Japan for different travel groups – Is Japan a good destination for you?
As Japan is getting a popular tourist destination, you might be wondering if Japan is a good destination for you. Today, I’d like to see for what kind of traveler groups Japan is good as a travel destination.
Female Solo
When you start planning your trip to Japan, probably you hear that Japan is a safe country, and that is true. Probably it’s a good place to travel even for the first time international travel.
It might not be as easy as English speaking country like Canada or Australia, but you experience the big cultural difference here in the safe environment.
So as long as keep your basic travel alert sense just like when you travel to other countries, such as do not follow anyone, Japan would be an interesting place to explore.
For hotels, you can use business hotel or if you are on a budget, many capsule hotel or hostels has rooms only for female guests. In case you find it difficult to locate where to eat dinner, you can rely on chain restaurants that are filled with Japanese people.
Family with kids
If you or your children has interest in Japanese culture, Japan might be a good place to travel. When it comes to nature, Japan might stay behind European countries or other countries for quality, but seeing cultural difference is the biggest impact and stimulus for children that makes the trip worth it.
Of course there is some fun too. For small children, Nintendo Tokyo and Sanrio Puro Land are something children might show interest in Tokyo.
Just be aware that something considered inappropriate in your country may not be hidden well on some (akiba) streets in Tokyo. (hide my eyes and walk)
LGBT
Japan might be behind western countries when it comes to human rights on minority groups, but at the same time, there aren’t outstanding groups that are against it too. There are no rules or social norms against it, so you can enjoy travel as being yourself. Shinjuku has a famous town called 2 chome, and you see bars for gay men and lesbian bars. Some small bars are for members only, but there are some bars open to the street with many foreign tourists too.
Less mobility
If you or someone among your travel members has difficulty in walking or walking for a long distance, is Japan a good place to travel? The answer is yes, but there are some things to prepare in advance. In Tokyo, almost all stations has elevator and escalator and has barrier free access from platform to the ground. So it won’t be a problem. But we don’t have Uber or anything like that, so you might want to find hotels near stations. If you search a station name, all train companies have maps of stations, so I recommend to check the route without stairs in advance.
Some small restaurants might not have barrier free access and only has very tight space, so you might want to research before you make a reservation.
Vegans
You might find it difficult to find vegan restaurant in Japan.
There are some vegan restaurants in Tokyo but it is still not common.
It can be tricky because sometimes it looks like it is non-meat,
but it can includes something you don’t want to have (fish, ham, etc.)
So make sure to check with the store staff if you are strict vegans or have allergies.
Who is not for Japan？
If I try to think of who is not for Japan trip, it’s definitely someone who wants to relax by poolside or on beaches; young groups who like party scenes; or simply someone who has no interest in Japan.
When it comes to the beach, we have Okinawa’s beautiful beaches and even near Tokyo there are some good places, but as a whole experience including pricing, variety of resorts and weather, we cannot win to Thailand. If you like clubbing scenes, we cannot win to Thailand.
So I hope you know what to expect in Japan, and enjoy the difference of Japan.
Final thoughts
I have heard someone walking in Ginza saying “I feel like I’m in my country.” I’m not sure if that is good or bad meaning, but probably that’s not the impression you want to have after a long flight. Ginza is a wide shopping street with many Japanese and western brands shops. If you expect something “more Japanese” goods, it’s better to go to Kamakura or countryside town around Tokyo.
It might help to do some research to see what you will probably feels good about, instead of going to places that are just famous or where everyone goes.
Please see Tokyo Travel Guide to see what you can do in Tokyo and what you can expect in Tokyo.
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