Traveling to Japan will involve lots of preparation and planning. You’ll need to contact one of the real estate agencies in Sapporo or whichever town or city you’re visiting so you can book accommodation. You’ll also need to book flights and organize work if you want to earn money while you’re away.
After this point, you can start researching more about Japanese culture and laws to prepare yourself before your move. If you plan on working in Japan, you should be aware of tax and employment laws.
To aid your research, here are four things to know when you’re traveling to Japan for several weeks or months, whether you’re heading to the city center or a remote Japanese ski resort.
- Japan Has a Unique Culture
If you’re planning on relocating to Japan for an extended period of time, whether for work or leisure, it’s important to learn more about Japanese culture. Japan has a unique culture that is like no other culture in the world, and if you don’t do your research, you’ll be in for a serious culture shock.
For example, Japan has a very polite culture, and everybody is expected to respect the older population. You’ll be expected to take your shoes off when you’re inside, it’s illegal to gamble, and tattoos are a no-no in Japan.
Spend some time learning about the do’s and don’ts of the Japanese culture before you head off on your travels so you can avoid offending the locals!
- The Popular Areas of Japan Are Expensive
Japan is known for being quite expensive, especially in big, populous cities like Tokyo. It’s not just rent that is relatively expensive in these areas either; groceries, transport, and entertainment facilities can also be pricey.
If you’re traveling on a budget, you’ll need to be careful where you stay. Choose quieter areas that are a little further out in the suburbs where accommodation will be a lot cheaper. You can use the reliable public transport system to travel into the city for work if needed.
- Japan Doesn’t Have a Lot of Vegetarian Foods
Those of you who are following a vegetarian or vegan diet could struggle to eat well in Japan. While there are a few veggie restaurants here and there, you’ll be restricted as to what you can eat for the most part.
Even dishes that appear to be vegetarian at first glance could contain pieces of chopped meat or might be cooked in animal-derived broth.
- There’s a ‘Golden Week’
Between the 29th of April and the 5th of May, Japan celebrates something called Golden Week.
Within this week, there are four of the 16 national holidays, so the majority of Japanese workers try to book it off work. If you’re working during your travels in Japan, you might struggle to get paid holidays during Golden week for this reason.
If you’re somebody who hates the hustle and bustle of large crowds, it’s probably best to avoid traveling too far during this week.
