Solo Female Travelling in Japan: The Ultimate Destination

Japan is an ideal destination for travelling for all, from its scenic views of nature to its abundance of cultural activities and traditional foods. It can also arguably be one of the best countries for female solo travellers, where you can have an incredible travelling experience with relative ease and a lot of fun. Also, Japan has an 'ohitorisama' culture or ‘doing it yourself’ culture, where you won't stand out for eating alone in a restaurant. The reasons for this range from the country’s impeccable safety all the way to the ladies-only advantages you can only find in Japan. If you’re interested, make sure to read on.

Safety

Japan is a country that is well known to have one of the lowest crime rates in the world, at 0.2% as of 2017. As a female solo traveller in Japan, safety shouldn’t be an issue at all and one can feel at ease strolling through the cities, whether in the morning or at night. Theft isn’t much of an issue either, it's not surprising to leave your personal belongings on the table in a cafe return to see that it’s exactly where you left it. Another point is that there is rarely any catcalling, which can be an unpleasant experience when travelling alone as a female. Japanese people are mostly respectful, and the more likely scenario would be that people want to talk to you to practise their English rather than to get your digits.

Cleanliness

Japan isn’t just safe, it’s also very clean. The streets are often in pristine conditions, and walking downtown can feel like a luxuriously peaceful experience. It’s also ironic that it can often be a struggle to find trash cans in Japan, so don’t be surprised if you have to carry around your empty coffee cup for hours before finding a place to throw it away. You can also find access to many clean public bathrooms everywhere from train stations to convenience stores. Another plus for the cleanliness in Japan is that it’s unlikely you’ll experience any food poisoning-related sickness (which can ruin the entire trip). You can be assured that the only sickness you're going to feel is from eating too much when trying out the different delicious food that Japan has to offer you.

Diverse Experience

As a female solo traveller, you can find opportunities to experience a wide range of activities, from mainstream tourist attractions to traditional experiences, like taking part in a Japanese green tea ceremony. You can also do some shopping and visit cute cafes down the streets of places like Omote-sando, where there are endless boutique stores and restaurants. Japan also has a huge beauty industry, so it can be the perfect opportunity to treat yourself, from getting professional eyelash extensions to a hair makeover at a trendy salon.

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Good Transportation Systems

Japan has a highly advanced transportation system, especially when it comes to trains. In cities like Tokyo, trains are one of the most common forms of transport, and you can get practically anywhere using them. We recommend you use Google Maps or an app like Japan Travel by NAVITIME to help you navigate through the stations, since the larger ones can be confusing. The stations are safe and clean, plus, during rush hour there are women-only carriages on the trains.

If the worst comes to worst and you end up missing your last train from a late-night out, a last resort could be a taxi. Safe and clean like the trains, you can easily hail a taxi from the street. The downside is that these are on the pricier side, so if you're on a tight budget we don't recommend this option.

Ladies Day

Being a woman is something to be celebrated, and Japan certainly feels the same way. Japan offers great benefits that female travellers can take advantage of such as the Ladies Day culture. For example, on Wednesdays, you can go watch a movie in the theatres for half price ( which will be around ¥1,000) if you're a female. Also, it is common for bars and clubs to charge less if you're a female, so you can have just as much fun for less money than the men in the room. You can even use the cash you saved to treat yourself at Japan’s many different beauty salons and give yourself a much-deserved pampering during your tiring travels.

Toho Cinemas offer a special discount around ¥1,200 (regular price ¥1900) on this specific day for girls.

Japan is clearly a great spot for female solo travellers, and will definitely be a trip to be remembered. With so much to do, from visiting the different shrines and tasting the variety of Japanese foods, you will have an envious album to post on your Instagram. Once again, Japan has a culture of doing things on your own, so it actually is encouraging to be on your own and explore a new country. Hurry up and book your flight already!