We have just returned from a two week trip to Japan. We started in Tokyo for five days, then went to Kyoto for five days and then back to Tokyo for a few days before coming home.
Here's the unwritten rules on being a tourist in Japan:
Walking on the sidewalk
- Generally, walk in a single file line on the left hand side of the sidewalk. We were mainly in bigger cities and the sidewalks are not huge, plus people are riding bikes on there, so stay to the left and don't make a wall blocking the sidewalk. Everyone is trying to get somewhere quickly and try to stay out of the way. Occasionally, you'll need to swap sides, but keep an eye on pedestrian/bike traffic and stay out of the way.
- Never eat or drink while walking (or on the train, except for shinkansen). If you need to eat or drink something, get out of the way, find a spot and eat/drink, then put it away and keep moving.
- Don't stare at your phone while walking. Again, pull over, figure out what you need to do, then keep moving. If you're looking at your phone, you won't see the bike coming at you!
- Don't just stop. Just like driving in the US, be predictable.
Money Stuff
- ATM - Make sure you have a 4 digit PIN for your bankcard. Taking out money from an ATM is your generally a good exchange rate.
- Cash - Carry cash with you at all times. A lot of restaurants don't take credit cards. You will need cash to load money onto your IC/Suica/PassMo card (if you're using one).
- Wallet - Bring a wallet that lets cash lie flat. If you don't have one, you can buy one at a Daiso for not a lot of money.
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