Don't Fear Going to Japan

First, a little back story to why I'm talking about this topic in my blog. As announced on my YouTube channel, I got a new job! This new job involves me educating college students about Japan and taking them over there for a month during the summer to study abroad. I'll link the program here.

Anyway, my university did a survey on Freshmen about what countries they would love to travel to but why they didn't go. I already knew finances were going to be an issue, but to my surprise it was fear that was commonly mentioned in the survey. So I would like to clear up any fears that people may have about going to Japan.

What's there to fear about Japan?

With all the excitement that is being advertised online about Japan and all the hype Japan gets from people, you would think that it would be an easy leap for people to take. But it's not for most. Yes, their number one reason to not travel to Japan may be money but fear plays a big part in it.

But the question is...what's there to fear?

The Language Barrier

From talking to different people it seems many are scared to go to Japan because of the possible language barrier. They don't know Japanese, and they either have no interest in learning Japanese or are just too busy to learn a language. This is totally understandable. As much as I would love people to try and learn Japanese because it is an amazing language, I don't believe you need to know Japanese in order to visit Japan (living is a different story). When visiting Japan, you can survive on basic Japanese or no Japanese at all.

Eating out in Tokyo, Japan.

The reason you don't need to know Japanese if you visit Japanese is due to the fact that the Japanese people will try to meet you half way. They know very little English, but will do their best to communicate with you. It would be courteous of you to also meet them half way by saying simple words just to let them know you are trying. And communication doesn't have to be strictly verbal. If all else fails a great game of charades will do just fine to get your point across. Don't let language be the think to keep you from traveling to Japan.

Being in an Unfamiliar Place

This is something that anyone can feel scared of when traveling away from the comfort of home. Yes, it can be scary. In Japan it may seem scarier because everything is in Japanese and the scenery is so different from other countries. All it takes is some planning ahead so you can be prepared. Always learn about the place you are visiting before you actually go over there. With a little bit of research you can really grasp the culture and land (with the internet it has become easier). You can go there filled with confidence, but still excited and nervous if it's your first visit.

Don't Want to Go Alone

Nothing is wrong with travel solo, but I can understand someone who doesn't want to (especially if it's your first time out of the country). I would say travel with friends, but sadly that isn't say easy of a solution sometimes. I wrote about traveling with friends that you can read here. You and your friends may not be on the same page when it comes to prioritizing. While you are very serious about traveling to Japan and saving up as much as possible to pay your pay, you're friends could be spending all their money instead of saving for a trip.

On a guided tour, seeing Mount Fuji.

Great ways to travel with people are either using guided tours or studying abroad. I wrote about both topics before and both have pros and cons. Let me explain them quickly. Both a guided tour and studying abroad is stress free as other people do the planning and booking for you. Taking a guided tour is for people of all ages but you will have to stay with the group until they release you for the day (meaning if you see something interesting and want to check it out, you can't until later). Studying abroad is a great option but it is limited to students and you would have to take classes while you are over there (this may be ideal if you are looking to stay for an extended amount of time than an average tourist whiling earning class credit). Definitely consider these options if your friends are holding you back.

There are definitely more fears out there but these are the main ones that keep coming up in discussion. Hopefully after reading this it can make you a bit at ease. Feel free to do that research I was taking about on my blog here. I write about all sorts of topics on Japan, so I'm sure it can be of help to you.

Thank you for reading this blog post! If you are interested in learning more about Japan, follow me on social media: Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Also check me out on YouTube!