Practical Japan
The small things, sorted.
Japan runs on systems that are simple once someone has told you. These are the ones that matter on a first or second trip.
Money
Cards are accepted far more widely than they used to be, and the big cities are close to cashless, but Japan still rewards carrying cash: shrine offerings, festival stalls, rural buses and small restaurants all run on coins and notes. Convenience store and Japan Post ATMs are the reliable ones for foreign cards.
Staying connected
A data eSIM is the painless route: buy before you fly, land connected, and use the data for maps, translation and train times, which is most of what a phone does in Japan. Our sister site Maison V has a first-hand guide to running a whole Japan trip on an eSIM, written from a September 2026 trip: search "Moshi moshi" at maisonv.com.
Plugs and power
Japan uses Type A plugs (two flat pins, the North American style) at 100 volts. Most modern chargers and laptops are dual-voltage and need only the plug shape; anything with a heating element from a 220 volt country should stay home. The country famously runs two frequencies, 50Hz in the east and 60Hz in the west, which matters to almost nothing a traveller carries.
Customs that catch people out
Trains are quiet: calls go to the deck between cars, conversations stay low. Queues form on the marked spots on platforms and people stand aside to let passengers off first. Tipping is not part of the culture and can cause a small chase down the street to return your money. Cash goes on the little tray at the till, not hand to hand. None of it is policed; all of it is noticed and appreciated.
Emergencies
Police on 110, fire and ambulance on 119, both free from any phone. The Japan National Tourism Organization runs a 24 hour visitor hotline in English and other languages. Travel insurance that covers medical care is the one piece of paperwork worth arranging properly.