inexpensive compared to what the average person earns.

The price you pay depends on the type of meat and volume you choose, but it will likely be around 2,000 to 4,000 yen per meal per person. Prices for dinner are a little bit more expensive, ranging from 6,000 to 10,000 yen.

Sample daily budgets

To promote domestic travel and to help boost local businesses, the Japanese government has set up the Go to Travel campaign, which provides residents with subsidies of up to 50 percent on transportation, hotels, restaurants, tourist attractions and shopping, all within Japan.

Japan budget for 2 weeks

Despite the trend toward credit cards becoming more widely accepted, it’s safe to say you’ll probably need to use cash at least once or more per day while traveling around Japan. Luckily, it’s a very safe country (one of our favorite things about Japan), and the biggest risk is probably losing or misplacing your cash.

2. Re: 10,000 Yen or 100 USD enough for daily spending money? You won’t really be splurging with this kind of spending money, but it’s not a shoestring budget either. In fact, it’s a quite adequate ballpark figure for an average tourist.

Yes, USD is acceptable in Japan. The law was changed about 10 years ago. Even USD local trading for domestic business is legally acceptable. However, most people do not like to accept USD with yen-based life: The rate may not be good if he or she accepts USD.

How Short is Too Short? Japan is a leg country, you can wear the shortest skirt and the shortest shorts that you have and still be OK in terms of casual wear. This type of casual wear is more commonly seen in major cities like Tokyo and Osaka, as you get into more rural areas you may want to cover up a little more.

Red (Aka) You probably see red a lot in Japan, especially on the shrine gates and temples. However, do not buy anything red to your friends as a house warming gift. Japanese think red associate fire, which might bring bad luck such as fire accidents to the new house.

The Japanese commonly sit in the seiza style positioning, in which one sits with their legs tucked directly underneath themselves with a straight back. It is inappropriate for women to cross their legs, and men should only do so by crossing their knees or ankles.

So, unsurprisingly, guests must wear black. However, as always, the expectations are a little more specific than in the West. Modesty is key, as it is a sign of respect for the deceased and their family. Men should wear a black suit with a white shirt, black tie and black shoes–avoiding patent leather.

You might have heard that it’s inappropriate to show your shoulders in Japan so you should avoid wearing tank tops and spaghetti strap shirts. While it’s true that you often won’t see Japanese women wearing these types of tops without a sleeved shirt underneath, it’s really not that big of a deal.

If you are traveling to Japan on business then a formal, conservative trouser or knee-length skirt-suit worn with tights in dark colors works well, but do avoid an all-black look – this is associated with funerals. Also, avoid revealing or sleeveless blouses. Japanese women generally do not wear nail varnish.

Don’t Bring These Restricted Items to Japan

• Certain fresh fruits or vegetables & soil.
• Certain types of ham, sausage & bacon.
• Items made from CITES-listed species.
• Illegal drugs.
• Weapons such as guns & explosives.
• Fake products.
• Uncensored adult videos or books & child pornography.
• Counterfeit money & credit cards.

Pointing at people or things is considered rude in Japan. Instead of using a finger to point at something, the Japanese use a hand to gently wave at what they would like to indicate. When referring to themselves, people will use their forefinger to touch their nose instead of pointing at themselves.

Most meat products and animal-derived products are not allowed in Japan. In many countries, there are livestock diseases, and there is a fear of infectious diseases spreading form meat products. This applies to raw meat, processed goods, airtight goods, and leftover food from the plane.

Smoking and buying tobacco is illegal in Japan under the age of 20. There are a lot of countries that permit smoking or the purchase of tobacco from age 18 or even younger, but if you’re under 20, that is illegal in Japan. Just like when buying alcohol, shops may ask for an identification to verify your age.