The Unexpected Café Culture Quirk American Tourists Will Have To Adjust To While In Tokyo

Hurray, you're waking up in Tokyo! After endless flights, a long line at immigration, and a late-night taxi ride, you have finally woken in your hotel room and are ready to explore Japan. You throw on your clothes and take the elevator to street level. You spot a cafe, a bistro, a restaurant — and every one of them is closed.

Is this really happening? All you want is a cup of coffee, or at least some hot tea. You took all the precautions to prevent jet lag, but you still feel groggy and disoriented. You wonder how you'll survive without that sweet caffeine entering your bloodstream. This is the rude awakening many Westerners experience on their first visit to Tokyo: Most cafes don't open until later in the morning, sometimes as late as 11 a.m. You may luck out with a global chain like Starbucks or Tully's, but you're unlikely to find a frothy cappuccino at the crack of dawn, the way you would in the U.S.

Why is Tokyo so cruel to coffee-addicts? Because most people in Japan enjoy breakfast at home, along with a steaming morning beverage. Even in fast-paced Tokyo, where so many Western habits have seeped into the culture, workers don't generally saunter into cafes in the wee hours and order double mochas to go. Coffee or tea is something to be brewed in your kitchen and sipped at your own dining room table. Most cafes and restaurants are open by late morning, catering more to the lunch crowd.

In further contrast to the U.S., it's perfectly normal for a coffee shop to stay open late into the night. Japan's capital is the most populous city in the world, with 37.1 million people, and the nightlife in Tokyo is famous. With so many eateries, karaoke bars, and dance clubs designed for night owls, it only make sense that cafes would stay open as well. As you adjust to a schedule that skews late, consider these 17 best things to do in Tokyo for first-time visitors.

Okay, so Japan has some cultural differences, but what does a java-starved traveler do in the early morning? How do you jumpstart your day? The solution may sound bizarre: Go to 7-Eleven.

You can find that familiar tricolor sign almost anywhere. The convenience store chain has more than 21,000 locations across Japan, and they're also usually open 24 hours a day, including daybreak. But unlike an American 7-Eleven, which might serve a few greasy hotdogs and microwavable breakfast sandwiches, the Japanese version is like a small supermarket and diner. You'll find a wide range of breakfast goods, entire to-go dinners, and yes, coffee. Familiar machines pour hot jo into a cup, or you can select from flavored coffees in a can. Iced coffee is also extremely popular in Japan, especially in the summer. Also, surprise! 7-Eleven has been a Japanese-based company since 1991.

For the first-time traveler, Japan is full of eccentricities, such as widespread vending machines for unexpected items and the occasional "smart toilet." Even simple customs, like taking off your shoes at the threshold and giving gifts to hosts, may surprise novices. Here are 15 essential travel hacks when visiting Japan.