Kicking off the countdown is the very first thing you do when you land. Just over 10% of travelers cited immigration procedures as a pain point. The main culprit? You guessed it: long wait times (58%). Nobody loves standing in line after a 12-hour flight, but hey, at least there's usually a cool promotional video of Japan playing on loop while you wait!

Japan has made massive strides in going cashless, but it seems there are still a few holdouts. Around 11% of tourists struggled to use their cards, overwhelmingly at restaurants (32%). The most common issue was simply that the card wasn't accepted, reminding us all that carrying a little bit of yen in your pocket is still a golden rule.

Pro Tip: To save yourself from that awkward "I only have plastic, you only take cash" situation, do a quick search on Gurunavi.com before your stomach starts growling! It’s a total lifesaver of a restaurant guide that tells you upfront exactly what payment methods a spot accepts and whether they have an English menu ready for you. You can even book online for many restaurants.

Trying to navigate without a shared alphabet is an adventure in itself. Nearly 11% of travelers were stumped by a lack of multilingual signs, especially inside maze-like train stations and local eateries. But tourists are clever: 57% of those who struggled just whipped out their smartphones and used translation apps (like Google Translate) to decode the mystery menus and maps!

Getting around Japan can feel like a complex 3D puzzle. In the big cities, people were mostly confused by the sprawling private railway networks (73%), while out in the countryside, local buses (42%) were the main offenders. The biggest headaches? Just figuring out how to search for the right route (45%) and where the heck the actual boarding stop is (38%).

Pro Tip: Apps like Google Maps and Japan Travel by NAVITIME are absolute lifesavers for finding the fastest routes and even pinpointing exactly which platform you need. Many train stations have an information or travel service counter nearby, with helpful staff who can explain bus stops and other points. And if the thought of buying a bullet train ticket at a busy station makes you sweat, you can completely skip the line! Travel apps like Klook let you book your Shinkansen tickets ahead of time, so all you have to do is grab an ekiben (station bento) and enjoy the ride.

Taking the bronze medal for annoyance is the sheer volume of people. Unsurprisingly, this was mostly a city problem. Travelers at famous tourist spots reported that the crowds made it hard to move smoothly (66%) or even get a good look at what they came to see (47%). Sometimes, trying to get that perfect, empty shot of Senso-ji Temple is a battle you just can't win.

Coming in at number two is "communication with facility staff." This hurdle mostly popped up when people were hungry at restaurants (38%) or lost at train and bus stations (27%). Trying to ask for allergy info or platform directions can turn into an impromptu game of charades. Thankfully, a massive 68% of people relied on translation apps to bridge the gap and save the day.

If you’ve ever walked five miles with an empty crepe wrapper clutched in your sweaty hand, you are not alone. Coming in at number one—yet again—is "a lack of trash cans."

In Japan, public trash cans have ninja-level stealth. They are practically invisible unless you're right next to a convenience store or a vending machine. Over 90% of the people who complained about this simply said, "There was no trash can when I needed to throw something away."

So, what did these tourists do? A highly relatable 69% just gave up, shoved the trash in their bags, and carried it all the way back to their hotels. (Though, on the bright side, this complaint actually dropped by 4.7 points since the last survey, so it's possible things are improving!)

We saved the most important detail for last: nearly half of the respondents (43.7%) shared that they didn't experience any major issues in Japan, which should be incredibly reassuring for future visitors!

Traveling in Japan might require a good translation app, a bit of extra patience in a crowd, and dedicating a pocket in your backpack strictly to empty wrappers. But with the government actively using these surveys to improve the tourist experience, your next trip is bound to be even smoother!