Japon
Dernière vérification :
Ce guide est en anglais pour le moment. Les titres sont traduits.
- Capitale
- Tokyo
- Devise
- JPY · Japanese yen
- Langues
- Japanese
- Prises
- Type A, B · 100 V
Numéros d’urgence
Top 5 des lieux
- Fushimi Inari Taisha · Kyoto
Thousands of red torii gates up a mountain; go early morning to avoid crowds.
- Senso-ji and Asakusa · Tokyo
Tokyo's oldest temple with a traditional shopping street.
- Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park and Miyajima · Hiroshima
Atomic bomb memorial and museum, plus the floating torii gate on Miyajima island nearby.
- Nara Park · Nara
Todai-ji's giant Buddha and free-roaming deer, an easy day trip from Kyoto or Osaka.
- Mount Fuji and the Fuji Five Lakes · Kawaguchiko
Classic Fuji views; climbing season is July to early September and requires a fee and booking on some trails.
Se déplacer
Transports en commun
Suica / PASMO / ICOCA
IC cards for trains, subways and buses nationwide, also used in convenience stores. Mobile Suica and PASMO work in Apple Wallet. Tap in and out.
Trains
Shinkansen and JR lines
Fast, punctual bullet trains. The Japan Rail Pass rose sharply in price in 2023 (7-day ordinary pass about 50,000 JPY) and is now often more expensive than single tickets; it does not fully cover Nozomi trains without a supplement.
Transports en commun
Tokyo Metro / Toei subway passes
24, 48 and 72-hour tourist passes for Tokyo subways can be good value if you ride a lot.
Appli de VTC
GO
Japan's main taxi app; books licensed taxis at metered rates and supports in-app payment.
Appli de VTC
Uber / S.RIDE / DiDi
Mostly book licensed taxis at normal taxi prices in big cities; Uber also has premium cars. Taxis are expensive; doors open and close automatically.
Trottinettes électriques
Luup
E-scooter and e-bike sharing in Tokyo, Osaka and Kyoto (varies by city); road rules apply and helmets are recommended.
Argent et espèces
Devise: JPY · Japanese yen
Cards and IC cards (Suica, PASMO, ICOCA) are now accepted in most city shops, chains and taxis, but Japan still relies on cash in small restaurants, temples, rural areas and some ticket machines. Carry yen and a coin purse. Foreign cards work at 7-Eleven and Japan Post ATMs. Choose to be charged in yen, not your home currency.
Pourboires
Japan has no tipping culture. Good service is considered part of the price, and leaving money can confuse staff, who may chase you to return it. Some hotels, ryokan and upscale restaurants add a service charge instead.
| Restaurants | No tip. Some izakaya add a small table charge (otoshi or 'cover'), served as a small dish; it is normal, not a scam. Higher-end places may add a 10% service charge. |
|---|---|
| Cafés et bars | No tip. |
| Taxis et VTC | No tip; pay the meter. |
| Hôtels | No tip. Ryokan and higher-end hotels usually include a service charge in the bill. |
| Visites et guides | Not expected; some private guides for foreign visitors accept tips (varies). If you want to give something, hand it in an envelope. |
| Livraison de repas | No tip. |
Frais de service : le vrai du faux
Service charges (often 10-15% in upscale hotels and ryokan) are built into the bill, shown as a line item. They are part of the business's pricing, not a personal tip. The izakaya otoshi table charge is a customary fee for a small appetiser and is not usually refused.
Techniques de pression à repérer
Tip pressure is almost unheard of. The real risk is in nightlife: touts promise cheap drinks, then the bar adds large cover, hostess or 'seat' charges. Check prices and charges before you sit down.
Phrases utiles
- お会計お願いします (o-kaikei onegai shimasu) The bill, please.
- カードで払えますか？ (kādo de haraemasu ka?) Can I pay by card?
- ごちそうさまでした (gochisōsama deshita) Thank you for the meal (said when leaving).
Savoir-vivre
- Remove shoes when entering homes, ryokan rooms, some temples and restaurants with raised floors; use the toilet slippers only in the toilet.
- Onsen: wash fully before entering the bath, no swimwear, and towels stay out of the water. Many onsen restrict visible tattoos; check first or use a covering patch.
- Keep quiet on trains and do not talk on the phone; set it to silent mode.
- Eating while walking is frowned on in many places, and some streets in Kyoto ban it.
- Queue in marked lines on platforms; stand on the left of escalators in Tokyo and the right in Osaka.
- Carry your rubbish home; public bins are rare.
- Do not stick chopsticks upright in rice or pass food chopstick to chopstick.
- In Kyoto's Gion, private lanes ban photography and touching or chasing geiko and maiko.
Arnaques et comment y faire face
Street touts leading to bars (kyakuhiki)
Où: Kabukicho (Shinjuku), Roppongi, Shibuya, Ikebukuro
Comment ça marche: Touts, often speaking English, promise cheap or free drinks, then the bar charges entry fees, 'table charges' and inflated prices.
Comment l’éviter: Do not follow street touts into bars. Choose venues yourself and check price lists before ordering.
Drink spiking and credit card fraud
Où: Kabukicho especially, also Roppongi, Shibuya, Ikebukuro
Comment ça marche: Victims are drugged in bars, lose memory and later find card charges of hundreds or thousands of pounds.
Comment l’éviter: Refuse drinks from strangers, never leave drinks unattended, carry little cash and set card spending limits.
Hostess and host club billing
Où: Nightlife districts
Comment ça marche: Bills include per-hour charges, hostess drinks and service fees that reach huge totals; disputes have led to visitors being arrested.
Comment l’éviter: Confirm all fees in writing before entering; walk away if staff will not show prices.
Robbery and extortion in entertainment districts
Où: Late-night Kabukicho, Roppongi
Comment ça marche: Foreign visitors have been targeted for robbery or forced to pay after being lured into venues.
Comment l’éviter: Stay with friends, avoid touts and leave if pressured. Call 110.
Fake monks asking for donations
Où: Busy Tokyo and Kyoto streets (varies)
Comment ça marche: People dressed as monks offer amulets or blessings and then demand money.
Comment l’éviter: Politely refuse and walk on.
Sécurité
- Japan is very safe overall; the main risks for visitors are in nightlife districts (drink spiking, card fraud and overcharging).
- Groping on crowded trains is a known problem; women-only cars run at rush hour on many lines. Shout to attract attention and alert staff.
- Earthquakes and typhoons occur: download the Safety Tips app (JNTO) for alerts in English.
- Drug laws are strict, including some common medicines; check before bringing them.
- Carry your passport (required by law for foreign visitors) and keep it safe.
- Lost items are very often handed in; check with station staff or the nearest koban police box.
Pratique de l’anglais
Transport signs and main-line announcements are in English in big cities. Spoken English is limited outside hotels and tourist sites in Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka, and rare elsewhere. A translation app helps a lot.
Sources
- GOV.UK Foreign travel advice: Japan, safety and security
- Wikivoyage: Japan
- JNTO: Japan Visitor Hotline
- japan-guide.com: Japan Rail Pass
- Wikipedia: List of tipping customs by country
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