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Japan travel guide

Most countries give you one thing to fall in love with. Japan gives you a megacity, a thousand temples, powder snow, subtropical islands and a thousand-year pilgrimage route, and puts trains between them that leave to the second. It is the rare country people fly to for itself, and the rare one where the logistics are a pleasure rather than a tax.

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Map of Japan showing Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, Hiroshima, Kanazawa, Fukuoka
6 local guides · Google Maps · select the map to see them

Quick facts about Japan

Best time:
Late March – May and October – November
Places to visit:
6 crafted local guides
Visa:
Visa-free for 90 days for most Western nationalities
Currency:
Japanese yen (¥ / JPY)
Start in:
Tokyo — the widest choice of long-haul flights and the gentlest introduction to the rail system
Trip length:
2–3 weeks
Language:
Japanese. English signage on all rail; spoken English patchy outside hotels
Time zone:
JST (UTC+9), no daylight saving
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Who it's for

Is Japan right for your trip?

Every country is somebody's favourite. The honest question is whether it is yours, and for this trip.

This is your trip if…

  • You want cities and countryside in one trip without renting a car.
  • You like transport that works: a 250 km/h train every ten minutes, timed to the minute, is the default here.
  • You care about food but not about spending on it — the €8 lunch is the national art form.
  • You travel with kids: safe, clean, stroller-friendly stations, and the toilets alone justify the flight.
  • You want a country that rewards a second and third visit rather than one you tick off.

Think twice if…

  • You want a lie-on-the-beach holiday. Okinawa exists, but that is not what Japan is for.
  • You need everything in English and on a card — cash is still normal in the countryside and rural inns.
  • You are on a tight budget and want to see all four main islands in ten days. The rail fares add up fast.
  • You dislike rules. Queues, quiet carriages, no eating while walking: the etiquette is real and people notice.

Best time to visit

When is the best time to visit Japan?

Late March – May and October – November. Spring and autumn are the answer, and everyone knows it — cherry blossom (late March in Kyoto and Tokyo) and autumn colour (mid-November) are the two most crowded, most expensive fortnights of the year. Late May and October give you the same weather with a third of the people. Summer is hot, humid and punctuated by typhoons; winter is dry, bright and superb in the mountains.

  1. Cherry blossom

    Late March – mid April

    Best

    Peak Japan, peak prices, peak crowds. Book Kyoto stays six months out. The bloom moves north — Tokyo and Kyoto first, Tohoku by late April, Hokkaido in May.

  2. Late spring

    Mid April – mid June

    Best

    Warm, green, fewer tourists after Golden Week (29 April – 5 May, avoid — the whole country travels). The rainy season starts in Kyushu in early June and reaches Tokyo mid-month.

  3. Summer

    Late June – mid September

    Mixed

    32 °C with 75 % humidity in the cities. Worth it only for the summer festivals, the Alps, or Hokkaido, which is pleasant. Typhoon season peaks August–September and does cancel trains.

  4. Autumn

    October – early December

    Best

    Clear skies, 15–22 °C, and the maples turn from late October (mountains) to late November (Kyoto). October is the single best month for an itinerary that mixes cities and hiking.

  5. Winter

    December – February

    Good

    Dry and bright on the Pacific side, deep snow on the Japan Sea side and in Hokkaido. Ski, onsen, Sapporo Snow Festival. Cities are cold but empty and cheap. New Year (29 Dec – 3 Jan) closes much of the country.

Climate · monthly normals

TokyoDaily high – low, °CPrecipitation, mm
0°10°20°30°40°31°1°0125250235 mmJFMAMJJASONDJanuary: 10° / 1° · 60 mmFebruary: 11° / 2° · 57 mmMarch: 14° / 5° · 116 mmApril: 19° / 10° · 134 mmMay: 24° / 15° · 140 mmJune: 26° / 19° · 168 mmJuly: 30° / 22° · 156 mmAugust: 31° / 24° · 155 mmSeptember: 28° / 20° · 225 mmOctober: 22° / 14° · 235 mmNovember: 17° / 8° · 96 mmDecember: 12° / 4° · 58 mm

Representative for Kyoto and Osaka too; the Japan Sea coast and Hokkaido run colder and snowier.

For contrast

SapporoDaily high – low, °CPrecipitation, mm
-10°0°10°20°30°26°-6°075150142 mmJFMAMJJASONDJanuary: 0° / -6° · 108 mmFebruary: 0° / -6° · 92 mmMarch: 5° / -2° · 78 mmApril: 12° / 3° · 55 mmMay: 18° / 9° · 56 mmJune: 22° / 13° · 60 mmJuly: 25° / 18° · 91 mmAugust: 26° / 19° · 127 mmSeptember: 23° / 15° · 142 mmOctober: 16° / 8° · 110 mmNovember: 9° / 2° · 114 mmDecember: 2° / -4° · 115 mm

Hokkaido: a different climate zone — real winters, mild summers.

Festivals and events

Calendar and cultural context

Dates a plan should either aim for or steer clear of. Both are useful; the second saves more money.

  1. Late March – early April (Tokyo, Kyoto); late April – May further north

    Hanami (cherry blossom viewing)

    Everywhere; Kyoto's Philosopher's Path, Tokyo's Meguro River and Ueno Park, Hirosaki Castle in Aomori

    The national picnic. Not a festival so much as a two-week mood the whole country shares.

    The forecast moves every year by a week or two. Book stays, then decide cities day by day.

  2. 14–15 April

    Takayama Spring Festival

    Takayama, Gifu

    Elaborate carved floats with marionettes, in a preserved Edo-era town. One of Japan's three most beautiful festivals.

    Takayama has few beds. Book a year out or day-trip from Nagoya or Kanazawa.

  3. Whole of July; grand processions 17 and 24 July

    Gion Matsuri

    Kyoto

    A thousand-year-old festival with 30-tonne floats hauled through the old city. The three evenings before each procession (yoiyama) are the best part: streets closed, lanterns lit, everyone in yukata.

    Kyoto is humid and full. Come for yoiyama, then leave for the mountains.

  4. 24–25 July

    Tenjin Matsuri

    Osaka

    Boats, fire and fireworks on the river — Osaka's louder answer to Gion.

  5. 2–7 August

    Nebuta Matsuri

    Aomori (Tohoku)

    Enormous illuminated paper warriors on floats, drums, and a crowd that is invited to dance along. The best reason to visit Tohoku in summer.

    Combine with Akita's Kanto (3–6 Aug) and Sendai's Tanabata (6–8 Aug) — the three run back to back.

  6. 13–16 August (most regions)

    Obon

    Nationwide; Gujo Odori in Gujo Hachiman dances all night

    The festival of the dead: bon-odori dances in every neighbourhood, lanterns on rivers, and Kyoto's Daimonji fire on 16 August.

    Domestic travel peaks. Trains and inns sell out; treat it like Golden Week.

  7. Late October (Alps, Nikko) to late November (Kyoto, Tokyo)

    Autumn leaves (koyo)

    Kyoto's Tofuku-ji and Arashiyama, Nikko, the Kiso Valley

    The spring crowds, in reverse. Kyoto in the third week of November is arguably its most beautiful — and its busiest.

  8. Early February (about a week)

    Sapporo Snow Festival

    Sapporo, Hokkaido

    Building-sized ice and snow sculptures in Odori Park. Pairs with a Niseko or Furano ski week.

    Sapporo hotels triple in price; stay in Otaru or book early.

Where to go

Where should you go in Japan?

The places that earn their nights, most important first, with how long each deserves. Nobody needs all of them on one trip.

City and local guides

6 worked-out stops
Map of Japan showing Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, Hiroshima, Kanazawa, Fukuoka
6 local guides · Google Maps

Map numbers match the local guide cards.

  1. Tokyo

    Kanto

    01
    city5 days

    Not one city but a hundred neighbourhoods on a single rail map — Shinjuku, Shibuya, Yanaka, Shimokitazawa, Kiyosumi. Give it time on the first visit and stay near a Yamanote line station. Skip the Skytree; take the free Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building observation deck instead.

    Best time: Late March–May and October–November

    Explore Tokyo

  2. Kyoto

    Kansai

    02
    city4 days

    The Japan of the postcards, and the most crowded place in the country between 10 am and 4 pm. Go to Fushimi Inari at 7 am, Arashiyama at dusk, and spend the middle of the day in the north (Kurama, Ohara) where the coaches do not reach.

    Best time: April–May and October–November

    Explore Kyoto

  3. Osaka

    Kansai

    03
    city2–3 days

    Fifteen minutes from Kyoto by train and its opposite in temperament. Come for Dotonbori at night, okonomiyaki and kushikatsu, and use it as the base for Nara and Himeji. Cheaper hotels than Kyoto and easier to book.

    Best time: April–May and October–November

    Explore Osaka

  4. Hiroshima

    Chugoku

    04
    city2 nights

    The Peace Memorial Museum is the most important hour of the trip; Miyajima, forty minutes away, is the gentlest. Stay a night on the island after the day-trippers leave.

    Best time: March–May and October–November

    Explore Hiroshima

  5. Kanazawa

    Hokuriku

    05
    city2–3 days

    Samurai and geisha districts, Kenroku-en garden, a fish market and the 21st Century Museum, two and a half hours from Tokyo on the Hokuriku Shinkansen. The best-value stop on any first itinerary.

    Best time: April–May and October–November

    Explore Kanazawa

  6. Fukuoka

    Kyushu

    06
    city2–3 days

    A compact food city facing Korea across the water.

    Best time: March–May and October–November

    Explore Fukuoka

Regions and wider stops

  1. The Japanese Alps

    Takayama, Shirakawa-go and the Kiso Valley

    01
    region2–3 days

    Thatched villages, preserved post towns and the Nakasendo trail between Magome and Tsumago — a three-hour walk anyone can do. The obvious way to break the Tokyo–Kyoto journey without the shinkansen.

    Best for: hiking · villages · autumn

  2. Hakone & Mount Fuji

    Onsen, ropeways and the mountain (weather permitting)

    02
    nature1–2 days

    The classic hot-spring stop between Tokyo and Kyoto. A ryokan night with a kaiseki dinner is the point; the Fuji view is a lottery outside winter. The Fuji Five Lakes (Kawaguchiko) give better odds of the mountain and fewer coaches.

    Best for: onsen · ryokan · with kids

  3. Hokkaido

    Powder snow, lavender fields, and space

    03
    region5–7 days

    A different country: wide roads, dairy farms, bears, and the best skiing in Asia (Niseko, Furano). Summer is the escape from the mainland's humidity. Rent a car — the rail network is thin outside Sapporo.

    Best for: skiing · road trips · summer escape

  4. Kyushu

    Volcanoes, hot springs and Fukuoka's food stalls

    04
    region4–6 days

    Fukuoka (ramen, yatai), Beppu and Kurokawa (onsen), Mount Aso, Kagoshima under its smoking volcano. Warmer, cheaper and emptier than Honshu; the Nishi-Kyushu shinkansen makes Nagasaki easy.

    Best for: onsen · food · second visit

  5. Okinawa

    Subtropical Japan, closer to Taipei than Tokyo

    05
    island4–5 days

    Coral reefs, Ryukyu culture and a different pace entirely. Fly from Tokyo (2.5 h) or Osaka. The outer islands (Ishigaki, Miyako) are the reason to come; Naha itself is a stopover.

    Best for: beaches · diving · with kids

Things to do

What should you do in Japan?

The handful of things that make the destination distinctive, with the timing catch that stops people doing them well.

  1. 01

    A night in a ryokan with dinner

    Hakone, Kinosaki, Kurokawa or anywhere in the Alps

    Tatami, yukata, a multi-course kaiseki dinner and an onsen at midnight. One night is enough; two is better. Book with dinner included — the meal is half the point.

  2. 02

    Fushimi Inari before the crowds

    Kyoto

    Ten thousand vermilion gates up a mountainside. At 7 am you have them to yourself; by 10 am it is a queue. Walk to the top — most people turn back after the first third.

  3. 03

    The Nakasendo trail, Magome to Tsumago

    Kiso Valley, Nagano

    Three hours on a preserved Edo highway between two post towns, with a luggage-forwarding service so you walk with a day pack. The best half-day in Japan for the effort.

  4. 04

    Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum

    Hiroshima

    Unsentimental, precise and necessary. Go early, allow two hours, and give yourself the afternoon on Miyajima afterwards.

  5. 05

    A sumo tournament or morning practice

    Tokyo (January, May, September), Osaka (March), Nagoya (July), Fukuoka (November)

    Fifteen-day tournaments; tickets go on sale about a month ahead and the cheap upper seats are fine. Outside tournament season, a stable's morning practice in Ryogoku is the alternative.

  6. 06

    Naoshima's art islands

    Seto Inland Sea, from Okayama or Takamatsu

    Tadao Ando museums, a Yayoi Kusama pumpkin on a pier, and the Chichu museum's Monets lit only by daylight. Stay a night; the day-trip version misses the evening.

  7. 07

    Depachika and the €10 lunch

    Any department-store basement; any station

    The food halls under Isetan or Takashimaya are the best food shopping in the world. The set-lunch culture (teishoku) means a serious meal for the price of a sandwich at home.

  8. 08

    Koya-san temple stay

    Mount Koya, Wakayama — 2 h from Osaka

    A night in a Buddhist monastery, vegetarian shojin ryori dinner, 6 am prayers, and a walk through the Okunoin cemetery under 300-year-old cedars. The quiet counterweight to Kyoto.

  9. 09

    Skiing Hokkaido powder

    Niseko, Furano, Rusutsu

    Fourteen metres of dry snow a season, onsen at the bottom of every lift, and lift passes half the Alpine price. January and February.

How to get around

How do you get around Japan?

Japan is a rail country. The shinkansen network links Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, Hiroshima, Kanazawa, Sendai and Hakodate at 250–320 km/h, on time to the minute, and regional trains fill in the rest. Rent a car only for Hokkaido, rural Kyushu, the Noto peninsula or the Alps' back roads. Fly for Okinawa and for Tokyo–Sapporo. In cities, one IC card (Suica or Pasmo, now on your phone) pays for every metro, bus and convenience store in the country.

Shinkansen and JR

Buy seats on the SmartEX app (Tokaido/Sanyo line: Tokyo–Kyoto–Hiroshima) or at any JR ticket machine; reserved seats are worth the €3. Tokyo–Kyoto 2 h 15 min, about €85; Kyoto–Hiroshima 1 h 40 min. Regional lines are slower but scenic (the Hida line to Takayama, the Kisoji).

Rule of thumb: Any Honshu city pair under four hours by train → train. Book reserved seats in peak season a month ahead.

Domestic flights

Worth it for Okinawa, Hokkaido from Tokyo (the train takes 8 h), and Kyushu from Tokyo. ANA and JAL sell foreigner-only fares (Experience Japan / Explorer) at flat rates around €60–90. Haneda is the airport you want, not Narita.

Rule of thumb: Over five hours by train, or crossing water to Okinawa → fly.

Driving

International Driving Permit (1949 convention) required — get it before you leave; some nationalities (Germany, France, Switzerland) need a Japanese translation instead. Left-hand drive, tolls are high (Tokyo–Kyoto about €70), ETC card from the rental desk. Makes sense in Hokkaido, Kyushu, Noto and the Alps.

Rule of thumb: Countryside with thin rail (Hokkaido, rural Kyushu, Noto) → car. Cities and the Tokyo–Osaka corridor → never.

Highway and local buses

Willer Express and JR Bus run overnight coaches Tokyo–Kyoto for €25–50 — the budget alternative to the shinkansen. Local buses serve Kyoto's temples (flat fare, get a day pass) and the Alps between Takayama, Shirakawa-go and Kanazawa.

Ferries

The Seto Inland Sea (Naoshima, Miyajima, Shodoshima) and long-distance overnight ferries to Hokkaido and Kyushu. Miyajima's ferry is included on JR passes.

In the cities

Suica or Pasmo on your phone (Apple Wallet supports it directly) works on every metro, bus and taxi nationwide. Tokyo's metro is two companies on one map; a 24-hour combined ticket is about €10. Taxis are honest, expensive and have automatic doors. Kyoto is a bus-and-bike city.

Passes and cards, honestly

  • JR Pass (7/14/21 days, from about €320): since the 2023 price rise it pays off only if you do Tokyo–Kyoto–Hiroshima–Tokyo or more inside seven days. Do the maths; most two-week itineraries lose money on it.
  • Regional JR passes (Kansai Wide, Hokuriku Arch, JR East Tohoku) are the better value — the Kansai Wide pass at about €70 for five days covers Kyoto, Osaka, Himeji, Kinosaki and Okayama.
  • Hakone Free Pass (2–3 days) covers the whole loop of train, cable car, ropeway, boat and bus from Shinjuku.
  • Tokyo Subway 24/48/72-hour tickets, sold only to foreign visitors, are the cheapest way round the capital.

Travel tips

What should you know before you go?

The things locals assume you know. Most travellers learn them by getting one wrong on day two.

Cash is not dead
Cards now work in cities, on trains and in chains, but rural inns, small restaurants, temples and many taxis want yen. Withdraw at 7-Eleven or Japan Post ATMs, which take foreign cards; bank ATMs often do not.
Shoes off, and know when
Genkan (entrance step), tatami rooms, temples, some restaurants. If there is a step up and slippers lined up, take yours off. Never wear the toilet slippers back out.
Quiet in public
No phone calls on trains, no eating while walking, no loud conversation on the metro. Japanese cities are astonishingly quiet for their size and people keep them that way.
Tipping is not a thing
Do not tip — it confuses and mildly offends. Excellent service is the baseline, not a transaction.
Onsen etiquette
Wash sitting down before entering the bath. Naked, no swimwear. Tattoos are still banned at many public baths — check, or book a private bath (kashikiri) at your ryokan.
Rubbish bins do not exist
Carry your wrappers home. Convenience stores have bins for their own products; stations generally do not.
Reservations are formal
Restaurants with a reservation system expect you to keep it; no-shows are a real problem and some places now bar foreign bookings for that reason. Hotels can book for you.

Travel basics

Visa, money, SIM cards and more

The boring section, which is why it is the one people skip and then regret at the airport.

visa

Visa

EU, UK, US, Canadian and Australian citizens get 90 days visa-free. Carry your passport at all times — it is legally required and hotels will ask for it.

money

Money

Yen. Cards accepted in cities and on rail; carry ¥20,000–30,000 in cash for the countryside. 7-Eleven ATMs are everywhere and take European cards. Tax-free shopping over ¥5,000 at marked shops with your passport.

connectivity

SIM and data

Buy an eSIM before you fly (Ubigi, Airalo, or a Japanese provider) — cheaper and faster than airport counters. Wi-Fi is decent in hotels and stations, poor in cafés. Google Maps handles trains with platform numbers; Japan Transit Planner (Jorudan) is the local favourite.

plugs

Plugs and power

Type A (flat two-pin, as in the US) at 100 V. European chargers need an adapter; most laptop and phone chargers handle the voltage.

safety

Safety

One of the safest countries in the world. Lost wallets come back with the cash in them. The real risks are earthquakes (the phone alert system works — follow it) and summer typhoons, which cancel trains for a day.

health

Health and pharmacies

Tap water is drinkable everywhere. Hospitals are excellent; travel insurance is essential because they will bill you in full. Bring your own medication with a doctor's note — some common Western drugs (pseudoephedrine, some ADHD medication) are restricted.

language

Language

English on all transport signage, menus in tourist areas, and almost nowhere else. Google Translate's camera mode handles menus; a few phrases (sumimasen, arigatou gozaimasu) open every door.

customs

Luggage forwarding

Takkyubin (Yamato) sends a suitcase between hotels overnight for about €15. Use it — shinkansen luggage space is limited and reservations are required for anything over 160 cm combined dimensions.

Trip costs

How much does a trip to Japan cost?

A mid-range trip usually needs about €90–€170 per person per day, before long-haul flights. Japan is cheaper than its reputation for anything except beds in peak season. A superb lunch is €8–12, a metro ride €1.50, a temple €4. The costs that bite are Kyoto hotels in April and November (double the off-season rate), shinkansen fares (Tokyo–Kyoto about €85 one way) and ryokan nights with dinner (€150–400 per person). The weak yen has made the country feel about 20 % cheaper for euro travellers since 2022.

Shoestring

€55–80

per person / day

Stay
Hostel dorm or capsule, €25–40
Food
Convenience stores, ramen, standing sushi, €15–20
Transport
Metro day passes, highway buses instead of shinkansen

Entirely doable and not grim: Japanese budget food and lodging are clean, safe and often excellent.

Mid-range

€110–170

per person / day

Stay
Business hotel or well-located 3-star, €80–130 for two
Food
Set lunches, an izakaya dinner, one nice meal a week, €35–50
Transport
Shinkansen between cities, IC card in them

The default. Most of the country's charm sits exactly in this band.

Comfortable

€250–450

per person / day

Stay
Boutique hotel or ryokan with dinner, €250–500 for two
Food
Omakase sushi, kaiseki, a bar with a Michelin star, €100+
Transport
Green car, taxis in cities, the odd domestic flight

Luxury in Japan is quiet rather than showy; the spend goes into inns and food, not shopping.

Sample itineraries

Starting points, not scripts

Use these as conditional starting points. Confirm current access, the operating transport and permissions before committing.

The golden route, done properly

10 days
  1. Tokyo
  2. Hakone
  3. Kyoto
  4. Nara
  5. Osaka

The first-timer's Japan without rushing it: four nights in Tokyo, one ryokan night, four in Kyoto with Nara as a day trip, and a final night in Osaka near the airport.

Free to start · no payment details

Cities, Alps and the Inland Sea

14 days
  1. Tokyo
  2. Kanazawa
  3. Takayama
  4. Kyoto
  5. Naoshima
  6. Hiroshima
  7. Miyajima
  8. Osaka

Two weeks that add the Alps and the Seto Inland Sea to the classic cities. Uses the Hokuriku shinkansen out and the Sanyo line back; luggage forwarded twice.

Free to start · no payment details

Three weeks, two islands

21 days
  1. Tokyo
  2. Nikko
  3. Kanazawa
  4. Kyoto
  5. Koya-san
  6. Hiroshima
  7. Fukuoka
  8. Kurokawa Onsen
  9. Kagoshima

The full first visit: Honshu's cities and temples, then Kyushu's volcanoes and hot springs by rental car. Ends in Kagoshima with a flight back to Tokyo.

Free to start · no payment details

Winter: powder and onsen

10 days
  1. Tokyo
  2. Niseko
  3. Sapporo
  4. Otaru

Five ski days in Niseko, an onsen every evening, two nights in Sapporo timed to the Snow Festival, a day in Otaru. Fly Tokyo–Sapporo both ways.

Free to start · no payment details

Common questions

Quick answers about travel in Japan

Short answers to the questions people ask before they book. Use the full guide for the detail and trade-offs.

When is the best time to visit Japan?
Late March – May and October – November. Spring and autumn are the answer, and everyone knows it — cherry blossom (late March in Kyoto and Tokyo) and autumn colour (mid-November) are the two most crowded, most expensive fortnights of the year. Late May and October give you the same weather with a third of the people. Summer is hot, humid and punctuated by typhoons; winter is dry, bright and superb in the mountains.
How much does a trip to Japan cost?
Plan about €90–€170 per person per day for a mid-range trip, before long-haul flights. Japan is cheaper than its reputation for anything except beds in peak season. A superb lunch is €8–12, a metro ride €1.50, a temple €4. The costs that bite are Kyoto hotels in April and November (double the off-season rate), shinkansen fares (Tokyo–Kyoto about €85 one way) and ryokan nights with dinner (€150–400 per person). The weak yen has made the country feel about 20 % cheaper for euro travellers since 2022.
How do you get around Japan?
Japan is a rail country. The shinkansen network links Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, Hiroshima, Kanazawa, Sendai and Hakodate at 250–320 km/h, on time to the minute, and regional trains fill in the rest. Rent a car only for Hokkaido, rural Kyushu, the Noto peninsula or the Alps' back roads. Fly for Okinawa and for Tokyo–Sapporo. In cities, one IC card (Suica or Pasmo, now on your phone) pays for every metro, bus and convenience store in the country.

More destinations

Where else?

Japan is a good trip. Make it your trip.

Everything on this page is context Menta already has. Add the people going, the dates and what you actually care about, and the plan starts smarter than a blank chat.

Unlimited journeys free. No payment details. Help before and during travel.

Start planning Japan

Guide last reviewed 2026-09. Check visa rules against your own passport before you book.