Japan

Thank you Mary

I am thinking of an Asian cruise for 2025 or 2026. Possibly there will be a Japanese port included.

like yourself I have never been.

Update: I went to ncl.com (Norwegian Cruise Lines) and there are 11 cruises leaving from Tokyo for 2015 should anyone have an interest.

I am flying to Osaka on Saturday! I might report back if it is of interest!

balso, please do report back! Osaka is one of the places I'm considering. Have a great trip!

bostonphil, I've been reading through this blog. They seem to do a lot of cruises with one day excursions into cities. She has many blog entries about cruising in Asia. https://www.themodernpostcard.com/tokyo-day-1-first-impressions-national-museum-ginza-shibuya-crossing/

Thanks, Mary! Very helpful.

I’m taking a land tour through insightful vacations (Australia based) followed by an 11 day Sea of Japan Spring Flowers through Princess in spring 2025 so your info is very useful to me.

We did a wonderful Celebrity cruise from Tokyo Bay to Hong Kong some years ago. Also, we spent about a week in Japan prior to the cruise, going to Nikko a bit north of Tokyo. Also, we did a three day tour by bullet train to Kyoto and Nara.
Do not miss Kyoto, it is amazing.

Hi Mary

Thank you for the link. The author sailed Regent Seven Seas which is a luxury cruise line. it is one of those at the top but it is very expensive and not in my budget.

I am thinking that the excursions offered by her cruise line are superior but also very expensive or maybe included with the price of the cruise.

However, she offers many good tips.

I am glad that you started this thread.

I'm planning a trip to Japan this fall. Plan on going to Tokyo, Osaka, Hiroshima and Okinawa. Will be checking this thread regularly!

GregW, any reason Kyoto isn't on your list?

@ Mary, when I say Osaka, I mean the whole Kansai region. Definitely hope to visit Kyoto as well. Wanted to visit Kyushu as well, but I only have 2 weeks, so too much in that amount of time.

@bostonphil. Remember, there are options out there that may well be less expensive for you than NCL. I know you are their loyal customer and that is your choice. However, don't discount other lines out of hand without actually pricing specific cruises first. There are always bargains to be had if you search long enough.

GregW, are you staying in Osaka and day tripping to Kyoto (or vice versa?). I'm thinking we'll have about 12 days on the ground and likely divide our nights between Tokyo and Kyoto, unless I should spend some nights in Osaka. Not sure yet.

@ Mary I have only started planning, but given my interests, I'd probably stay in Osaka and make a day trip to Kyoto. But that's just me. Some people might well choose the opposite.

As much as I'm a history buff (hence Kyoto) I'm also a foodie, so I'd like to visit Kyoto during the day, and be at Osaka at night along the neon lit Dotonburi with all the food joints.

Bookmarking and I’ll be back when I get t this trip! Planning for 2025, maybe 2026.

I previously visited Japan the summer 1991, so details aren’t great, but I know some of the places and have impressions to share:

I agree Kyoto was amazing.

I think it may have been between Kyoto and Osaka, but I visited the Golden Pavillion and that was extremely memorable.

I enjoyed Osaka too. I recall a great aquarium there.

I went to Tokyo Disney and overall was flat out overwhelmed by Tokyo. Course, at that age I hadn’t been to NYC yet.

I did lots of karaoke in the private rooms which was tons of fun, and totally new to me at that time! I was also shocked by what you could buy from a vending machine and that taxi car doors opened on their own.

I visited Hiroshima just days before the anniversary of the bombing, that was sobering and unbelievably sad.

Though I was in the area, I never actually saw Mt Fuji due to clouds.

I toured a small local paper making business and attended several festivals.

I rode the bullet train too!

The people were so kind and friendly. Very diplomatic and almost excessively polite but very endearing. They walk on the left side of the sidewalk, so that was confusing for a bit. And I stood out and had lots of locals wanting to take their picture with me. And I was introduced to the ofuro tub which, with jet lag gave me the best night of sleep in my life.

I’ll see if I can find the journal so I have some of the details, especially for some of these great places I can’t remember the name or where they were.

I’m very excited to go back and take my husband and kids. We have Tokaido road and on our list!!

If you're a Harry Potter fan, the Wizarding World at Universal Studios is pretty fun. All of the characters speak to you in Japanese! I've heard Tokyo Disney is not great, though.

balso, please do report back! Osaka is one of the places I'm considering. Have a great trip!

Thank you!
I am only using the airport in Osaka, otherwise I am going to Kyoto, Tokyo, Kusatsu Onsen and Hakone. I visited Osaka many years ago and did not fall in love, but August heat did not lend itself to city exploration.

Greg, you will love Okinawa! I lived there for 2 years back in the late 1970's and it was so beautiful!

Mary, thanks for starting this! Japan is definitely on my radar! As I said above, I was there 45 years ago and loved it and have been wanting to go back ever since. I'm thinking maybe 2026 will be a good year for me to go, and I will probably do independent travel (I think, but who knows?). I've been sewing with Japanese patterns for years so it's about time I got back there.

ETA: I forgot I had this--I found this article on transportation in Japan awhile ago and it looks like it's been updated. https://www.lonelyplanet.com/articles/train-travel-trip-japan-planning-guide

Great link, Mardee. For some reason I tend to forget LP has an actual website.

I'm glad this thread may help others to plan. I'm pretty excited, even though I have 3 other trips before this one (to Europe). Asia was something that I planned to get to 5+ years or so from now but about a week ago I felt like I needed to stop putting things off and just go!

So timely. We are definitely traveling to Japan Spring 2025. I want to start my planning soon (have to finish up Portugal in September first).

We will definitely use a tour company, leaning towards InsideJapan, after recommendations from some posters. We are 4 adults and looking at a private tour, thinking similar to Rick’s my way tours. But, will probably go full tour guide cause the other couple are nervous about being in our own. We will discuss and decide this first then move on from there.

But, will probably go full tour guide cause the other couple are nervous about being in our own

if there is one country where you can relax when out and about, it is Japan. Sure, the language barrier is there, but signage is often bilingual, translation apps have made huge progress since my visits in the 2010s, and locals are very helpful. I recommend you leave some time to explore on your own! In the major tourist regions of Kansai (Osaka-Kyoto-Nara...) and Kanto (Tokyo-Yokohama), you will always end up finding your way.

For some reason I tend to forget LP has an actual website.

Mary, I've also found good info at Rough Guides, whose guidebooks I love. This link has a ton of information on where to go, the outdoors, etiquette, transport, shopping, culture and much more.
https://www.roughguides.com/japan
https://www.roughguides.com/japan/travel-advice/

This clip from the Toilet section made me laugh out loud, though!

Hi-tech toilets, with a control panel to one side, are very common. Finding the flush button can be a challenge – in the process you may hit the temperature control, hot-air dryer or, worst of all, the bidet nozzle, resulting in a long metal arm extending out of the toilet bowl and spraying you with warm water.

balso When we first started planning Japan, I was sure we would do a tour. After further research, and posts like yours, we are now planning for Japan 2025 on our own. Thanks!

We just booked "Best of Japan" (12 nights) on Celebrity Millennium for March 2026. I'll be following along!

Tammy, are you thinking of doing any diving when you go? Because Okinawa is perfect for that--the coral reefs are so unique and beautiful. I've never done any diving, but when I was living there, some of my friends did a lot of it, and raved about how beautiful it was.

worst of all, the bidet nozzle, resulting in a long metal arm extending out of the toilet bowl and spraying you with warm water.

Well, there's something to look forward to.

Hahahahahaha!!

"If you're a Harry Potter fan, the Wizarding World at Universal Studios is pretty fun. All of the characters speak to you in Japanese!"
My nephew is an actor in the Harry Potter Wizarding World and does indeed do the part in English and Japanese. I was in Japan last September for his wedding to a Japanese girl , held in the Itsukushima shrine ( in the Hiroshima area) , an amazing experience ,where stayed for a few nights at the Aki grand hotel on the mainland .We stayed in Universal city for the main part of our trip in the Oriental Hotel universal city which is a 2 minute walk from the entrance to the park. we also has 2 nights in Tokyo.
Japan is a real cultural overload and the whole travel experience was totally different to anything I have experienced before and the first time on my travels that I felt like a real foreigner. you must be prepared to be the foreigner and to adapt to their routines and customs (especially the tipping culture) Food can go from being absolutely fantastic to a real challenge especially when at a wedding where you have 11 courses ( some containing up to 9 different elements) of beautifully presented food from hot deep fried fish to raw sliced molluscs of various descriptions and noodles served on ice, wish I could post photos of the food.
Of the 3 hotel i stayed in the one in Universal studio was the most like western hotels , the other places very Japanese and rooms very small.In all 3 hotels there was no storage space whatsover apart from a few hooks on the wall, we had to live out of our suitcases.
Transportation is superb but there are various companies that run it and they do not have a system where you can use tickets from other companies. We did buy the JR pass that we were able to use for the majority of our journeys and just paid for others as we needed, it was all pretty easy , but we did have our nephew and his wife as a guides for much of the time we were there.
Hope to get back there in a few years time

The toilets — oh my, Mardee, I thought one of the attractions of Japan was safety! LOL. I am thinking about Japan for 2026 too. My father-in-law fought on Okinawa, so at some point we need to go there. We’ve never been to Asia, and I’m thinking this would be our only trip there. I’d like to see at least a little of Japan and maybe Cambodia (Angkor Wat); I really don’t know.

Mardee, alas I will not be doing any diving there.

I spent three weeks in Japan the end of September last year and absolutely fell in LOVE! I visited Kawaguchiko for Mt. Fuji views and I couldn’t have been more lucky with the weather. You can easily take a day trip there and plan it around a good weather day. I also visited Beppu, Hiroshima, Kyoto, Osaka, and Nara. I hope to go back and explore more of the North. Japan is so beautiful and there is so much to do. But it is also SUPER CROWDED, so be prepared for either 6am wake up calls if you want to actually enjoy popular tourist spots. If you make it to Hiroshima, Miyajima island is a must!

But it is also SUPER CROWDED

I need to prepare for this. What we'd typically think of as 'shoulder season' in Europe seems to be peak season in Japan (October/November). Everyone wants to see the foliage.

After reading all this advice, I might go back to the my way type of trip.

We love Japan! The cleanest place with the most well mannered people. No garbage. They take food to go containers home to throw out.
The best food! Yakitori, Tonkatsu, Okonomiyaki,
Tempura. A restaurant will specialize in one of those foods.
We took a fabulous food walking tour in Tokyo with Yukari Sakamoto at FoodSakeTokyo
( also the name of her helpful book.) The best experience!
A surprise, look in hotel room dresser drawers for pajamas!
Favorite place was Takayama in the Japanese Alps. We were there for the changing leaf colors.
Go to Hiroshima, now The City of Peace.
Make sure you download Google Translate for Japanese to your phone before you leave home.
It was indispensable!!

Thanks, Suki. I'm looking forward to the food so much. Takoyaki in Osaka 🤤

We've been to Japan about half a dozen times (lost count). Our next trip is to Kyushu (the large southern island) in May (I'm trying to wrap up planning now). A wonderful destination, super-easy to do on your own (we've always gone independently and have never felt any need for a guided tour). Really a fun place to go, can't wait: 77 days to departure!

✌️⛩🍣🎏🇯🇵👍

Hi All,

Also planning a Japan tour in 2025. Has anyone heard of "Japan and More"?
https://japanandmore.com

Or any other 8-day ish tours?

Thank you!

We visited Japan last summer with our sons (19 & 23) and had a wonderful time. We spent half the time in Tokyo and half the time in Kyoto. LOVED BOTH. We are actually going for spring break (both in college) this year as they finally have break together and this is where they chose. I'm so excited to explore more! So much to see. I did a blog post on our trip. It's nothing fancy, but we travel a lot and people are always asking where we stayed and what we did. I'm happy to answer any questions if I can help. Here is my website: nunezfamilytravels.com
I hope it helps! :)
Janis

I’ve been to Japan twice (last time in 2008 if memory serves, where does the time go?) and would go again in a heartbeat. Loved, loved, loved the place!

Although: “Though I was in the area, I never actually saw Mt Fuji due to clouds.”

Me neither, and I was stood on top of the thing. I only know Mount Fuji has a huge impressive crater because I’ve seen it on a postcard! It was raining really hard (the type of rain Japanese refer to as ‘gorilla rain’ I was reliably informed!) and you could see maybe five to ten yards at best. It was still a fantastic experience and I have zero regrets about doing it, except maybe not getting to see the sunrise from the top.

Our first trip was to walk parts of the Nakasendo Trail and our second was to climb Fuji-San plus some preparatory training in the Japanese Alps which included some live volcanoes! Plus we did all the tourist stuff, ryokans, onsens, temples, etc., etc., because it seemed compulsory and a shame not to do it!

Thoroughly recommended!

Ian

Also planning a Japan tour in 2025. Has anyone heard of "Japan and More"?

I did not find any reviews here about this company, but you might want to check Trip Advisor, as they have more information about the company. https://www.tripadvisor.ca/Attraction_Review-g1066456-d17759036-Reviews-Japan_and_More-Shibuya_Tokyo_Tokyo_Prefecture_Kanto.html

Marie, two other companies that I know of are Gate 1 travel and Insightful vacations.

We were very pleased with our trip to Japan using Odysseys Unlimited. We also added extra personal days ahead,2-3 in Tokyo and Kyoto after(4 days). A huge highlight in Japan for us was the food. The tour ended in Hiroshima and we took a train to Kyoto and later a train from Kyoto to Narita airport. Very easy.

We are going to Japan soon via Oceania Cruises. I want to know if we can use our credit card and ATMs in most places. I know we have to bring some Yen, but have no idea how much to bring for a 2 week trip (I like to buy souvenirs). Has anyone traveled to Japan fairly recently and can shed some light on this?

Multiple trips in 2023, most recent December. Another scheduled in 2 months.

CCs are widely accepted at hotels, restaurants, stores, taxis, tourist venues . Smaller places may want cash, if you don’t have backup cask ask a taxi driver if accepted before starting out. Train ticket vendors may not take CCs at all windows or all machines. ATMs are tricky. Usually 7/11’s and other convenience stores have machines that take US cards. Elsewhere, less likely. Not all airport ATMs are welcoming of US cards.

Every since this post, I can not stop thinking about Japan and other countries in Asia. I have started doing some research

I think that I am going to have to plan a trip to Japan and or Asia, maybe a cruise in 2025.

Probably I will stick with Norwegian for better or worse but might look at some third party cruiser sites.

Anyone on this forum take NCL to Japan or Asia?

Our trip to Kyushu begins in 61 days.

The trip is 21 days long (including flights), and we will have 18 full, usable days on the ground. We've been to Japan before several times, always traveling independently. We have found that to be easy and fits our preferred style. This will be our first time visiting Kyushu, the large southern island. It's a lot of ground to cover in 18 days but I think we have a solid plan (we will be renting a car, no Shinkansen bullet-trains for us this time).

I've been deep in planning, heads-down for days in the details. I've just finished plotting about 100 POI ("points of interest") that we would like to get to, but realistically we will need to pick and choose which items to prioritize each day (this is how I plan our trips where there is no guidebook - I make my own, based on extensive research - each day we have a "menu" of sights to see, places to go, things to do, and we make game-day choices about how to spend the day).

Here's the draft map with our (currently ~ 90) POI menu items. Each numbered dot refers to a single POI item that me or my spouse wanted to include on the menu. Each item is listed in our homemade "guide book" with a rating (I use Rick's standard ▲, ▲▲, or ▲▲▲ system), a brief description of the POI, a map locator (A3, G7, etc.) and a "PlusCode" (shorthand for lat/long location, these can be used in Google Maps for precise location and driving directions). Here's an example page: POIs page 2 of 3

It's a bit of work, but I enjoy it, it typically is well worth it, and we both enjoy having all our trip details in one, easy-to-use location.

So with 60 days to go, next planning tasks are renting the car, setting up the toll road "express pass", then listing the restaurants my wife has been collecting (I'll add a page for those similar to the Points of Interest pages). Yesterday she told me: "I need to warn you: We are going to be eating a lot of sushi and super-premium beef on this trip..." Sounds good to me (Japan has many varieties of hyper-local, super-premium beef; and of course, great sushi). Yum.

In reply to the question above about ATMs, credit cards, etc. Like traveling in Europe, have at least a little cash handy for small purchases at mom & pop establishments, but do NOT carry around lots of cash; credit cards are widely accepted. Use your ATM card from home to pull the (limited) cash you'll need. Not all ATMs will work with your foreign ATM card, but plenty do (an odd one to try: many Japanese post offices have ATMs and IME they tend to accept US ATM cards, so don't overlook a local post office as a potential place to get cash).

Travel in Japan is easy and fun (more so than you might expect). Don't let fear of the unknown or worries about it being so "alien" keep you away. If you can manage in France or Italy, Japan really should be no more challenging.

Nice work David. Interesting that you use Lightroom for the creation.

@Tammy: In this case, I'm really only using Lightroom for the cloud hosting and image sharing (if you've got image-based content, sharing individual files is pretty quick and easy from Lightroom, and all my trip photos are in that system already). I do use Lightroom all the time for tweaking images (it's a great tool for getting the best from your images) and for cloud storage/backup.

The map was assembled in Photoshop (a huge "mosaic" file) put together from many dozens of screen captures taken from Google Maps. It's tricky getting (and consistently controlling) the desired degree of detail in the map. The resulting map here is huge (about 10 feet by 12 feet, almost 3 gigabytes when uncompressed) but has great detail and is high-enough resolution that it still looks great even when zoomed waaaaay in, and should even work well as a printed roadmap (I may take it down to FedEx and have them print it in large format if it doesn't cost a fortune). While we are traveling I'll slice it into 6 sections, for use on our phones and iPads (less scrolling and zooming). It's really mostly used as a planning tool initially, and then as a reference when driving.

The bulk of the trip documentation (and every detail) is put into an InDesign document (for those unfamiliar, InDesign is a page layout tool). The sample page with the Points of Interest is just a small section of the book. For this trip, our custom "Guide Booklet" is currently around 40 pages, and will probably end up around 50. (I've found no decent guidebook for Kyushu, not even a bad one - the best coverage in any "Guidebook" I've found was 2 or 3 pages in a book that purports to cover all of Japan, and was completely useless). I'm a big guidebook fan, and the Rick Steves books are the best (I also like the Bradt Guides a lot); I'll happily buy a good guidebook or two for any trip where such things exist, but where they don't, I figure I have to make my own. Researching and putting this together certainly helps educate me about a destination in advance. We bring two printed copies of the custom Guide Booklet, plus PDF versions on our phones and iPads.

After we get back, if anyone is interested in traveling to this part of Japan and/or wants to check out the booklet and/or map, I'll be happy to share the completed booklet then (after I redact credit card numbers and any other PII details that shouldn't be shared); shoot me a PM if interested.

Japan: What's Not To Like?

We spent spring break in Osaka in 2019. I did not expect to like it as much as I did, and definitely plan to go back some day. We did a day trip to Kyoto, which was not enough. I found Osaka a lot cheaper than I had expected...till I started shopping. Their attention to detail is amazing and I wanted to buy everything!! Foodwise it was paradise to me, and the big surprise were the bakeries. I still dream of the Cascade bakery at the Umeda station.

I am flying to Osaka on Saturday! I might report back if it is of interest!

And... I'm back. What a blast. Kyoto-Kusatsu Onsen-Tokyo-Hakone-Tokyo was the route.

Zipair is a budget airline operated by Japan Air and has started flights from Vancouver to Narita. My wife have booked a trip with our two adult sons and a girlfriend in October, 2024 for 15 nights.

We have not scheduled our itinerary but are thinking six nights in Tokyo, four nights in Kyoto in five nights in Osaka. We will have to take either a fast train or flight from Osaka back to Narita to fly home in a mid-afternoon flight.

We would appreciate any suggestions regarding the tentative itinerary including changing the number of days in each city or inserting additional cities to the 15 night itinerary. I would like to visit interesting cities not too far from or on the way between the three that we plan to visit. For example, I am thinking that Hiroshima is probably too out of the way during this trip.

At this point, we would like to figure out the big picture and cities first. Then we will start reserving accommodations. We will fill in the sites and attractions for each city later. Finding interesting things to do and places to eat is never a problem. There are always so many things to see and do and never enough time to see them. We are still 7 months out.

PS Any recommendation for an eSIM for Japan?

Arigato.

I have been planning a trip to Japan starting May 14th, so haven't been on this forum as much and I missed this thread.

@Balso- I would love to read a trip report if you are up to posting one.
@Dave-We will be in Japan at the same time. I think I have been reading your advice over on the Japan Tripadvisor forum?
@Tammy-Thanks again for hooking me up with Karin (Inside Japan). She is very good at dealing with my micromanaging details.

I am having the best time preparing for this trip. I am learning Japanese. I am still a beginner, but I think I will be able to read or at least get the gist of a lot of signs/menus. I have both hiragana and katakana "alphabets" down and around 150 kanji.

In addition to the usual sight seeing we have some experiences booked: Sumo in Tokyo, Bonsai class, Kenbu class and demonstration, in-home private cooking class and a baseball game in Osaka. We have 6-8 hour private guides for Tokyo, Kanazawa, Kyoto, and Hiroshima. Also a night time Dotonbori food tour. We are staying 2 nights on Miyajima Island in a ryokan that was established in 1854. This will be our vacation from our vacation; I borrowed that from Rick.

Anyways, I am beyond excited.

Funpig - do a quick bit of research on specific sites of interest in Osaka and Kyoto. The two are commuting distance. You may find that you need fewer total nights in the two (opening Hiroshima as an overnight possibility) or you may want to change the number of nights in one or both. Check day trips such as Nara and Himeji and your preference for Osaka or Kyoto as departure points if interested in those. Some also do Hiroshima as a day trip - the bullet trains do offer possibilities.

ORDtraveler, thanks for your suggestion.

Interestingly, a friend who travels extensively in Japan suggests reducing the number of days in Tokyo (i.e. too big, busy, modern and main attraction is the shopping).

My friend has provided me with an overwhelming amount of info, brochures and maps for both Kyoto and Osaka. More than enough to keep us busy; we can't see everything. My philosophy is to slow down, do less and enjoy more.

He also recommends staying at an onsen. My wife is opposed to the nude bathing. My son and his girlfriend may book an onsen stay for a night or two.

@funpig, if the nude bathing worries your wife, is she aware that the public baths are gender-segregated?
Also, many inns in onsen resorts have private baths.

I have never in my multiple trips to Japan bathed in a public onsen. I would not be comfortable. I have been advised that it is not an uncomfortable experience, but I know myself. There are often private options if this is an important experience.

Funpig - I think you might consider your friend’s advice. Again, take a look depending on your interests, but the 6 nights you propose could be reduced (in my opinion) if not into shopping and “city modern”. Consider also day trips to Kamakura, hakone, and Nikko if you want a longer stay in Tokyo.

I loved going to the public baths when I was living in Japan, and yes, as balso mentioned, they are segregated. I'm not overly modest so I had no problem sitting with other women.

the baths are very good ,but if like me you have several tattoos some places won't allow you in, our hotel near Hoiroshima did not allow people with tattoos but the one in Tokyo did.

I understand the onsen etiquette. Wife is not interested in any nude bathing at all. I would be willing to do it as a bucket list item even though I am not even a regular hot tub guy.

FYI

Kyoto Tourist Ban in Geisha District

So great to see this thread! My husband and I are going late Oct/Nov, 2024 on a 12 day (really 10) Japan tour with Intrepid. I know a few people who have used this company, out of Australia, with offices in the US and Canada, and they have been happy with them. https://www.intrepidtravel.com/us/japan/premium-japan-143007. Friends from Japan also recommended https://www.japan-guide.com/ in planning for our days when we’re not on tour. Post tour we will overnight in Osaka and do a Tours with Locals there. Then bullet train to Tokyo to fly home to Vancouver direct from Narita.
Can anyone recommend a mid range hotel in Osaka near train stations but not crazy busy?! Thanks for starting this thread Mary and for all the following info.

@Vandrabrud-I am so happy Karin is working out for you and I too am excited for your trip and really hoping you find the time to do a trip report upon your return. Sumo? I have been debating on whether to see a practice session and hope you report on it.

We are going to Japan ( and South Korea and China ) fall of 2025. It will be our first longer trip after retirement! Can’t wait!🇯🇵🇯🇵🇰🇷🇨🇳

I just came across this site which is great, of specific interest is the Unesco list for Japan

I was given this link on another site. It is fabulous! It contains over 366 travel brochures you can read electronically.
https://www.japan.travel/brochures/eng/index.php?fbclid

melT and Carol, thank you both for these! I have already bookmarked them and can't wait to spend more time in depth. Carol, those brochures are fabulous! I am getting very excited about a trip that I hadn't even planned on taking 3 months ago, lol!

Hello Mary: thank you for the resources.

The yen is very low now, but the Bank of Japan will very likely increase interest rates. This means that the yen will likely rise against the US Dollar. If any of you are considering visiting Japan, don't wait!

Rosie

We are also going to Japan in October.

FWIW, I just finished reserving 3 hotel rooms for 5 nights near the Osaka Station:

Ana Hotel & Resorts Osaka Umeda-Iki Tower
https://www3.apahotel.com/hotel/

Obviously, I have never been, but the reviews are decent. The hotel has its own Japanese bathes, if you are up for nude bathing.

It is easiest to book using Expedia or Booking.com. However, I found that I saved 10-15% by booking direct. The English version of the APA site is glitchy and I had to struggle to complete the booking. I couldn't explain it if I tried, mostly trial and error.

Barkinpark raises a good point about the currency. My Japan expert friend advised me to buy ¥ now. VBCE is the best exchange in Vancouver. I am also considered whether to pay for the hotels as opposed to six months from now. Most Japanese hotels will give a reservation without a credit card. I figure I'll just earn the interest and wait and see.

I'm so glad everyone is finding this consolidated thread helpful! It's a bit bittersweet for me now as I don't think I will be going to Japan next year after all. Definitely within the next few years, but it won't be next year. 😒 Knowing me, this won't ease up on my reading and planning though.

@Mary, thank you for starting this thread, sorry to hear that you won't be traveling as planned.

@Rosie, I am staying at the Cross Hotel in Osaka. I can't vouch for it yet, but it looks nice.

I just paid my final balance on my trip yesterday. 8 weeks to go!
I will definitely do a trip report.

Looking forward to reading it, vandrabrud.

So I've booked my flight for my trip in September! Now just to fine tune the itinerary.

So I'm flying in and out of Haneda, and bookending my trip with stays in Tokyo. The plan now is for four days in the Kansai region, two days in Hiroshima, 3 days in Hakone/Izu peninsula area, and the rest in Tokyo.

I had initially wanted to go to Okinawa, but just seems too rushed and will save it for hopefully another time. Does this seem like a reasonable itinerary? Any suggestions are welcome.

Also, any recommendations for ryokans I Hakone would be welcome

Happy for you, GregW! I'm tentatively hoping for fall 2026 now. (fingers crossed)

@funpig - for women I believe the convention is to wear a towel wrapped around - personally I find that annoying - a wet towel is more of a nuisance than just going nude. But your wife may be happier with that.

I've found this calculator very useful https://www.japan-guide.com/railpass/ - it covers not just the JP passes but various regional ones - it gives you options - particularly if you are moving fast. One option which I think is underrated that internal flights are reasonable ie cheaper than the bullet trains. If you do want to fly domestically Haneda has far more flights than Narita (and is also much closer to Tokyo). Nagoya has lots of flights too. We are looking at going Oct/Nov for about 6 weeks and are considering flying to Okinawa and then working our way back e.g. Naha-Fukuoka flights are only around US$40 for a 1 hr flight.

@David - are you driving kyushu or taking the trains. I'm planning on around 2 weeks around northern Kyushu and it seems costs are on par - though I can't figure out what the tolls are likely to be (I know they are significant). I'm very happy to drive (bonus score - they drive on the correct side of the road!) - but I'm concerned about parking mainly and traffic - I have no patience for sitting in traffic.

From what I've read it seems worthwhile to get a pasmo/suica/whatever card for local buses/trains/trams. If you have an iPhone you can use the digital version and top it up with your apple wallet - while if you get the physical card you have to top up with cash.

@LIssie

At first we were going to do a mix of rental car and trains (they have some really cool old heritage trains, see: JR Kyushu Railway Co - Special Trains) but the trains don't go everywhere, and eventually we decided the trains would just introduce too much back-tracking and repeating places, so we decided to stick to the car for this trip to reduce the itinerary complexity (it'll be plenty complex enough without any looping back!). We will add some of the special trains to our next Japan visit.

There's an extensive system of toll highways around Kyushu - fast and very time-efficient, but the tolls can get expensive. Fortunately, you can buy a Kyushu Expressway Pass ("KEP" - info here), an all-you-can-eat plan for 1- to 10-days. Like the JR Rail passes, only available to foreigners and must be arranged in advance with your car rental agency (not all agencies offer it, and some are easier to work with than others). We decided to actually get TWO separate KEP passes: one for our first 4 days, then a second pass for another 6 days (because the KEP runs for consecutive days, we needed two: in between, we will be in the central region of the island, where there are no expressways, so no need to pay for a pass we won't use for several days when we are up in the mountainous interior).

I expect that parking and traffic will only be issues in the biggest cities; most of Kyushu is quite rural (still, they do drive on the wrong side, a minor annoyance - I'll manage, I have before).

39 Days until we depart...and now I'm splitting my travel planning time between the Kyushu trip (in May, 90% done), Corsica (in September, 75% done) and I've just been tasked with planning a Spring Break 2025 trip to Yucatan for our visiting niece/nephews/sister-in-law (April 2025, about 10% done) - for better or for worse, my family has figured out they have a free (and obsessive) travel agent available 24/7...I'm gonna have to set some limits or start charging them a fee.

Gotta admit, though, it is fun. :)

@David-I don’t think you you usually do trip reports, but all of us Japan hopefuls would sure love to hear a bit about your trip upon your return.

Yes I like trains and the ones on Kiyushu are certainly different - its definitely a dilemma. I will focus on the itinerary first and then decide which one makes more sense I think

@Llssie, Some non-traditional spas may tolerate bathing suits or towels. My Japan expert friend tells me that the proper bathing etiquette at traditional onsens require full nudity. It is even against the rules to dip your small towel into the onsen bath water. You have to place your towel off to the side or put it on top of your head.

My wife is not much of a pool or hot tub person even with her swimsuit on. She is adamant that she will not bathe in an onsen.

Our October trip is really coming together. We have booked 6 nights at the Hotel Sunroute Plaza in Shinjuku, Tokyo. In Kyoto, we have 3 nights in a Sotetsu Fresa Inn near Shijo Station and one night in the Onyado Nono Hot Springs Hotel (which has nice Japanese baths, but is not a true onsen). Finally, we have 5 nights in Osaka at the APA Hotel Umeda-Eki which also has Japanese bath facilities. So I will have a few opportunities to frolic with naked Japanese guys in a bath and cross it off my bucket list, even though I am not staying at a true onsen.

My oldest son and his girlfriend have booked one night with breakfast and a kaiseki dinner at the Morizuya ryokan in Kinosaki Onsen. It looks very nice, but I did not want to go for just one night when it takes about 2.5 hours each way by train from Kyoto and to Osaka. The other 3 of us may do a day trip to Arima if time is available.

My wife, youngest son and I did not booked any stay in a ryokan. I did look at some Airbnbs in very traditional looking Japanese home. The problem is that we need three bedrooms for the five of us, and most still only have one bathroom or are very expensive. My neck and back also got sore just from looking at those thin futons. Plus, the nicer Airbnbs are located in more residential areas which require a bit of walking or commuting to get to attractions. We all decided that we wanted to be right in the city center and walk out the door where most of the the action is.

A few tips about Japanese accommodations. Most hotels will permit reservation without prepayment or even a credit card; you can just pay at the desk upon arrival. Some Japanese hotels will not make their rooms available until 3 or 6 months. I have made my reservations for now, but I will check again 3 to 6 months before the trip to see if something better or cheaper becomes available.

It is worth comparing prices at the official hotel websites (often only in Japanese with Google Translate), Booking.com and Expedia.ca. There can be differences as much as 10-15% for the same room type. And we have noticed some price increases and certain room types are no longer available as time goes by even 7 months out. In conclusion, it is better to reserve a hotel as soon as possible, with the option to cancel later.

We are currently in the process of compiling a list of attractions and day trips for each city and will start to fill in our days. For me, planning a trip is as much fun as the trip itself.

Countdown: 48 days

I am living, breathing all things Japanese. I have my Sakura Co box of goodies near by, I have been watching Kurosawa movies, reading my Fodor's guide book, watching Netflix and Amazon shows with subtitles and watching You Tube videos. My husband says he has 5 hours worth of 47 Ronin movies lined up for me.

My husband says he has 5 hours worth of 47 Ronin movies lined up for me.

if that topic is of interest to you, put Sengaku-ji (temple in Tokyo) in your itinerary. This is where the 47 Ronin have their graves.

Vandrabrud^^❤️^^Love this!

We were really lucky. Apparently, Fuji San shows her face only a few days per year. We didn't even know we had a view of her from our hotel window until the last morning. (That was the same morning we experienced an earthquake in the wee hours, so we had the full Tokyo experience.)

As for the toilets, I'm obsessed with them. We had them in Taipei and Hanoi, also. I was obsessed with my bathroom in Tokyo in general. Besides the Washlet toilet, we had a wet room. It was all tiled, except for the entrance, which was glass. The shower was outside the soaker tub (because, in Japan, one does not soak in one's own dirt). The soaker tub had a big ledge around three sides of it. It was chilly when we were there (late January), and it was so lovely to have a shower while the tub was filling, and the room got all steamy, and then have a long soak with a good book.

The Japanese do bathrooms oh so well.

Be aware, though, that some public toilet stalls still have the squat toilets: a hole with places to put your feet on each side. If you encounter one of those, and you don't want to use it, check the other stalls. One of them might have a sit toilet.

BB, thanks for the comment about Mt Fuji. As much as I would love to take a hero shot of the mountain, a night stay or day trip to Hakone or Lake Kawaguchi has a substantial risk that the view will be blocked by weather. I would rather spend the saved time and money in Tokyo.

I can console myself that during my youth I had a fantastic view of Mount Baker across Boundary Bay from my bedroom window.

On the other hand, I visited Hakone twice in 2023, two nights each time, spring and fall. Saw Fujisan every day I was in the area.

I was especially blessed on the second visit with an entire day of no clouds, no rain, no haze. I spent a good part of that day hiking on and near Lake Ashi and on the Ropeway. Fuji was at my back or in front of me most of that day. Incredible - serendipity does happen!

That said, I'm traveling to Japan again early this summer with a first-timer travel companion. I have indicated that any attempts to see Mt. Fuji will depend on weather - it will be a last minute one day from Tokyo decision based on the forecast and current conditions. I don't disagree with your decision, funpig, to forgo any attempts - it is a risk with weather even when checked on before departing.

There are spots from Tokyo where you can see Fuji - I stay at the Tokyo Hilton with good views from the Exec Lounge and upper floors. Also, the free government buildings offer views of clear days - or clear moments of given days, more accurately!

I would say that the appeal of Hakone is much broader than the Fuji views, which are still relatively distant. The fumaroles, the museums, the hot springs are all worth the side trip even without the views.
The same cannot be said for lake Kawaguchi, which has very close-up views of Mt Fuji when the weather cooperates, but much less to do when it does not.

And there are plenty of random places from where Mt Fuji is visible from Tokyo on clear days. I was blessed with several clear days in a row in my Feb 2024 trip and saw Fuji very well (distantly) from the top of PARCO Mall in Shibuya (it's not even that high, just happens to be unobstructed), and ... from the fire exit of my friends' residence in Tomigaya. It is also visible from several free observatories like the aforementioned Tokyo Metropolitan Building, Carrot Tower in Sangenjaya, Bunkyo Civic Center near Tokyo Dome, and possibly other places. Nowhere at street level nowadays, though.

I have also seen Mt Fuji from the airport limo bus driving into central Tokyo from Narita. What a greeting!

Thanks for tips on Mt Fuji. Judging from Tokyo photos, I'll probably have difficulties seeing my wife at street level.

Countdown: 46 days

@Tammy, thanks! I hold you partly responsible for my trip!
@Balso, absolutely, Sengaku-Ji is tagged in Google Maps and on the list for a visit!

I listened to 110 Japanese verbs in the car on the way to work today. I have at least 30 down pat.
Every night before sleep I spend at least 15 minutes on Duo-Lingo, off to do that now.

We went to Japan on a two week tour but arrived several days before and stayed four extra days at the end. The days before and after the tour we were on our own and had no problems at all exploring, using public transit, dining in a variety of places. We loved Japan! I already loved Asia before the trip to Japan but now love Asia even more!

We just returned from two weeks of independent travel in Japan and South Korea. We did four days in Tokyo, three each in Kyoto (our favorite) and Osaka, and a full day in Hiroshima/Miyajima Island. Japan is definitely do-able on your own. Don't let the language barrier hold you back. Train stations, while huge, have lots of signage in English and lots of friendly people to help. We used a lot of Rick's Europe tips along the way, and they work just as well there! Seoul is also a beautiful city. We did three days as a layover when returning to the US, but wish we could have stayed longer.

@Anne: glad you had a good trip. Japan is one of the countries that I keep returning to.
I am already planning my next visit, perhaps some time next year, for World Expo 2025.

I have just found this forum. I consider myself an experienced European traveler, but I have never been to Asia. I have a friend who now lives in Japan and the Spring of 2025 would be a perfect time to go (while she is still there). I live in the Midwest (St. Louis area) and am wondering about the best airline and route. The long flight makes me a little nervous. Any good tips on the best airline and route would be helpful to get me started on a plan.

@mpaulynsettle - Flight choices will depend a lot on your priorities and budget. If you can manage to fly on a Japanese airline (JAL - Japan Airlines, or ANA - All Nippon Airways) it will be a real treat - you will get to start experiencing the Japanese culture (and high quality service) as soon as you board (maybe even the Japanese bathroom experience...). Both JAL and ANA are excellent if you can make it work.

Tokyo has two major international airports, Narita and Haneda. Narita is bigger and has more long-haul flights, but Haneda is closer to the city so a bit more convenient.

I don't believe there are any nonstops from St Louis, you will need to first fly to a west coast or midwest hub served by JAL, ANA or one of the US airlines. It's a long flight, but honestly...not that much longer than going to Europe. In fact, for those of us who live on the US west coast, Tokyo is actually closer than a lot of Europe, so don't worry that much about how far it is.

Of course, "Spring" can be a lovely time to visit Japan, but be aware that locals and visitors alike go completely crazy over Cherry Blossom ("sakura") season, places get busy, demand goes way up, and prices may, too. So plan accordingly (peak spring season will be roughly April). Peak blooms are at different times in different locations and elevations, now would be a good time to start thinking about your overall plans.

Japan is not difficult to do. If you can manage Europe on your own, you can probably manage Japan on your own, too. You'll love it.

Japan is definitely do-able on your own. Don't let the language barrier hold you back. Train stations, while huge, have lots of signage in English and lots of friendly people to help. We used a lot of Rick's Europe tips along the way, and they work just as well there!

Anne, thank you for this.

mpaulynsettle, if you fly from Chicago, you can choose between ANA and JAL, non-stops. The first into Narita, second to Haneda. Dailies, I’m reasonably certain.

I am an ANA traveler, PE or Business. PE is very comfortable, even long haul. When I realized I would have a series of Japan trips, I did some asking around and comparing of airlines. I liked ANA’s flight times slightly better. People I checked with liked both airlines, ANA and JAL. I had previously found better experiences flying Asian owned airlines to that continent rather than domestics like United - more comfortable seating, better service. So, I never did explore US carriers as an option to Japan.

I realize I’m lucky to have multiple non-stop options from “home”. Not sure how St Louis might be set up for connections.

Of course, "Spring" can be a lovely time to visit Japan, but be aware that locals and visitors alike go completely crazy over Cherry Blossom ("sakura") season, places get busy, demand goes way up, and prices may, too. So plan accordingly (peak spring season will be roughly April). Peak blooms are at different times in different locations and elevations, now would be a good time to start thinking about your overall plans.

Another part of spring to be wary of is Golden Week, roughly between 29 Apr - 5 May. There are lots of public holidays that week and domestic travel peaks. That time of the year is best avoided!

I concur that both Japanese airlines are awesome. I flew Japan Airlines last year, both in Business and Econ. Surgically clean cabins and wonderful food/service. I heard that All Nippon (ANA) is just as good. In addition, if you fly Premium Econ with ANA on long haul flights, you have lounge access.

JAL flies to Dallas and you may find connecting there more convenient. ANA may fly to Houston, but I am not sure.

Countdown 20 days.

I thought I would revive this thread by asking what type of "experiences" would you be interested in arranging for your future Japan trip or what experiences did you participate in past trips and how did they go?

Here is a list of some of the things I am looking forward to:
Private guides in Tokyo, Kanazawa, Kyoto and Hiroshima. 9 am to 5 pm, guides are native Japanese women.
Bonsai class and museum tour.
Sumo tickets in Tokyo for one day (will go in the afternoon when the higher rated wrestlers compete)
Home cooking class in Kyoto
Kenbu class and demonstration in Kyoto
Baseball game in Osaka
Food Tour in Osaka

I'm now planning fall 2026 for Japan, which seems so far away, but I'm determined not to push it back again.

Mary

Time flies as the saying goes especially when you will be planning a trip to Japan. 2024 is almost half done.

But I assume that you have another trip planned before Japan 2026.

Your post has caused me to seriously consider Japan after my upcoming October cruise from Barcelona. I already did some Japan research on the Norwewgian site.

But I assume that you have another trip planned before Japan 2026.

Technically I have about 5 trips planed before Japan '26, so I really don't need to be complaining. :-)

A Japan cruise sounds like a good idea for you, phil.

I'm so happy to find this thread. We are going to Norway in June and I am trying to talk my husband into a October/November trip to Japan. We just received a $710 e credit from Delta, so even more reason to go this year!

Mary, we will spend a month in Japan in fall of 2025. Half on a 2 week Viking cruise and the other half by traveling independently. I would like to experience a tea ceremony. I’m still deciding on a sumo practice.

So glad I found this thread! Lots of good information and appreciate everyone's input. My spouse and I are going to Japan in late July for the first time. Realistically 9 days of sightseeing- wish it was more!

There are two areas that I'd love to get advice on:

1) Public transport passes: For Tokyo is there a pass folks recommend that includes transport from Narita airport & allows for unlimited subway/bus rides in the city for 2-3 days? Seems like there's a lot of "layers"- one company runs the airport train, another entity runs the Tokyo subway, another runs JR trains, another run the monorail, etc. Are folks needing to buy multiple passes to cover their bases? Also noticing a lot of transport pass limitations: "you can ride this train but not that train" or "you can ride this line only if you pay a supplemental fare", etc. Doesn't seem as consolidated as many European cities where one pass covers subway/light rail/bus/airport transport in one pass with few if any limitations.

2) Tokyo. With only 9-10 days in Japan, we are leaning toward more time in Kyoto than Tokyo. In order to see the typical attractions like the Skytree and Shibuya Crossing will 2-3 nights suffice? We know it's barely scratching the surface in such a huge city. Just trying to strike a balance between Tokyo and Kyoto, and trying to squeeze in a night or two in the mountains near Fuji as well.

Any and all advice appreciated! Thank you.

Pasmo or Suica for transit. Good on all public transport in Tokyo, Kyoto. Some confusion if physical cards are readily available, but can be added to Apple wallet. There is a welcome center at Narita in the lower level by transit where you may find help with pass purchases. (And, yes, I would also characterize the transit suppliers as “layered”, certainly multiple!)

https://trulytokyo.com/tokyo-smart-cards-pasmo-and-suica/
https://tokyocheapo.com/travel/pasmo-suica-cards-tokyo-travel/
https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT207154

I would say 2-3 days for Tokyo is sufficient for major sights/sites with no day trips. If you google, there are numerous suggested short stay itineraries.

I agree with spending more time in Kyoto. I have done trips with a 3 night Tokyo, 6 night Kyoto itinerary. Worked for me.

I can't edit the above - the Pasmo and Suica cards are not passes, per se. They are are re-loadable transit cards used by the populace. There are tourist versions (or were - I haven't done current research) that allow refunds of left-over "loaded money".

Limitations on Past and Suica will be found when traveling on distance trains between regions. Just buy bullet train train tickets at a counter. Pasmo and Suica are good in both regions (and others) for public transit within an area or in local trains that don't cross regions. (Jr East - Jr West, etc, etc)

Another helpful website with basic info.

https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2359_003.html

By the way, menschman, thanks for your question. I am taking a "first-timer" next month and had forgotten the hoopla about these physical IC cards not being as available as in the past. We will be stopping at the transit purchase area at Narita to see what we can pick up for my companion.

We’re just starting to plan a trip to Japan for March/april 2025. We are going through InsideJapan but Independently. We plan on going for 3 weeks and like to go slow. This was my thoughts

Tokyo 6 nights
Kyoto 5 nights
Osaka 5 nights
Tokyo 6 more nights

We would fly into and out of Tokyo

Besides sightseeing we plan on taking classes (cooking at least 2, flower arranging, calligraphy - still researching), going to a baseball game and sumo practice or Match). Also some day trips from each city.

Too much time in Tokyo? We really don’t want to move around too much so we want to stick to 3 cities.

Too me, the above is a lot of concentration in a couple areas. Osaka and Kyoto are commutable distances. The Osaka days seem excessive. Of course, I don’t know your must-sees, must-dos in the city.

People day trip to Himeji (castle)and Hiroshima from either city. Compare the timings. Osaka may be preferable to you. Day trip to Nara from Kyoto.

You have Tokyo time that could be reallocated to spend more than day trips in Hakone and/or Nikko if of interest. Both are done as day trips, but can be quite “pressured” and rushed with early starts, etc. An overnight or two alleviates that. Kamakura is fine as a day trip.

Have you considered the Kanazawa area with all the time you have? Look at Shirawago and similar small towns as excursions.

Five of us are going in October, 2024. We fly return YVR - NRT.

Tokyo 6 nights
Kyoto 4 nights (1 in hot springs hotel)
Osaka 5 nights (with 1-3 day trips)

We plan to take trains between cities including last day from Osaka to Narita. We are still considering the domestic flights between Tokyo and other cities, which can be cheaper than the bullet trains. However, there are fewer flights and the times are less convenient for us.

I leave June 8th for a trip that will mostly be on Kyushu with a little time in Tokyo.

Regarding the IC cards (Suica and Pasmo), my research suggests that tourist cards are still available at least through the summer but sold at limited points. It's probably best to get them at the airport rather than wait until downtown.

I just got back from my first trip to Japan a couple of weeks ago. What an amazing experience! I'm already plotting if I can go back later this year.

@HK, would you mind sharing a bit of your itinerary for Kyushu? If I go back later this year, I was thinking of starting there for a few days before working my way back to Tokyo and flying home. I'm thinking this trip I might combine with S. Korea and take the ferry from Busan to Fukuoka. Spend a few nights in Fukuoka, maybe 3 or 4? Take a few day trips, I'd really like to see Nagasaki. I went to Hiroshima on this first trip, so it'd be interesting to close that loop so to speak and see Nagasaki as well. Thanks!

Where did you go, James? What were your favorites?

Barbara, it’s been a while since I have been there - but even as a slow traveler, I agree that is an awful lot of time in Tokyo. You can certainly fill your time but there is so much beauty outside the big cities that I would also suggest taking time from Tokyo to add a stop somewhere else.

P.S. I will be there early April 2025 also.

Tokyo 6 nights
Kyoto 5 nights
Osaka 5 nights
Tokyo 6 more nights

I agree with everyone else, travelling around Japan is very easy, and with three weeks it makes sense to go beyond the usual Tokyo-Osaka-Kyoto triangle. Kanazawa/Takayama are good candidates for an extra location. And/or Hiroshima/Miyajima.
7 nights total in Tokyo is already plenty, and after 5 nights in Kyoto I think that 3 on Osaka is enough.

^^^^ I agree with Balso and TexasTravelMom. These were exactly my thoughts although not spelled out as explicitly in my post above.

It's a little hard to "advise" or suggest when we don't have info on the classes you hoped to take - where and when and the various sports events you wanted to include. Not that you need to inform me or anyone else!!

I find it very helpful to lay out everything I consider must-do in a city including day trips, classes, performances. Note the days that must-sees are closed and the days classes are offered. Juggle around a bit and I generally have my base itinerary. Usually, I can still have some flexibility in which some days/activities can be exchanged or substituted to accommodate weather or other conditions on the ground.

I have made mistakes with that approach, but in general, it has served me well for maximizing time for the priority sites and arranging efficient visits.

Mary I did the following over about 19 nights: Tokyo (4 nights) > Hiroshima (2 nights) > Kyoto (7 nights) > Kanazawa (2 nights) > Tokyo (4 nights) > fly home. One of the nights on my 2nd time in Tokyo was actually spent in Kawaguchiko. I had the most amazing luck as Fuji was visible the whole day! Also, on the way from Hiroshima to Kyoto I stopped in Himeji and while staying in Kyoto I did a day trip to Nara. I wanted to do a day trip to Osaka too, but I decided to use that day to "rest" a bit and just wander around Kyoto without any specific destination in mind ("rest" is in quotations because I still ended up walking 25k+ steps that day).

I loved just about everything. Like I said it was my first time to Japan, and Asia in general, so it was really exciting to be somewhere so different from your own home or Europe. I loved Tokyo, yes it's a megacity and it can be overwhelming at times, but the neon lights, the trains running through the city, the massive amount of people coming and going. Just super cool to be in.

Hiroshima was great. The Peace Park is beautiful and the museum is moving (although a small critique is, like a lot of places in Japan, it's super crowded which can detract a bit from the experience). There are also some smaller sites linked to the bombing that are very interesting to see if you have that interest like the elementary school and the rest house. The city itself just seemed to have a more laid back and friendly vibe. A very beautiful view of the city is from the Hiyajima Military Cemetery. The cemetery itself is beautiful during cherry blossom season.

Himeji only spent a few hours in to see the castle, but definitely worth it, although if you enter the castle and go to the top, be warned it's super crowded and you are climbing some really steep stairs (in your socks).

Kyoto was great as well. I saw the Miyako Odori which was really cool. I found Kyoto was not quite as convenient to get around though. Sure there's public buses, but they are usually pretty packed and the metro usually wasn't an option for the places I was going.

Nara was a fun day trip and easy to do.

Kanazawa was cool. Saw the castle grounds and visited the old samurai and geisha districts. It's a lot smaller than a big city like Tokyo obviously so seemed to me to be a little more relaxed. There was a nice nice street along the canal that seemed to have a lot of little cafes and shops and bakeries. I had breakfast at one and the owner was super nice. We were able to chat for a little bit (with a little help from Google translate every now and then). He said he moved from Tokyo to Kanazawa a few years ago because it's more laid back.

Very easy to navigate the trains and subways for the most part. I was able to use my Suica card in all the cities I was in for buses, metro, etc.

Delicious food obviously as well. Can be a little intimidating entering a shop not knowing any Japanese to be totally honest, but overall it was fine. A lot of places had an English menu available or you could just point to the menu what you wanted. People very polite. I love the respect shown with the bowing and the arigatou gozaimasu which is burned in my brain now haha

Anyway, yea I got a little long winded. If you have specific questions, feel free to ask.

James, that's really helpful, thanks. Trip reports can never be too long for me. Nara was your only daytrip from Kyoto, right? Did 7 nights feel too long there, or just right?

Japan sounds like a good first step into Asia. Like you, I'm a bit intimidated, but the same things that make me nervous also make me excited, so I'm going to push myself. Transport is probably the biggest worry, but I keep hearing it's not too hard, so that's good.

Also gives me some ideas on places I haven’t been to, despite having lived there ages ago. I am not short on time - just deciding where to go after eliminating Hokkaido (maybe) and Kyushu.

Great thread!

Countdown: 12 days

It is so fun to read of other's plans regarding traveling to Japan.
A fun thing that I just completed was preparing "tips" for the 4 city guides that we will have. I learned that giving an item from your home region is traditional, rather than giving money.
My younger son and I live in Ohio and my older son lives in Oregon. My gifts include:

A zippered pouch to serve as the gift bag. Two have Oregon Ducks logo (so kawaii) and the other two have the outline of Portland and say City of Roses.
A packet of Oregon hazelnuts.
Ohio State University stickers.
Ohio State socks
Ohio ink pen
A Scandinavian kitchen cloth (I love these) with the outline of Ohio and different icons to note what the area is famous for
Hidden Valley Ranch dry mix

I like how the Japanese honor each region based on their products and I had a lot of fun coming up with items that could be used or consumed (and didn't melt and weren't liquid) and would fit in my carry on bag.

I think my husband is looking forward to me going so he won't have to watch any more Japan you tube videos!

@James regarding our Kyushu itinerary-

We fly from Tokyo to Yakushima (with a connection in Kagoshima). Three nights on Yakushima to yield two days of hiking. Then we take the high speed ferry to Kagoshima.

Five nights in Kagoshima which will include day trips to Chiran for a kamikaze museum and samurai homes and another trip to the archeological site at Uenohara Jomon no Mori.

Transfer to Kumamoto by Shinkansen after our last day in Kagoshima and then the next day there to see the castle and the Suizenji garden.

Another evening transfer to Fukuoka for three nights. We’ll visit Arita on our way to Nagasaki for five nights. Then fly back to Tokyo for a brief stay before returning to the US.

Can’t wait!

Mary, yes, Nara was my only day trip from Kyoto. Like I mentioned, I wanted to go to Osaka for a day too and had it in my itinerary, but I try (doesn't always work) to travel without pressuring myself to go here or there or do this or that. The night before I just felt like I'd been walking so much and had already been traveling around a lot (first Tokyo, then Hiroshima, and now Kyoto) that it would be better to just take a "chill" day in Kyoto and just wander around without any specific objective. I still ended up walking 25k+ steps the next day though haha. You'll do a lot of walking in Kyoto for sure.

I also would have liked to make a day trip to Uji from Kyoto. I've actually heard this can be combined with Nara or Osaka (I can't remember which one). But again, I try not to cram so many things into a day.

So, for me 7 nights felt just right. It was enough to hit the highlights of Kyoto without rushing from place to place and cramming my days full from sunrise to sunset. I typically only hit 2 temples/shrines per day. One in the morning, one in the afternoon. Some people like to cram in more. The thing is, temples are usually only open 9-5. I didn't want to rush from place to place. I like to stop and wander, take pictures, have lunch, etc.

Also, 2 of those days were going to be for day trips (although I only did 1). And the first day was really pretty much wasted because I stopped in Himeji on the way there and spent most of the day there so when I arrived in Kyoto it was already late afternoon.

I still didn't get to see everything in Kyoto either. I wanted to go see the Golden Temple and was going to combine it with my Arashiyama day, but I ended up spending more time in Arashiyama than planned (it was a beautiful day, the cherry blossoms were blooming, the monkey park was fun, the area along the river was lively). And like I mentioned getting around Kyoto takes more time than other places (I had to taxi to Arashiyama which was like a 30 minute drive if I remember and taxiing from Arashiyama to the Golden Temple would have taken another 30 with traffic, etc). so I just decided to spend the rest of the day in Arashiyama.

So, it really depends on the type of traveler you are and what you want to see. I know a lot of people do Kyoto in less time.

Yes, transportation is usually super easy. Typically in Europe I always reserve high speed trains in advance which can sometimes make you feel "locked-in" to a specific schedule. In Japan, I just went to the station the day of and bought Shinkansen tickets for the next train usually departing within the same hour (only exception to this might be during be holidays like Golden Week which is happening now). Something to keep in mind though, is many of the machines I saw (at least in Tokyo) for Shinkansen tickets said that if you pay by card you need a PIN code. Something us US travelers don't typically have with our cards. I didn't put it to the test, I just withdrew cash from an ATM at the station to buy my tickets.

Buses were pretty easy too. Get on from the back and tap you IC card, get off at the front and tap your IC card again. Only problem with the busses is depending on the city and route, they can be PACKED. Good thing is the drivers are patient and no one will rush you to get off.

Metros were also easy with IC card. I do wish I could have loaded my IC card on my phone to tap with the phone instead of card. It was annoying constantly having to dig out my card to exit the subway. (iPhone users can do this, us Android users can't). I will say the bigger stations (I'm looking at you Shinjuku) can be a bit difficult finding the exit you want. They are huge!

Taxis are easy and honest. They open the door automatically for you (no need to touch). All the ones I took accepted cards. Limited English though. Just show the driver your phone with Google Maps and the name or address where you want to go in Japanese.

I think my husband is looking forward to me going so he won't have to watch any more Japan you tube videos!

insert a bunch of laughing emojis

This is basically our situation for whichever trip is coming up!

James, I enjoyed your trip reports!

I just wanted to mention for those who want to buy train tickets with a US credit card that this can generally be done at a manned ticket window, at least at the bigger stations. In my experience, English was spoken well enough to have no problems communicating my desired train, seat, etc. Sometimes, there is a line in which case I have used a machine and cash as James noted. Easy to do.

ORDTraveler, you are absolutely right. As a matter of fact I had to do that once. From Kyoto to Kanazawa. That was the only portion of my trip I was hesitant about when buying tickets. It used to be you could take a train all the way from Kyoto to Kanazawa without stopping, but since they opened the new Shinkansen route a few months ago, you now have to take that train to Tsugura (if I remember right), change stations there and board the Shinkansen the rest of the way to Kanazawa.

When I was at the ticket machine in Kyoto station, I wasn't sure if I could buy the ticket for both the local train and Shinkansen as one or if I had to buy separate (looking back, I'm pretty sure I could have bought them as one). I decided to play it safe and went to the ticket office. Not too long of a line thankfully and the woman who helped me was very polite and spoke enough English (I just said I wanted to go to Kanazawa today and she did the rest). I paid by credit card no problem. Just had to sign.

So very easy interaction there too. The only problem you might run into is long lines (the ticket office in Tokyo station for example was pretty busy).

ProWalk have some new Japan walks https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLSOO4vYXpMCc69vi-SFMODDGKQf_7D-IK&feature=shared

James, Kyoto is definitely a place I want to not rush around from site to site. I'm looking forward to it more than Tokyo.

I'm Android too - thanks for the tip about the tapping on the metro. Maybe it'll change by the time I go in 2 years.

kitka97205, thank you!!!

@LIssie

for women I believe the convention is to wear a towel wrapped around - personally I find that annoying - a wet towel is more of a nuisance than just going nude. But your wife may be happier with that.

You aren't allowed to wear anything into the water at an onsen. The towel is for showering before entering the bath water and to cover yourself when you are out of the bath water. No clothes, towels, or head hair is allowed in the bath water.

Many people often tell me that they've seen advertisements with women wearing towels in the bath. This is only because they can't have an advert with nude women. Under normal circumstances, not a photo shoot for an advertisement, no towels ever go into the water.

HK, that sounds like an amazing trip! Seems you are going to get a good look at Kyushu.

I was just thinking about dipping my toes in. Just to get a taste. I'm now thinking 4 nights, 2 in Nagasaki and 2 in Fukuoka. After doing some reading, it seemed a lot of people said Nagasaki was a more interesting place to stay? I hate moving around a lot, but seems like having a full day in Nagasaki might be a good idea. I could go there directly from Fukuoka once I arrive on the ferry and then head back to Fukuoka for 2 nights which I heard should be sufficient to see the main sights and try the yatai tents one night hopefully. Then I can head up north. At least, this is my current line of thinking. It may change again. There's just too many places to visit in Japan!

Vandrabrud raised a good point. My Japan expert friend has also told me that the volunteer tour guides at Himeji Castle will not accept money, but would be pleased to accept a small gift. My friend suggested that we bring small souvenir bottles of Canadian maple syrup, which usually retail for about CAD$6.

Countdown: 6 days

The excitement is bubbling over. Trouble falling asleep and staying focused on work.
I pre-ordered my Delta Premium Select meal: Spinach Ravioli with white wine butter, roasted butternut squash and toasted pumpkin seeds. I am following my son's advice to "always order the pasta". Delta's food is usually terrible (IMO).
My son in Portland hasn't figured out yet that I arranged for him to fly all of the way to MSP to meet his brother and I so we can be on the same international flight.

I have 327 days of Japanese Duolingo under my belt.
I can't think of any more ways to plan and to prepare.
I will pack tomorrow.
I am ready to go!

Regarding tours in English by the volunteer guides at Himeji Castle, my guide was lovely and with me as a solo visitor for around 1.5 hours. At the end, after I thanked her and we said good-by, she turned and left so abruptly that there would have been no time to attempt a tip or gift presentation. I had the impression this was purposeful so as to avoid any embarrassment over an offer.

I wouldn’t worry about bringing a gift. It is also possible that no volunteers are available during a visit.

Have a great time, vandrabrud!!

Vandrabrud, have an awesome time! I hope you can find the time to write a TR for all of us Japan hopefuls!

I promise a trip report.
I am thinking of doing a website scrapbook and then giving a link.
I like looking back at the RS tour scrapbooks I have done.

Are your RS scrapbooks in the archives?

Vandrabrud, how exciting! I’m excited on your behalf! And I can’t wait to read your report and see your scrapbook and whatever you decide to do to memorialize your trip. Unfortunately, I won’t be heading there probably until 2026.

Mary, this thread really is an awesome idea. Thank you so much for starting it!

I agree! Thanks Mary!
I am not a writer or very creative, but the scrapbooks offer a decent view of the tours. I also went on the Best of Italy, but was too overwhelmed to do that scrapbook.

Paris 2022
Turkey 2019
Scandinavia 2015

Thanks! I've bookmarked them :-)

To all planning a trip to Japan:

A stay at an onsen ryokan is a must. Onsen means hot springs, and ryokan means Japanese style inns. Note that almost all rates include breakfast and dinner, and are charged per person. If you are unsure about nudity in a public onsen (gender segregated), then book a room with a private onsen. I did that for three nights and every aspect was stunning and unforgettable.

Note that "ryokan" does not automatically include an onsen and you might want to insure that there is at least a public bath on premise if that is important to you:

https://selected-ryokan.com/info/what-is-onsen-ryokan.html#:~:text=Ryokans%20have%20communal%20baths%20which,THERE%20EXISTS%20AN%20ONSEN%20RYOKAN.

Note - Not arguing with the above, just thought the article linked was quite clear on definitions which Barkinpark uses well.

Also, a night in a ryokan undoubtedly means sleeping on the floor on a futon. Not everyone can handle that.

Also, there are public onsen that can be researched if the ryokan is not to budget or desire.

Countdown: 14 hours until check in 38 hours until take-off.

We are staying in a Ryokan with Onsen called Iwaso on Miyajima Island. I will have my two sons to help get me off of the futon on the floor : )

I finished packing today. Just need to stop at a pharmacy to pick up some travel sized Secret and add my paperwork to my bag. I have a full 10 hours of work tomorrow. I am taking an Osprey Porter 46 (not packed full) and a medium size Tom Bihn messenger bag. I haven't weighed them yet.

Thanks to everyone on the thread!
My husband surprised me with tickets to Japan as a "graduation" gift- I'm retiring as a high school cooking teacher. We'll be doing 10 days, arriving in Tokyo on July 26. (The trip I knew we are taking is Rick's Village Italy in September.) First time in Asia for me!
From what everyone is saying, looks like this will be a workable itinerary:
- 4 nights, 3 full days in Tokyo. (including a visit to the Ghibli museum)
- 3 nights in Kyoto, with a day trip to Nara.
- 1 night in a ryokan near Kyoto
- 2 nights in Osaka
We are big foodies. Does anyone have a recommendation for places in Kyoto that they enjoyed?
Thanks!

It's not for everyone. Onsen/ryokan isn't appealing to me at all. I'm going to Budapest and not going to a bath, and won't when I get to Iceland either. Just not my thing.

Mary, I’m with you! Personal choice. No offense intended to those who enjoy their soaks!

For what it is worth and no criticism of any above posts implied, last year there were reports of an inn and onsen that had high bacteria levels. Not a common situation, but possible.
https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2023/02/24/national/ryokan-bathwater-bacteria/

Also, a night in a ryokan undoubtedly means sleeping on the floor on a futon. Not everyone can handle that.

Not necessarily. Higher-end places definitely have the option of western-style beds. I stayed in such a ryokan in Hakone this year.

Agree with balso. The three ryokans I stayed at all offered in-room onsen and western style beds. Two were located right next to a roaring river with the clearest turquoise/emerald water. The cost was high, but with a depressed yen, it was less expensive than an equivalent stay in California.

I would love to stay at a ryokan, and don't care if it's private. First, I love hot baths. And after growing up with 6 brothers and sisters in a house with 1 bathroom, then working as a theatrical costumer and seeing way too many naked or near-naked bodies over the years, I have no problem being around nudity. I certainly respect other travelers' feelings, but am glad to see tips about ryokans here!

Quick question. I'm thinking my trip will be in either spring or fall of 2026 (and possibly/hopefully with my daughter). How long before your trip did you all start serious planning?

Mardee, our Japan trip is 90% planned for fall of 2025. But, originally we were thinking we would go in 2023. I have the itinerary done, but will probably make some minor changes when we book it this fall. I already have the cruise booked and getting ready to make final payment on that. We are doing a cruise + time on our own on land.

Oh, that sounds great, Tammy! I can't wait to read about it! Thanks! I think I'll probably start serious planning once I get back from my London trip next year (the one with my grandkids). I still need to figure out a good time to go, and choose between spring or fall.

We’re in the process of booking our Japan tour with a recommendation from Tammy. Going through Inside Japan. We’re traveling March 2025 for 3 weeks. Just going to Tokyo-Osaka-Kyoto-Tokyo. So excited.

Barbara that sounds great! Can’t wait to hear all about it!

Washington Post's "A local’s guide to Tokyo" https://wapo.st/3QGyLe0

I watch this guy's videos for central Europe and noticed he had a good Japan travel vlog: https://youtu.be/VPlAhccERvM?si=t1a7LT2MC44EM6vG

Hi, friends. I've been quiet lately but have been following along, and so wanted to pop in and share this Washington Post article (should a be a gift link, bypassing the paywall) about Japan and some of their efforts to manage overtourism:

https://wapo.st/3wLzkwh

The deer being over it crushed me (sad desperate face emoji)

Thanks for the article. I was chuckling at "visitors to Nara found that deer were done with the rice snacks."

Washington Post's "A local’s guide to Tokyo" https://wapo.st/3QGyLe0

Going234, thanks!

Ooh, 3 articles/videos to read and watch! Thanks, Going234, Mary and Hannah!!

Exciting developments - booked the tickets Fiji Airways had some very attractive prices from NZ so we leave 18 Oct (overnight) and return 30 Nov (overnight)

'm trialling this language learning app Busuu https://www.busuu.com/ I'm rubbish at languages but Japanese is non-tonal so I have some slight hope (though the alphabet probably won't happen except for male/female entrance/exit) I'm hoping to have enough to do the really simple stuff directions / one of these please without using Google translate

Currently I have a theoretical plan ( a few completely cancellable hotels books nothing committed too except the flights)
Ishigaki 4N
Okinawa Honto 4N
Kyushu 14 nights currently can't decide between Kagoshima and Heraldo - can only fit in 1 of these options but definitely Nagasaki and Beppu
Shikoku/Matsuyama - 2N
Hiroshima-Himeji Jo-Kanazawa-Takayama 12 N
Tokyo 5N

The last part will become quite weather dependent because by the end of Nov it could be getting quite cold and we don't do cold well. Kyoto has been in and out and is now out again. We're not big into temples and feel we'll have seen a lot of them by the later part of the trip. There seem to be much better places to see Edo era buildings. Its the train station there which looks amazing and there is a good train museum nearby - so it maybe a stop-over on the way through.

We will use mainly trains but rental cars in Okinawa and remote parts of Kyushu - no issue for us - drive on the right side of the roads and even the car brands are familiar (NZ imports a lot of used Japanese cars). And narrow slow roads are pretty familiar too.

The list of things to do before we go is surprisingly short:

• install SUICA on our iPhone and add some yen
• documentation for bringing in more than 30 days prescription medicine
  • international driving permit
  • the Japanese online arrival QR code
    

I'll book the domestic flights in a few months . I've booked a car in Ishigaki because I believe they sell out quite quickly - oddly they don't even need my credit card details!

@ vandrabrud

I am taking an Osprey Porter 46 (not packed full) and a medium size Tom Bihn messenger bag. I haven't weighed them yet.

My Osprey Porter 46 is going to Japan too - will be interested in hearing how it works out for you - have a great trip

Lissie - I have no Japanese and have had no problems finding the correct toilet for my gender on multiple trips! Signage is quite good in English and recognizable symbolism (male and female!). I admire you taking on the language.

The Kyoto Railway station is easier to use than some in Tokyo like Tokyo and Shinjuku. I'm curious what caught your eye enough to interest you in stopping by. I've eaten at several places in the restaurant area several times, attached department store, easy access to taxis and buses, but that is not atypical in Japan. If you are going to be in Tokyo, Tokyo Station is fun to wander through. For instance, I've enjoyed Character Street: https://trulytokyo.com/tokyo-character-street/

Apparently there is a good view from on of the upper levels. Mainly though I'm interested in the Kyoto Railway Museum

Thanks for replying, Lissie. I will be taking a companion to the railway museum next month. I haven't been there; my time has been spent in temples in previous visits to Kyoto. I thought my companion would prefer trains! The museum does get good reviews, I’m quite eager.

@Llssie

I am taking an Osprey Porter 46 (not packed full) and a medium size Tom Bihn messenger bag. I haven't weighed them yet.

I was looking at a website mentioned above, and found some information about this topic.

Apparently, trains are crowded, and you're not supposed to wear a backpack while riding on a crowded trains and busses. Most people using large backpacks get very frustrated having to constantly take their backpacks off once situated. Most, if not all, Japanese people travel with 4-wheeled suitcases.

Here's an article about using backpacks in Japan:
https://japanandmore.com/best-backpack-for-japan-travel/

Here is a YouTube video about luggage for Japan:
https://youtu.be/I_ZUPoWtIrQ?si=vZwrJo6YQce30IJO

Something to keep in mind for your trip.

Have a fun trip!

The backpack article posted above doesn't differentiate between distance trains and local commuter lines or subway and metro transit. I wouldn't let this author's opinions deter anyone from using a backpack - responsibly - for travel between cities in Japan. His advice should be applied everywhere, including airplanes(!), when one encounters a crowded situation.

I have not encountered crowded distance trains in Japan - caveat that I have not traveled during the high tourist weeks such as Golden Week or New Years. Any other time I've traveled, including early cherry blossom and early koyo, the trains have not been overcrowded.

In contrast, Tokyo's various metro and subway lines can be packed. I would never consider wearing a backpack during rush hours on some of those lines. I have, however, traveled with my carry-on which I kept between my legs as I stood for my journey. I didn't take up any extra room transporting the bag in that manner.

I am in the midst of planning details for my trip next month. I have already planned the day pack/backpack that I will be using for a trip to Nikko. That will involve Tokyo's metro/subway system and a distance line. I don't anticipate any problems with using/ wearing/holding a pack responsibly.

Similarly, I have "issues" with the Youtube video. I have not encountered any of the problems with a 2 wheel suitcase on multiple recent visits to Japan. Yes, train stations are crowded at times. No more so than a crowded US airport, to my mind. If you prefer a 2 wheeled, drag-behind-you suitcase and can manage it in crowded circumstances at home, there shouldn't be difficulties in Japan. My 2 wheeler has made multiple Japanese journeys and is being packed for another!

Just noticed this thread. If I can be of help, let me know. I lived in Kyushu for a year, and Okinawa for 6 years. I married a Japanese women in 2018 so we periodically return. I’ve traveled most of Japan, have skied 50 resorts, snorkeled/scuba dived Okinawa main island and a few other Islands, etc.

It may be best to PM me as my wife and I are travel nomads so I don’t often check these forums.

Here is another article I found about backpacks and luggage in Japan.
https://www.thetokyochapter.com/what-kind-of-luggage-do-i-need-for-japan/

I think the main topic being addressed is that Japanese people are very conscious about how they are affecting the people around them. Certain types of luggage cause more disruption than others.

This is a Japan Forum discussing a Manners Poster for the Tokyo Subway:
https://japantoday.com/category/picture-of-the-day/luggage-manners

I am planning to travel to Japan this September for 10-14 days, not sure how many days to set aside for a first trip, with my Husband and 27 year old daughter. I am intimidated by the idea of planning the trip on my own and was wondering if anyone has used or heard of Inside Japan? Does using a travel agent that charges a lump sum not broken down in anyway, add a huge amount of money to the cost of the trip. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Michelle

Mishdish

My wife and I are taking our adult sons and a girlfriend to Japan for 15 days in October. This will be our first trip to Japan.

We purchased our airfare from zipair which is a discount airline owned by Japan Air. The price difference is huge. However, Zip only flys out of limited numbers of cities. Check their website and see if your city is on the list.

Booking hotels in Japan is very easy. Japanese hotels will give you a reservation without a credit card and you can cancel approximately 1 or 2 days before. So you can make an itinerary, book hotels, change your minds and rebook pretty well right up until you leave. Also note that many, but not all, Japanese hotels may not start giving out reservations until about 3 months out. Therefore, if you are booking for September, you may find some hotels that appear to be fully booked when in fact they haven't even released their rooms yet for booking. Just keep checking. Having said that, we have made some early reservations and have noticed that hotel prices will increase as time goes by and as rooms get booked up.

Japan's transportation system is excellent. Many people just buy their train tickets at the station on the day of instead of booking in advance. That is what we are planning to do. YMMV.

I cannot make any recommendations for cities or sites because I've actually never been there yet. For what it's worth, we plan to spend six nights in Tokyo, four nights in Kyoto five nights in Osaka. There is so much to see and do in each city. There are lots of good resources, including many that are listed in the other posts. We have been using japan-guide.com.

The Japanese yen is still very weak and traveling to do Japan right now is very economical.

Good luck.

funpig, I didn't know this, thank you!! I would've driven myself crazy with accommodation since I typically like to book early.

Booking hotels in Japan is very easy. Japanese hotels will give you a reservation without a credit card and you can cancel approximately 1 or 2 days before. So you can make an itinerary, book hotels, change your minds and rebook pretty well right up until you leave. Also note that many, but not all, Japanese hotels may not start giving out reservations until about 3 months out. Therefore, if you are booking for September, you may find some hotels that appear to be fully booked when in fact they haven't even released their rooms yet for booking. Just keep checking. Having said that, we have made some early reservations and have noticed that hotel prices will increase as time goes by and as rooms get booked up.

^^^^ You will also find that some hotels, especially in the larger cities and those that are American or European owned, can be booked long in advance - just like home. I've booked Hilton, Hyatt, Accor hotels this way in several cities last year and this. (I frequently travel on points.)

I do agree that when one is used to booking long in advance that discovering the "not available" for those hotels not offering this is disconcerting!

I often stop at the train station(s) a day or so in advance if convenient to purchase train tickets for an upcoming journey, but only because I often want to use the manned stations and sometimes the lines are long - might miss the train I want. Train ticket machines are easy to use, but often only accept cash. I have never had my credit card rejected at a manned stations.

Some train trips (not all - several different rail operators in Japan) can be booked online with an app called SmartEx. Easy to use. From the website:"Get your Tokaido Sanyo Kyushu Shinkansen tickets quick and easy using this service, allowing you to travel along Japan’s “Golden route”; Tokyo, Shizuoka, Nagoya, Kyoto, Osaka, Hiroshima, Hakata, Kumamoto and more!" https://smart-ex.jp/en/index.php

My biggest "hint" for a first timer would be to take a look at some of the online explanations of the Japanese rail system and the maps of the train stations. With some background, even the largest stations needn't be overwhelming, but it can be confusing because of the different operators, local vs bullet (Shinkansen) trains, metro/subway lines.

Some useful websites: https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2019.html
https://www.seat61.com/Japan.htm

Michelle - take a look at some of the online itinerary suggestions for Japan's "Golden Route" - https://www.japan.travel/en/in/itineraries/golden-route/
https://www.japan-guide.com/ad/new-golden-route/

Once you've determined where and what - it is really very straightforward to book.

@mishdish: it's gonna be hot and still humid in Sept in most of the country. Can you reschedule your trip to Nov, when the weather is nicest?

I returned home from my fantastic Japan trip Thursday evening. I will be starting my trip report tonight. I am still exhausted and have to return to work on Monday, but will do what I can.

By the way, my Osprey 46L was perfect, as always.

vandrabrud, so glad to hear it went well!

I’m so glad to hear Vandrabrud! I look forward to your report!

Great to hear the Osprey 46 worked well - mine is looking forward to it's Japan trip!

We just got back from 3 weeks in Japan— May 5-26, Tokyo and points north (Nikko, Sendai, Matsushima, Yamadera, Naruko Onsen, Aomori, and Hirosaki). We traveled exclusively by train. It was our first trip to Japan, and we traveled on our own, with our son and DIL, who speak some Japanese and have been there before.

I will say that I was glad I had a roller bag and not a backpack. I tried a Cotopaxi 42L backpack before leaving. Did a trial pack (15 lbs), walked around the block, unpacked it, and returned it to REI. I knew I’d hate having that weight on my back. (I’m female, 65 and fit, and weigh under 130 lbs.)

I bought a Travelpro Max Lite (?) 2-wheeled carry-on. It weighs 5.5 lbs empty. Total packed weight was around 16 lbs. I also took a small daypack, which was really useful on day hikes. Also packed a “Foldie” packable duffel for bringing stuff home, and then tucked my empty daypack inside. It all worked well for me.

I was glad I didn’t have a giant backpack for walking to/from train stations, and while on the train. Taking it on and off would have been more trouble than hauling my roller bag up and down stairs in the train stations. (And there are LOTS of stairs in the train stations.)

If you want to know more about our experiences in northern Japan, I’d be happy to answer questions. It was a wonderful trip.

Guys, Mike in Japan here.
Don’t do a cruise to this country. All you’ll end up seeing are the tourist traps and you might not meet many locals or experience all the great food this country has to offer. An old colleague did a tour and asked me ridiculous questions like “Why are Japanese so religious?” and “Why do they like lucky charms so much?” Answers: they aren’t and they don’t. But the reason he asked was that he only visited temples and shrines, then when right back to the ship!! He also ate all meals on board, missing out on some of the finest food in the world (Tokyo has more Michelin-starred restaurants than Paris). So don’t be a lazy traveler. Come to Japan, take the trains, eat the great food and interact with locals. You’ll have a much richer travel experience.

I 2nd Mike’s suggestion to not see Japan by cruise ship. I am surprised so many on a RS forum steer that way. I say this as someone who has done many cruises as a way to sample areas (ex: Caribbean islands or Mediterranean locations), but Japan seems best to not do by ship for reasons Mike spelled out - food alone would be missed (I’ve never been on a cruise and felt I could dine while on shore…).

Not sure if this has been mentioned or not since I’ve only skimmed the posts…

I suggest not planning a trip with heavy emphasis on seasonal events (cherry blossoms or fall foliage) as it can be hit or miss. Cherry blossoms are about a two week thing which progress from south to north depending on temps (elevation as well).

While living in Okinawa, one year the Nago Sakura festival happened a few days after a big wind stripped the blossoms off the trees. My son and his wife missed fall foliage they hoped to see last year on their swing through Japan just due to being in the “wrong” spot.

So…certainly try to fit your plans around those events if desirable, but consider yourself lucky if it works out. Make sure your destination is worthy of visiting for other reasons if your timing is off.

I visited Japan last fall, and it was incredible. For your trip, I recommend starting with Tokyo and exploring nearby attractions. On the first day, take it easy after your flight and maybe just stroll around the hotel area.

Mount Fuji is a must-see, and a visit to Oshino Hakkai is a peaceful experience. In Tokyo, don't miss the Asakusa Temple and Nakamise Street. The Tokyo Skytree and Akihabara are also worth a visit. Disneyland is a blast, especially if you have kids.

A few tips: Get a SIM card with a data plan before you leave, and consider using the Tokyo Metro or JR Pass for getting around. Most places accept credit cards, but it's handy to have some cash. Download Google Maps for easy navigation.

For more specific advice, check out the Tokyo trip tips for a well-rounded experience! Enjoy your trip!

James; I appreciate your detailed answers. You invited questions so here are a few: In which neighborhood would you recommend I book my hotel in Tokyo? We are a couple who appreciate a quieter neighborhood, good cafes/mid priced restaurants, and we don’t do bars or nightlife. We love to get a feel for the culture and every day life when we travel. All the electronics, anamae, theme park venues of Tokyo will be avoided by us. We are in good physical shape and walk 3-4 miles everyday st home. We like to bike, but not in traffic. We would like to have a hotel convenient to walk to a nearby train station. If you have any specific hotels to recommend, that would be great too. We want western style beds. My second question is regarding the best day trips to outdoor sights out of Tokyo. We appreciate natural beauty and history. My third question is regarding whether to navigate transportation within Tokyo ourselves, or hire a driver. We have “trained” around Europe for months at a time, and used metros and subways in NYC and DC. However I’m nervous about navigating what I understand are huge stations in Tokyo. Are there certain stations to avoid? Thank you

Day trips:

https://www.japan.travel/en/ca/inspiration/10-best-day-trips-from-tokyo/

https://tokyocheapo.com/entertainment/easy-day-trips-from-tokyo/

I have day tripped to Kamakura -quite easy, temples, interesting small town, hiking

Hakone is very popular. I went twice last year staying multiple overnights each time.

Nikko is also very popular. Shrine complex and national park. Overnightif possibie.

Mt Takao - easy.

Tokyo is vast with many different budget considerations. Best to indicate your price range for hotel. I like the Shinjuku area near government buildings. I stay at the Hilton on points generally - quiet. Others have their own picks for hotel location and would not like my choice. Asakusa may have more less expensive options.

Stations are well marked with English info .booths. I suggest studying the transit systems. You may make life harder by trying to avoid some stations.

I’ve never needed a guide, others prefer one. Personal preference. Forget ”driver” - many guides use public transport in Tokyo to take visitors around the city and to some of the day trip areas. You can find drivers to Nikko and hakone, some are quite expensive. There are some bus trips also, but traffic can make getting to out of town places a very long day.

Mary... what a great idea to start this specific thread! Thanks so much plus the previous contributors have given RS type of specifics on their Japan experiences. We have done numerous independent European trips and will continue our independence in Japan for 3 weeks in late Sept.

More re trains, stations, and getting around.

I am in Osaka at the moment. Took a rapid line in to Osaka Station yesterday from KIX - new option within the past year or so. Certainly new to me and the incoming track was isolated leaving us confused as to which exit we needed. No problems asking an English speaking official. We were even given a small map of the station, with English, to find a departure platform for a later outing. (And warnings on the map to give yourself 15 minutes from the main ticket office to the platform!!!!)

Point is - the employees are terrific and very helpful. Just give yourself time. I have found online maps of the stations quite helpful for pre-trip study, but not this time at Osaka Station!

Responding to KSB about transportation within Tokyo. Traffic is slow, private drivers are expensive, and public transit is typically better. It's an amazing system with lots of English signage. Study the subway system map, and then look up times from point to point. There are often multiple routes to choose from and sometimes the faster route looks longer on a map. Get a pass or Suica card, so you don't have to stand in front of a machine and figure out exact fares. Pro Tip: major stations have a lot of exits. Study the wall maps underground before you head up so that you don't surface at a big intersection wondering about which direction you want to go from there. The subway system map will also get you started on the decision about where to stay. If you're going out of town frequently, check departure stations for trains to your destination. Same idea for access to Narita or Haneda airports. Tokyo is a fascinating city - enjoy!

The latest iteration of IC cards - Suica, Pasmo, ICOCA - is downloadable to Apple Wallet. No need to purchase a physical card which have been in short supply due to chip shortages. The pass can be re-loaded anytime on the fly.

https://support.apple.com/en-lamr/108772

It works great - just pass your IPhone over the IC reader, no need to punch any buttons or verify anything. As well as “in town” transit, the ICs can be used for local and some express trains within one region making it unnecessary to purchase a ticket. (Read up on rules - some express trains require an extra ticket and Shinkansen needs a ticket.).

https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2359_003.html

I don’t know if there is an android version of phone ICs.

I don’t know if there is an android version of phone ICs.

No, unless you have a Japanese Android phone, you have to use a physical card. Availability is hit-or-miss in Tokyo (and has been troublesome for months), although some version of Suica or Pasmo can usually be obtained at Haneda, Narita or key stations. No problem in the rest of the country.

@ksb, I stayed in Asakusa and I think it meets all of your criteria. The hotel we stayed at was Hotel Gracery Asakusa. The small local station is close by.

I have spent hundreds of hours over the last six months planning a trip to Japan in late October/early November this year. Over 14 days, my wife and I will stay in Tokyo (6 nights, including day trip Kamakura), Kyoto (5 nights, including day trip to Nara) and Hiroshima (2 nights with day trip to Miyajima Island). During the long train ride from Hiroshima to Tokyo, we will stop in Himeji for lunch and see Himeji Castle and Koko-en Gardens before continuing on to Tokyo. Osakia did not make the cut because other than night life and food, it did not have much to offer compared to the other places we will visit--I know, but hey, we are in our 60s and I'm a child of divorce so give me a break.

In this thread's first post, Mary listed a number of excellent resources, especially Japan-Guide.com. From these sources I created a 42-page itinerary and have been constantly tweaking it to take into account realistic travel times between the sites we want to see, especially in Kyoto, where, unlike Tokyo, the local transportation (train & buses) does not appear to very helpful if you have an ambitious itinerary and want to see more than just a few things each day. Obviously, taxis are more expensive but absolutely necessary if you want to spend more of your day actually enjoying temples, shrines, gardens, markets, etc. rather than sitting on buses. Admittedly, we are fully prepared to be "templed-out" in Kyoto (and Nara), with 16 temples and shrines on our to-visit list.

Japan-Guide.com has excellent Itineraries for almost every major city to get you thinking. For us, Tokyo, Kamakura, Nara, Hiroshima, Miyajima Island and Himeji planning has been fairly easy given Japan-Guide website and their "Top 5" YouTube videos and the other sources cited by Mary. Kyoto has been a greater challenge because if you are into temples, shrines and gardens, it can be almost overwhelming and many of the major sites are not quickly accessible by train.

There are two additional resources I found that have been invaluable in creating what I hope are realistic (albeit ambitious) itineraries for Kyoto. The first is https://www.travelcaffeine.com/best-temples-shrines-kyoto-japan/ and other articles on travelcaffeine.com website. The author and his wife have spent extensive time in Kyoto, with detailed reviews of the top 25 temples and shrines to visit. They have also created multiple itineraries for Kyoto based on different parts of the city.

The second resource is a phone app called "wanderlog," where you type in your proposed itineraries and wanderlog provides Google ratings, links to websites and Google Map distances and travel times (driving/taxi, transit and walking) between the sites (including your hotel, places to eat, etc) you plan to visit. I have been using it for free for months and may never access the paid portions of the app although I almost feel like I should pay them something for the amazing app they created. It is a superb resource, but note that the travel times for transit and driving/taxi, unlike walking, do not always reflect the actual times it will take to get to your next site. For example, the app may say that driving/taxi will take 18 minutes, but if you are going across town during rush hour, that same drive could take 30-40 minutes (you can confirm the actual travel time by specifying what time of day you will be traveling (choose transit) on Google Maps). You can move your proposed visit to a particular temple, for example, to a different time of the day or to a different day simply by dragging it up or down on you phone. It is so helpful. We were able to add a ramen making and cooking class (Musoshin Kyoto), calligraphy class (Calligraphy Kyoto) and tea ceremony (Nara Visitor Center) during our stay in Kyoto with its help.

Will report back in November and let you know how much of an idiot I was thinking I had it all planned out. Wish Rick covered Japan!

Hi, Mary. Thank you very much for sharing. I plan to go to Japan next year to see the cherry blossoms. I will search your sharing regularly.

I posted this above but since we're talking about trains right now, I thought I would repost this excellent article by Lonely Planet: How to plan a train journey around Japan in 2024

So...update: For the immediate future I'm going to need to take shorter trips (<10 days), so holding off on Japan travel planning for now. I'll get there someday.

Oh I'm sorry, Mary! That's too bad, but I'm sure you will get there eventually.

morrisonsum - Since you are spending 6 nights in Tokyo, I wonder if you can add in Nikko as a day trip?? Not as easy as Kamakura because it is a longer train ride. However, the Tokugawa shrines - founder of the Edo period shogunate and his grandson's shrine - are, to my mind, more impressive than many of the Kyoto temples and shrines. Maybe you've seen this already: https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3801.html In proximity to those magnificent shrines are a smaller shrine area and a large temple complex. (both interesting, but less magnificent to my mind)

This site is the pass info for the area: https://www.tobu.co.jp/en/ticket/nikko/all.html and https://tobutoptours.com/en/nikko-all-area-pass.html Purchase at Asakusa Station (or online). There is much in the Nikko area - the shrines and temples and a lot of nature-land with waterfalls, hikes, etc. Too much for one day trip. The buses do run regularly between sites, but can get very crowded during high tourist season. If you are in Japan during autumn leave changes, this area is a "hot spot" for locals. When I have done one day trips, I did only the temples areas or only the bus to the waterfall and other areas such as Kanmangafuchi Abyss. https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3810.html

The above is just a thought for you - you've probably already thoroughly researched this and made your decisions, but maybe the idea and links can help someone else.

I'm sorry to hear the OP won't be going to Japan when she hoped to! Thanks for starting this thread though, its been full of useful information!

I had a question about IC cards. Just wondering what the status is on purchasing Suica or Pasmo cards - I heard that due to supply chain issues, these weren't available to acquire, at least earlier this year. My plan is to buy a Welcome Suica as that expires in 28 days after purchase, but I will only be in Japan for 2 weeks, so shouldn't be an issue. Still, anyone who has been recently, can you offer any updates?

I have been in Japan for two weeks now.

If you have an IPhone, there is an easier IC option than purchasing Welcome Suica (or a Pasmo or ICOCA). In Apple wallet, go to travel cards and choose Suica. You can do this before leaving the US. Add minimal amount of cash. You can add more cash at any point it is needed - even when standing beside the exit gate after getting a red light for insufficient funds. No need to find a machine to “recharge”.

My companion has a regular Suica from a previous trip. The phone option has been much easier than the physical card to use due to the ease of reloading funds.

You can use the phone version in the same ways as a physical card, so if you “overload” more money than you need for transit, you can use extra funds at Starbucks, convenience stores, a number of other spots.

Re your original question, when arriving at NARITA, regular Suica were available from machines. I have never had a “Welcome” and do not know the availability in mid to late June, but I wouldn’t be overly concerned.

I bought a Welcome Suica at Haneda at the end of March. No problem with availability there. What I did not count on was the line to buy it. It was about a 30 minute wait (there's only a couple of machines from what I remember and also it's where you buy tickets for the monorail). Combine that with a bunch of tourists who don't know what they are doing and, well, it can take a lot longer than expected. So maybe factor that into your planning.

This thread has created a very strong desire to travel to Japan. I am considering a cruise for 2025 or 2026.

Alright, phil! You'll get there before I do :-)

@BostonPhil- If you are interested in a Japan Cruise, you need to pay special attention to when cruises are just released for the next time period. This is the time that bargains are usually found. I made my reservation in September of 2023 for Spring 2025 in order to get a great price for a solo traveler. My Japan cruise is still 271 days out but it is completely sold out except for the highest cabin category.

Start looking for 2026 and be open to other cruise lines besides NCL.

I am not a cruiser, so take this with a big grain of salt. I wonder about those itineraries I see, for instance Norwegian, that claim "cruise to Mt Fuji". Mt Fuji is well inland of the cruise port. One would be lucky to have a glimpse of Fuji on a day with good weather. Similarly with Kyoto - the Osaka port is as close to Kyoto as the ships will get.

I mention this only because I have read criticisms of Japan cruise itineraries from folks much more experienced than I am. Those of you who cruise undoubtedly know the "is and outs", but I would survey the itinerary details carefully. Forgive me if I am stating the obvious, but as a DIY train and bus Japan tourist, I can't quite imagine a cruise tour to the inland places I have enjoyed.

Perhaps there is an experienced Japan cruiser out there who will correct me!

@ORD traveler. You have pointed out the real weakness with only visiting a country by cruise ship. You are limited in experiences and destinations by the itinerary and how "honest" the cruise line is in describing distances from the port. There are a number of reasons that a person might choose to cruise, but there are some trade offs involved.

Every tourist has some limitations due to time and their chosen itinerary, so that is not insurmountable. They can be happy with a "sampler" that gives a taste of the country in the places that they visit, or they can find multiple ways to see and experience more.

In my case, the ports visited by the cruise are varied and interested me. Due to a special that only lasted a few days, I ended up with a 10 day Japan cruise for $1500 ($1900 with taxes and insurance) which is excellent for a solo traveler. Then the cruise line threw in $1000 of free excursions. I could not go wrong with this travel deal! I also knew that I would be missing large pieces of Japan. I did a little searching and came up with a week long tour that ends the day my cruise begins. Still probably just barely scratching the surface, but adding a bit more to the experience.

I don't know if there is a "perfect" way to travel. I do know that people end up making choices that seem to work best for themselves. If the choice is staying home or seeing just parts of a location, I'd still choose going.

Thanks, Carol! You obviously know what you booked and I'm sure will enjoy it. Probably most posters here have cruise experience and can read the promotional literature knowledgeably, but I was rather taken aback by my quick glance at what some of the lines' sales literature suggested.

The excursions was the kind of thing I had wondered about. Without the excursions, I would think many things would be missed and doing a DIY from some of those ports is time consuming and could be worrisome for making it back to port (at least for a worrier like me). With your price deal and excursion scheduling by your cruise line, you've got the best of all the options it seems!!!

I so agree with you on not being able to see "everything" no matter how we travel. So many parts of so many countries that I would love to get to, but have given up in favor of more in depth discovery of other areas. We do what we can and what suits us!

Mary from S E United Stats

Maybe we will be on the same ship

Carol now retired.

My cruise consultant did tell me the Japan cruises sell out fast but I did not realize how fast. I am going to have to check out these cruises.

So what line are you sailing? And is it strictly Japan or other Asian countries.

You sure have something to look forward to

EDITED. Carol, I read your posts to "Ord" and now realize that you have a 10 day cruise around Japan. What cruise line? And you got such a good deal...

Boston Phil, I am going with Princess .

Hi ORDtraveler

I was not able to travel when younger and now I am one old lady with some mobility issues and on a very strict budget.

I am able to take one cruise a year. In October, I will be taking my 9th cruise with Norwegian. And should there be another one, I am thinking Japan.

I take a NCL excursion at every port. If you take an excursion through NCL, you are almost guaranteed they will hold the ship for youis something goes wrong. Sometimes the bus or train rides to and from the attraction are very comfortable and pretty.

I see a lot when cruising but sometimes not long enough. There are limitations. But I am satisfied because it is the best that I can do.

I have pictures. I have memories and soon after I am home, I am planning the next cruise.

Carol,

From what I have read, Princess is one step ahead of Norwegian.

Carol and Bostonphil - I hope I didn't offend either of you. I know from other posts that you are both very experienced cruisers and know what you are doing when booking. I can understand the advantages of cruises and didn't intend to criticize the choice as a means of enjoyable travel..

My concern was more for those who are less experienced, looking at a place like Japan, and reading literature that suggested (without reading the fine print) that a traveler would be right by a city like Kyoto. Not that Kyoto can't be reached from cruise ports, but the transit could easily be more than one has expected from the sales literature I glanced at in the sales literature.

@ORD traveler. Of course no offense. You make some very valid points. The more we know about the pros and cons of travel options, the better we are able to make decisions that work for us. I appreciate your input very much.

ORDtraveler - Thanks for taking the time to read my post and offer suggestions. I was strongly considering travel to Nikko early on but there were a few reasons I hesitated: (1) Over 4 hours on trains; (2) it really seemed like a place that we needed to stay overnight to justify travel times and I did not want another hotel move; and (3) the time we would be going would be peak season for fall colors, which meant very large crowds. Nonetheless, your post caused us to reconsider, and we are planning to go on Tuesday, November 5th and try to get an excellent sample of shrines and Lake Chuzenji area. Wanted to avoid weekends and hope that delays on bus trip from "town" to Lake Chuzenji area is not too bad.

6:20am:
Shinkansen from Tokyo Station (15 min walk from our hotel) to JR Nikko Station (one stop @ Utsunomiya Station)

8:40am - 12:35pm:
Shinkyo Bridge, Shoyo-en Garden, Toshogu Shrine, Rin'noji Taiyu-in Shrine and Kanmangafuchi Abyss

12:35pm - 1:30pm
Bus towards Chuzenji Onsen bus stop

1:30pm - 3:30pm
Kegon Waterfall, Lake Chuzenji Boat Cruise to Shobugahama Pier, and Ryuzu Falls

5:24pm train from Tobu-nikko Station to Hibiya Station (6 min from Hotel) with transfer at Kitasenju Station.

7:35pm Hotel

What do you think? We are pretty excited so if I am screwing something up, be nice. Of course, any thoughts or suggestions are very much appreciated.

I understand the concerns re lengthy train rides - that prevented me from discovering Nikko earlier than I did. However, once there, I've been back!

I think your plan may be a bit too optimistic. What you have planned, I have done on separate days. One for the shrine area, one for the waterfall and lake. I understand that people do manage to see both areas on one day - just not sure of the logistics and hurdles they face.

Specifically, I don't know how crowded the afternoon buses to the waterfall area might become - and if another bus is brought out to accommodate overflows, or if travelers must wait. Perhaps someone here or on TripAdvisor would know about your afternoon timing plans. I can see that schedule works on paper - but in reality - ???? I haven't had enough experience and haven't been on a tight enough schedule to monitor all the details. We actually walked every where last week when we visited the Shrine area and the Abyss. I did see a lot of buses, but do not know if they were running strictly according to published schedule.

Including the Kanmangafuchi Abyss on your full day could be problematic. As you probably found online, the walk from the shrine area is about 30 minutes to the Abyss. I just took a first-time visitor last week and can vouch for that - down hill for the most part! However, you arrive at the start of the Abyss and continue to walk away from the bus stop to Chuzenji Onsen (toward the waterfall) as you explore the length of the Abyss. So, although you can get to the Abyss walking from the Shrine area in 30 minutes, you then will walk away from your bus stop to see the Abyss, must double back the length Abyss walk, plus about 10 - 15 minute walk back to your on-going Chuzenji Onsen bus stop. So, if that makes sense to you, walking the Abyss may be more time-consuming than your apparently generous 4 hour morning plan allows. I picked up timings on this link: https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3810.html We did see a couple who had taken a taxi to the Abyss area and asked it to wait for them as they explored. There are taxis at the Shrine in a dedicated parking lot if you wanted to consider that option. I don't know the cost. I must confess that I mis-judged our time last week and we had to race back to catch our train without walking the entire length of the Abyss.

As regards the rest of the morning plan, in my opinion, the Toshogu shrine is a must-see in the area - incredible carvings, multiple buildings, Tokugawa Ieyasu's actual tomb. Second for me is the grandson's shrine, Taiyuin, to compare how the grandson honored the Founding Grandfather by making his own shrine gorgeous, but more subdued than the Grandfather's. The Rinnoji Temple is vibrant with attractive esoteric elements, but if pressed for time, you may see temples with similar elements in Kyoto. My companion and I were tired when we arrived at Futarasan Shrine - it is possible to explore this at length; we did not feel compelled to do so. You could shorten time in this area to accommodate the Abyss by focusing only on a couple sites depending on on-site reactions.

In general, I think you can monitor your morning temple/shrine area time and adjust accordingly to accommodate afternoon plans. For instance, I had become interested in the Tokugawa Shogunate, so I enjoyed the small Tokugawa Museum which has a good intro video on the shrine and artifacts used by Tokugawa Ieyasu. However, if you want to see the waterfall and lake, skip this. Similarly, the Rinnoji Temple Treasure House has a beautiful garden attached, but there probably won't be time to see the building or garden if you visit your two planned areas in Nikko. You will be confronted by all these options (and ticket booths) beyond the biggest buildings once on-site, so be forewarned! You might also shorten your visit by not taking off your shoes and entering every open building as we did last week.

I hope this is somewhat helpful!

I meant to add - we used both Apple and Google Maps as we walked around Nikko last week. Both worked well, but Apple Maps couldn't find the Kanmangafuchi Abyss by that name (that could have been my fault - maybe I misspelled it). Switched over to Google maps and no problem. In general with Apple Maps more than Google in Japan, I have found some place names to be slightly different than what I saw on-line or sometimes with a slightly altered spelling. Similarly, I've found the same thing with Jordan and Navitime walking maps. Once I find a place name, I take note of how the app specifies it. I used all 4 of those apps at various points during my recent two week trip.

@Ordtraveler-thank you for your posts on your recent trip to Japan. We currently have one night in Nikko, but after reading your post, I'm thinking maybe we should add another night? Your thoughts?

My experience in Nikko isn't as recent as ORDTraveler's, but I completely agree that doing both the Tokugawa shrine complex and the lake on the same day seems overly optimistic. I've devoted entire days to each on their own. Personally, I think doing just the shrines makes an incredibly rewarding trip from Tokyo if you only have time for a single day trip. Of course, more nights and time could be added. But to be able to do both areas completely without watching the clock all day and constantly thinking about time, I think that you really do need two days.

Tammy - One vs two nights may depend on the time you plan to arrive and depart - many train time options. Also, how "in depth" and at what speed you like to sight-see.

I would think if you are arriving in early to mid-morning on day 1, then leaving mid to late afternoon the next day, you will be fine - this assumes that you are seeing the "major sights" of shrine area and waterfall/lake. (There are nature museums, botanic gardens, etc as well, but less "popular" with most visitors as must sees.)

There are several itineraries on-line to plan this outing - probably you've found them, but they might be helpful for others.
https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3822_nikko_town_full.html
https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3822_nikko_town_full.html
https://trulytokyo.com/nikko-day-trip-itinerary/
also some personal travel blogs with hints

I was advised that most people spend about 2 hours in the actual shrine area. I timed us - we spent closer to 4 hours, but we visited most everything in the area (I think). Many people would not be interested the smaller museums or need to spend as much time as we did in the major sites. The shrine area is close to town. I find it reasonably easy to control the time spent there. Going up to the lake and waterfalls probably requires the buses which may be more dictated by schedules and cruise schedules.

Thank you all for the information you are sharing, it has been very helpful with my planning.

I have a question about pocket wifi that I have been reading that you need to get when you land. I have AT&T and have used the International Day Pass plan when traveling to Europe and it has worked very well. I looked, and Japan is one of the counties that AT&T lists you can use it in.

Can anyone here confirm they have used it successfully? Thank you in advance.

Hi Irish - I'm confused by your statement "pocket wifi that I have been reading that you need to get when you land". Is this because of the type of ATT plan you have?

I only know how my own TMobile plan that gives me international data works. I have never exceeded my plan's data limits in trips of 2 - 3 weeks. WIFI is available at hotels, restaurants, many trains in Japan. I do carry a battery charger as I use Apple Maps for walking directions constantly.

ORDtraveler

You did not offend at all.

Because of this thread, I have developed a very strong interest in visiting Japan and perhaps other ports in Asia.

Your posts are going to be very helpful in my research and planning.Trust me that I will be back with many questions in the future.

I have begun the very early research by going to NCL and seeing what is offered.

I am thinking Spring 2026 and nothing is yet offered but I am looking at 2025 for ideas.

Cruises leave from Tokyo but also Yokohama (Tokyo). Cruises are 10 days plus and I will probably have to go with a 10 day cruise due to budget and time. Whatever port I leave from, I usually spend three or four days in port before sailing.

I do not see any cruises that are strictly Japan but a few are almost all Japan with one or two other countries. One cruise begins and returns to Tokyo but includes one other country within the cruise.

Thank you Mary from S E USA for beginning this thread. Thank you Carol now retired for your always helpful information and thank you also ORDtraveler for the same.

Carol, NCL has cruises available from Tokyo for Spring 2025. and from then on. I have not looked at the details but I think that it said something about including taxes, fees, gratuities and port costs. Fares were decent. I must have read something wrong.

Thank you ORD.

I read on multiple boards and blogs that once you land in Japan, you need to get a Suica card and get a pocket wifi. I resolved the suica issue because I have an apple phone and I can add it to my wallet, I think I am also fine with any slow or non-existant wifi in more rural areas with no wifi, because of the international day pass with AT&T (it gives me my same plan that I have in US in the "listed" countries). Just looking for some clarity on people who may have used the plan and it worked.

ORDtraveler - Your comments were helpful, so I think I'll modify the plan by skipping/delaying the Kanmangafuchi Abyss after my temple tour, visit Kegon Falls and catch the 1:30pm boat to Ryuzu Falls. (Basically, this is the Itinerary provided in your link to https://trulytokyo.com/nikko-day-trip-itinerary/ ) If the traffic from Ryuzu Falls back to town is not too bad, and I can get to the Kanmangafuchi Abyss by 3:30pm, that will give me plenty of time to enjoy what I can and doubling back to the road by sunset (4:40pm), then taking the bus back to Tobu-nikko Station and catch the 5:30pm or later train back to Tokyo Station/Ginza area. The "Alltrails" hiking phone app that we used in Zion and Yosemite to great effect shows the "Kanmangafuchi Loop" as a 45-minute hike, but reviews strongly suggest doubling back and walking along the river again and avoid the last 35% of the "loop" that runs along the main road.

Thanks again.

morrisonsum - That sounds do-able to me. Better to understand options that can be added as time is available vs realizing one is out somewhere with 30 minutes to do a 45 minute walk back to transport! The latter is close to what happened to us as I somehow mismanaged the time available for us to "leisurely stroll" the Abyss.

I do hope you enjoy Nikko.

Off current topic, I think you also planned Kamakura which is also remarkable in its own way. My favorites are the Hasadera Temple complex https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3101.html and, of course, the Giant Buddha (Daibutsu) https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3100.html (Links included for those new to thoughts of visiting Kamakura.)

If you like hiking, there is a nice trail just beyond the Daibutsu area. Exit the temple property, go up the road toward the rear of the Daibutsu fenced property and you reach a narrow trailhead on the right side of the road. Entrance marked on the left side of this map, scroll down to find map: https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3113.html Here, a picture of the area near trailhead: https://en.japantravel.com/kanagawa/kamakura-s-daibutsu-hiking-trail/951 All Trails also has several hiking options including other entrances to this particular route. The "hiking course" was popular with locals when I was there on a weekend last fall, about the same time that you will be in the area. Several hiking clubs, but I never encountered huge crowds. Friendly folks!

This temple can be accessed close to the hiking path - a bit of something different!

https://www.kanpai-japan.com/kamakura/zeniarai-benten

@TIG,

Using wi-fi boxes for phone use is very common in Japan. Two boxes were included in my "tour" and we had three people. I prefer to use my $10 a day plan from Verizon because being connected is very important to me. Each son had his own box. The trouble is that it doesn't always work well for calls or navigation. If you like your "use your phone like home" plan, I would just do that. My Verizon plan worked great.

from Vogue magazine - The Best Places to Visit in Japan
https://www.vogue.com/article/best-places-to-visit-in-japan

Thanks for that link Going234, I’m glad we are getting off the city tourist triangle to see some of the smaller, rural towns.

ORDtraveler - I am confident we will enjoy our day in Nikko. Thanks for encouraging me to reconsider it as a day trip from Tokyo.

With respect to Kamakura, we have crafted an itinerary based on the itinerary suggested by https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3121_kamakura_full.html and Japan Guide's Youtube video, "The 5 Things to do in Kamakura"(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xapGKxTLc3I).

Hasedera Temple,
Kotoku-in Temple (Giant Buddha of Kamakura),
Daibutsu Hiking Trail w/ stops at the Zeniarai Benten Shrine and Genjiyama Park (Minamoto no Yoritomo Statue),
Komachi-dori Street for lunch,
Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine, and
Hokokuji Temple

Because of the time and expense of air travel from Atlanta, GA, my wife and I saw this trip to Japan as once in a lifetime, but I am already thinking about what to do on a return trip!

morrisonsum - That day ^^^^^^ sounds like a winner! Komachi-dori Street does have some good street food (and I'm not generally into street food). On the lovely fall day I visited last year, the area was vibrant and fun to stroll. I hope your visit is as pleasant.

Japan is kind of addictive. The first-time traveler that I just traveled with wants to return next year - already has a whole list of new places to visit!

Regarding pocket wifi: modern smartphones support "eSims" which are virtual SIM cards that are cheaper and more convenient than pocket WiFi - no extra device to carry. The main international providers are Airalo & Ubigi. I used Airalo with great success in Japan earlier this year (I also use it in other countries)

To balso and earonov95 for the suggestion to look into esim cards.

I don't think they are necessary in my case, if I use the AT&T international day pass, I have the full functionality of my phone as if I am home in the US. However, if something changes to that plan before I arrive, I know have a back up options. Much appreciated.

Traveling Irish Girl - I have been told by a couple of folks in Atlanta, GA, USA, that the AT&T International Day Pass worked great in Japan, and they saw no need to get a pocket wifi or esim as far as coverage went. Those same folks noted, however, that you can save a decent amount of money with pocket wifi if you are traveling for a couple of weeks in Japan with a family member or travel companion who is also likely to use their International Day Pass.

I just checked rates for NINJA wifi, which is often praised online, and their cost for 10GB/day (seems reasonable for two folks using %GB/day for their iphones) was roughly $8.50 compared to AT&T's $12/day (rates went up) and $6/day for family member who is on the same account. Five devices can use the pocket wifi.

So, let's assume a 14-day trip and you are traveling with a family member, and they plan to use their AT&T International Day Pass, you could save $133 ($252 v. $119) by buying the 10GB/day plan from NINJA wifi and sharing the pocket wifi with your family member. If your travel companion is not a family member and they are paying $12/day as well, you could save $217 ($336 v. $119).

If your travel companion can stay off their phone when they don't have free wifi access and use your phone for Google Maps, phone calls, hailing taxis, etc. etc. so they do not trigger their own International Day Pass expense, you still save $49 ($168 v. 119).

I think I have the math correct.

eSIM can be much cheaper than that. I paid $9 on sale (Normal price is $18) for 10GB valid for a month. That's total, not per day.

Traveling Irish Girl - AT&T International Day Pass is “free” after 10 days for up to 20 additional days if the 30 days falls within a billing cycle so a 14-day trip within one billing cycle would cost you $120 rather than $168. Check your billing cycle.

@morrisonsum

You are fantastic, I like the way your mind thinks :) Thank you for all the details; I may still use the AT&T international pass, only because it is easy and I don't have to think about anything else...my brain is on overload just trying to plan our train schedules, lol.

Your detailed information made me realize that I may have over paid for it on my last trip to Europe as I should not have paid the $5 (now $6) for my daughters line, I should have had her use my hot spot...that would save $60.

My son used a ubigi esim in Japan last year. He had no issues.

We also plan to use a ubigi esim for our upcoming October Japan trip; USD$17 10GB 30 days.

Gosh this is a great resource. I've added to reading list. We are going to Japan and Korea late September through mid-October. We are taking an NCL cruise that leaves Tokyo (Yokohama) arrives Seoul (Incheon). We picked it because it does give us the opportunity to do more in Korea than most cruises which only go to Busan or Jeju. And it overnights in Osaka (Kyoto). We are spending 5 days in Tokyo before the cruise. Three days in Seoul after. One of our days in Tokyo we are taking the Shinkansen for a long day trip to Hiroshima. We are thinking about train there and fly back. Again thanks to everyone for sharing their experiences and plans.

One thing, having used Rick's guides almost exclusively for Europe over the last few years, including a 6 week Scotland, England Wales trip in May/June, I am having a steep leaning curve with the Lonely Planet guides!

@janhtx

One of our days in Tokyo we are taking the Shinkansen for a long day trip to Hiroshima. We are thinking about train there and fly back.

Something to consider is that the Hiroshima airport is about 45 minutes outside of Hiroshima. You'll have to be at the airport an hour before your flight departs. The flight time is 1.5 hours. Then once in Tokyo, you'll have to get from the airport to your hotel, which will probably take about 45 minutes. The total estimated travel time will be around 4 hours.

Please note that a taxi from Hiroshima train station to Hiroshima airport will run you somewhere between ¥15,000 to ¥17,000. Which is roughly $100.00 to $120.00.

You can catch a limousine bus at Hiroshima station for ¥1,450/person. The limousine buses depart at specified times, and the last bus for the airport is at 7:00PM. Limousine bus schedule: https://www.hij.airport.jp/en/access/timetable/2.html

The Nozomi Shinkansen takes 3.75 hours, departs from Hiroshima station, and drops you off right in the middle of Tokyo. The last train leaves Hiroshima at 8:02PM and arrives at Tokyo Station at 11:45PM. They also stop at Shin-Yokohama and Shinagawa stations, if either of these stations are closer to your hotel.

As you plan your trip, keep in mind that regardless of which mode of transport you choose, you're looking at no less than 7.5 hours of travel time for a day trip from Tokyo to Hiroshima.

Another superb online resource is theinvisibletourist.com. Dozens and dozens of articles on itineraries, hidden gems, trip planning, etc.

Another excellent resource for Kyoto's temples and shrines is japan-experience.com.

Less than a month to go now before my Japan trip! Can't wait.
I keep watching YouTube videos to see if there are any updates on the Suica/Pasmo situation, but still seems like my best bet is to get a Welcome Suica upon arrival at Haneda.

If you have an iphone, have you considered adding SUICA to your Apple Wallet. A lot of folks have used it with success.

1. Open your Apple Wallet
2. Tap the + button to add a card
3. Select Transit card and search for SUICA
4. Select the SUICA card in Japan
5. Choose the amount of money you want to add
6. Read and agree to the terms and conditions
7. Select a registered credit or debit card
8. Double-click the side button of your iPhone to charge the card

Hi janhtx

First, have a wonderful vacation and cruise.

I am thinking of taking a NCL cruise visiting Japan. I would really love to read a trip review when you return and "recover"

I am beginning research on a cruise and around Japan. I know extremely little about travel in Japan, just beginning to learn. .

If I fly to Tokyo or Yokohama for a few days before the cruise, is English widely spoken and are signs in English.

Hello -- Appreciate the many comments about the ease of independent travel in Japan but willing to pay more to have the benefit of knowledgeable tour guides and having the leg work of hotels already sorted out. Hoping to find a Tour Company with a style similar to Rick Steves tours (i.e. a combo of guided time and independent time; some meals but not all meals and most importantly amazing guides). Does anyone have any recommendations? Thanks.

This is awesome! We just booked on a Viking Asia cruise in April of 2026 and would like to extend our trip after arriving in Tokyo and also looking for airline advice. We live in Boston and it seems at this time (I know it's way too soon) only Carthay flies direct. They don't have a great rep. I'm willing to travel to the west coast and stay a bit just to make the flight easier but not sure it makes sense. Any advice appreciated!

You are correct that it is too early to know what airline routes may be between Boston and Tokyo in 2026. I did a quick search for a couple random dates in April 2025. JAL has direct flights.

Something doesn’t add up on the Cathay comment; perhaps I’m misinterpreting your planned route. Cathay’s base is Hong Kong, not Tokyo. I flew them for years up to Covid, multiple times per year, ORD to HK and several different routes HK to other Asian destinations and Oceania. I found the service to be excellent. Of course, it’s always possible there have been post-Covid changes.

I have most of our May ‘25 trip booked for independent travel celebrating my 70th with my husband for a month in Japan. I’ve included five days of walking the famous Nakasendo Edo villages route for anyone interested ~ need to book now as these tiny villages don’t have a lot of accommodations. Other than the standard cities that everyone sees (Tokyo-Kyoto-Osaka) we have a monastery stay in Koyasan and we will stay on Naoshima the famous art island. LMK if you’d like details.We prefer less city/tourist heavy places, but will make time for well known palaces/gardens & dining.

@acheesewiz-I’m sure we would all love more details. Several of us have trips in the planned or planning stages to Japan. We have a 2 week cruise and 2 weeks on land trip for next fall I’m about to make a deposit on.

Just in case Japan-bound folks don't know about this: JAL and ANA offer discount domestic air fares to foreign tourists. These are great as they allow two pieces of check-in luggage. I used these three times and the fares were great. However, as expected, the earlier you book, the better the discounts. Not sure about change policies.

https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2364.html

Just saw this at the "Cool Tools" place.
Budget Japan Tips

Japan is not as expensive to travel in as many believe. This excellent video guide to budget travel in Japan is very relevant now that the yen is so cheap. How Expensive is it to Travel in Japan? Is a 30-minute YouTube video by a British Guy, Abroad in Japan, and he covers all the tricks of cheap Japan travel that I know. — KK

I concur that Japan is now not that expensive. It's a bargain compared to bloody Northern CA and Hawaii.

"... compared to bloody Northern CA and Hawaii."

Depends. As it usually does. :)

Just north of you was (I read) what a Nat Geo photog guy said was one of the prettiest places he'd seen on Earth.

That would be the Coast line (Highway 101). I'd count from where it goes through the Redwood forest just south of Crescent City north. At least up through Oregon's Brookings, Gold Beach (ride the Jetboats upriver if you're into that kind of thing), Port Orford, and Bandon (supposedly a great Golf Course, I don't play). Gorgeous scenery for almost all of the drive. Best in Summer but I go down for the Winter storms as well.

And all of it small town, dirt cheap. Though I have heard of some Resorts here and there. Don't know about them.

It looks like there's a text summary of that "Cheap Japan" video I posted:

boingboing summary

We are 3 weeks from our Japan trip. Here are some observations so far:

1. Hotel prices are on the rise. We reserved our hotels about 8 months ago. Japanese hotels usually do not require pre-payment or even a credit card to make a reservation and may be cancelled at any time. So it does not hurt to reserve. Prices have increased by about 80% in some cases. Japan is very popular destination right now and our Canadian dollar has weakened over last couple of months.

2. The Ghibli Museum is probably the hardest ticket to book in all of Japan. They start selling tickets on the 10th for the following month. You have to go online and queue up at 10AM Tokyo time. Our kids waited several hours, but all the tickets were sold out.

3. You can arrange for a free volunteer English tour guide for Himeji Castle: https://i-guide.jpn.org. The guide will not accept a tip for their tour. You can offer to take them out for lunch or give them a gift. A friend suggested we bring a bottle of maple syrup from Canada. You cannot buy tickets in advance. You buy tickets at the entrance.

4. You should book Shibuya Sky tickets about 1-3 months in advance. The most popular admission times are just before sunset, which are usually sold out.

5. Based on our research, we have not bothered to pre-buy tickets for any other popular attractions.

6. You should be able to buy Shinkansen bullet train tickets easily on the day of the ride. However, booking online one month in advance gives you a small discount. We are five so it was also preferable to reserve all our seats togther. You can easily change date/time of ticket for free, paying any difference in price (even if you miss your train). You can also cancel for a small fee.

7. We opted not to use any time/money to try and get a view of Mt Fuji (e.g. Hakone, Five Lakes etc). Hopefully, weather will be clear as we whiz by in the bullet train from Tokyo to Kyoto.

8. We are nervous about the availability of Siuca cards which we will need to buy upon arrival. There is still a chip shortage. I don't think there is anything we can do about this.

9. The five of us have planned, mapped out and shared our itinerary using the free version of Wanderlog. You have to pay a subscription in order to upload documents to the app. I got arround this limitation by storing all my documents in DropBox and just put Dropbox links in each applicable notes section in Wanderlog.

Fungi -
re #8 - if you have Apple phones, you can get a virtual Suica (Pasmo or ICOCA) easily. I much prefer the phone version to the actual card. I've used both recently in 2024 (and 2023). I think this was discussed above as well -post is too long for me to re-read! https://support.apple.com/en-us/108772

re #3 - I visited Himeji Castle in late 2023. After entering, I was approached by volunteer guides and offered a tour. I didn't arrange this in advance. Guide was excellent. Tour took around 2 hours - she gave me the option of "opting out" of an extension to some of the out buildings, but I had the time and enjoyed the full tour. Perhaps pre-arranging a guide is good for heavy tourist times. Not necessary when I visited. (I hope I didn't post my experience earlier. Forgive the repetition if I did.)

re #1 - I've had 4 visits post-Covid to Japan beginning just after the country re-opened. Each time, I have paid more for my hotel rooms. In one case, the price increased for each stay I made at the same hotel in Tokyo. First time, nice upgraded room as well as lowest price. No such luck in any subsequent visits!! Definitely hotel prices on the rise!

My unscientific observations, hotel prices seem on the rise as tourism and other travel has increased. Japan has also been working to improve the yen valuation against the dollar. I know I benefitted at least once in my journeys by a particularly weak yen.

Enjoy your trip!!!

ORDtraveller:

We all use Android phones. Siuca only works on Androids purchased in Japan.

The volunteer guide network in Japan is extensive. https://www.japan.travel/en/plan/list-of-volunteer-guides/

Although it might be possible to find a volunteer guide if they are available on-site and have space for one or two more, it is better to pre-arrange one in advance. We are a group of 5. I have been advised that the volunteer will not accept a monetary tip. I have invited them for lunch and will also provide a gift of a maple leaf shaped bottle of maple syrup.

I just compared the current prices for our same flights and hotels. Keeping in mind that we are only about one month away, we would have had to pay about CAD$5,000 more for the five of us. All of our hotels are cancellable, so there is really no reason not to reserve early in the trip planning process.

We just booked our return Shinkansen trip from Osaka to Tokyo for our last day to catch our home flight from Narita. I was debating flying on a domestic flight at about half the cost from KIX to NRT. The only flights which would have worked for us were the Peach or Jetstar which leave at approximately 7:00 a.m. or 7:30 a.m. We would have had to get up an hour earlier and take a cab to the the airport and it would have given us an extra 3 hours in Narita. We could then store our luggage and bus to the nearby village. However, the family figured we'd be pretty burned out by the end of the trip and would rather just relax on the bullet train (with a second chance to view Mount Fuji) and not try to fit in any last minute touring.

Anyone have any experience or advice for women traveling solo in Japan? Accompanying my spouse on business in early December but I'll have about a week on my own. I'm thinking I'd like to visit Osaka, Kyoto area.

Two of my three visits in the past 18 months were solo female.

What were your concerns?

No difficulties that I encountered. I feel much safer than traveling solo in the US. As easy as my frequent solo Europe trips. Always well treated. Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka.

I posted separately about this, but thought I'd put the link to the Japan Air press release in here about the free domestic flights offered.

Japan Airlines is offering a free domestic flight to US and other foreign travelers if they purchase their international flight through Japan Airlines and book everything at the same time. It’s going on right now, I believe, and they’ve said that they plan to continue it indefinitely. https://press.jal.co.jp/en/release/202409/008322.html

Adding my comments to the question about solo female travel in Japan. I completely agree with ORD Traveler. You may become confused by cultural differences and take awhile to figure out travel details, but you will be among people who are helpful to visitors and who live in a country where you will be personally safe. In a conversation with several of us who have experience traveling in Japan, one person said "just hold a map upside down and someone will offer to help you" and another retorted that you don't even need to hold it upside down.

The Japan bug really bit me hard after my February trip this year, and thus I could not resist booking cheap award flights back to Japan in February 2025 :-D. The plan is in progress, but the outline is Osaka (where we land) - Yakushima (hoping winter does not impair exploration too much) - Kyushu - Tokyo (where we leave from), a little over 2 weeks total.
Maybe I'll have questions later in the planning process; in any case I will be sure to report back!

We just returned from our 13 day trip to Japan and visited Tokyo, Kyoto, and Kanazawa. So much walking, but we really loved visiting these three cities. A few suggestions for others making the trip.

• Invest in great walking shoes. We ended up walking about 97 miles over the course of our trip.
• Bring or buy a fan. The humidity was very difficult for us Seattleites. Many people used the small electric fans and I ended up buying a fan as a souvenir. It was a big help in the subway stations with very little airflow and when walking around in general.
• Make sure to bring a coin purse. This was super helpful since there are lockers everywhere to store your items.
• Leave the pajamas and slipper socks at home. I always bring these items with me, but all of our hotels had these available in the room. I also didn't need any shampoo, conditioner, or body wash.
• Try to pack light. It made it much easier to store luggage on the trains. We ended up bringing a small suitcase and a backpack and had no problems navigating the subway or train stations. It also made it easier to store luggage in a locker at major stations.
• Get an IC card if possible. At the Kyoto station, we wanted to store our luggage while we grabbed lunch. There were about 30 lockers that took cash, and 150 that used the IC card as payment. That was really the only time we wished we had it, but it would have made things much easier.
• Buy your subway passes at the airport. We like staying in Ginza because it's an easy train ride to the hotel from Haneda. We buy a single ticket to the Ginza station and then a 72 hour pass that we activate the next day. We ended up buying a 24 hour pass at the end of our trip and it cost almost as much as our 72 hour pass. You need to stand in line to pay for the passes with a credit card and they check your passport. Not sure why it's such a big discount, but it's great. They will also give you a train map and answer any transportation questions.
• Carry your passport with you. There is a QR code inside your passport and if you buy something, you might get it tax free in certain stores. It also feels extremely safe in Japan so I had no concerns having it with me at all times.
• Always have some cash with you. Some restaurants and bars only accept cash. It's super easy to use 7-Eleven ATMs.
• My significant other and I live in Ballard and have excellent craft beer all around us. The beer in Japan is fantastic and made for some fun adventures.
• Try buying your Shinkansen tickets in advance and consider treating yourself to the green car. You have a little more space and cushy seats. The cost difference was negligable.
• Leave plenty of time to pick up your tickets at the train station on day of travel. You will need a pin number and reservation number so make sure you have everything available. It took us about 20 minutes of waiting in line before being able to use the ticket machine. They really love a paper trail in Japan so when getting train tickets, multiple tickets get spit out. Make sure you have a way of securing all these slips of paper because you will need them for entering and exiting the train station.
  Hope everyone enjoys their time in Japan. We loved it!

We just returned from our 15 night Japan Vacation (Tokyo 6, Kyoto 4, Osaka 5). Here are my observations:

1. Buy a "Welcome Siuca" card upon arrival. You can use it to tap on and off metro subways, local trains and buses, which are very cheap, in all the cities. I don't think an all-day pass is worthwhile. You could even use Siuca to make purchases at grocery stores like Lawson's, Family Mart and 7-Eleven without having to fuss with change. You can also store your pre-paid Shinkansen tickets on Siuca and not bother with paper tickets.

2. You can buy Shinkansen tickets ahead of time. You can save a little bit of money by buying in advance. And it is helpful to reserve your seats if you have a larger group that wants to sit together. Note a: Seats DE on the Tokyo to/from Osaka or Kyoto train will put you on the side to possibly view Mt. Fuji. Saw it on outbound, but too cloudy on inbound. Note b: Reserve the last row of seats if you have large luggage that you cannot lift or fit in the overhead rack. Note c: Lay your four-wheel luggage on its side. Otherwise they will roll around when the train starts to move.

3. No tipping anywhere. I bought a ¥98 dumpling at a cash only vendor, paying with a ¥100 coin. The cashier chased me down to return the ¥2 change.

4. Tissue paper/napkin is a premium. Even nice restaurants may only provide the smallest of wet wipes and no napkins. And toilet paper is the thinnest one-ply I have ever experienced. I guess they don't have a lot of trees to cut down in Japan. I suggest that you pack tissue paper with you if you are a messy eater or need to blow your nose a lot.

5. Washlet toilets are almost everywhere. They tickle but you get very clean.

6. If you want to eat breakfast like a local, just pick up food and coffee at one of the grocery stores. They are located on almost every block. We usually spent about ¥400 per person for an onigiri, meat bun and a latte in the morning. The food is good. We only indulged in one hotel breakfast buffet at the Onyado Nono Hot Springs Hotel in Kyoto. It was worth it for one day.

7. Eating and drinking in public is discouraged and there are (almost) no garbage disposal bins in the streets, malls etc. We would bring breakfast back to our hotel to eat. If you eat in a food court, you have to return your tray and garbage to the vendor. People are very clean and there is no litter in the streets.

8. Ordering food turned out to be easy. Many restaurants have machines, ipads or a QR code for your phone to order in English.

9. People are discouraged from talking loudly or making calls on the metro.

10. My son and his girlfriend stayed at a ryokan at Kinosaki onsen. The rest of us did not want to make the lengthy side trip. We did stay at hotels with Japanese baths, so I got in some naked bathing with other guys. It is very relaxing and the water in the shared baths was crystal clear clean. My wife and other son were too shy. The hotels provided pajamas or yukata robes and slippers. I would encourage everybody to try it.

11. Walk and climb stairs on the left, except in Osaka where they sometimes walk or climb on the right.

12. Take advantage of volunteer English guides at various attractions like Himeji, Kyoto Palace or Osaka Castle. These guides volunteer as part of their goodwill to foreigners and a chance to practice their English. They will not accept tips. They would not even accept money to reimburse them for their train ride to meet us. We bought them lunch and a gift bottle of maple syrup.

13. We stayed in Sotetsu and APA hotels. Reserve without paying directly on their website or app. We got the best reserved prices, which had gone up substantially by the time we arrived. Also, Sotetsu gave us cash back of ¥500 yen per room per night. I got ¥13,500 in cash back.

14. We used Ubigi esim. It worked. Once you sign up you can give a referral code and person can get a discount

Just back from our 4 week trip to Japan and thought I’d post a short summary in case it is of use to anyone selecting tours/agents. Note: we like nature/culture based holidays, preferably avoiding cities where possible.

Part one: Adventure Hokkaido 9 day Wildlife and Adventure tour. We toured eastern Hokkaido departing and ending in Kushiro. We found this tour to be excellent - 5 participants and 2 guides in a comfortable minivan. Lots of wildlife seen, including bears, sea otters, sperm whale, cranes etc. This tour is great for those who like being in nature, but without strenuous walking - most days spent doing shortish walks (under 5km), canoeing and wildlife cruises. The guides were excellent. We stayed at comfortable local hotels with onsens and all meals were provided in Japanese style, with lots of local sashimi.

Part two: Kanazawa. We stayed at Hyatt House, a modern apartment hotel very close to the station. Lots of restaurants and shopping nearby and walkable or local bus to the historic areas. Complimentary wine and beer in their lounge (hooray as wine is not so easy to come by in rural Japan). Western or Japanese style breakfast.

Part three: self guided tour through Inside Japan. Shirakawago, Takayama, Kamikochi, Matsumoto, Tsumago (Nakasendo Way) and Tokyo. This tour was customised according to our preferences and included accommodation (mix of Japanese and Western as requested), detailed instructions and guides to each location, all train and bus tickets (where possible to book in advance) with seat reservations, an IC card and airport transfer. The trip went seamlessly and we feel it was well worth the no doubt extra cost we paid Inside Japan. IJ have staff on the ground who can help with any requests or issues along the way - they quickly responded to our one request. The accommodation was well chosen (river views, traditional ryokan and inns, central locations). We loved being able to stay in a 300 year old inn on the Nakasendo way.

Overall, we had a great trip. As expected, we enjoyed the natural areas of Hokkaido and Kamikochi and the Nakasendo Way the best. We could definitely recommend both of the tour companies we used.

Hi everyone! My husband and I just started to book our flights and accommodations for a trip in May 2025. Since I’m seeing some seasoned travelers post here, we’d love perspective about how to organize the back half of our trip.
Upfront, we land in Tokyo on 5/18 and will stay Sunday through Wednesday night.
Original plan: Kyoto from Thursday to Saturday
Osaka by mid Saturday to experience a night on the town
Leave for a ryokan in Hakone for Sunday night
Make it back to Tokyo on Monday for the departure flight.

I felt leaving the ryokan for Sunday and hustling out on Monday morning would diminish the experience too severely.

This led us to pivot to:
Same Sunday - Wednesday plan for Tokyo
Head to Hakone on Thursday for the ryokan
Take our time leaving Hakone on Friday and head to Osaka
Go out on the town on Friday night
Transition to Kyoto for Saturday and Sunday
Make it back to Tokyo on Monday

There is also now a chance to take a business flight with a 24 stop over in Hong Kong that leaves Tokyo at 10 am.

Is a 7 am domestic flight from Osaka risky? Are the trains a better guarantee for promptness?

All observations are welcome!

I am confused about this:

"There is also now a chance to take a business flight with a 24 stop over in Hong Kong that leaves Tokyo at 10 am.

Is a 7 am domestic flight from Osaka risky? Are the trains a better guarantee for promptness?"

Which airport? Narita or Haneda? One ticket?

It isn't clear to me given the itineraries if you are spending a night in Tokyo prior to international flight onward, or if you hope to fly in and transfer planes.

I can clarify! We would fly from Osaka to Haneda the morning of. 10 am departure for the international flight from Haneda, so working backwards on when and how to leave Osaka (or Kyoto). Since we sit on the runway so often in the States, our norm makes me worry that a 7 am departure on a domestic flight is still too risky. Is it obvious to others that the train makes way more sense?

I fly in and out of Narita, so can’t give specific advice for Haneda conditions.

In general, if the airline will sell you one connecting ticket Osaka - Haneda- Hong Kong from 7 AM at Osaka, departing Haneda at 10, theoretically according to airline calculations, you have time for the connection. Theoretically. If you miss due to airline delay, the connection is protected and the airline gets you on the next available.....

That said, with a 10 AM departure, I would overnight in Tokyo not Osaka. I am conservative and don’t risk the international departures. Others may differ!

You can check with your airlines for recommended arrival time prior to an international flight from Haneda. At Narita, it is 2 hours for my regular ANA flight, not the usual 3 suggested for most other airports. That advice has been accurate. The info might help determine if train connections are a valid alternative.

The trains are generally on time except for major weather or earthquake disruption. I did have a few 10 minute late arrivals in the past year, but didn’t encounter major problems.

It’s great to hear that about the train system! I need to clarify that we would not be booking a single ticket - so Osaka (or Kyoto) to Haneda would be on us.

Beyond departure logistics, any thoughts about how to spend a Friday AM through Sunday between Osaka and Kyoto? Any comments about Osaka would help because the generalization we’re operating off of is amazing food and night life.

Osaka is not my favorite Japanese city. But, my first-timer this past summer thought it was wonderful. Wanted to move there! I find it a big, vibrant city (I am actually a city lover), but just not the place that resonates with me.

Dontonbori is fun. Probably the area most tourists are familiar with and the "big" attraction. https://www.japan.travel/en/spot/2207/

If looking for a day trip and you like castles, consider a day trip to Himeji, easy access from Osaka. Intact original feudal castle. By contras, the Osaka castle is reconstructed with a large museum inside. Very interesting, but not the original building as at Himeji. In Himeji, you can literally walk (climb - many stairs) the history, in Osaka, you can read and view interesting history. Himeji Castle could be a half day trip - other places to see in the town of Himeji also if you wanted a longer day. https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3501.html https://visit-himeji.com/en/ You could be back in time for Osaka nightlife!

Big Aquarium in Osaka (I have visited ones I thought more comprehensive in the US, but Osaka's is good.) Popular and often crowded. Universal Studios is popular with some visitors,. I enjoyed the Osaka History Museum but I'm a bit of a history museum nerd. You can research if it is to your liking. The Osaka castle grounds are attractive to wander. I have never visited, but have heard from several colleagues that their families enjoyed the CupNoodle Museum. https://www.cupnoodles-museum.jp/en/osaka_ikeda/

Don't miss a baseball game if it is the correct season. It is so much fun!

We are going to Japan in May 2025 on the Odysseys Unlimited tour with a Hiroshima extension. We are thinking of going to Naoshima's art islands (Benesse Art Site) after Hiroshima. Does anybody have advice about where to stay and what to see.

Thank you. Elly Cohen

There is an episode of Rick Steves Monday Night Travel that covers Japan:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-dxy510zGj8

I watched it last night and thought it was pretty good.

We are going to Japan in May 2025 on the Odysseys Unlimited tour with a Hiroshima extension. We are thinking of going to Naoshima's art islands (Benesse Art Site) after Hiroshima. Does anybody have advice about where to stay and what to see.

Late reply maybe, but I highly recommend Naoshima, especially since 2025 is a Triennale year!
I visited back in 2013 (also a Triennale year) and it is a great memory. I was only able to stay for 1 night in Uno port due to budget & availability constraints (it was a last-minute decision), but it still gave me enough time to tour the whole island of Naoshima by bike, hitting the Chichu & Benesse museums as well as most of the "Art Houses" and a bath at the sento (I love Yu).
A traditional bike in the middle of August was a challenge, but I was young. Get an electric bike if you can, the island is hilly.

2 nights would be ideal, and I hear that Teshima is also really worth visiting.
Uno Port is frankly not the most charming place to stay, but it was convenient. It would be great to stay on Naoshima itself as well, and I read good things about Takamatsu too, and even though it looks further away on the map, the trains are faster, so it takes about as much time to reach as Uno Port. The ferry rides are probably longer though.

We went to Naoshima from Takamatsu on Shikoku this past October. Very enjoyable though the ferry on that route is cash only. And you could only buy one way tickets so we had to buy return tickets at Naoshima - they open the window about an hour or so before departure. The ferry from Honshu may have a different policy - no experience with that. Greatly enjoyed Naoshima though we could not get into the museums as we had not obtained a time slot in advance and the only slots available when we got on the island were later in the day and did not work for us.