Japan Solo Female Travel Safety Tips and Advice

On this page you will find first-hand, unbiased, and real safety tips, advice and reviews from women traveling solo, submitted directly from their personal experiences in the country.

Their opinions are unfiltered and submitted independently as part of the Solo Female Travel Safety Index, a ranking of 210 countries and regions based on how safe they are for women traveling solo.

The safety scores range from 1 to 4 with 1 being the safest and 4 being the most dangerous for solo female travelers.

You don’t need to login to read the below reviews. But do sign up or login to share your solo travel experiences, country safety rating and comments.

Japan Country data

We have compiled a few data points below that can help you better understand Japan and have more context when thinking about travel safety.

Official country name: Japan.

Etymology: The English word for Japan comes via the Chinese name for the country "Cipangu". Both Nihon and Nippon mean "where the sun originates" and are frequently translated as "Land of the Rising Sun".

Capital: Tokyo.

Independence / foundation: In 1931-32 Japan occupied Manchuria, and in 1937 it launched a full-scale invasion of China. Japan attacked US forces in 1941, triggering America's entry into World War II, and soon occupied much of East and Southeast Asia. It was in 1947 when the current constitution was adopted as amendment to Meiji Constitution.

Population: 124 million.

Currency: Japanese Yen (JPY)
1 USD = 147 - 152 JPY
1 EUR = 160 - 165 JPY

Time zone: UTC+9

Languages spoken: Japanese.

Religions: Shintoism 71%, Buddhism 67%, Christianity 2%, other 6%. Note: total adherents exceeds 100% because many people practice both Shintoism and Buddhism.

Climate: Varies from tropical in the south to cool and temperate in the north.

Real GDP (ppp – purchasing power parity): $5.21 trillion.

Real GDP per capita (ppp): $41,600.

Main airports: Narita International Airport, Kansai International Airport, Fukuoka Airport, Tokyo Haneda International Airport.

World heritage sites in Japan

There are over 1,100 world heritage sites spread across more than 165 countries. New ones are added every year, and some may be removed from the list for various reasons.

Number of UNESCO listed sites: 25.

Top world heritage sites:

- Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto (Kyoto, Uji and Otsu Cities).
- Fujisan, sacred place and source of artistic inspiration.
- Buddhist Monuments in the Horyu-ji Area.
- Shirakami-Sanchi.
- Himeji-jo.
- Yakushima.
- Historic Villages of Shirakawa-go and Gokayama.
- Hiroshima Peace Memorial (Genbaku Dome).
- Itsukushima Shinto Shrine.
- Historic Monuments of Ancient Nara.
- Shrines and Temples of Nikko.
- Gusuku Sites and Related Properties of the Kingdom of Ryukyu.
- Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii Mountain Range.
- Shiretoko.
- Iwami Ginzan Silver Mine and its Cultural Landscape.
- Ogasawara Islands.
- Hiraizumi – Temples, Gardens and Archaeological Sites Representing the Buddhist Pure Land.
- Tomioka Silk Mill and Related Sites.
- Sites of Japan’s Meiji Industrial Revolution: Iron and Steel, Shipbuilding and Coal Mining.
- The Architectural Work of Le Corbusier, an Outstanding Contribution to the Modern Movement.
- Sacred Island of Okinoshima and Associated Sites in the Munakata Region.
- Hidden Christian Sites in the Nagasaki Region.
- Mozu-Furuichi Kofun Group: Mounded Tombs of Ancient Japan.
- Amami-Oshima Island, Tokunoshima Island, Northern part of Okinawa Island, and Iriomote Island.
- Jomon Prehistoric Sites in Northern Japan.

Interesting facts about Japan

- Japan is an archipelago made up of over 6,000 islands.

- Tokyo is one of the most populated cities in the world with 13.5 million individuals. If you include the greater Tokyo metro area of Kanagawa, Saitama, and Chiba, the total population of Tokyo reaches 38 million people.

- Shibuya Crossing is the world's busiest and wildest pedestrian crossing and it's an iconic symbol of the city.

- Japan has one of the highest life expectancies in the world. The life expectancy was 87 years for females and 81 years for males.

Further reading: https://www.onceinalifetimejourney.com/inspiration/facts-about-japan/

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Japan Travel tips

More about Japan on Solo Female Travelers

Coming soon.

Did you spot any errors? We do our best to keep this information updated and accurate, but things change. If you saw anything that is not right, let us know so we can fix it: [email protected].

About the Solo Female Travel Safety Index

Safety matters to solo female travelers, you told us so in our annual Solo Female Travel Survey, where year after year, women prove that this is their most important concern when traveling solo.

We wanted to do something about it, so we built these country-specific pages where you can find reviews and scores for 7 key variables affecting the safety of women traveling solo.

How to use the Safety Index

On this page, you will find the country score and the personal opinions on safety of other women traveling solo.

You can sort the comments by:

• The level of experience traveling solo of the reviewer (beginner = <5 trips solo, Intermediate = 5 to 10 trips solo, Experienced = >10 trips solo).
• The age of the traveler.
• Whether they are a visitor or local.
• The date they were posted.

The safety scores range from 1 to 4 with 1 being the safest and 4 being the most dangerous for solo female travelers. 

Thus, the lower the score, the safer the country.

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Looking for more safety resources?

This entire website is devoted to helping women travel solo. Check out the links below to learn more:

Solo Female Travel Stats: Results from the the largest, most comprehensive and only global research study on solo female travel trends, preferences and behaviors published.

Thanks to Jacobo Vilella for creating the Solo Female Travelers Safety Index ❤️