Four MORE ways in which Japan is really inconvenient for foreign travellers

More things to know before you travel to Japan

It looks good, but it may get you refused entry from hot springs. Image by Steven Erixon, Unsplash.

Whether it’s the obscenely punctual public transport systems, the super-efficient customer service, the health system that really works, or the ubiquitous convenience stores, Japan is rightfully famous for taking convenience to a whole other level.

Unfortunately, nowhere is perfect. Even Japan can be inconvenient at times.

Previously I wrote about four aspects of Japanese society which can be inconvenient for foreign travellers.

In this article I’m going to introduce four more, along with advice on how to deal with these inconveniences to make your trip to Japan go much more smoothly.

1. Got a tattoo? You may have to cover up

Traditionally in Japanese society tattoos are associated with organised crime. Obviously as a foreign tourist no-one is going to mistake you for a yakuza boss, but tattoos still have such negative connotations that you may be refused entry from some places if your tattoos are visible.

Advice

The no-tattoo rule is most pertinent when it comes to hot springs, where everyone is naked.