I once read an interesting article somewhere.
It said something like:
“Japanese people can instantly understand that 17:00 means 5 p.m.? What is this, the military?!”
Wait, wait, wait.
In Japan, the 24-hour clock is pretty normal from quite a young age!
You’ll see it not only on train and bus schedules, but also for reservation times, opening hours, work emails, and casual messages about meeting up.
For example, if someone says:
“Let’s meet at Shinjuku West Exit at 13:00!”
Most Japanese people will naturally understand it as 1:00 p.m.
Of course, we also say “1 p.m.”
But honestly, using just the numbers is often easier, both when writing and speaking.
In Japan, children learn how to read clocks from a young age.
At first, they learn to read the clock as it is: “1 o’clock,” “2 o’clock,” and so on.
Then, after learning addition and subtraction, they gradually learn the 24-hour clock too.
By around age eight, many children start to understand things like:
“13:00 means 1 p.m.”
“17:00 means 5 p.m.”
The idea slowly becomes familiar.
One reason you see the 24-hour clock so often in Japan is probably public transportation.
Train and bus schedules usually use the 24-hour clock.
When you’re traveling and looking at a timetable at a station or bus stop, you’ll often see times like 13:00, 18:30, or 23:15.
If you’re not used to it, it might take you a second.
And when you’re traveling, that one second can feel surprisingly stressful.
So today, while getting used to the 24-hour clock, let me walk you through what a typical day in Japan feels like.
This is mostly based on Tokyo and other big cities.
Smaller towns and tourist areas may feel a little different.
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What a Day in Japan Feels Like
5:00
Early morning.
People who start their day very early may already be moving around by this time.
But most places open at this hour are 24-hour convenience stores or a few restaurants.
6:00
People who are going to work start waking up little by little.
Stations and streets slowly begin to come alive.
7:00
Trains start getting crowded with commuters.
Highways also begin to get busy around this time.
If you’re taking a highway bus, it may be delayed because of traffic.
People may imagine Japanese public transportation as very punctual, but highway buses run on roads. Once they get stuck in traffic, there’s only so much they can do.
Some cafés and chain restaurants that serve breakfast also start opening around this time.
8:00
Schools begin around this time too.
More students are on their way to school, so stations and streets get even busier.
9:00
Street-level shops and public facilities gradually start opening.
Banks and city offices often start around this time too.
10:00
Station buildings, department stores, and large shopping facilities begin to open.
If you want to start sightseeing or shopping, this is around the time when it becomes easier to move around.
12:00–14:00
This is what many Japanese people think of as “lunchtime.”
If you go to a restaurant during this time, it may be quite crowded.
On weekdays, some restaurants offer special lunch menus, which are often a good deal.
Be especially careful around office areas and near major stations.
15:00
Snack time.
This is the kind of time when you start wanting to sit down at a café.
On the other hand, bank counters often start closing around this time.
Many ATMs can be used at night, but it depends on the location and the bank, so be careful.
If you’re in trouble, try checking a convenience store.
Most major convenience stores have ATMs.
17:00
Public facilities and tourist facilities start closing.
Museums, small local museums, city offices, and similar places often close around this time, so be careful.
If you think, “I’ll just go in the evening,” it may already be closed.
It’s honestly so sad when you go all the way there and the place isn’t open.
I’ve done that abroad too.
18:00
More people finish work, and trains start getting crowded again.
Before COVID, some trains were so crowded that there was barely any room to stand.
These days, with remote work and other changes, some places seem a little calmer than before.
This is also around the time when many Japanese people start having dinner.
Restaurants can get crowded too.
21:00
The evening rush starts to calm down a little.
Regular shops begin closing.
On the other hand, people going out for drinks may start moving around this time.
23:00
This is when people start thinking about the last train.
At this hour, you should assume that regular tourist facilities and shops are already closed.
Of course, in nightlife areas, some izakaya and bars stay open late.
But it really depends on the area.
This is also around the time when more people start getting ready for bed.
24:00
The date changes.
For train schedules, this is often written as 0:00, but in Japan, you may also see “24:00.”
Trains gradually reach their last departures around this time.
25:00
By this point, most trains are already finished for the night.
On train schedules, this would be 1:00.
But in restaurant information, TV programs, event listings, and similar places, you may sometimes see “25:00.”
It means 1 a.m.
It’s like treating the time after midnight as an extension of the same day.
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So, that’s the general idea!
What do you think?
Is it different from your country?
When I stayed with a host family in Canada, the father left for work around 5 a.m.
So I think the idea of “early morning” or “late night” can feel quite different depending on the country, or even the family.
It might feel confusing at first, but knowing this sense of time can be really helpful when traveling in Japan.
“Oh, it’s lunchtime, so restaurants will be crowded.”
“The commute has started, so trains will be busy.”
“It’s after 17:00, so some tourist facilities may already be closing.”
You can start to read the day a little better.
And if you arrive in Japan very early in the morning or late at night, you need to be even more careful.
Trains, shops, cafés, and buses may not be moving the way you expect.
In the next article, I’ll talk more specifically about arriving at the airport early in the morning or late at night.
This is one of those things that can really cause trouble if you don’t think about it ahead of time.