10 Ways to Travel Japan Like a Local
A lot of people come to Japan with a checklist in hand.
Kyoto temples, sushi & ramen, maybe a night in Shinjuku or a visit to Hiroshima.
Those are important and memorable. But if that’s all you do, you’ll miss the heart of Japan: how local people here actually live day to day.
More than 100 million people call Japan home, and their lives aren’t shaped around Japan’s big sightseeing spots or eating at the konbini. They’re shaped by supermarkets & shotengai, rush hour commutes, Shinto shrine prayer & festivals and daily life among apartment blocks and densely populated, often nondescript architecture of the past half century.
If you want to understand today’s Japan, not just its past but its present, add these truly cultural experiences of Japan to your trip. You’ll get to experience regular life in Japan, away from the throngs of tourists, and see how real people live here.
1. Shop at a Supermarket in Japan
Grocery stores are a cultural mirror pretty much wherever you travel, and Japan’s supermarkets are no exception to this.
The displays are immaculate, the produce and meat are of a consistent quality, and the packaging & branding reflect
Seasonal fruit displayed like jewels, sushi bentō for a quick dinner, elaborate fried food counters, and rows of perfectly packaged snacks. Prices may look cheap in dollars, but think about what they mean for a Japanese salary earner — suddenly you’ll understand why bentō are portioned small, or why fruit is treated like a luxury.
Tokyo: Life Supermarket (Nerima), OK Store (Kinshicho), or My Basket (ubiquitous, tiny, and very local).
Kyoto: Don’t miss Lopia, a fun supermarket chain that has a location near Kyoto Tower. Also Fresco (a smaller chain with a neighborhood feel) or Aeon Style near Kyoto Station.
Osaka: Tamade (famous for its bargain-basement pricing and flashy signage) or Hankyu Oasis in Umeda.
Even if you don’t buy, stroll the aisles and compare; what a Japanese family buys for dinner tells you more than a thousand guidebook pages.
Take note of portion sizes, packaging and prices. Many visitors think Japan is “cheap” when converting yen to dollars or euros. But compare those prices to the average Japanese salary (around USD $40K per year) and you’ll understand why convenience and efficiency are prioritized while value is a major emphasis.
This is a local Japanese cultural experience you oughtn’t overlook.
Also worth your local shopping time, don’t forget about department store food halls, which have endless arrays of prepared foods you can take to go, as well as their own supermarkets.
What About Konbini in Japan?
If you’re wondering whether we’d include the venerable “konbini” (convenience store, e.g. Lawson or Family Mart) in this group? Well, yes and no.
Many Japanese shop at konbini, but neither as often nor for as much as you’d think. Supermarkets and department stores have better quality foods at competitive prices. Konbini are fine if you need a quick drink or bite (forget to pack a bento lunch for work, maybe?) or if you need something to cook a meal and the supermarket is either closed or too far.
But a lof of visitors are rather taken with konbini, often fuelled by social media hype, and relying too much on convenience stores is both missing out on better Japanese meal experiences and missing how most local Japanese live their lives day to day.
2. Wander a Shōtengai, the Quintessential Japanese Neighborhood Shopping Street
A shōtengai is a (usually) covered shopping street lined with mom-and-pop shops, diners and local services. They’re everyday Japan in concentrated form.
We’re not talking about Tsukiji “market” in Tokyo, or its tourist trap cousins of Nishiki (Kyoto) & Kuromon (Osaka).
Japan’s shotengai shopping streets were once the beating heart of every neighborhood, and while some are fading, others thrive as community anchors.
Tokyo: Togoshi Ginza (a kilometer-long street in Shinagawa, great for snacking) or Yanaka Ginza (retro, near Ueno).
Kyoto: Demachiyanagi Shōtengai (by the Kamo River, local and low-key) or Sanjō Shōtengai (a mix of old and new, still very much for residents).
Osaka: Tenjinbashisuji (one of Japan’s longest shopping arcades, stretching for over 2 km) or Kuromon Ichiba (now touristy, but still used by locals early in the morning).
Go in the late afternoon when people are shopping for dinner and you’ll see the street come alive.
Or go on the weekend and see locals stocking up for the week ahead. Better yet, if you’re visiting Japan in late December ahead of New Years, you’ll get to see people shopping for ingredients for their “osechi” New Year’s feast.
3. Experience Rush-Hour Commuting at Least Once on Your Japan Trip
Sound strange to recommend something that most Japanese despise but regularly suffer through? Well, riding a Tokyo or Osaka commuter train around 8am on a weekday is as much a cultural experience as visiting a temple.
The order, the silence, the efficiency (all in the middle of incredible density) shows how big Japanese cities function.
Tokyo: Take the Marunouchi Line toward Shinjuku, or the Yamanote Line between Ikebukuro and Shinjuku.
Osaka: The Midosuji Line between Umeda and Namba is the city’s lifeline and gets similarly packed.
Pro Tips: Don’t linger; stand to the side, keep your bag in front of you and move with the flow. It’s not “fun” but it is unforgettable.
4. Seek Out & Join a Neighborhood Festival in Japan
Japan is full of giant festivals… Gion Matsuri in Kyoto, Nebuta in Aomori, Kanda in Tokyo. They’re spectacular but crowded.
The smaller, local festivals in Japan tell you more about community life.
If you’re walking through a residential area in summer and hear taiko drums, follow the sound. You’ll often stumble upon people carrying a small mikoshi (portable shrine), stalls selling yakisoba and shaved ice, and neighbors chatting in the streets.
These are rarely listed in guidebooks. You find them by chance. Tokyo neighborhoods like Koenji, Kichijoji, or Nakano often host them, especially in July and August.
Tokyo: Koenji Awa Odori in August is huge, but smaller matsuri happen across the city in July and August. Check out neighborhood shrines like Shinagawa Shrine or Hie Shrine.
Kyoto: Shimogamo Shrine hosts smaller seasonal festivals, and neighborhoods like Nishijin often have unpublicized events.
Osaka: Sumiyoshi Taisha’s summer festival is large but still rooted in its local community.
These festivals are rarely advertised in English. Sometimes the best way is to wander in summer evenings and follow the sound of drums.
Ask your hotel concierge or front desk staff if they’re aware of any local festivals happening during your stay.
5. Explore Residential Neighborhoods in Japan — More Insight Than Shibuya Crossing or Tsukiji
Japan is densely populated, and most people live in compact apartments in mid-rise buildings.
A simple walk through a residential area in Japan reveals a lot: bicycles lined up outside, tiny gardens in pots, delivery scooters weaving through narrow lanes and kids walking home from cram school.
Tokyo: Nakameguro’s backstreets, Koenji’s alleys, or Kiba in eastern Tokyo.
Kyoto: Nishijin (a quiet weaving district with narrow streets) or Demachiyanagi north of the Kamo River.
Osaka: Tennoji’s backstreets or Juso across the river from Umeda.
You’ll immediately see how compact life really is here.
6. Take a Commuter Train Heading Out of the City and Get off at a Random Stop
Better yet, if you’re feeling adventurous, get on a commuter train in Japan (look at the train map first just to get a general idea) and take it several stops away heading out of the city – then get off the train at a random station.
We highly recommend this.
Is it taking you into the unknown, off the beaten path, away from Japan’s tourist crowds and into some degree of uncertainty?
Yes, that’s exactly the point!
Japan is one of the safest countries in the world, so it’s hard to go wrong here.
If you leave the city at rush hour around 5pm for example, you’ll get both a crowded train (though not as bad as mornings, as the commute times going home are a bit more spread out) and a local neighborhood experience as people are coming home for dinner.
Exit the train station, and you’ll likely see a collection of shops and restaurants in the station area. Wander the streets in a variety of directions. Be discreet about taking photos/videos in local neighborhoods, of course, but also be curious and you can learn how people live.
Bonus: Follow your nose around some of those restaurants, see and smell what’s cooking, and maybe even poke your head in to see if they have a table. It will be an experience you won’t forget, even if you have to use Google Translate for the menu and maybe point to what others are being served.
7. Eat Where Japanese Locals (Housewives, Salarymen et al) Eat
Japan’s food scene isn’t just Michelin stars, ramen shops and sushi counters (though those are great, of course.
Much of it is about efficient, affordable meals for workers. Yup, we’re talking about comfort food!
Step into a standing soba shop at a train station, a lunch set (teishoku) spot near an office area, or a chain like Yoshinoya, MatsuyaFor the price of a coffee back home, you can eat a hearty set meal.
Tokyo: Try a standing soba shop in pretty much any station. Omoide Yokocho near Shinjuku has quick izakaya meals for workers. Shimbashi (not far from Ginza) as the famous New Shimbashi Bldg where workers head after 5 for dinner and drinks.
Kyoto: Look around Karasuma for teishoku lunch spots filled with office workers.Osaka: In Umeda (especially Osaka Station Buildings 1,2,3) or Namba, duck into a curry shop or ramen stand where the turnover is less than 15 minutes.
It’s not glamorous, but it’s what most locals eat in Japan on a regular basis.
8. Browse a 100-Yen Shop to See Japanese Ingenuity & Efficiency
Daiso, Seria and Can Do are 100-yen shops (dollar stores, basically) are lessons in design for small living spaces.
You’ll see stackable containers, clever kitchen tools,and seasonal items tailored to Japanese homes.
Tokyo: The 12-floor Daiso in Shinjuku has everything from kitchen tools to DIY supplies.
Kyoto: Seria inside Aeon Mall Kyoto is compact but well-curated.
Osaka: Daiso Namba Walk is underground and always buzzing.
Spend half an hour browsing and you’ll come away with a clearer picture of how people organize their lives in limited space. Plus, you might find a few useful souvenirs.
9. Spend Time in a Local Park in Japan
Japanese parks are neighborhood centers. Visit in the morning and you’ll see elderly people doing exercises. On weekends, there might be kids’ baseball or soccer games. Families picnic on simple tarps rather than elaborate setups.
Parks are community hubs, not just cherry blossom picnic spots.
Tokyo: Yoyogi Park is huge, but smaller ones like Kinuta Park in Setagaya or Kiba Park in Koto show daily life better.
Kyoto: Takaragaike Park north of the city is where families and elderly walkers gather.
Osaka: Osaka Castle Park is famous, but check Nakanoshima Park near the business district to watch office workers on lunch break.
Go in the morning for exercise groups or weekends for youth sports. These green spaces give you a glimpse of how people relax and socialize.
10. Notice the Small Systems – Japan Does the “Little Things” So, So Well!
Japan’s biggest lessons come from its smallest details.
Trash is carefully sorted. Delivery drivers find apartments with impossible addresses. Bikes are parked neatly despite tight spaces. Elevators have mirrors so wheelchair users can back out.
These invisible systems make everyday life work in a dense country — and once you notice them, you’ll never unsee them.
The deeper you look, the more you’ll see.
Pay attention and you’ll leave with an understanding of Japan that goes well beyond “sushi and samurai.”
Experience Japan’s Culture As It Exists Now
Japan’s past is visible everywhere — shrines, castles, gardens.
But the Japan people live in today is shaped by rush-hour commutes, supermarkets and shopping streets, neighborhood social fabric and small community traditions.
If you want to “travel like a local in Japan,” don’t just check sights off a list. Watch how people live, and let the daily life of Japan shape your trip.
Want to make the most of local experiences on your Japan trip? Schedule a free consultation with Japan Travel Pros, using the calendar below.