Responsible travel in Japan: having responsible mindsets

What does responsible travel really mean? It can hold different meanings for different perspectives, but when coming from the view of sustainability, we see it as similar to ethical travel. What that means responsible is about travelling in a way that is responsible towards society and the environment.

There’s nothing evolutionary about responsible travel, however. It is recently that this phrase has garnered more and more attention, particularly with the rising awareness for the need for sustainability. A simple change in mindset in a few aspects is all that is required to put it into application.

Invest in sustainability before your trip

If you are a seasoned traveler and/or travels quite often, don’t buy disposables. Invest in a kit that allows you to refill your necessities, like your shampoo and facial wash. Even if you don’t travel that often, choosing sustainable products to use when you travel is a sustainable action that you can take even before going on a trip.

Public transportation and EVs

If you are traveling to less developed areas, focusing on public transport may not be convenient. Car rental services are readily available in many areas of Japan, but what you want is to look EV options, especially some areas already have the infrastructure set up.

Furthermore, there are a number of methods to traverse the country, including from cars to ferries to trains to domestic flights. These methods differ in the amount of carbon emissions. For example, instead of flying to different locations in Japan, you may want to challenge taking the ferries instead.

Supporting the local economy by buying from locals

Rather than eating national or international chain establishments, supporting independent shops allows you to directly encourage local shop owners and impact local economies.

Even better, if you are able to find local artisans and their crafts for sale, we’d recommend giving them a consideration. Most of these artisans perfect their crafts without abusing nature resources. What this means is that your consumption will benefit their economic situation while having minimal impact on the environment.

Seek alternatives travel destinations

As the coronavirus panic settled down and countries swung their doors open to tourism, many popular cities (including Japan) began suffering from over tourism, putting stress on infrastructure and residents at popular destinations.

Perhaps Japan has an advantage against other countries in this aspect, because the country has numerous options that travelers can choose over squeezing with everyone else in a busy city. Furthermore, these travel alternatives do not discount satisfaction just because they are away from the city, and offer unique experiences that can even become surprising!

Environmentally conscious actions

With some preparation, you can also travel responsibly for the environment. These come in the form of consuming to reduce waste and be involved in a circular economy.

For example, you can avoid single-use plastic. Bring a reusable bottle and download an app to find refill spots in Japan will help you avoid needing to buy plastic bottles of water. Use sharing services for umbrellas on rainy days to avoid needing to buy disposable ones.

Actions can extend to your planned activities. So instead of the hangouts in big cities, look for off the road experiences like cycling, hiking, water sports etc. There are guided tours like cycling through rural areas to find hidden enjoyments, or even canyoning through the natural environments. These are opportunities to contribute to local communities and quite possibly environmental efforts.

Sustainable hotels, restaurants and experiences

What about the essentials of food and accommodation? Good news is there are options for you to stay and eat sustainably! These hotels ensure your involvement (usually unconsciously!)

Pick from a variety of hotels, whether they are striving for renewable energy, fair trade, zero waste or more. There are more choices for food and beverages, ranging from vegan cafes to alcohol based on circularity.

Respect local customs and etiquette

Having the right mindset when visiting Japan is important too. Avoid ideas of entitlement or an inflexible mind, else you risk becoming that person. But it’s not difficult, as these are more about common sense.

Show cultural sensitivity when taking photos, avoiding taking photographs of people praying at the shrines, or forcing geishas or maikos to stop for a photograph. Don’t glorify rude behavior or take liberty with things that do not belong to you. When in doubt ask what is appropriate. Ask for permission. Courtesy is never wrong in Japan.

You may even want to learn a little Japanese language, or equip yourself with a few Japanese phrases. Showing a small interest in the local language is often appreciated.

Respect nature too

On a similar thread, we should give a thought to nature. While there is heightened interest to push for alternative travel destinations away from overcrowded tourist spots, we, as travelers, need to be empathetic towards the region we are visiting, especially for the environment.

It is similar when we talked about respecting local customs and etiquette: respect natural environment and wildlife. Do not stray off designated paths or litter. Do not carve your names into trees or bamboos. Don’t grab branches or animals for your Tiktok videos. Again, commonsensical, but offenders are more common than usual.

Responsible travel doesn’t need to be hard

As we can see, prepping ourselves with the ethical products, sustainable activities and responsible mindsets, we’d be conducting ourselves properly from both societal and environmental viewpoints. It is not difficult, but simply a change in the way we travel. Perhaps we will see a wave of responsible travel rising in this era.