For Japan, stay in the popular tourist areas if you don't know Japanese, a lot of people don't speak it outside of these tourist areas and it'll be hard for you to communicate and read signs if you don't know a single bit.
Tour guides in Japan are pretty pricey, so if it's your first time, you might want to budget for that or just wing it and stay in the main tourism areas.
In the tourism areas, every Asian you see won't be Japanese, believe it or not a lot of Chinese people visit Japan.
Eat Ramen.
Carry hand sanitizer with you, soap is optional in Japan, meaning a majority of bathrooms don't have it.
Be prepared to use both Western and Hole-In-The-Ground Toilets. Know which way to face and how to squat. Also, Bidets.
If you have to learn one word, Sumimasen is it. It means excuse me, sorry, pardon, etc. You bump into someone, Sumimasen, you don't understand someone, Sumimasen, etc.
There's a bunch of other tips, but Japan is really amazing, it helps if you know the language though and can read kana (a little kanji helps) but it could get you out of the tourist areas without the need of a guide/translator.
You've been almost to the exact same places I want to go! Any recommendations for Japan, Korea, Taiwan?
For Japan, stay in the popular tourist areas if you don't know Japanese, a lot of people don't speak it outside of these tourist areas and it'll be hard for you to communicate and read signs if you don't know a single bit.
Tour guides in Japan are pretty pricey, so if it's your first time, you might want to budget for that or just wing it and stay in the main tourism areas.
In the tourism areas, every Asian you see won't be Japanese, believe it or not a lot of Chinese people visit Japan.
Eat Ramen.
Carry hand sanitizer with you, soap is optional in Japan, meaning a majority of bathrooms don't have it.
Be prepared to use both Western and Hole-In-The-Ground Toilets. Know which way to face and how to squat. Also, Bidets.
If you have to learn one word, Sumimasen is it. It means excuse me, sorry, pardon, etc. You bump into someone, Sumimasen, you don't understand someone, Sumimasen, etc.
There's a bunch of other tips, but Japan is really amazing, it helps if you know the language though and can read kana (a little kanji helps) but it could get you out of the tourist areas without the need of a guide/translator.