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What Are the Top Inconveniences for Tourists in Japan?
Japan is often touted as the land of convenience. But for tourists, when it comes to some key activities, the struggle is real.
By Alyssa Fusek
Both first-timers and seasoned visitors are flocking to Japan, and tourism numbers have soared past pre-pandemic levels. But like any country, Japan has a lot of inconveniences for tourists. One travel company decided to nail down what they were.
The usual suspects
In early 2023 GOOD LUCK TRIP, an inbound tourism company owned by Gakken Holdings, conducted an online survey asking tourists what they struggled with the most in Japan. The survey garnered 891 respondents from ages 10–60.
Common struggles like figuring out train ticket discounts and exchanging different currencies ranked in the bottom ten. Coming in at eighth place was “lack of smoking-designated areas.” When narrowed down to the 237 respondents who smoked habitually, this was their overall top complaint.
Thanks to anti-smoking campaigns and dwindling tobacco vending machines, smoking is no longer quite all the rage in Japan. According to…
