Backpacking Japan Travel Guide

Towering mountains and mythological beasts, shiny robots and shinier samurai; Backpacking in Japan is a truly fascinating experience. Over seventy percent of Japan is covered by towering volcanic peaks and snow-capped summits, and these mountains, which still hold important religious and cultural significance, provide nothing short of a paradise for budding adventure junkies.

Whilst backpacking in Japan, I never once felt threatened, and I was rarely frustrated. This is such an amazing country.

The main challenge in Japan is trying not to spend too much money; it’s not a cheap country to travel in. I managed to spend an average of $30 a day over a three-week trip; I doubt it could be done for less, but there are a few travel hacks to backpack Japan on a budget and experience the country cheaply. There’s even one way you can travel around Japan for free!

I’ve written this Japan travel guide so that I can share my insider knowledge with you. I’ll show you how to travel in Japan cheaply and where you absolutely need to go. By the end of this guide, you’ll be armed with more tools than ninja assassin and will have everything that you need to have an amazing time in this country!

 

Where to Go Backpacking in Japan

For me, Japan has always been the land of the Samurai. I have long admired the staunch bravery of the Samurai and the sheer tenacity of the Imperial Army during World War II. The wonderful thing about Japan is the painless mix of traditional feudal scenes with that of a buzzing, technological beast of a country.

The cities in Japan are unlike any other; they crackle and pop with energy. Tokyo is a futuristic wonderland of gliding transport, soaring buildings, and bright lights. Just a short way from Tokyo lies the ancient city of Kyoto and the first Japanese capital of Nara.

In Nara, Geishas still patrol the streets in traditional dress, temples lie hidden in tranquil bamboo forests and it feels as though you may encounter a band of marauding Samurai at any moment. Here is a great Japan backpacking route:

Whether you are after a chilled day-walk or a harder, multi-day, trek; backpacking in Japan has plenty to offer; I never got a chance to hit up any of Japan’s hiking trails although I will be sure to have a crack at Mt. Fuji upon my return!

 

Best Travel Itineraries for Backpacking Japan

Honestly, there is so much to do and see in Japan. You can easily spend weeks, or even months, exploring the massive Tokyo and barely scratch the surface. If you have the time (and money) I suggest spending extra time in Tokyo and Kyoto! If you don’t have the time, then check out these two awesome itineraries, which will give you some solid exposure to beautiful Japan!

 

Backpacking Japan 3 Week Itinerary #1: Japan’s Mountains + Central Highlights

 

3 Weeks: Japan’s Mountains + Central Highlights

This is the perfect itinerary if you have 2-4 weeks to explore Japan. Start off in Tokyo. I recommend staying here for 5 days at minimum. Like I said above, you can spend weeks in Tokyo and barely scratch the surface, but it is an expensive city.

Get the Odakyu express train (2x hours) from Odakyu station to Odawara (the base town of Hakone). Remember to combine your Hakone Free Pass with your normal ticket fare & save a bunch of money. Hakone boasts stunning views of the iconic volcano Mount Fuji! The scenery here is incredible and it’s famous for its trekking. It’s also the cheapest place to conquer the summit of Mt Fuji. You’ll need to spend at least 3-4 days here, especially if you wish to do some trekking.

Next, take a train from Odakyu to Shinjuku (870 yen), followed then by a highway bus to Matsumoto (3400 yen), which is famous for its old original 16^th century castle Matsumoto, commonly known as Crow Castle.

Next, head to the Japanese Alps, which has some of the best skiing in the world! That said, you won’t be here for winter season if you are timing your Japan trip with cherry blossom or trekking season. The Alps offer hiking, canyoning, mountain biking, and kayaking in the summertime.

Speaking of cherry blossom season, make sure you visit Kanazawa in spring when travelling in Japan! Kanazawa is home to Kenrokuen, one of Japan’s most beautiful gardens. In winter it’s the end destination of the Alpine Route. There are a few attractions around the city like the Ninja Temple, Samurai & geisha districts too.

Shirakawa and Takayama are next on the list. Shirakawa is a remote mountain town is also a UNESCO world heritage site, famous for their traditional gassho-zukuri farmhouses, some of which are more than 250 years old. Takayama makes for a great day trip.

Finally, head to Kyoto to finish up this amazing trip! With numerous temples, beautiful gardens, imperial palaces & bold, bright red gates at Fushimi-Inari Shrine, Kyoto is an unmissable destination. The city upholds formal traditions like Kiseki dining with a Geisha. The bamboo forest is enchanting to stroll through & the nightlife is pretty good here. You’d want to spend at least4-5 days in Kyoto.

 

Backpacking Japan 2 Week Itinerary #2: Japan’s Southern Highlights

2-3 Weeks: Japan’s Southern Highlights

For this itinerary, we will also start in Tokyo, where you should try to spend at least 4-5 days. Next head to Kyoto, another amazing city in Japan.

Next up is Nara, a city filled with history and Japan’s first permanent capital. It’s home to some of the biggest & oldest temples in Japan like Todai-Ji, the largest wooden building in the world. Hang out & walk around the city among the deer that wander about the city. You’ll only need to spend a day or so checking out Nara. Then head to Hiroshima.

Hiroshima was largely destroyed by an atomic bomb during World War II, but has since been rebuilt. You can visit the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park visiting ruins surrounding ground zero. Make sure you visit the Hiroshima Atomic Bomb museum & Hiroshima Castle which is a fortress that is surrounded by a moat, next to a park. You only need a couple of days here, but make sure you take a day trip out to Miyajima Island one of the days.

Miyajima Island is full of ancient temples and forests. Just offshore is the big beautiful orange Grand Torii Gate marking the Itsukushima Shrine entrance.

The above itinerary is plenty to keep you busy for 2 weeks, but if you have a bit more time, catch a flight to Okinawa Island on this trip. This island is renowned for epic festivals and culture, year-round beautiful beaches, and off the beaten path adventure.

 

Places to Visit in Japan

Backpacking Tokyo

Tokyo is an awesome city. There is a lot to do here but it definitely helps to have a Japanese friend to show you around. When I first arrived in Tokyo, I crashed with a CouchSurfing host for the first couple of days which really helped my budget and also helped me get the most out of the city.

Even if you only have a passing interest in Anime you really should visit the studio Ghibli museum. This needs to be booked in advance and can be booked from a machine in most convenience store chains.

The impressive Tsukiji fish market is the largest fish market in the world and is free to visit. Get there bloody early!

It is well worth going up to the top of the Tokyo SkyTree. Being the tallest tower in Japan not only do you get to see amazing 360 views of the city, if it is a clear day you can even glimpse Mt. Fuji in the distance!

Explore the food culture. Food in Japan is really a level up, delicate, balanced, and decorative… Each dish a small work of art. If you love sushi get ready to indulge; do your research in advance so you know what to look out for, what you might like to try and appropriate dining etiquette. There is plenty of incredible food in Japan, go nuts!

Taking a sushi-making class is a great way to elevate your love of Japanese food to the next level.

The Kodokan (free entrance) is worth a visit although it’s only particularly impressive if it’s in use when you arrive; it is the largest Dojo in the world.

If you happen to find yourself in Tokyo during the winter, be sure to check out the Marunouchi Illumination, where the cobblestone street of Nakadori is lit up beautifully.

There are plenty of temples and palaces, and although these are worth visiting many of them have an entrance fee. If short on cash, I recommend waiting until Kyoto as the most impressive temples are found there.

Some of the parks in Tokyo can be rather good fun to visit, and it is worth wandering around Harijuku to catch a glimpse of the infamous ‘Harijuku girls’.

There are absolutely LOADS of awesome day trips that you can do from Tokyo – check out this comprehensive roundup for lots of Tokyo day trip options. 

There is so much cool stuff to do in this city, I just can’t squeeze it all into one blog post. For further inspiration pick up a Lonely Planet and for an alternative perspective. This gay travel guide to Tokyo by Nomadic Boys leaves no doubt there is something for everyone in this awesome city. This 24 hour guide is worth a read too!

For more information on where to stay in Tokyo, check out our guides on the best hostels in Tokyo and the neighborhood breakdown of Tokyo!

Be sure to check out our guide to the top places to visit in Tokyo!

 

Backpacking Mount Fuji

Mount Fuji is Japan’s most iconic mountain and watching the sunrise from the top is on many a backpacker’s bucket list. Although it is one of the most popular things to do when travelling in Japan, bear in mind that it stands at an altitude of 3776m and altitude sickness is a real possibility even though the climb itself isn’t very difficult. Anybody with a reasonable level of fitness can climb Mount Fuji but, if you can, it makes sense to do a bit of training first.

Hakone is located within the Fuji-Hake-Lzu National Park area & boasts stunning views of the iconic volcano Mount Fuji! The scenery here is incredible , and it’s also the cheapest place to conquer the summit of Mt Fuji. Use your Hakone Freepass to explore all the attractions in the city like the Odawara Castle & Open Air Museum or relax in one of the natural hotsprings.

You’ll need to spend at least 3-4 days here, especially if you wish to do some trekking.

Start the climb for Mt. Fuji from the fifth station around evening so by the time you reach the summit it is dawn and you can catch the awe-inspiring sunrise. Make sure you tackle the climb slowly; no need to rush. There are several rest stops on the way offering food, drink and a restroom and you can even buy oxygen (you’re unlikely to need it) at these huts if you have altitude sickness.

Make sure you are loaded with plenty of water, enough warm clothes, energy bars and great hiking shoes. Check out my backpacking checklist to make sure not to miss out on essentials.

The climb is best attempted during the official season – From July till the end of August although this is the Mt. Fuji’s busiest time and it can become crowded. At other times of the year, the trekking route is shut due to low temperatures and snow. If you’re looking for a quiet sunrise and to be alone amongst nature, Fuji is the wrong mountain for you. But I will say that if you are going to Japan, you really should try to fit in a visit to Mount Fuji.

There is a popular Japanese saying – ‘One who never climbs Mount Fuji is a fool; one who climbs it twice is twice the fool’. So go ahead and give it a shot!

Find out where the best places to stay in Mount Fuji are so you can be as close as possible to the attractions (or parties for that matter).

Book Your Mount Fuji Hostel Here!

 

Backpacking Matsumoto

The city is famous for it’s old original 16^th century castle Matsumoto, commonly known as Crow Castle. Explore the city, visiting Nakamachi street, it’s lined with old merchant houses, the river is also a nice spot to eat dinner at night. You only need 2 days here to see everything. To leave, in the morning get a train from Matsumoto to Shinano-omachi. Then take the incredible Alpine Route to Kanazawa. Just FYI, the Alpine Route is only open from April to November.

Find out where the best places to stay in Kanazawa are so you can be as close as possible to the attractions (or parties for that matter).

Check Matsumoto Hostels Now!

 

Backpacking the Japanese Alps

Japan is surprisingly a great place for winter sports. One of the most popular spots is the Japanese Alps. I must warn you that it is not the cheapest to go skiing in Japan. There are plenty of resorts in the Japanese Alps where you can hire (or buy) equipment but it’s obviously cheaper if you take your own stuff with you. Although a bit expensive, you could take a snowboarding lesson, most places offer coaching in English.

If you’re hitting the slopes in winter, you’d want to head to Hakuba. It’s in the heart of the Japanese Alps & is where the 1998 winter Olympic games were held. You’re surrounded with 11 different mountains, so you’ve got quite a choice. Hakuba Alps Backpackers is the place to stay during snow season.  They also cater for summer too with hiking, canyoning, mountain biking, kayaking etc. Check out this post for some winter in Japan inspiration… 

Book Your Japanese Alps Hostel Here!

 

Backpacking Kyoto

Kyoto is pretty damn special. It is crammed with temples, shrines, castles and legends…

If you can you should try to stay in Gion, the Geisha district; it is crazy colourful. A Japanese friend gave me some tips on the correct etiquette when interacting with Geishas; Never talk to a Geisha or try to stop them for photos as this is considered extremely rude.

Kyoto’s famed Golden Pavilion is well worth a visit; it’s a stunning place to spend half an hour or so quietly contemplating the beautiful gardens set in the shadow of the impressive temple. Unfortunately, the entrance price is pretty steep and often it’s pretty crowded; arrive early.

Nijo-jo is an impressive castle from the outside but is sadly rather empty on the inside; still worth exploring. Kiyomizu-dera (free) is well worth visiting. Dairoku-Ji was my favourite temple complex in Kyoto.

Kyoto upholds formal traditions like Kiseki dining with a Geisha. The bamboo forest is enchanting to stroll through & the nightlife is pretty good here.

There are hundreds of temples and shrines in Kyoto and you could spend a lifetime trying to visit them all. Among the ancient temples, you can also explore the hip, modern side of Kyoto. For more info on the best things to do in Kyoto, chat to the locals or look online!

Consult your guesthouse to find out which temples are nearest to you. I have heard great things about Arashiyama’s bamboo forests, which an easy day trip from Kyoto.

For backpackers looking for an epic trekking adventure, consider going on the Kumano Kodo Pilgrimage Trek. This 3-day hike take you to 5 UNESCO World Heritage sites and even some hot springs so you can soak your weary bones. 

And for more inspiration, check out this guide for where to stay in Kyoto!

 

Backpacking Nara

If you have a free day, you can make an easy day trip (by train) to Nara, Japan’s historical capital. Nara is full of chilled out parks and more temples including Todai-Ji, the largest wooden building in the world.

Todai-Ji was the only building in Nara which I thought was worth paying to get into. Most of the other temples are less impressive and yet still cost around $10 to get into.

The picture below? Me kicking ass with a Samurai I was introduced to through Couchsurfing. Seriously folks, in Japan, it’s all about having unique experiences and discovering cool places you wouldn’t normally hear about. My secret weapon for this is always Couchsurfing: it is simply the best way to get to grips with a new place and land on your feet with a social life.

 

Backpacking Hiroshima

Poignant Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park is heartbreaking. The park tells the story of how Hiroshima, a previously untouched (by the war) city in Japan, was nuked towards the end of WWII by American forces.

In the park, you’ll find the Atomic Bomb Dome – site of where the first atomic bomb hit, and now just a skeletal reminder of the past. The park is free to get into and it costs under a dollar. It’s well worth it to visit the museum.

You can store your bags in museum lockers for free. When visiting the museum, I recommend splashing out on the audio tour. There are two free films you can watch in the museum’s small cinema. You can get free WiFi here as well so it’s a good place to chill if you’re stuck for a bit.

There is a library in the park where you can use a computer for up to an hour for free.

A good afternoon activity in Hiroshima is making a tour of a Sake brewery. The brewing process is pretty cool and… the best part? You get a diverse sampling of sake at the end of the tour. After all of the heaviness regarding Hiroshima’s history, you might find that you needed the sake tour more than you thought.

I personally found visiting Hiroshima to be a really worthwhile but somewhat distressing experience; do some research beforehand so that you have a basic idea of what happened here.

If you have a spare day on your hands, head off to beautiful Miyajima. An easy day trip from Hiroshima, Miyajima is a fantastic island covered in gorgeous woods. Hike up into the hills to escape the tourist crowds and discover some awesome views as well as herds of cheeky deer. If you are spending a few days in Hiroshima, use our Hiroshima itinerary to plan your stay.

 

Backpacking Nagasaki

Nagasaki is located on the southern island of Kyushu. Like in Hiroshima, there are museums about the bombing, a peace memorial, and a peace park with lots of sculptures and beautiful flowers. Nagasaki is a really nice city to wander around – there are lots of Buddhist temples, gardens and an interesting Chinatown area. It has a pretty chill and laid-back vibe. You could happily spend a couple of days here.

Book Your Nagasaki Hostel Here!

 

Backpacking Ishigakijima

Ishigakijima is about 400km south of the main island of Okinawa. The colour of the ocean and the fragrance of the flowers is mesmerising. It has the clearest blue waters and if you go snorkelling you will be surrounded by coral and tropical fish. This is a pretty sweet spot for a romantic getaway, what with the peaceful waters and starry skies.

Want to get into some scuba diving in Ishigakijima? The real magic of the island lies beneath the surface of the ocean. You can go for dives and earn your scuba certificate in just a couple days, which enables you to go diving anywhere in the world after leaving Ishigakijima.

Ishigakijima has the most beautiful night sky in Japan! You could also go explore the Hirakubosaki lighthouse. This is the island to go to if you want to immerse yourself in the nature of Okinawa’s outlying islands.

Book Your Ishigakijima Hostel Here!

Backpacker Accommodation in Japan

For backpackers on a budget, Couchsurfing is your best bet whilst backpacking in Tokyo. There are however some truly awesome accommodation options as listed below…

Furthermore, we have put together neighborhood guides for Tokyo, Osaka, and Kyoto!

To help you find the absolute top places to stay during your Japan backpacking adventure, check out this in-depth article on the best hostels in Japan.

 

Types of Hotels in Japan

BUDGET HOSTEL – A backpacker institution and a great place to meet people, the Emblem hostel is fairly cheap and awesome.

CAPSULE HOTEL – A quintessential Japan travel experience. Crashing in a capsule hotel will make for a memorable night’s stay. I recommend Capsule Hotel Asahi Plaza Shinsaibashi in Osaka.

SPLURGE HOTEL – Wanting to splash out for a night of awesomeness, Shinjuku City Hotel with its five star amenities is the place to chill, or so I am told.

Airbnb in Tokyo – Much of the best value accommodation in Japan is found on Airbnb

Looking for kick ass hostels? Check out our city guides:

• Tokyo Best Hostels
• Kyoto Best Hostels
• Osaka Best Hostels
• Mount Fuji Best Hostels
• Hiroshima Best Hostels 
• Okinawa Best Hostels
• Sapporo Best Hostels
• 10 Best Hostels in Nagoya
• Fukuoka Best Hostels

Book Your Japan Hostel Here!

 

Where to Stay in Japan

Location	Accommodation	Why Stay Here?!
Tokyo	Emblem Hostel, Sakura Hostel	The Emblem hostel is pretty cheap and awesome.
Hiroshima	K’s House Hiroshima	My top choice in Hiroshima for backpacker friendly beds is K’s House Hiroshima. It is a cozy and friendly backpacker's hostel where you will get to meet other backpackers!
Nagasaki	Nagasaki International Hostel, Nagasaki House Burabura	The Nagasaki International Hostel is a beautiful riverside property with traditional historic temples around which you can explore on foot.
Mount Fuji	K's House Fuji View	My suggestion would be K's House Fuji View with Japanese style private rooms and shared dorms with a great lounge on the roof top. You could visit the five lakes around Mount Fuji from here.
Kyoto	Khaosan Kyoto Theatre, Bird Hostel	A great place to crash here would be the Khaosan Kyoto Theatre. Clean and comfortable with air conditioning, wifi and free tea!!
Ishigakijima Island	Shiraho Friends House	This is the only real hostel property on this island It is a cozy little place with separate dorms for men and women.
Japanese Alps	K's House Hakuba Alps	Awesome spot if you want to hit the slopes in the Japanese Alps. They have reduced lift tickets for sale at the hostel, as well as a 20% off voucher for rentals! There's even extra space to dry clothes from snowboarding & an awesome kitchen to cook your own food.
Nara	Deer Park Inn, Oak Hostel	My favourite hostel in Nara was the Deer Park Inn, the only budget accommodation in the Nara World Heritage area. This place has a mountain-lodge feel and a great vibe. And like most hostels in Japan,  they have wifi and a shared kitchen.

 

 

Top Things to Do in Japan

 

Backpacking Japan is all about having unique and crazy experiences that you cannot have anywhere else in the world. Below are the top 10 craziest, must-try things to do in Japan:

 

1. Watch a Sumo Wrestling Match

Large men pretty much rocking thongs and battling it out. Where else in the world do you get to see something so delightfully odd? Check out this site for up to date locations for different events.

 

2. Hang out in a Village of Foxes

No not foxy ladies. You can hang out with the wild animals, foxes, at Miyagi Zao Fox Village. Seriously. The foxes run around freely, some curiously approaching visitors, while others sleep away in the bushes. You can also buy some food to give them, and part of the village is more like a petting zoo – and who can say no to petting adorable foxes?!

 

 

3. Get Lost in Another World

Enjoy the colorful and eccentric world of teamLab Borderless. This unique immersion will completely stimulate your visual senses. Crafted as a living museum, one without boundaries, teamLab Borderless is an ever changing ecstatic experience.

 

4. Real Life Mario Kart

Get ready to race! Nothing like speeding around one of the world’s largest cities, in a tiny go-kart, while dressed up in costume. If you are looking for a bit of thrill and some fun then street go-karting is where it is at.

 

5. Random Robot-ness

If over-the-top performances and costumes are your thing than you need to check out the famous Robot Resturant Show. It is hard to describe this full on craziness. Everything from the entrance to the handful of extravagantly over done floors are pushing this Vegas like energy as you descend into the robot pit. The show itself is full of different themes and acts as two sides battle each-other.

 

6. Find out What an Earthquake Feels Like

Keen to feel what a real live earthquake feels like without, you know, experiencing an actual earthquake?  Ikebukuro Earthquake Hall is awesome – you get the extremely interesting feeling of being in an earthquake with any of the risks while learning what to do should you find yourself in a real earthquake. And if you’re a traveller, you’re probably going to land yourself in some places where it could happen.

 

7. Eat at a Cosplay Restaurant

The basic idea here is that it is a normal restaurant, except the ladies are dressed in French maid outfits, and address you as “master.” Any ladies reading this and not totally loving the idea? Don’t worry – they’ve got butler restaurants for you, too. Hell, there’s even one where chicks dress up as the butlers. Basically, there’s a rather strange themed restaurant for you, whatever your tastes, in Japan.

 

8. Drink Coffee with Cats

While the rise in popularity of this trend has it spreading across the globe, cat cafes actually originated in Japan (and for those of you who haven’t heard of this delightful treat yet, it’s basically a normal cafe, but there are a bunch of cats… so you can sip on your coffee and pet a cat while you’re at it). But why stop the fun here?! There are also rabbit cafes, bird cafes, reptile cafes… there’s even an owl cafe and goat cafe. Don’t tell me your cappuccino doesn’t taste ten times better when your non-coffee sipping hand is patting a goat’s head.

 

9. Go to the Ramen Museum

Yep, this exists. Learn about the many flavours of Ramen, and, more importantly, taste them! This is so much better than the just-add-water kind we’ve all been rocking. This is one of the coolest things to do in Osaka. 

 

10. Then go to the Meguro Parasitological Museum

Not exactly the museum you had in mind? Well, entrance is free, and it’s not exactly the type of museum you’re going to find anywhere else on planet earth. With 300 parasite specimens to view, save this for a few hours after your tasty Ramen has been digested.

 

Japan Travel Tips

Below I’ve listed tons of helpful tips for backpacking Japan, including an extensive section on how to travel on a backpacker budget, and a quick guide to Japanese food, history, and culture.

 

Books to Read While Travelling Japan

The Backpacker Bible – Get it for free! Learn how to ditch your desk and travel the world on just $10 a day whilst building a life of long-term travel with an online income. To inspire and help the next generation of Broke Backpackers, you can now grab ‘How to Travel the World on $10 a Day’ for free! Get your copy here. 

Lonely Planet Japan Travel Guide – It’s always worth having a Lonely Planet packed away, plenty of useful info on routes and where to go.

A Geek in Japan: Discovering the Land of Manga, Anime, ZEN, and the Tea Ceremony – Comprehensive and well informed, the book covers a wide array of topics with numerous photographs, providing a lively digest of the society and the unusual culture of Japan.

Kaffka on the Shore – When you talk about Japanese literature, Murakami is the first name that comes to mind. A master craftsman of words, this guy is one of the coolest writers in the genre of magical realism. This book is an elegant and dreamlike masterpiece.

The Tale of Genji  – Lady Murasaki’s great 11th century novel, this is a beautifully crafted story of love, betrayal and death at the Imperial Court.

Memoirs of a Geisha – A masterful portrayal of the intriguing Geishas of Japan, this novel became the centre of a lot of controversies, but remains one of the most poignant portrayals of Japanese Geisha tradition.

Lost Japan – Originally written in Japanese, this passionate, vividly personal book draws on the author’s experiences in the valleys of Japan over thirty years. Alex Kerr brings to life the ritualized world of Kabuki – a classical dance drama.

Kokoro – Kokoro, meaning ‘heart’, is a tantilizing novel about the friendship between a young man and an enigmatic elder whom he calls Sensei.

I am a Cat – The world knows about Japanese and their obsession with cats! This book is based on a nameless cat’s observations of upper-middle-class Japanese society of the Meiji era, the essence of I AM A CAT is its humour and sardonic truths.

Here are some more amazing books to read during your Japan backpacking trip.

 

Japanese Travel Phrases

Japanese is not an easy language to learn, but knowing a few phrases will go a long way! Many Japanese people do not speak English well, or feel embarrassed to, so knowing these travel phrases will help you connect with the locals!

 

 

 

Sex, Drugs and Rock ’n’ Roll in Japan

Japan is big on sex, alcohol, and pop music to an often extreme degree. What you will not find very easily though is weed. They have very strict rules around the possession and consumption, and in Japan, you are guilty until proven innocent. The number of cops is insane and rumour on the street is that the cops are actively looking to bust anyone who looks foreign. So you’re probably better off avoiding getting high whilst backpacking Japan.

Check out my article Blazed Backpackers 101, on how to stay safe whilst getting fucked overseas.

Tokyo has one of the world’s best concert scenes. The city is full of small and medium size concert halls called “live houses” in Japanese. There are plenty of genre specific venues in the city including punk, hip hop and jazz clubs. If you’re in town you should definitely check out a show — even if it’s a random band you’ve never heard of!

Most small shows cost 2000 – 3500 yen and might feature 2-4 bands. Japan also hosts one of the coolest festivals in Asia – Fuji Rock. This festival is famous for its chilled open air forest theme – rural Japan at it’s best! What better way to explore it than with a groundbreaking music festival. If you’re around in Japan in July, make sure to check this festival.

Tinder is pretty common in Japan. Keep in mind that the Japanese are pretty old fashioned when it comes to love and sex. They prefer to be physically intimate only after confessing their love for each other. Also, it is not uncommon for a woman to ask a man out. So yeah don’t be surprised if a Japanese woman is somewhat forward. Swipe away!

 

Check out this full list of apps that will help you travel Japan!