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Traveling alone can be incredibly rewarding and enriching.
Solo travelers can travel at their own pace, exploring without sticking to anyone’s schedule but their own, and meeting new people as they go.
One of the only real downsides to traveling alone is that you have to be more safety conscious throughout your trip. You cannot take advantage of safety in numbers.
So where is the best place to travel solo?
According to Bounce’s 2023 Solo Travel IndexJapan has been found to be the safest country in the world for solo travelers.
Here’s what you need to know:
Japan has low crime rates
According to the report, Japan has the highest safety rating of all the countries analyzed, with a crime rate index of just 23.1/100.
Crime in Japan is significantly lower than many other first world countries, including the United States. The murder rate in the United States is fourteen times that of Japan.
While Japan’s overall crime rate increased in 2022 for the first time in 20 years, it’s still an incredibly safe country to visit, especially if you’re traveling alone.
The people of Japan are raised to have a strong sense of moral duty. From an early age, children in Japan are taught the importance of caring for others, including their friends, neighbors, and even strangers.
For this reason, attacks against people in Japan are relatively rare.
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While crimes, such as shoplifting in crowded areas or alcoholic beverages in nightclubs, do occur, these crimes are easily avoided by taking the same safety precautions you would anywhere else in the world, even in your home country.
Help is readily available
If you need help when you are in Japan, you can visit a Koban.
A Koban is a small police station, usually no bigger than a single room. These rooms often contain little more than a desk and chair, but they’re easy to locate and you’ll find them in every neighborhood in every city.
The kobans are open 24 hours a day and will always be manned by one or two policemen.
You can visit these tiny police stations if you need to report a crime or if you don’t feel safe on the street and are looking for a safe place.
But they also serve other purposes. The police officers inside the Koban are friendly and always happy to offer directions. If you find any lost property or lose an item on your trip, you can also report it here.
tourists are welcome
The best countries to visit as a solo traveler are countries where foreign tourists are actively welcomed. And foreign visitors are welcome in Japan.
In fact, most residents will go out of their way to offer assistance to tourists, regardless of whether they are traveling alone or as part of a group.
If you are looking at a map on the street or seem lost, a local is likely to stop and spontaneously offer help. The Japanese are well known for their courtesy and deep-rooted traditions, and this courtesy extends to tourists.
It’s also important to note that while many people assume that Japan’s tech and auto industries are responsible for much of its GDP, Japan also relies on tourism to fuel its massive economy.
This also contributes to the welcome received by tourists.
Insurance for female travelers.
If you are a solo female traveler in Japan, then it is an incredibly safe country to visit.
While we don’t recommend walking anywhere alone at night, you won’t have to worry about your safety if you choose to do so in Japan.
Much of Japanese culture is perfectly suited to solo travelers. Individual hotel rooms, restaurant booths, and solo train rides are common here.
Solo female travelers should be careful on crowded subway trains, as unwanted groping (known as chikan) is sadly common. However, the Japanese authorities have combated this by introducing women-only carriages every weekday during the morning rush hour.
Women in Japan can walk down the street without being complimented and feel safe wherever they travel in the country.
traveler alert: Don’t forget travel insurance for your next trip!
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This article originally appeared on TravelOffPath.com
