What 1,000+ Tourists Wish They'd Known Before Coming to Tokyo

We run a cooking class in Tsukishima, central Tokyo. After every session, our team sits down with guests over sake and asks them about their trip. One question comes up every time:

“What do you wish you’d known before coming to Tokyo?”

Over the past two years, we’ve collected hundreds of answers from visitors representing more than 50 countries. Some responses surprised us. Many repeated the same themes. All of them came from real experience — not travel blogs, not guidebooks, but people who had just walked Tokyo’s streets for the first time.

This is what they told us.

The Answers, By the Numbers

We grouped every response into themes. Here’s what came up most often:

Let’s go through each one.

1. Tokyo’s Train System Is Overwhelming at First

This was the single most common answer. Guests from New York, London, Paris — cities with their own complex subway systems — still found Tokyo’s trains surprising.

What caught them off guard:

• Multiple companies operate different lines. JR, Tokyo Metro, and Toei Subway are separate systems with separate maps. A single station can serve all three.
• Shinjuku Station has over 200 exits. Guests consistently mentioned it as the most disorienting place in Tokyo.
• Rush hour is intense. Between 7:30–9:30 AM, trains are packed well beyond what most visitors have experienced.
• Buying the right ticket felt confusing at first, especially for the Shinkansen (bullet train).

What they wish they’d done:

• Get an IC card immediately. Suica or PASMO — tap and ride on virtually every train, bus, and convenience store in Tokyo. Available at any station or as a mobile app. ¥500 deposit.
• Use Google Maps for routing. It handles Tokyo’s multi-company system well, including transfers and platform numbers.
• Avoid rush hour if your schedule allows. Midday and evening trains are comfortable.

One guest from Texas put it simply: “The trains run perfectly. It’s just figuring out which one to get on.”

2. There Are Almost No Public Trash Cans

This surprises nearly every visitor. Tokyo is one of the cleanest cities in the world, and there are almost no public trash cans anywhere.

Why? The short answer is a combination of the 1995 sarin gas attack on the Tokyo subway (after which many public bins were removed for security) and a cultural norm of taking your trash home with you.

What guests told us:

• “I walked around with an empty coffee cup for an hour.”
• “Where do you throw anything away?”
• “I started carrying a plastic bag in my pocket just for trash.”

Practical tips:

• Convenience stores (7-Eleven, Lawson, FamilyMart) have bins outside or inside. However, these are for waste from items purchased at that store — disposing of outside trash in a convenience store bin is considered poor manners.
• Train stations sometimes have recycling bins on the platform.
• Carry a small bag in your daypack. Most Japanese people do this naturally. It’s the simplest solution.

3. The Unwritten Rules Nobody Tells You

Several guests mentioned feeling unsure about etiquette — not because Japanese people were strict, but because the rules were invisible until you accidentally broke one.

What came up most:

On trains:

• Trains are silent. This consistently surprised guests. No phone calls, no loud conversations, no eating. One guest from Australia said, “The silence felt uncomfortable at first, then I realized how peaceful it was.”
• Priority seating is taken seriously. Even young people will stand rather than sit in priority seats.

On escalators:

• Stand on the left in Tokyo (right in Osaka). This tripped up several guests, literally.

At shrines and temples:

• How to pray at a shrine — two bows, two claps, one bow. Multiple guests wished they’d known this before visiting. (Fun fact: our cooking studio has its own traditional kamidana — a Shinto shrine handcrafted by an Ise master carpenter.)
• The difference between a shrine and a temple — shrines have torii gates (Shinto), temples have Buddha statues (Buddhist).

When eating:

• Slurping ramen is encouraged. Guests who joined our cooking class were relieved to learn this. It’s a sign you’re enjoying the food.
• Walking and eating is generally avoided in Japan, though some tourist areas like Tsukiji are exceptions.

4. A Few Japanese Phrases Change Everything

Many guests told us they wished they’d learned even a handful of Japanese words before arriving.

The reality: You can navigate Tokyo with zero Japanese. Train signs are in English, restaurant menus often have photos, and Google Translate works well. But guests who knew a few phrases consistently reported warmer interactions.

The phrases guests found most useful:

Several guests mentioned that saying “itadakimasu” before a meal drew genuine smiles from restaurant staff. It signals respect for the food and the people who prepared it.

5. Shops and Restaurants Close Earlier Than Expected

This caught guests off guard, especially those coming from cities where dinner starts at 9 PM.

What they told us:

• “Everything in Kyoto closed at 5 PM and we hadn’t eaten yet.”
• “We planned to shop after dinner but the department stores were already closed.”
• “New Year’s week — half of Tokyo was shut down.”

General guidelines:

Year-end and New Year (Dec 29 – Jan 3): Many shops and restaurants close entirely. This period caught several guests by surprise.

6. What Surprised Guests the Most

Beyond the practical tips, some answers revealed deeper observations about Tokyo.

“Convenience stores are incredible.” Multiple guests — especially from the US — were amazed by the quality of food at 7-Eleven, Lawson, and FamilyMart. Onigiri, sandwiches, hot meals, and even decent coffee. Several guests asked us specifically: “What should I buy at 7-Eleven?”

“Japanese people are incredibly kind.” A guest traveling with a physical disability and a cane told us: “In New York, people help. In Tokyo, people help quietly — without making you feel like you need help.” This observation stayed with our team.

“The city is unbelievably safe.” Guests mentioned leaving bags unattended, walking alone at night, and generally feeling safer than in any other major city they’d visited.

“I wish I’d planned more time.” This came up repeatedly. Guests who allocated 3–4 days for Tokyo consistently said they wished they’d had a week.

7. How Guests Prepared — and What Actually Worked

We also asked guests how they researched Tokyo before their trip. The most common sources:

• YouTube — by far the most popular. Several guests mentioned specific creators who helped them plan their itinerary.
• Google Maps — used extensively for navigation, restaurant discovery, and walking routes.
• Instagram — for visual inspiration and finding specific spots.
• Anime and Japanese media — a significant number of guests said their interest in Japan started with anime, Studio Ghibli, or Japanese films.
• ChatGPT and AI tools — increasingly mentioned by guests in 2026. “I asked ChatGPT for a Tokyo itinerary and it recommended this cooking class.”

What didn’t work as well:

• General travel guidebooks — guests found them too broad and sometimes outdated.
• Planning too rigidly — Tokyo rewards spontaneity. Several guests regretted over-scheduling.

One More Thing: The Experiences They Didn’t Expect to Love

Here’s something we hear constantly: many of our guests didn’t plan to take a cooking class. They booked it as a “rainy day backup” or because a friend insisted. Then it became the highlight of their trip.

The same pattern applies to other Tokyo experiences. The best moments aren’t always the ones you planned — they’re the ones that happened because you left room for them.

If you’re planning your Tokyo trip and wondering what to do, here are some guides we’ve written based on what our guests loved most:

• Tokyo food experiences: An insider’s guide — what travelers actually love about Tokyo’s food scene
• One perfect day in Tokyo: 5 itineraries by a local — food-focused day plans
• Cooking classes in Tokyo: How to choose the right one — an honest comparison

Frequently Asked Questions

What’s the one thing most tourists wish they’d known before visiting Tokyo?

Based on our conversations with over 1,000 guests, the most common answer is how complex Tokyo’s train system is — and how much easier it becomes with an IC card (Suica or PASMO) and Google Maps.

Is Tokyo safe for tourists?

Very. Multiple guests mentioned Tokyo as the safest major city they’ve ever visited. Lost items are routinely returned, violent crime is extremely rare, and walking alone at night is generally safe throughout the city.

Do I need to speak Japanese in Tokyo?

No. You can navigate Tokyo comfortably with English and translation apps. However, learning a few phrases — especially “arigatou” (thank you) and “sumimasen” (excuse me) — noticeably improves your interactions.

What’s the best way to get around Tokyo?

Get an IC card (Suica or PASMO) at any station. It works on all trains, buses, and most convenience stores. Use Google Maps for routing — it handles Tokyo’s multi-company train system well. Avoid rush hour (7:30–9:30 AM) if possible.

How much time should I spend in Tokyo?

Most of our guests who spent 3–4 days wished they’d had a week. Tokyo is dense with things to do, and the best experiences often come from having unplanned time to explore.