Japan rewards curious travellers like few places on earth. In a single day you can drink coffee in a Tokyo backstreet, board a Shinkansen that leaves to the second, and be walking Kyoto's temple lanes by afternoon. It is a country of contrasts that somehow works — neon crossings and silent moss gardens, 3am ramen counters and shrines that have stood for over a thousand years. This Japan travel guide covers what you actually need to plan a first or fifth trip: when to go, where to base yourself, how to get around, what to eat, and the practical rules that changed in 2026.
Best time to visit Japan
Spring (late March to May) and autumn (October to November) are the best times to visit Japan. Cherry blossom usually peaks in Tokyo and Kyoto between late March and early April, but the dates shift by a week or more each year and forecasts only firm up a few weeks ahead, so treat blossom trips as a gamble worth taking. Autumn colour sweeps south through November and is just as beautiful with slightly thinner crowds. May and early June are mild, green and badly underrated. Late June to mid-July is the rainy season, and July to August is hot, humid and full of festivals. Winter is cold, clear and quiet at the big sights, with world-class powder snow in Hokkaido and Nagano — avoid the New Year holiday, when much of the country travels at once.
Top places in Japan
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01
Tokyo
The capital and most likely your entry point — Shibuya and Shinjuku for sheer energy, Asakusa and Yanaka for old Tokyo, and world-class eating at every price.
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02
Kyoto
More than a thousand temples and shrines, geisha districts and Japan's densest concentration of traditional culture. Base here for at least three nights.
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03
Osaka
Japan's kitchen — takoyaki, kushikatsu, brash nightlife along Dotonbori and the friendliest street energy in the country.
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04
Nara
Free-roaming deer, the vast Great Buddha at Todai-ji and Kasuga Taisha's stone lanterns. An easy half-day from Kyoto or Osaka.
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05
Hakone
Onsen town of ropeways, sulphur vents and lake cruises, with classic Mount Fuji views on a clear day. The standard overnight break between Tokyo and Kyoto.
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06
Mount Fuji and the Fuji Five Lakes
Japan's icon. Kawaguchiko gives the postcard reflection without climbing; the summit trails open only in a short summer season and now carry an entry fee and daily cap.
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07
Hiroshima and Miyajima
The Peace Memorial Park and Museum, then a short ferry to the floating torii gate of Itsukushima Shrine.
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08
Kanazawa
Kenroku-en garden, a preserved samurai quarter and geisha teahouse streets — much of Kyoto's atmosphere with a fraction of the queues.
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09
Takayama and Shirakawa-go
Edo-era merchant streets in the Japan Alps, paired with the steep thatched farmhouses of a nearby UNESCO village.
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10
Nikko
The lavishly carved Tosho-gu shrine complex, waterfalls and mountain scenery, close enough for a long day trip from Tokyo.
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11
Hokkaido
Powder snow and skiing in winter, cool summers and lavender fields, and some of Japan's best seafood and dairy year-round.
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12
Okinawa
Subtropical islands with coral reefs and white sand, plus a distinct Ryukyu culture, architecture and cuisine.
Things to do in Japan
- Walk the vermilion torii tunnels at Fushimi Inari before 8am, while the path is still almost empty
- Ride the Shinkansen between Tokyo and Kyoto and watch for Mount Fuji out of the right-hand windows
- Sleep on tatami at a ryokan, soak in the onsen and work through a kaiseki dinner
- Graze a depachika — the food hall in the basement of any large department store
- Cross at Shibuya Scramble, then watch the next wave of it from a window above
- Wander old Tokyo on foot: Yanaka, Shimokitazawa and Koenji all reward aimless walking
- Reach Senso-ji in Asakusa at sunrise, before the tour groups arrive
- Day-trip to Nara for the free-roaming deer and the Great Buddha at Todai-ji
- Pair Hiroshima's Peace Memorial Museum with the floating torii gate on Miyajima
- Eat late — a 2am bowl of ramen is a legitimate cultural experience
- Time your trip with a matsuri; summer in particular is packed with local festivals
- Take a local train into the countryside with no fixed plan and get off somewhere small
Transportation
Rail is the easiest way to get around Japan, and you really only need two decisions: an IC card for daily travel and a plan for the long legs. Pick up a rechargeable IC card when you land — Welcome Suica or Tourist PASMO are sold to visitors at airport and major-station counters, or you can add Suica or PASMO straight to an iPhone or Android wallet, which is simpler, tops up instantly and lasts longer than the 28-day visitor cards. One tap covers local trains, subways, buses, coin lockers and convenience stores nationwide. For long distances the Shinkansen is fast, punctual and worth the fare, but reserve seats ahead in peak seasons and around Japanese holidays. Do the maths on the Japan Rail Pass before buying: since the 2023 increase it only pays off on multi-region trips with several long bullet-train legs, and from 1 October 2026 it costs more through travel agents than through the official JR purchase site. From the airports, take the Narita Express or Keisei Skyliner from Narita, and the Tokyo Monorail or Keikyu line from Haneda.
Accommodation
Japan covers every budget and standards stay high even at the cheap end. Business hotels are small, spotless and excellent value; hostels and capsule hotels go cheaper still; machiya townhouses, design hotels and long-running family inns fill the middle. Spend at least one night in a ryokan for tatami rooms, an onsen soak and a multi-course kaiseki dinner — it is the most memorable stay in the country and worth building the itinerary around. Book far ahead for cherry blossom season, autumn colour, Golden Week and New Year, when the best places in Kyoto and Tokyo sell out months in advance. Many cities and prefectures also add a local accommodation tax to the room rate, and Kyoto raised its top tier in 2026, so check whether it is included when comparing prices.
Food
Eating is reason enough to come. Sushi, ramen, tempura, udon, okonomiyaki, yakitori, katsu, kaiseki, wagyu and matcha sweets are only the outline, and regional specialities are worth routing a trip around: takoyaki and kushikatsu in Osaka, tonkotsu ramen in Fukuoka, layered Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki, and seafood and dairy in Hokkaido. Prices are gentler than most visitors expect — a superb bowl of ramen or a neighbourhood set lunch costs a fraction of the equivalent in Europe or North America. Look for small places with a queue of locals and a ticket machine by the door, eat standing at station soba counters when you are short on time, and do not skip convenience stores or depachika food halls in department store basements, which are genuinely excellent. Vegetarians and vegans should plan a little, since dashi (fish stock) hides in many otherwise meat-free dishes.
Estimated budget
Budget
Hostels, capsule or business hotels, convenience-store breakfasts, ramen and set lunches, local trains and overnight buses between cities. Japan is very manageable at this level once flights are paid.
Mid-range
Business hotels plus a ryokan night, sit-down meals twice a day, Shinkansen between cities and a few paid attractions. This is where most first trips land.
Luxury
High-end ryokan and city hotels, omakase counters and kaiseki dinners, Green Car seats, private guides and chartered day trips.
Budget notes are qualitative on purpose — figures are added only from tracked, real trips.
Japan travel tips
- Carry some cash. Card and IC acceptance keeps growing, but small restaurants, shrines, markets and rural buses are still often cash-only — 7-Eleven and Japan Post ATMs reliably take foreign cards.
- Sort data before you land. An eSIM or pocket wifi means maps, train apps and translation work from the moment you clear customs.
- Put your IC card on your phone. Mobile Suica or PASMO in an Apple or Google wallet tops up instantly and outlasts the 28-day visitor cards.
- Japan's international tourist tax rose from ¥1,000 to ¥3,000 per departure on 1 July 2026. It is normally bundled into your airfare rather than paid at the airport.
- Tax-free shopping changes on 1 November 2026: you pay the full tax-inclusive price in store and claim the refund at the airport on departure. The ¥5,000 minimum per shop per day still applies, so keep your passport and receipts together.
- Send your luggage ahead. Takkyubin forwarding between hotels is cheap, usually next-day, and makes Shinkansen and city transfers far less stressful than hauling a big case.
- Learn the short etiquette list: no tipping, no phone calls on trains, shoes off where indicated, and don't eat while walking in crowded streets.
- Book headline attractions the moment tickets are released — teamLab, the Ghibli Museum, Ghibli Park and sought-after restaurants go weeks ahead.
- Climbing Mount Fuji? The official season is short (roughly early July to early September) and all four main routes now charge a ¥4,000 entry fee, with a daily climber cap and overnight-hut rules on the Yoshida Trail.
- Visa-free entry still applies to many nationalities, and JESTA — Japan's planned electronic travel authorisation — is not yet in force. Check the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan site before booking, as it is expected later this decade.
- Use station coin lockers on transit days so you can explore hands-free between check-out and check-in.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a visa to visit Japan?
Citizens of more than 70 countries and regions — including the UK, US, Canada, Australia and most of the EU — can currently enter visa-free for short tourist stays, but it depends on your passport. Japan has approved JESTA, an electronic travel authorisation similar to the US ESTA, but it is not yet in force and is expected later this decade. Always confirm on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan website before booking.
What is the best time to visit Japan?
Late March to May and October to November bring the most comfortable weather along with cherry blossom and autumn colour — and the biggest crowds and prices. May, early June and late November are good compromises. Winter is quiet and clear outside the ski resorts and the New Year holiday.
How many days do you need in Japan?
Ten to fourteen days suits a first trip: enough for Tokyo, Kyoto and one or two additions such as Osaka, Nara, Hakone or Hiroshima. Seven days works well if you stay within one region instead of crossing the country.
Is the JR Pass worth it in 2026?
Often not. Since the large 2023 price increase the nationwide pass only pays off when you cover several long Shinkansen legs in a short window — for example adding Hiroshima or Fukuoka to a Tokyo–Kyoto trip. A straightforward Tokyo–Kyoto–Osaka loop is usually cheaper on individual tickets. Add up your actual route first, and note that from 1 October 2026 the pass costs more bought through travel agents than through the official JR purchase site.
Is Japan expensive?
Less than most people expect. Flights and accommodation are the main costs, while food, local transport and many attractions are very reasonable — the quality-to-price ratio for eating out is exceptional. Long-distance Shinkansen fares are the one thing that adds up quickly.
Should I get a Suica or a PASMO card?
Either. They are interoperable and work on the same trains, buses and shops nationwide. The simplest option is adding Suica or PASMO to your phone wallet, which tops up instantly. If you prefer a physical card, Welcome Suica and Tourist PASMO are sold to visitors at airport and major-station counters; visitor cards are valid for 28 days and are not refundable.
Do I need cash in Japan?
Some, yes. Cities are steadily going cashless, but small restaurants, temples, markets and rural transport are often cash-only. Withdraw from 7-Eleven or Japan Post ATMs, which accept foreign cards reliably.
Do I need to speak Japanese?
No. Signage in cities and across the rail network is bilingual, major stations announce in English, and translation apps handle menus well. A few words — sumimasen, arigatou gozaimasu — go a long way, and rural areas simply need a little more patience.
Is Japan safe for solo travellers?
Japan is consistently rated among the safest countries for solo and female travellers, with very low street crime and reliable late-night transport in the cities. Normal precautions still apply, but lost property is famously likely to be handed in.
Is there a tourist tax in Japan?
Yes. A national international tourist tax of ¥3,000 per person applies on departure from 1 July 2026, up from ¥1,000, and it is normally included in your airfare. Many cities and prefectures also charge a small per-night accommodation tax, which may be collected at check-in rather than shown in the advertised room rate.
