You have long dreamed of seeing Tokyo and trying real sushi and translate spanish to english, going to a performance at a kabuki theater or buying a kimono, getting to know the culture and traditions of this amazing country better. And everything seems to be fine, but one thing is stopping you: it’s the language barrier. You speak English quite well, but you do not know Japanese at all. And even more: hieroglyphs and pronunciations scare you. But do not rush to get nervous because of this and buy all the phrasebooks in the bookstore.

Myths about Japan, or how to have a great rest without knowing the language

Myth 1. The Japanese do not speak English.
If 99% of tourists visiting this country do not speak Japanese, this does not mean that it is impossible to communicate with the Japanese in a language that everyone understands – English. The Japanese speak English quite well and know japanese to english.

Myth 2. The Japanese do not like tourists.
Even if you can only speak Japanese with the help of a phrase book, native speakers will appreciate it and try to help you. And no one will blame you for having errors in pronunciation or grammar. The main thing is to smile and sincerely thank you for your help!

Myth 3. Japan is difficult to navigate.
Even if you have never seen Japanese characters in your life, it will be difficult to get lost in Tokyo or another Japanese city, as there are signs in English everywhere, and the residents themselves are ready to answer questions and suggest a route to the right place. And transport here is incredibly reliable and allows you to quickly get to your destination.

As you can see, nothing bad will happen if you go to Japan without knowing the language. But if your goal is not only to travel, but also to get a deeper understanding of these people and their country, it is worth preparing. All you need is a little – at least an initial level of Japanese proficiency.