Japan private tour insights into new Japan travel technologies

This blog post is all about the technological experiences of traveling in Japan. Technology evolves and every country has a slightly different approach. Travel tech came late to Japan but caught up quickly as foreign tourists topped 30 million per year in 20219. Japan, being a bit different than most countries, can be quite strange or even weird for foreign travelers when it comes to technology. Here are just a few examples that come to mind.

The Japanese technological process that causes me to almost cringe is Japan's version of self payment in convenience stores and supermarkets. When you get all your stuff in your basket you head to the cashier out counter, which is the same nearly everywhere in the world. Then a human being scans each item; again, also the same as most countries. But instead of paying the person you are directed to pay a machine that faces the consumer. After feeding in your bills or coins or both the final step is to tell the machine that you are OK with the total by pressing the OK button. Thankfully, the OK button in almost all instances is written in English. Since I find this method of payment inhuman I try to avoid it as much as I can but it's not so easy. I found these payment machines primarily in convenience stores, which are hard to avoid in Japan. So, when you are getting ready to pay at a Japanese convenience store (or supermarket) don't be surprised that you are paying a machine.

Many foreign travelers go shopping for clothes at Uniqlo. When you pay at Uniqlo you just take all the things you want and through them in bin. The tags on each item have a unique magnetic coding system and the payment machine automatically gives you a total. I was completely blown away by this payment approach!

Going to restaurants also involves less human contact. In many eateries you don't tell a server what you want to order. You connect to the menu via a QR code and order online. In most tourist destinations the menu is multilingual and easy to negotiate. The food still comes to your table in the hands of human but not always. I went to an Italian restaurant (Saizeriya) at KIX international airport, and the food was brought to my table by a robot! The female robots were named Milano and the male ones Rome!

Making restaurant reservations has also changed a lot in the last couple of years. I specialize in proposing great places to eat to my Japan private travel clients and making reservations at the places they choose. This is no longer as easy as it has long been. Often, restaurants don't answer the phone! Increasingly, the way to make a restaurant reservation is to use an online website. Sad but true! The two leading restaurant reservation platforms in Japan are Tablelog and Tablecheck. Tablelog offers the widest range of restaurants across the country. Tablecheck's range is smaller and focused on higher end restaurants.

Going to the bathroom in Japan can also be both confusing and surprising. Japan's high-tech toilets offer an incredible range of options. One of these is to make a swishing sound to cover the sound of someone peeing. Some toilets have been programmed to flush automatically, even if you aren't actually "finished." So, keep that in mind and don’t lose your cool.

Most people never really think about pavement but in Japan, if you are observant, you realized that the roads are so smooth that you can barely hear an approaching electric vehicle.

Vending machines in Japan are also amazing for what they offer. In most countries we expect a vending machine to sell beverages or snacks. In Japan, you can find vending machines that sell hot coffee, ramen, ice cream, umbrellas, and even fresh eggs!

Another new tech trend in Japan are its staff less, "convenience" gyms, led by chains like chocoZAP, which offer 24/7, app-based access for roughly Yen 3,000 per month. Designed for extreme convenience, these unstaffed, no-frills spaces allow users to work out in daily clothes, skipping locker rooms and showers.

New technology experiences can be fun, but when you experience them in foreign countries they can be stressful. I find that avoiding excessive tech makes travel much more relaxing but there are exceptions.

Japan private travel content by Your Japan Private Tours' (established in 1990) founder Japan travel expert Ian Martin Ropke. I have been planning, designing, and making custom Japan private tours on all five Japanese islands since the early 1990s. Your Japan Private Tours specializes in bespoke travel for private clients (I do not work with agents) including exclusive excursions, personalized experiences, and unique adventures. I am 100% client-centric and total individual attention. Consider my Japan travel services for your next trip. And thank you for reading my content. Learn more!