Sizes, Prices and IC Card Guide for First-Time Visitors Leave your luggage, explore freely, and return when you are ready. Dragging a suitcase through a crowded station, narrow shop, temple grounds, or busy sightseeing area can quickly make a day in Japan exhausting. Fortunately, Japan has a practical solution almost everywhere travelers need it: Coin … Read more
A Simple Guide for First-Time Visitors Trains get most of the attention in Japan, but buses are often just as important. They can take you to temples, residential neighborhoods, shopping areas, scenic spots, and places that trains do not reach easily. The problem is that buses in Japan can feel confusing at first. Unlike trains, … Read more
Japanese Vending Machines: How to Use Them, Pay and Choose Drinks Japanese vending machines are easy to use even if you cannot read Japanese. Most machines sell drinks and accept cash, while many also accept transportation IC cards such as Suica, PASMO and ICOCA. To buy a drink, check the price and temperature label, insert … Read more
Which Convenience Store Is Best in Japan? If you’re visiting Japan for the first time, you may notice three convenience store chains everywhere you go: At first glance, they all seem almost identical. They sell drinks, snacks, sandwiches, bento boxes, and even hot meals. You can withdraw cash, pay bills, buy tickets, and use clean … Read more
A Complete Guide for First-Time Visitors Japan’s train system may look complicated, but paying for transportation can be surprisingly simple. Instead of buying a paper ticket every time you travel, you can use a prepaid transportation IC card such as Suica or PASMO. Just tap the card at the ticket gate when you enter a … Read more
A Complete Guide for First-Time Visitors If it’s your first time visiting Japan, the train system may look confusing. You might wonder: The good news is that Japan’s railway network is one of the safest, cleanest and most reliable in the world. Once you understand a few basic rules, it’s surprisingly easy to use. This … Read more
A Complete Guide to Cash, Cards, IC Cards and Mobile Payments Japan is often described as a cash-based country. That description is no longer entirely accurate. Credit cards, contactless payments, transportation IC cards and QR-code payments are now widely used, especially in major cities. Japan’s cashless payment ratio reached 58.0% in 2025, with credit cards … Read more