One reason some have not yet visited Japan that wish to do so is a lack of understanding the language. Don’t let that hold you back! Yes, for those of us from Western countries, Japanese, Chinese, Korean, languages, etc. are very odd looking and strange sounding. At least when listening or reading Spanish, Italian, German, etc., an English speaker can pick up bits and pieces, but not so much with Japanese. So we just uploaded a new video about getting around Japan without knowing the language. Click here for the video.
Even with no Japanese language ability, one can still get around and enjoy Japan. The major cities of Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto, Hiroshima, etc., have such a high volume of western visitors that nearly all hotels, museums, many restaurants and shops have English signage and/or proprietors have some basic English speaking skills. After all, English language is compulsory in Jr. and Sr. High Schools. Therefore, nearly every Japanese person has some book knowledge of English, but the problem is that if they don’t have opportunities to use it, then they lose that knowledge.
But what about the smaller cities and towns in the country? Again, every train station, large or small will have some English signage and many of these towns have tourist offices, and in those offices you will almost always find English literature and very possibly someone who speaks some English. Beyond that, you’re much less likely to meet folks who speak English in the small towns and villages. However, that’s okay. Through hand gestures and by pulling out an app such as Google Translate, you can get along well enough. This helps not only with spoken language, but when interpreting restaurant menus and such.
With regard to train travel, having an app such as the Japan Transit Planner will be a great aid. You can easily pull up every train schedule and route of your choice. And just about every train platform having digital information boards will have train information in English alongside Japanese. Plus, when in doubt, simply look at the time on your Japan Transit Planner and compare it to the times on the information board. Japanese trains are so punctual that you can always look at the train departure time, then figure out which platform from which it departs even if the information isn’t posted in English.
One thing you’ll find almost throughout all of Japan is that the Japanese people, especially those in smaller towns that do not get a lot of western tourists, will bend over backward to help you, even if they don’t speak English. We’ve had Japanese go out of their way to walk us to places we were trying to find, and taking great effort to ensure we got what we needed. This is one of the joys of visiting Japan: interacting with the people. If you stay only in the major cities and only visit the major tourist sights, you can easily miss out on these unique interactions. So click here to watch our informational video on getting around as we help explain the trains, ticketing, buses, taxis, hotels and dining.