Japan travel guides
62 guides on cities, budget, transport and much more
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Plan your tripTravelling to Japan for the first time: complete guideThe umbrella guide to prepare your first trip to Japan step by step: documents, dates, budget, itinerary, transport, internet, money and customs.
Budget and moneyHow much does it cost to travel to Japan?A real breakdown of prices per person and day: flights, accommodation, transport, food and extras to budget your trip.
Plan your tripWhen to travel to Japan? Seasons and pricesSakura spring, cheap summer, balanced autumn or quiet winter — compare climate, tourism and prices to choose the best date.
Plan your tripJapan itinerary in 14 daysTwo weeks to add Hakone, more Kyoto and the Hiroshima–Miyajima combination: a day-by-day itinerary with bookable activities and an indicative budget.Plan your trip
- Travelling to Japan for the first time: complete guideThe umbrella guide to prepare your first trip to Japan step by step: documents, dates, budget, itinerary, transport, internet, money and customs.
- Japan itinerary: 7, 10, 14 or 21 daysCompare the four most common routes through Japan by the days you have, with an indicative budget for each and a link to the full day-by-day itinerary.
- Japan itinerary in 7 daysA one-week Tokyo–Kyoto–Osaka route day by day, with bookable activities, an indicative budget and tips to make the most of your first visit.
- Japan itinerary in 10 daysThe standard route for a first visit: Tokyo, Kyoto, Nara and Osaka day by day, with bookable activities, an indicative budget and transport tips.
- Japan itinerary in 14 daysTwo weeks to add Hakone, more Kyoto and the Hiroshima–Miyajima combination: a day-by-day itinerary with bookable activities and an indicative budget.
- Japan itinerary in 21 daysThree weeks on an open-jaw route from Tokyo to Fukuoka via Nikko, Kanazawa and Hiroshima: a day-by-day itinerary, bookable activities and a budget.
- When to travel to Japan? Seasons and pricesSakura spring, cheap summer, balanced autumn or quiet winter — compare climate, tourism and prices to choose the best date.
- Japan in spring: weather, sakura, prices and Golden WeekTravelling to Japan from March to May: weather, sakura, how much prices rise, when to book and how to dodge Golden Week.
- Japan in summer: heat, rain, festivals and ObonTravelling to Japan from June to August: the rainy season, the heat, the festivals, Hokkaido as an alternative and Obon.
- Japan in autumn: weather, koyo and the best month to travelTravelling to Japan from September to November: October's balance, November's koyo and what to expect in September.
- Japan in winter: lowest prices, snowy onsen and skiingTravelling to Japan from December to February: the cheapest months, onsen in the snow, skiing in Hokkaido and New Year.
- When to visit Kyoto: seasons, prices and what to expectSakura in spring, Gion Matsuri in summer, momiji in autumn or quiet winter: what each season offers and when hotels are cheapest.
- Cherry blossoms in Japan: when and where to see themWhen the cherry trees bloom in Japan: bloom calendar city by city, the best places to see the sakura and how to plan your hanami.
- Momiji in Japan: when and where to see the autumn leavesWhen to see the momiji in Japan: when the autumn leaves change colour region by region, the best places (Kyoto, Nikko, Tohoku) and how to plan the trip.
- How many days in Tokyo you need: from 3 to 7 daysWhat each option gives you: real itineraries for a first visit, a combined trip through Japan or when Tokyo is the main destination.
- How many days in Kyoto: from 2 to 5 days with itineraryWhat each option gives you: Gion, Arashiyama, Fushimi Inari and the most important temples distributed by the time you have.
- Japan with kids: complete family travel guideIs Japan a good destination with kids? Yes. What to see, where to stay, how to get around and the best places for families. Practical tips for all ages.
Budget and money
- How much does it cost to travel to Japan?A real breakdown of prices per person and day: flights, accommodation, transport, food and extras to budget your trip.
- How to save on a trip to JapanHow to cut spending without giving anything up: konbinis, JR Pass, eSIM, peripheral accommodation and season.
- Money in Japan: cash, cards and ATMsHow to pay in Japan: cash vs card, where to withdraw yen (7-Eleven and post-office ATMs), fee-free cards and how much money to bring.
- Withdrawing cash in Japan: ATMs that accept foreign cardsWhich ATMs in Japan accept foreign cards, what fees and limits they have and whether to exchange money at home or there.
- Tax-free shopping in Japan: the November 2026 changeHow to shop without the 10% tax in Japan and what changes with the airport refund from 1 November 2026.
Getting around
- JR Pass: what it is, how much it costs and whether it is worth itWhich trains it covers, prices for 7, 14 and 21 days, and how to work out whether it pays off for your route through Japan.
- How to buy and activate the JR PassWhere to buy the JR Pass, how to exchange and activate it on arrival in Japan, how to reserve seats and when to start using it.
- Regional JR passes: which to choose and what they costWhen a regional JR pass beats the nationwide one, the area each covers, how long it lasts and its indicative price.
- Transport in Japan: Shinkansen, metro and IC cardHow to get around Japan: Shinkansen, Tokyo metro, Suica card, JR Pass and night buses. Everything you need to get around without getting lost.
- Suica or Pasmo: the IC transport card in JapanWhat the Suica or Pasmo card is, how they differ, how to use it, what the Welcome Suica for tourists is and whether you can buy it this year.
- Welcome Suica: the IC card for tourists in JapanHow the Welcome Suica differs from a regular Suica, where to buy it, the Pasmo Passport and the Welcome Suica Mobile for iPhone.
- How to get around Tokyo: metro, Suica and transportA complete guide to transport in Tokyo: how to use the metro, what the Suica is, the difference between JR and private metro, and the apps you need.
- Narita or Haneda: which to choose and how to reach TokyoDifferences between Tokyo's two airports, time and cost of the transfer to the centre, and all the transport options from each.
- Flights to Japan: airlines, stopovers and priceComplete guide: airlines with stopovers, total trip duration, average price by season and when to buy the cheapest ticket.
Cities and places
- What to see in Japan: the best places to visitThe essential places in Japan: Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, Hiroshima, Nara, Hakone and unique experiences you will not find anywhere else. Complete guide by city.
- The best cities in Japan to visitTokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, Hiroshima, Nara and more: how to choose your route based on the time and budget available.
- Where to stay in Tokyo? The best areasShinjuku, Shibuya, Asakusa, Ueno, Akihabara and Ginza: a comparison of neighbourhoods with prices, advantages and who each area suits.
- Kyoto or Osaka: where to stay and how to combine the two citiesA comparison of prices, atmosphere and connections. How to visit both without duplicating accommodation.
- Fushimi Inari: complete guide to visiting the torii tunnelsHow much time you need, how to get there, what time to go to avoid crowds and how far up the mountain to climb.
- Seeing geishas in Gion: where, when and how to do it respectfullyThe best streets in Gion, the most likely times and the rules of behaviour so as not to disturb the maiko and geiko.
- Theme parks in Japan: Disney, Universal and moreGuide to Japan's theme parks: Tokyo Disney (Disneyland and DisneySea), Universal Studios Japan with Super Nintendo World, teamLab and more, with how to buy tickets.
- Tokyo Disney: Disneyland or DisneySea, prices and ticketsHow Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo DisneySea differ, what the ticket costs, how to buy it in advance and how to skip the queues.
- Universal Studios Japan: Super Nintendo World and ticketsWhat Universal Studios Japan in Osaka offers, how access to Super Nintendo World works, the indicative price and when the Express Pass is worth it.
Day trips
- Day trip to Kamakura from Tokyo: complete guideHow to get there by train, what to see in a day (Great Buddha, Hase-dera, Enoshima), step-by-step itinerary and real budget.
- Day trip to Nara from Kyoto: how to go, what to see and the cost45 minutes by train: free-roaming deer, the largest bronze Great Buddha in the world and an exceptional historic park. Itinerary and budget.
- Mount Fuji from Tokyo: how to see it on a day tripHow to see Mount Fuji from Tokyo: day trip to Kawaguchiko, how to get there, the best viewpoints (Chureito, Oishi Park) and when it is clear.
- Climbing Mount Fuji: season, climbing fee and rulesWhen the Fuji climbing trails open, the fee and daily cap on the Yoshida trail, the night closure of the trails and what to book in advance.
Culture and customs
- Customs of Japan: etiquette and what not to doThe etiquette rules and the things best avoided in Japan: transport, chopsticks, tipping, shoes, temples and onsen, explained with respect.
- What to eat in Japan: typical dishes and where to try themThe essential Japanese dishes (ramen, sushi, takoyaki, tempura), each city's specialities and where and how to order them without knowing Japanese.
- Restaurants in Japan: types and ordering without JapaneseWhat each type of restaurant in Japan is and how to order, pay and eat without speaking Japanese.
- Onsen in Japan: what they are, etiquette, tattoos and where to goWhat an onsen is and how it differs from a sento, the etiquette step by step, what to do if you have tattoos and the best hot-spring towns in Japan.
- Onsen with tattoos in Japan: what to do and where to batheWhy many onsen do not allow tattoos and how to bathe anyway: cover patches, private baths and baths that accept them.
- Festivals of Japan: complete calendar by monthThe best festivals in Japan month by month: sakura, Gion Matsuri, Obon, fireworks, snow in Sapporo and more. Dates, cities and tips for planning.
- Basic Japanese phrases for touristsThe 50 most useful Japanese phrases for travelling: greetings, restaurants, transport, shopping and emergencies. With romaji pronunciation.
- Do you need Japanese to get around Tokyo?The reality of the language in Tokyo: where English works, where it does not, the apps that solve 90% of situations and the basic Japanese worth learning.
- Tipping in Japan: it is not done (and why)In Japan you do not tip in restaurants, taxis or hotels. A complete guide with the only exceptions and the practice of kokorozuke in a ryokan.
Before you leave
- Do I need a visa to travel to Japan?Do you need a visa for Japan? No, for up to 90 days. Tourist exemption, Visit Japan Web, the new JESTA system and visa types step by step.
- Visit Japan Web: registering and arriving in JapanWhat Visit Japan Web is for, how to register in five steps and what immigration and customs are like when you land in Japan.
- What to pack for Japan: complete packing listWhat to pack for Japan? Complete list: documents, clothing by season, electronics, medication and what you can leave at home or buy there.
- Do you need travel insurance for Japan?Why insurance for Japan is worth it, why the European health card does not cover the country and which cover to compare before choosing yours.
- Plugs in Japan: plug type, voltage and adaptersWhat plug does Japan use? Type A, 100 V and 50/60 Hz. We explain whether you need an adapter from Europe and which devices work without a transformer.
- Internet in Japan: eSIM, tourist SIM or pocket WiFiA complete comparison of the internet options in Japan: eSIM (Airalo, Holafly), tourist SIM and pocket WiFi. Real prices, pros and cons, and which to choose.
- eSIM for Japan: internet from landingA specific guide to the eSIM for Japan: what it is, which phones work, how to activate it step by step, how much data to budget and when it beats pocket WiFi and the physical SIM.
- Japan dialling code (+81) and how to callJapan's dialling code is +81. How to call from abroad, how to call home from Japan and the emergency numbers (110 and 119).
- Clothing sizes in Japan: EU to JP converterConvert your clothing and footwear sizes to Japan. Tables for women, men and footwear with EU, UK, US and JP equivalents.
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