Local Rules
Shoes Off in Japan: Where, When and How
The genkan, the slipper hierarchy, the tatami rule, and how to spot the boundary before you cross it in your boots. Plus…
Country
Japan
Every rule, table and calculator we publish for Japan — the first country fully mapped across all six lines.
55 guides
Local Rules
Japan Garbage Sorting Rules for Visitors (and Why There Are No Bins)
Japan is spotless and has almost no public bins. Where rubbish actually goes, how the categories work, and the routine that stops…
Local Rules
Onsen Tattoo Rules in Japan: Where You Can Bathe and What to Do Instead
Many hot springs still refuse tattooed guests. Why the rule exists, how strictly it is applied, cover stickers, private baths, and how…
Local Rules
How to Use a Japanese Toilet: Every Button Explained
The washlet control panel decoded, the squat toilet explained, the slipper rule, and what you must never put down a Japanese toilet.
Transport & Luggage
Narita to Tokyo: Every Route Compared by Price, Time and Stairs
Sixty kilometres from the city, six ways in, and a ¥2,300 spread between them. Every option priced against journey time and how…
Transport & Luggage
Luggage Forwarding in Japan (Takkyubin): Prices, Timings and How to Book It
Send the suitcase ahead for the price of a lunch. What it costs by route and size, how long it takes, the…
Transport & Luggage
Shinkansen Luggage Rules: The 160 cm Line and the Oversized Baggage Seat
Bags over 160 cm total need a reserved oversized-baggage space on three Shinkansen lines. Free if you book it, ¥1,000 if you…
Transport & Luggage
Luggage and Transport Rules in Japan: What You Can Bring, Where, and What It Costs
Japan moves people brilliantly and suitcases badly. The size limits, the reservation rules, the forwarding networks and the airport transfers — the…
Transport & Luggage
Is the JR Pass Worth It? Do the Math Before You Buy
Since the 2023 price rise the JR Pass loses money on most trips. Add your actual train legs to the calculator and…
Money & Payments
Japan Tax-Free Shopping: Thresholds, Rules and the Coming Refund System
Who qualifies, the ¥5,000 threshold, why consumables get sealed in a bag you must not open, and the change from exemption at…
Money & Payments
Suica, Pasmo and ICOCA: How Japan’s IC Cards Actually Work
One card, tapped everywhere: trains, buses, lockers, vending machines and convenience stores. The deposit, the ¥20,000 ceiling, the refund rules, and whether…
Money & Payments
Which ATMs in Japan Accept Foreign Cards
Most Japanese bank ATMs decline foreign cards without explanation. The four networks that reliably work, their fees and limits, and how to…