21 Reasons Why Travelling to Japan is a Complete Waste of Time

21 Reasons Why Travelling to Japan is a Complete Waste of Time

Want to go to Japan? Meh, just forget that idea.

Irasshaimase!

That’s what you hear when you enter a Japanese restaurant. That is, if you can even hear their enunciation of the words…

Jap humour 2

Don’t. Just don’t.

Why travel to Japan when everything you need is here?

Here are my reasons why taking that eight-hour flight to Japan would be a complete waste of time (well, except for the airplane food and the airplane movies).

1. Their mountains are bleh

Mount Fuji - why travel to japan

Image credit: Reginald Pentinio

2. Japanese people dress weird

why travel to japan to see the harajuku

Image credit: travelphotographer

3. And they take bathing too seriously

japan snow monkeys

Image credit: Chi Tranter

4. Cherry blossoms are simply overrated

why travel to japan on cherry blossoms season

Image credit: Ryosuke Yagi

Overhyped, overglorified, these cherry blossom are. They only appear for a short time during spring, and tourists are NEVER sick of the view. Why?! Isn’t it just a couple of flowers on trees, pink and white?

Even I could paint that on a guide-by-numbers. No biggie.

5. Everyone knows that Japan’s roller-coaster rides are not even scary…

Dodonpa

Image credit: Joe Baz

Dodonpa, Fuji Q Highlands – the fourth fastest roller coaster in the world, fastest acceleration in the world!

Eejanaika coaster FujiQ

Image credit: Derek F. DiMatteo

Eejainaka, Fuji Q Highlands – also known as the world’s 2nd 4th dimension rollercoaster! i.e., the seat moves forward, backwards 360 degrees, while the ride goes 360 degrees as well.

Or rather, we should save ourselves from a heart-attack.

Also read: 13 Insane Roller Coasters in Asia to Include in a Thrill Seeker’s Bucket List

6. And that the festivals in Japan are pretty boring

Jidai Matsuri

Jidai Matsuri | Image credit: Adrian Lawrence

Nagasaki Lantern Festival

Nagasaki Lantern Festival | Image credit: Marufish

Kanamara Matsuri

Kanamara Matsuri | Image credit: Takanori

An entire street filled with colourful floats, people dancing to festival music, people cheering… Just let me stay at home, will ya?

7. There’s a crazy number of temples which all look identical

Senso-ji, Tokyo

Senso-ji, Tokyo | Image credit: OiMax

Kinkaku-ji, Kyoto

Kinkaku-ji, Kyoto | Image credit: hans-johnson

What’s more, all the temples have a different story to tell about their history. Talk about an overload of boring information!

8. The shrines are never-ending too

Fushimi Inari, Kyoto

Fushimi Inari, Kyoto | Image credit: mlproject

I wouldn’t have time to walk through thousands of torii gates which lead up a hill.

9. Not to mention the innumerable World Heritage sites

Shirakawa-go

Shirakawa-go, Gifu Prefecture | Image credit: Yoshiyuki Ito

Itsukushima Shrine

Itsukushima Shrine, Miyajima | Image credit: Jordy Meow

Hiroshima Genbaku Dome

Genbaku Dome, Hiroshima | Image credit: Freedom II Andres

10. What do I need castles for? I’m not royalty

Osaka Castle

Osaka Castle | Image credit: Sangyeon Yu

Matsumoto Castle

Matsumoto Castle | Image credit: René Vlak

11. Picking a cafe is always headache-inducing

Owl Cafe Akiba Fukurou

Owl Cafe Akiba Fukurou, Tokyo | Image credit: Owl Cafe Akiba Fukurou

Aoyama Flower Market Tea House, Tokyo

Aoyama Flower Market Tea House, Tokyo | Image credit: City Foodsters

Moomin Cafe, Fukuoka

Moomin Cafe, Fukuoka | Image credit: Jennifer Morrow

You are spoilt for choices for the type of cafe-hopping you’d like to do. Flower cafes? Cartoon-themed cafes? Cat cafes? Owl cafes? How can we choose?

It was always easier with only one option – plain old hipster cafes.

12. Sometimes you find deers roaming around the streets

Nara Park

Nara Park, Nara | Image credit: Terence Lim

There are actually deers hanging around in Japan… which you could feed, pet, or even take a selfie with.

Stay in your designated farms, deers!

13. Vending machines sell everything. Where’s the human touch?

japan vending machine

Image credit: MaximilianHemon

Also read: Bizarre Vending Machines in Japan – the Ayes and the Nays

14. The toilets are so advanced, they will freak you out

Japan Toilets

Image credit: Maya-Anaïs Y.

So, many, buttons…

The toilets are more advanced than anywhere in the world. You’d have to learn how to harness its power…

15. The trains don’t wait for you – at all

Like who has time to be punctual, right?

The trains are impeccably punctual. And also spotlessly clean. Did you see the video where they clean the trains in 7 minutes?

16. Japanese food is just… okay

why travel to japan for the japanese food

Image credit: Arek Socha

And erm, if you haven’t seen this…

Forward to 2:14 for the most amazing thing you’ve ever seen in your life.

17. Plus you can find sushi anywhere in the world, right?

why travel to japan to taste sushi

Image credit: sushioooffice

Why bother flying all the way to Japan to have fresh sushi and sashimi, and be served hot piping green tea, together with delectable other sides… when you can have it at home?

What’s more, it will cost you a bomb to have such heavenly food at a Michelin restaurant such as Sukibayashi Jiro. Not worth it, me thinks.

18. The electronic stores will burrow a hole in your pocket

Ginza

Ginza | Image credit: Chrstian Stock

I mean, five-storey high electronics stores… that’s way too much shopping.

19. And you will walk out of Don Quijote penniless

Don Quijote

Image credit: Dick Thomas Johnson

Can I just say that you could buy anything, and I mean, anything, in this amazing store?

20. Pokemon is lame and they’re for kids

Pokemon Center

Image credit: alisdair

Your pokemon ran out of energy? Defeated in a battle? Not to worry! Here’s a pokemon centre!

21. And so is this place

Sanrio

Image credit: Tomohiro Ohtake

Kawa….iiiiiiiiiiii…… in Sanrio Puroland. I meant, damn it, it’s too much for me to handle! I can’t be going to Japan!

Also read: 16 Things Japan Does Better Than Your Country

So don’t even bother

See, this is why you should never bother even booking your tickets to go to Japan. You’d never be able to handle this much of awesome that would be heading your way.

Trust me, I’ve been there.

About Author

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Beverly Pao

Like many others, Beverly has many varied interests. She likes people... places... and things. Her parents are of Chinese descent, which is why she is so lively and colourful. When she's not binge-watching shows, she's always on the move to travel.

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