Japan is a country that can surprise travellers at every turn. Some things work great and make it easy to get around the cities, while others require a bit of getting used to or preparation beforehand.

In this article, I've compiled my observations from traveling in Japan - things I encountered during my trip that surprised me.

If you're going to Japan for the first time, some of the following points may surprise you. And if you've been here before, chances are you'll recognize yourself in them.

Book a hotel in Japan in advance

Luggage storage without searching

I've used luggage lockers repeatedly in Japan. I had no idea how many times they could come in handy!

For example, on the morning before taking the train to Mount Fuji, I wanted to visit the beautiful Shinjuku Garden, which is near the train station. I was staying at the Hotel Indigo in Shibuya, so I packed my bags and headed to Shinjuku Station with my suitcase in the morning, where I left all my luggage and went for a walk in the garden.

I didn't even have to think about what to do with the luggage.

Because automatic luggage lockers are everywhere in Japan ! The most typical places where you'll find lockers:

• all subway stations in all cities
• the vast majority of train and bus stations in all cities
• almost all historical sites, museums, theme parks and tourist attractions
• in shopping centres
• airports
• often randomly anywhere on the street

In exposed places it is often the case that all the lockers are full, but it usually won't take you 5 minutes to find the location of other empty lockers.

How do I pay for lockers?

At large stations or more modern lockers you can pay by card, but this is not usually the rule.

Often you can only pay with coins, but in this case there is usually a money changer at the lockers where you can change the notes.

It is also very common to pay with transport cards (such as Suica, Icoca, Pasmo and others).

How much does luggage storage cost?

You always pay for a 24-hour period - it doesn't matter whether your luggage is in the locker for 30 minutes or 23 hours. The price is the same.

The largest lockers are usually available for 900 jpy to 1 100 jpy.

The smallest lockers usually cost around 300 jpy to 500 jpy.

Minimarkets on every corner

Similar to, say, Thailand or South Korea, there are minimarkets literally on every corner in Japan.

Not only in the big cities, but also in the most backward villages.

Especially for travellers, this is extremely practical. You don't have to worry about where to eat when you're thirsty, hungry or craving something sweet. And what can you find in Japanese minimarkets?

• packaged foods - sandwiches, rice onigiri, salads, soups, hot packaged foods (you can heat them up in the microwave in the store)
• hot snacks (dumplings, fried chicken nuggets, etc.)
• cold and hot drinks in a bottle
• plenty of sweets, chewing gum, etc.
• basic drugstore
• some basic electronics (chargers, cables, etc.)
• alcohol
• you will often find an ATM or even a photocopier inside
• 👉 You can find out how much things cost in our article Money and prices in Japan

There are many brands of minimarkets in Japan, but the most common ones that you can find really absolutely everywhere are:

• FamilyMart
• Lawson
• 7-Eleven

Most of these stores are open 24/7 and you can pay with cash and regular foreign credit cards everywhere. And unlike, say, Thailand, there is no extra charge for card payments.

Trash cans are almost non-existent

This was probably the most surprising thing to me. There are no trash cans or garbage cans in Japan!

I definitely recommend taking a small backpack or purse out with you to put any wrappers or trash that you have left.

Where are the bins available?

• Often at the vending machines, which are also commonly found on the street, but the bins are only for small plastic bottles
• at any FamilyMart, Lawson's or 7-Eleven
• in the hotel.
• at airports.
• sometimes at tourist sights, but that tends to be the exception.

Where, on the other hand, do you not find bins, although you would expect to?

• At train stations or subway stations
• at most temples and other historical monuments
• absolutely nowhere on the streets or in parks

And yet everywhere is spotlessly clean...

Free public toilets everywhere

What you don't have to look for are toilets.

And you don't usually have to worry about their cleanliness either.

There are public toilets in many places all over Japan - they're always free and accessible 24/7.

Urinals are always available, as are standard "Western" restrooms, but there are also traditional Japanese toilets in some places. Toilet paper and soap are always available.

Where are the toilets located?

• At all tourist sights, museums, temples, etc.
• in all train, metro and major bus stations
• in the countryside at major crossroads of tourist routes, cable car stations, restaurants, etc.
• in shopping centres
• and sometimes just randomly on the streets

They show the location of toilets well, e.g. maps.com.

Cash always with you

Even though many places in Japan have a regular foreign card (including Revolut, which I use everywhere), you still can't do without cash.

Only cash can be used to pay at most historical sites, some museums, or even some luggage lockers.

You can't pay by card at many food stalls, but you can also pay in small cafes or local restaurants.

ATMs with a physical card only

On my third day in Tokyo, I took it easy without my wallet or cash and headed to the gardens at Kiyomasa Spring. However, the entrance fee could only be paid in cash, so with my contactless card on my phone, I headed to the nearest ATM, only oops!

There are no contactless ATMs in Japan.

You always need a physical card - those work without a problem for foreign banks, including Revolut.

Get Revolut with bonus

You'll usually find ATMs in subway stations, train stations, or 7-Eleven or Lawson's mini-markets.

• 👉 F ind out what the ATM fees are in the article Money and prices in Japan

Shopping without local tax

International visitors to Japan can enjoy shopping for many items without the standard 10% local consumption tax.

Shops where you can take advantage of this 10% "discount" are usually marked with signs saying tax-free.

What goods are covered by the tax-free shopping option?

• Electronics, cosmetics and drugstores, footwear, clothing and accessories (such as luggage), jewellery and valuables, food, medicines or alcohol
• the purchase must be worth more than 5 000 jpy

How do I get a tax refund?

In Japan, you don't have to save your receipts and look for a refund counter at the airport like in other countries.

Here, they deduct the tax directly at the checkout in the store.

In large shopping malls, there may be one central "tax-free" checkout for all stores, usually on the top floor.

What do you need to buy goods tax-free?

You always need a passport with a sticker (stamp) of entry into Japan.

After you pay, the staff will put the goods in a special plastic bag - because you cannot officially use the goods on which you claim the tax discount in Japan.

Transport cards for paying fares

A must-have for any traveller are transport cards.

While contactless payment with your own credit card is slowly spreading in Japan, it's still only working in a fraction of places in 2026, and you simply can't do without transport cards.

But using them is very simple.

You can buy a transport card on arrival at any Japanese airport. You load the card with any amount of money into 10 000 jpy and then just attach the card to the readers in any means of transport.

You can top up your card at any time at the machines located at all train, bus, subway, etc. stations.

Usually you can only top up your card with cash.

Each region in Japan has its own transport card, but you can always use it nationwide.

• 👉 Detailed info and prices in the article Transport in Japan

Cheap local eateries

If you want to try Japanese cuisine but also prefer quick and easy snacks, you'll be delighted in Japan.

There are a large number of local chains (for example, Yoshinoya, Sukiya, Matsuya, Ippudo) where you can get typical ramen or curry.

At these eateries, you order through a self-service machine, where you pay (usually you can pay with a card) and wait with a slip with your order number.

Normal prices are around 1 300 jpy per meal.

• 👉 What to taste in Japan? Find out in our article Japanese cuisine
• 👉 My restaurant tips in Tokyo

Japanese outlets

Type A sockets are used in Japan.

I always forget that my travel adaptor doesn't exactly have type A, but only type B (with a grounding pin), which doesn't fit Japanese sockets!

I was kind of counting on the fact that at least the larger hotels would have universal outlets, but I didn't come across those anywhere in Japan and had to buy a local power adapter for my laptop at the Lawson mini-market.

Somewhere in the hotels there also tends to be a plug for USB power.