Travel Tokyo with confidence, not anxiety.
Get the free etiquette starter and learn the handful of habits that actually matter, without the pressure to be perfect.
ようこそ · welcome
Japan does not expect you to become Japanese.
Hi, I’m Jackie. I’m half-Japanese and half-American, and I’ve spent my life living between Japan and the United States. I’m fluent in both languages—and both cultures.
Read Jackie’s noteBuilt from years of living between Tokyo and the U.S.
What do you want to feel confident about?
Nine areas where visitors worry most. Pick one and get the quick-reference etiquette — free, by email.
Getting Around (Local)
Trains, subways, buses & taxis
The IC card, the quiet carriage, the queue painted on the platform floor: Tokyo’s trains run on small unspoken habits, and you can learn every one before you land.
Read the etiquetteGetting Around (National)
Shinkansen & long-distance travel
The bullet train is the easiest, most civilized way to see Japan once you know how reserved seats, luggage, and onboard quiet actually work.
Read the etiquetteEating & Drinking
Restaurants, izakayas & street food
From standing ramen counters to your first izakaya, eat your way across Tokyo with warm, unhurried confidence — and skip the tip.
Read the etiquetteClothing & Shopping
What to wear & how to shop
Tokyo is one of the most stylish cities on earth, and it still has zero interest in judging your sneakers — here’s what actually matters and what truly doesn’t.
Read the etiquettePacking for Your Trip
What to bring (and leave home)
Slip-on shoes, a hand towel, a little cash, and the handful of small things that quietly make Tokyo easier from the moment you land.
Read the etiquetteOnsens & Sentos
Hot springs & public baths
Rinse off first, leave the swimsuit in the locker, keep the little towel out of the water — the bathing rituals, explained without a hint of judgment.
Read the etiquetteTemples & Shrines
Visiting sacred places
Bow at the torii, rinse your hands, drop a coin, and pause — visiting Tokyo’s shrines and temples is gentler and simpler than the ceremony makes it look.
Read the etiquetteLanguage
Phrases & communication
You do not need to speak Japanese to be understood in Tokyo — you need about ten words, a phone, and the willingness to try.
Read the etiquetteLatest Controversies
Overtourism & current issues
Overtourism, dual pricing, photo bans, and the ‘bad tourist’ headlines — here’s what’s actually true, what’s just noise, and the one simple line that keeps you on the right side of all of it.
Read the etiquetteThe Tokyo Etiquette Guide
Everything a respectful first-timer actually needs to know — without the pressure to be perfect. Every topic on this page, answered in full — the wash-first ritual, the chopstick rules that matter, the phrases that open doors, and the current issues to know before you go.
See what’s inside- 9 etiquette topics, written for real first-timers
- The few rules that genuinely matter — and the myths you can skip
- Answers to the exact questions travelers are asking right now
- Confidence, not perfection — so you can actually enjoy the trip
Start with the free etiquette starter
One short email with the essentials, then the topic guides you choose. No spam, no pressure — just the confidence to enjoy Tokyo.