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Had the amazing opportunity to take a two week vacation to Japan in late March. I timed it to be able to see the start of cherry blossom season but avoid the travel season and that was the most convenient way to avoid price increases. It was a multi city group trip that started in Tokyo, included a hot spring trip, and finished out in Osaka. Tokyo is definitely a big city with a lot to see but can be overwhelming due to all the people and attractions but definitely the better city to fly in/out of.
To decompress from the stress of Tokyo we spent two nights at a tattoo/foreigner friendly Onsen town 2 hours outside of Kyoto. As a person with tattoos I wanted to be respectful of Japanese culture which means i had to research hot springs that were not only okay with foreigners but that were okay with tattoos as there is still heavy stigma in Japan due to Yakuza. Kinosaki Onsen town has an English website and booking system and gives the option to work through an agent. There are various YouTube videos and blog guides about how to get there so it’s very straightforward even as a very amateur Japanese speaker. The locals are extremely friendly and the town itself is located in the mountains so it’s secluded and beautiful!
Osaka has a completely different vibe than Tokyo and is rougher around the edges in comparison but still just as amazing! Plus its central location made it perfect for visiting other places. 5 nights in Osaka gave us the ability to go to Universal Japan, Nara, Kyoto, and Kobe. If you are interested in culture and history definitely give Nara and Kyoto a chance with a tour(we used TripAdvisor). Finished out the trip with a wagyu beef dinner in Kobe and it was hands down the best eating experience I had in a long time.
Here’s some advice if you go to Japan! If you decide to stay in an Airbnb(Japan has good Airbnb/bed and breakfast ratings) like we did then just try and see how far the commute to attractions you want to see will be prior to your trip. We ended up a 45 minute train ride from most attractions and while most of us didn’t mind some people may not feel comfortable with that. Public transport is king! Do your research prior to your trip so you know how to get transit cards and how to get around on the various train lines. The big stations can be confusing to navigate but Google Maps will be your best friend! Definitely the best foreigner friendly navigation plus it includes all times for trains and delays. Also if you are a party person make sure you do research on what area to go to. Yakuza are still heavily prominent in Japan and as they speak English and have tattoos you can end up in potentially dangerous situations. We had drinks with some at a bar in Tokyo and didn’t understand why locals were so wary of our group in that moment but after the men left a worker from the bar came up to us and told us they were Yakuza.
Nevertheless plan the trip and enjoy yourself but be aware of your surroundings!
I have traveled to Japan more than five times from 2014 to 2019. My total time in Japan from all my trips would be about three months.
I’ve lived in Japan for over 10 years and it’s the safest country I’ve been to out of the 62 countries I’ve travelled to. There’s sooo much to do and see. Tokyo is cool and all but doesn’t give you the authentic Japan experience! I recommend venturing out to Kyushu island (fukuoka, Kumamoto, Miyazaki, Nagasaki, Okinawa, Amami Oshima, Oita) and other places like Shizuoka, tottori, and Kanazawa prefectures. From skydiving, river rafting, quad biking, kayaking, snowmobiling, to hiking & festivals etc. there’s so much to do in Japan!! It’s is most definitely Black traveler friendly, and you never have to worry about your safety. The most you’ll get is some stares from friendly locals especially in small towns. I highly recommend visiting!
My review for Hamamatsu, Japan is simply do not go if you’re black. I lived in this place for about eight months and every day was hell on earth. People was trying to run me over with their car and bikes, and I even got into an altercation with some lady which is posted on my TikTok. There are like zero Black people there. I’ve seen in the eight months that I’ve been there maybe two. One of which, she’s lived there for 10+ years and has lighter skin so there you go. But yeah, the people in that area are very malicious and hostile towards black people when they wanna be which is very often. And I just think you should avoid it. The food is average at best, all they got really is their history which isn’t a lot compared to Kyoto or Gifu. If you have to go, avoid staying longer than a day if you can.
Traveling in Japan while Black was amazing. The safest I have ever felt anywhere! Could walk around alone as a Black woman at night, me and my fiancé had no unpleasant interactions with anyone. You might get looks from people, especially if you’re bigger/taller. Granted we didn’t go to any rural areas so that experience might be different— but not scary or violent.
In places like Tokyo, and especially Osaka you will see Black American culture randomly on display. From Lil Wayne blazing through speakers to seeing Tupac and Biggie shirts for sale. It was funny and comforting.