Get data sorted
An eSIM you install before you fly is the easiest option, and you'll have maps the moment you land. Pocket Wi-Fi is fine too, but it's one more thing to carry and charge. See our SIM and eSIM guide.
Japan is one of the easiest countries in the world to travel alone. It's safe, the trains run on time, and eating on your own is completely normal. But a few small things can make your first days much smoother. Here's what to sort out before you land, how getting around really works, the etiquette worth knowing, and how to find someone to share a matcha with so the trip isn't only you and your camera roll.
An eSIM you install before you fly is the easiest option, and you'll have maps the moment you land. Pocket Wi-Fi is fine too, but it's one more thing to carry and charge. See our SIM and eSIM guide.
Cards work in most cities now, but small restaurants, shrines, lockers and rural shops can still be cash only. Convenience store ATMs (7-Eleven especially) usually take foreign cards.
After a long flight you won't want a 20-minute walk with luggage. A hotel a few minutes from a big station makes the first day much easier.
Stations have stairs, trains have small luggage racks, and you'll be carrying everything yourself. A carry-on and a small backpack go a long way. Our solo packing list has the details.
Suica, PASMO or ICOCA work on trains, subways, most buses and in convenience stores. Many iPhones can add one to Apple Wallet, so you can tap your phone instead of buying tickets.
Google Maps and Apple Maps show platforms, transfers and departure times. Follow the line colour and the station number, not just the name.
Most trains stop around midnight. Taxis after that are expensive, so check your last train before a late dinner. More in our first-time guide to Tokyo trains.
Luggage forwarding services can take your bag from one hotel to the next, often arriving the next day. Great for days when you're moving cities by bullet train.
People keep their voices down and avoid phone calls on trains. Earphones on, phone on silent, and you'll blend right in.
Tipping isn't part of the culture, and trying to leave money can cause confusion. Good service is simply included.
There are few public bins. Hold on to your rubbish and drop it at a convenience store or your hotel.
Some restaurants, temples and ryokan ask you to take your shoes off at the entrance. If there's a raised floor or a shoe rack, that's your sign.
Counter seats at ramen shops, udon and sushi restaurants are made for one, and nobody will look twice. Ticket machines at the entrance mean you can order without speaking. Convenience stores are a lifesaver for breakfast and late snacks: our konbini guide covers what to try, and eating alone in Tokyo lists easy places to start.
Travelling solo is freedom, but by day four a lot of people just want someone to talk to. Buy Me a Matcha is the only app made for meeting one new friend at a time over a matcha, in English. It's friends only, never dating, and free to download. Pick your area by station, send a matcha to someone nearby, and if they send one back, choose a café and a time together. Women can choose to see only women, and only women see them. Tourists can sign up too and add the day they leave. It's open in Tokyo, Osaka and Kyoto.
Buy Me a Matcha is the only app made for meeting one new friend at a time over a matcha, in English. Open in Tokyo, Osaka and Kyoto: free to download, friends only.
Yes. Japan is safe, clean and easy to get around, and eating or sightseeing alone is completely normal.
Bring some. Cards work in most city shops, but small restaurants, shrines and lockers can still be cash only. Convenience store ATMs usually take foreign cards.
Use an IC card like Suica, PASMO or ICOCA. Many iPhones can add one to Apple Wallet and you just tap in and out.
No. Tipping is not part of the culture, and good service is included.
Try Buy Me a Matcha, the app made for meeting one new friend at a time over a matcha, in English. It is friends only, free to download, and tourists can sign up with the day they leave.
No. It is friends only. Women can also choose to see only women, and only women see them.