I came for the snow. For the dream lines, the endless tree runs, the feather-light turns that felt like floating through clouds.
But what I didn’t expect? The talking elevators. All the vending machines. The toilet slippers. The onsen rules. A perfectly silent train ride where even my thoughts felt too loud. Falling deeply in love with pickled radish. Like, emotionally. And… Fish Fred – listed on the menu like a noble sea creature, served like a gumigi fish sausage that bounced when poked.
Riding powder in Japan is wild – but living Japan? That’s a whole different adventure.
🩴 Slippers & Switch-Ups
You spend the day carving perfect turns in knee-deep fluff, then walk into a 7-Eleven for your post-ride snack run… only to realize you’re still wearing the toilet slippers from the onsen you visited two hours ago. Things happen.
There’s a slipper for every zone: entrance, bathroom, bedroom. It’s like a video game with unlockable footwear.
🧖♀️ Naked Truth: The Onsen Reality
Onsens are sacred. They’re natural hot springs, visited daily by locals and travelers alike – especially because many traditional Japanese homes don’t have bathtubs. So a soak isn’t a luxury; it’s a routine.
But also? They’re naked. Fully. And while you might expect people to be shy, they’re absolutely not. Someone will sit right next to you, totally chill, totally nude.
First, you scrub like you’re prepping for surgery, then slip into steaming water under falling snow. Bliss. Until…
If you stay in too long, or move too fast getting out (especially up the slippery stairs), brace yourself. The heat – often over 40°C – can knock you sideways.
Once, I tried to change pools, stood up too quickly… and the next thing I remember? Falling straight back in. Graceful.
Just don’t let your towel touch the water. Or get side-eyed by someone’s auntie.
🚽 The Toilets are Smarter Than Me
Heated seats. Bidet modes. Forest sounds. A button for everything. And yet – the buttons. Oh, the buttons.
The first two weeks, I genuinely had no idea which one actually splashed the water. Everything was in Japanese, and there were icons, sure, but none that gave me confidence. So I just avoided them all.
Eventually? I gave up and pressed all the buttons. Turns out, that’s the secret. Just go full chaos mode and something will happen. Probably something clean.
And it’s not just the toilets — Japanese bathrooms are a full-on tech experience. Hotel rooms have control panels for lights, temperature, even wake-up music. Humidifiers quietly purr in the corner. There’s always a mysterious gadget you won’t figure out until day three. It’s like the future — but polite.
Heated seats. Bidet modes. Forest sounds. A button for everything. And yet – the buttons. Oh, the buttons.
The first two weeks, I genuinely had no idea which one actually splashed the water. Everything was in Japanese, and there were icons, sure, but none that gave me confidence. So I just avoided them all.
Eventually? I gave up and pressed all the buttons. Turns out, that’s the secret. Just go full chaos mode and something will happen. Probably something clean.
🛏️ Techy Hotel Rooms and Tiny Surprises
Japanese hotel rooms are full of unexpected upgrades. A control panel for the lights and aircon. An air purifier humming in the corner. A fabric spray bottle that smells like subtle rice fields. You’ll find pajamas laid out on the bed, a heated toilet seat in the tiniest en-suite, and sometimes even slippers labeled “room use only.” It’s like staying in a cozy, efficient spaceship.
🛗 The Elevator Pause
You step into a packed elevator. No one talks. No music. No eye contact. Someone silently pushes your floor number for you. It’s not awkward, it’s peaceful. A little moment of quiet levitation between chaos and culture shock.
And then the elevator speaks. A soft voice welcomes you in, announces the floor, and says goodbye. Not just elevators: parking machines, ticket barriers, and even some trash bins talk to you. It’s like being politely guided through life by an invisible but cheerful assistant.
🙇♂️ The Art of the Bow (and the Rules)
Politeness in Japan isn’t just a vibe – it’s a system. You bow when you say hello, when you say thank you, when you’re apologizing, or just when you’re not sure what else to do. And the bow depth? Yep, that means something too. Oh, and don’t tip – it’s considered awkward. Better to just say thank you and bow a little extra.
😷 Masked Before It Was Cool
Long before 2020, Japan was already in mask mode. People wear them when they’re sick, to avoid pollen, or just for social comfort. It’s normal. Unspoken. Sometimes it’s even fashion. It’s less about fear, more about being considerate. Low-key respect culture at its finest.
🎎 Omotenashi: Hospitality Without the Hype
In Japan, you don’t tip. You don’t need to. Service is graceful, invisible, and often deeply kind. The convenience store clerk bows. The ryokan host appears when you need them, not before. Tea gets refilled without a word. No flair. Just care.
🤫 The Silence Game
It’s not just on trains. Elevators? Silent. Restaurants? Subdued. People speak gently, rarely shout, and phone calls in public are basically forbidden. You start whispering without even knowing why.
🚦 Crosswalk Zen: Nobody Jaywalks
Even at 2 a.m., with no cars in sight and nothing but snow falling – people still wait for the light to turn green. Jaywalking just isn’t a thing. It’s patience, discipline, and total public calm. You start doing it too without even realizing.
🚸 Mini Humans in Uniforms
School kids roam the streets in matching uniforms, tiny backpacks, and often walking alone. Even in the busiest cities or most rural corners, they move like little pros – independent, safe, and organized. It’s adorable and kinda shocking in the best way.
🗺️ Lost? Someone Will Still Help You
You can be completely lost – in a maze of alleys, a station with six exits, or trying to find your Airbnb on the wrong street and someone will stop to help. Even if they don’t speak a word of English, they’ll point, gesture, even walk with you. Just wholesome human GPS energy.
🍱 Train Station Meals That Slap
Ekiben – bento boxes sold at train stations – are a travel experience on their own. They’re packed with local specialties, beautifully arranged, and meant to be eaten on the Shinkansen while you zoom past snow-covered villages. Forget sad sandwiches – this is five-star train dining.
Ahh and then… there was Fish Fred. We saw him on a menu – “Fish Fred” – and expected grilled glory. What arrived was a pale, bouncy sausage that jiggled when poked. We could only eat him with a ton of ketchup! But Fred became part of the crew.
🍜 7-Eleven Snacks for Life
Let’s be real: I came for the powder, but I stayed for the tuna mayo onigiri. Japan feeds you well. From gas stations to gourmet, there’s no such thing as a “bad snack” moment.
7-Eleven, Lawson, and FamilyMart became our holy trinity. Egg sandwiches, tuna mayo onigiri, nikuman steamed buns, melon pan, crunchy potato sticks with wild flavors like cheese or salad, pucchin pudding, bite-sized fried chicken nuggets, From matcha mochi to matcha roll cake ahh and there are Cheese-filled Mochi Balls, don’t ask.
Japan’s mystery snacks were sometimes terrifying but always entertaining.
🎥 Watch it – and tell me your fave snack! 7-Eleven in Japan hits diffrent!
🍵 Matcha Is a Lifestyle
You expect green tea in a cup. But in Japan, it’s everywhere. There’s matcha soba noodles. Matcha salt for tempura. Matcha lattes, mochi, cereal, toothpaste, beer. Even KitKats, again. It’s grassy, earthy, and slightly addictive once you’re in too deep.
🌸 Seasonal Obsession
Japan doesn’t just do spring, summer, fall, and winter – it lives them. Everything changes with the season: snack flavors, vending machine drinks, store decor, even emoji in text messages. Matcha KitKats in spring, sweet potato chips in autumn – it’s a full sensory shift every few months.
And speaking of KitKats: Japan has taken them to legendary levels. There are hundreds of flavors – regional, seasonal, and limited-edition. Wasabi, purple sweet potato, sake, strawberry cheesecake, yuzu, roasted green tea. Some are only sold in one train station. Hunting rare KitKats becomes a mission. A delicious, slightly weird, and totally addicting mission.
🍶 Night Out in Japan: Respectful Chaos
One night: quiet sake. Next night: your boss singing Queen at karaoke like a legend.
Drinking culture here? It’s a delicate dance. You don’t just clink glasses and chug. It’s all about the pour — you never fill your own glass, and the moment someone tops yours up, you return the favor. Respect, rituals, and just the right buzz.
Karaoke isn’t just part of the night — it is the night. Private booths, custom lighting, and menus where you order food mid-verse. There’s even an unspoken etiquette: let everyone have a turn, don’t hog the mic, and always clap — even if someone butchers a ballad.
I didn’t join a nomikai (work party), but I witnessed the magic from the sidelines: big tables in back-alley izakayas, everyone still in office wear. The boss? Absolutely thriving — ordering rounds like a hero, red in the face. Honestly, it looked like he was the only one truly having fun.
🎤 Karaoke Culture: Private Booths, Big Vibes
Forget crowded bars and stage fright. In Japan, karaoke happens in private rooms. You rent a booth with your crew, grab a mic, and go all in. Songbooks are endless, the echo effects are wild, and nobody judges your pitch. You can order snacks mid-song, change the lighting, and sing your heart out until your voice cracks or your time’s up — whichever comes first.
🧳 Luggage That Teleports (Sort Of)
Dragging ski bags through train stations? Not in Japan. You ship them. Takkyubin – the luggage forwarding service – lets you send your gear from hotel to hotel. It’s cheap, precise, and somehow always faster than you. Your board arrives on time, perfectly labeled, like it traveled business class.
🧹 Cleanest Ski Lockers Ever
You think: wet gear, chaos, muddy boots, banana peels. But Japanese ski lockers? Immaculate. Floors dry. Everything in order. Even the rental boots are lined up like a museum display. Taking off your gear feels like part of a ritual, unspoken, calm, satisfying.
❄️ Snow Culture: Powder Days, Respect, and Routines
In Japan, snow isn’t just weather, it’s practically religion. Resorts are small but mighty, lifts open early, and on a powder day, everyone shows up silently, respectfully, and with purpose. No yelling, no ski-bro energy. Just quiet lines, deep snow, and disciplined powder etiquette.
Locals queue for first lift with thermoses in hand, and backcountry riders bow to the mountain before dropping in. Even the snow clearing is meditative – tiny old men with big brooms, brushing off signs like they’re tending bonsai trees. It’s snow culture with soul.
And don’t be surprised if the ski patrol bows to you at the rope line. It’s not weird, it’s just Japan.
🏂 Jibbing Japan: Style on Every Slope
Forget massive park features — in Japan, freestyle lives everywhere. Side hits, slope edges, random rollers, even lift-line rails become playgrounds for local riders. You’ll spot tight crews, the so-called jib gangs, styling out tricks in places most wouldn’t even see as features.
It’s not loud or flashy. No “woo!” moments. Just clean nose butters, presses, and buttery lines that make you do a double take on the lift. Even on the mellowest green run, someone’s doing a trick you wish you filmed.
Japan is more than just snow – it’s a whole show.
What surprised you most about Japanese culture on your trip?
If you haven’t been yet, what are you most curious about?
I love hearing what shifted people’s perspectives.
Next post, I’m showing you Japan’s Expectation vs. Reality, You in?
Until then: bow respectfully, eat everything, and shred mindfully.
More about Japow:
The Ultimate Japow Guide
Freeride Safety, Apps, and Survival Rules
The Culture of Japan – Beyond the Powder
Media: All video footage is owned by me. Some images were generated using Midjourney AI and DALL·E.
