Climate
The majority of regions in Japan are in a temperate zone. However, as Japan stretches over a wide area from north to south, it has a subtropical climate in the southern islands and subarctic-like climate in the north. The oceanic climate is affected by seasonal winds (monsoon) making it possible to enjoy rich changes in the season.
In the winter season, the Siberia anticyclone is predominant and the seasonal winds come from the northwest. On the Japan Sea side which is in the passage of these winds, there are some of the regions with the highest snowfall in the world. One of the most enjoyable things when travelling in Japan is to “take an onsen bath while looking at the snow”.
Clothing
The Japanese dress very smartly and enjoy various fashions depending on time, place and occasion. Japan is at the heart of popular fashion in Asia and there are many Japanese fashion brands. Shopping trips for clothing are also one of the most enjoyable things when travelling in Japan.
The “Kimono” is the traditional dress of Japan. In modern times it is rare to see kimono being worn around town but they are worn for special occasions such as weddings or funerals or for festivals, etc. In the ordinary business environment people wear suits and ties in general and Japanese people wear Western clothes for the most part.
Time Difference
Japan Standard Time (JST) is standardized throughout the whole country and is 9 hours ahead of GMT.
South Korea・・・There is no time difference between South Korea and Japan.
Taiwan / Hong Kong / Mainland China・・・There is a +1 hour time difference between these regions and Japan.
Food & Drink
Japan is a country with a very rich food culture and it is possible to relish Japanese cuisine as well as almost all typical cuisines from all over the world such as Chinese, French, Italian and Indian.
The staple food of the Japanese in general is rice but they also enjoy foodstuffs made from wheat such as bread or noodles. The food culture by nature was originally based on fish and vegetables, however, now menus based on meat such as yakiniku (barbecued beef) or Ghengis Khan (mutton) are also popular. When you travel to Japan, make sure to try some of the rich food culture in Japan.
The tap water in Japan is clean and safe to drink. Recently, however, the number of people who drink mineral water in plastic bottles bought from convenience stores, etc. is increasing. As there are cases in hotels or ryokan where non-potable water such as well water is used, it is safer to drink the specially provided potable water or to drink shop-bought mineral water. Further, most restaurants provide water (iced water) free of charge.
Electricity
The general power supply in Japan is 100V. The electricity supply is stable and power cuts are rare except during major typhoons or natural disasters. As the service voltage is different to that of China, it is not possible to use Chinese electrical goods as they are. If you would like to use them in Japan, you will need a transformer that converts the electricity from 220V to 110V. Japanese plugs generally have two pins, so it is better to bring a travel plug that converts from 3 pins to 2.
Japanese Holidays / Public Holidays
Most companies in Japan work on the 5-day week system with Saturday and Sunday as holidays. In addition to this, there are national holidays laid down by government law (see the list below), the Obon holiday (from around the 13th – 15th August (varies from region to region)) and the New Year holiday from a few days to around a week. These are extremely busy periods for those in the travel-related industry such as hotels and ryokan. Government organizations, private companies and banks, etc. close on holidays but commercial facilities such as ryokan and hotels as well as department stores and other stores and leisure facilities such as restaurants and amusement parks are open for business.
| Holiday Name | Date | Holiday Name | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Year’s Day | 1st January | Marine Day | 3rd Monday of July |
| Coming-of-Age Day | 2nd Monday of January | Respect-for-the-Aged Day | 3rd Monday of September |
| National Foundation Day | 11th February | Autumnal Equinox Holiday | Autumnal Equinox |
| Vernal Equinox Holiday | Vernal Equinox | Health and Sports Day | 2nd Monday of October |
| Showa Day | 29th April | Culture Day | 3rd November |
| Constitution Memorial Day | 3rd May | Labour Thanksgiving Day | 23rd November |
| Greenery Day | 4th May | Emperor’s Birthday | 23rd December |
| Children’s Day | 5th May |