7 Rookie Mistakes To Avoid When Arriving In Japan

Above, the Wako (left) and Mitsukoshi (right) department stores in Ginza, Photo by Armand Vaquer.

If you have never been to Japan and you are about to go for the first time, the good folks at Gaijinpot.com have posted an article on "7 Rookie Mistakes To Avoid When Arriving In Japan."

The mistakes are easy ones to make, but they are relatively minor ones in the grand scheme of things.

They begin the article with:

Some people arrive in Japan knowing the history and culture of the country, being obsessed with Manga and Anime, and having learned more of the language than just “konnichiwa.” While some on the other hand get told that they are moving to Japan and it’s the only option for their life for the next two years. 

I was the latter, having arrived with a few thousand others thanks to the U.S. Military. Since I didn’t have the time to get to know the culture before arriving, I made some serious rookie slip-ups, and I think I wasn’t the only one. 

Here’s a look at some of the most common mistakes to avoid that could end up costing you a lot of time, money, or embarrassment. 

Regarding number 4, usage of credit or debit cards in Japan, I knew ahead of time that the country is primarily a cash country. Usage of debit or credit cards has increased in the 13 years since my first visit, but it is still mainly a cash country. I have used my debit card there once, and that was during my last trip in February when I bought some things at a duty-free shop at Narita International Airport. This was only because I had already exchanged my yen for dollars prior to going to the departure gates.

To read the full article, go here.