Japan Travel Tips for Introverts
I'm an introvert and one of the things I've realised through travelling around Japan and other parts of the world is that Japan is a great destination for introverted travellers.
Here are the 5 travel tips that will help introverted travellers like us to maximise travel experiences in Japan.
1. Don’t be afraid to spend some time alone
We value our time alone because that’s when we can think better and recharge ourselves after socialising.
For introverts, it’s important to travel with people we love and share some happy moments, meals and our feelings. But it can be equally meaningful for us to travel solo.
When travelling solo, we can use our five senses better and so we become more sensitive to what’s around us. And that’s when we reflect on things we experience during our trip and realise a new perspective.
Japan is a safe country that’s friendly to solo travellers.
We don’t have to have our guard up all the time. We can ask for help if we need one and even total strangers will be willing to help.
We can secure a single room in business hotels and protect our personal space even though we don’t stay at capsule hotels or shared guest houses.
2. Interact with locals and so you get inspired and encouraged
Even when travelling solo, I feel energised, encouraged and enlightened.
That’s because I constantly speak to locals. When I get lost, the first thing I do is to ask people instead of opening Google Maps on my phone. When I’m at a restaurant, I always ask the staff what their recommendation is on their menu. When I’m visiting a new place, I connect with a local guide to hear their stories.
I value communicating with locals because that's what makes travelling even more exciting and enlightening. In most cases, you would find the things you had never imagined.
If you don’t speak Japanese, it may be overwhelming to speak to locals at the beginning but if you know what to say, when to use these phrases and what to expect in people’s responses, you should be much more comfortable starting conversations with locals. I would suggest learning about some basic Japanese words and phrases at least.
The truth is that Japanese people would appreciate it if you try to speak to them in a 1:1 setting like we would.